Recorded from 1995-2000 in a variety of locations, Field Recordings serves as Jonathan Rundman's self-produced bootleg album. The recording level varies, crowd noise is reproduced, between song comments are included, and a variety of guests make their way to the stage, making you forget this is not a live album.
Rundman's Paul Westerberg meets Matthew Sweet vocals are the same as ever, conveying an offbeat sensibility that shows us that he sees the world just a little differently than most of us. Laced with humor and irony, he has made a career out of writing about things that no one else thinks about for very long.
There are three new tunes here -- "Ridgeland," "The Beach," and "Continental Divide"-performed with brother Bruce Rundman. Also featured are three cover songs -- "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" (Carter Family), "Little Bird" (Annie Lennox), and "It's Only Natural", the Crowded House staple. The last is a duet with Beki Hemingway, and is always a concert highlight for anyone who has seen these two together. "Ridgeland" can be described as Neil Young singing an Arlo Guthrie song.
Rundman's versatility is prevalent throughout, as he sings, strums the guitar and mandolin, plays harmonica, provides backup to Arlo Leach on "The World is Changing Every Day," and performs with a side project--The Muckrakers on three songs. Field Recordings is a family affair -- Bruce, Tim, and Dawn Rundman all appear in the credits, while friends Beki Hemingway, Echelon, Todd Miller, Tommi Zander, and bands Dolly Varden and Accident Clearinghouse pop up on various tracks.
"Tape" is a praise of self-compiled cassette tapes. "Meeting Nixon" is a tale of the late president, opening with a guitar riff very much like that of This Train's "Monstertruck." "The Princess Wants to Spend Her Time With Me" poses the question of how a song can sound Irish and Italian at the same time. "Arise, My Soul Arise" is an accordion rendition of the old hymn. "Bright Funeral" is a highlight, telling its listeners to celebrate rather than mourn.
Ten new songs, twelve from Rundman's four previous albums. Most are keepers with the possible exception of "Chassel Rut" (performed with The Muckrakers) and "The World is Changing Every Day" with Arlo Leach on lead vocals. Still, twenty out of twenty-two ain't a bad ratio.
4 tocks
