I’ve been the fan of The Hillfields for a few years now.   They’ve played a fair few Lostmusic shows over the past few years, so I’ve been keenly watching as they have developed.

When they first appeared there was a delicateness that recalled The Field Mice and the better moments of Sarah Records and over time the band beefed up their live sound with a blistering guitar sound -  so much so that bands like The House of Love, Echo and the Bunnymen and some of the poppier Jesus and Mary Chain moments stand as reference points these days.   So with this  ongoing battle between gentle pop guitars and the noisy frayed edges I was a little unsure of which sound ‘It’ll never be the same again’ would favour.  Initial impressions are that the band have managed to combine the delicate guitars with some fine sonic moments – marrying the best of both worlds into a mighty fine whole.  ‘Afterburn’ is a stand out moment and it has just been released as a digital download single.

Live favourites like ‘Spoon’ and ‘lolife’ sound wonderful, indeed, having seen the band a fair few times, even after a few listens I find myself humming along with songs that I never knew the titles to.   The Hillfields have made a fine record.   It’s out now on Underused Records.

Links:  The Hillfields | Underused Records