Back in the Fields

Following the buzz of their 2006 EP and the subsequent slight of last year's somewhat overproduced (but underrated) debut, Everything Last Winter, the UK/Icelandic band Fields have all but put the wraps on their yet-untitled sophomore album.

After what must have been a fairly intense process with Winter's bigtime rock producer, Michael Beinhorn, Fields have done it themselves this time, using Garageband no less, though they did come to New York to record drums and mix the thing with Chris Zane, whose worked with Les Savvy Fav, Calla, and Asobi Seksu. They also lost a member in the process -- towering guitarist Jamie Putnam left the group on seemingly good terms. It doesn't seem to have affected the size of their sound, judging from these two tracks. They've got that signature Fields sound: sweeping and pretty, but also loud and dense with layers.

MP3: Fields - Are You Ready Yet?

MP3: Fields - Worst Love

The quartet (whose eyes appear to have been rubbed out in this picture by some joker with a pencil eraser) also promise the new album will not contain another version of their signature tune, "Song for the Fields."