Customer Reviews

Blackfield (Dig)

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A fantastic yet overlooked treasure, a work brimming with texture but listenable to anyone's taste, Blackfield's self-titled debut is an amazing album that really deserves all the attention it can get. It's the project of Steven Wilson (the mastermind behind No-Man and Porcupine Tree) and Aviv Geffen, who's apparently had a successful if controversial pop career in Israel. Count one for the "can anyone tell me why this isn't huge" file. You need this album.

Wilson's singing is much more prominent, but AG handles half the writing/instrument duties, even if his voice is mostly the backing one. The sound is basically melancholy pop (for lack of an appropriate label), but wonderfully layered and textured and impeccably produced, topped off with gorgeous harmonies and writing a lot more thoughtful than you'd find in the pop world at large. And that's not to mention the writing in the melody department, which is almost otherworldly. There's a dreamlike quality to a lot of the album, from "Glow"'s soft bed of keyboards to "Lullaby"'s simple haunting piano line (which would almost actually make it a good lullaby if it wasn't done in a minor key with some very non-soothing lyrics). "Scars" shuffles along on a lively beat and shifts into a grand sweeping chorus, but it doesn't even seem out of place. Some heavy moments come and go but they never interfere with the lushness of the experience. The consistently depressing tone is really the only reason I haven't glued one of the CD trays on my stereo shut with this disc in it... yet.

Where Wilson on his own can take seven or eight or thirteen minutes to say something, Geffen's taste for brevity keeps everything here comfortably below five. Unfortunately that means the album itself tops off at around 43 including the 'new' bonus tracks, but there isn't a wasted second to be heard. "Where Is My Love?" was left off the original edition because they thought it didn't quite fit with the Blackfield sound - why they thought that, I can't imagine - and the mesmerizing "Perfect World" was apparently cut at the last minute. If you need this album (and you do), then you also need those tracks to complete the picture. Thankfully that mistake's been fixed by their inclusion here along with a live "Cloudy Now."

Did I mention you need this album? You do. Your life will forever be just a tad incomplete without it.

Is there a better title for a better album? I don't know. Since purchasing the original Jewel Case edition back when the CD was first released, I've been hooked on Blackfield and highly anticipate a follow-up CD. This summer, I purchased the digi-pack edition from a local music store and brought it home, only to have fallen in love with the album all over again. Blackfield's music is pure music genius, due to the mastermind himself, Steven Wilson. I've followed SW's music, since 1999 with the Porcupine Tree CD "Stupid Dream". Blackfield is made up of all the best components & aspects of every "PT" album. The melodies, arrangements & vocals are lush, smooth, rich and only SW can produce such a masterpiece. Aviv Geffen adds his own, unique style to the songs, but mainly as "Backup" because we all know SW's got the voice. I'm not big on AG's voice, only because I've seen him perform on a TV show in Tel Aviv (a video clip) He couldn't survive alone without SW's talents, although they make a splendid duo.

My favorite tracks are:
- "BLACKFILED", because of the fantastic piano intro and genius arrangements...as well as catchy, moody lyrics.
- "PAIN", because of AG's dark voice and accent & the catchy chorus line.

Packed with 13 brilliant & flowing tracks + the video for "Blackfield", the CD pumps out nothing but real music for any true music lover. As a fan of PT, No-Man and I.E.M, I couldn't pass up the purchase of this reissue. The chorus lines, dark & moody intros & subtle tones of some songs bring out every emotion, making it impossible for me to not play the entire CD. Even the bonus tracks are great too, and I like "WHERE IS MY LOVE?". AG's voice & accent stand out in the chorus when they sing the title phrase. Blackfield is definitely the soundtrack of a relaxing summer on a patio with a few beers & lots of friends & a good set of speakers. It's pure, feel good music, leaving me wanting more. I've already recorded the CD to my MiniDisc and it's on my computer as well. My friends were so pleased when they heard this music, they wanted copies of it for themselves.

Esthetically, this re-issue is 100 times better than the original and that's why I stand by my recommendation 100%. The only problem with this item is its vulnerablity to damage & wear. I suggest you put it in a protective plastic sleeve (found in many used CD shops). There's really no difference in the sound quality between the original and this one. The only thing I found strange is the 30 seconds between the original album sequence & the bonus songs. The packaging is beautiful and is much different from the Jewel case edition. Thanks, KOCH Records! These are some, if not most of the physical changes you'll notice:

- Gatefold digipack is glossy & contains different images or graphics
- Outer right flap features an image of a guy holding a bottle of Codeine with an image of a crying baby as the label
- Booklet (with lyrics) features alternative printing & graphics
- Front cover of booklet features the image of Codeine bottle with crying baby as label
- Original edition's booklet has Codeine bottle with "BLACKFIELD" printed across the label...minus the crying baby
- Inside cover of re-issue booklet features bottle of Codeine
- Inner rear cover of re-issue booklet features smaller-print credits & info
- Rear of booklet features tracklist
- Booklet fits inside front flap of package
- Color of CD is all black with grey title, compared to original brown disc with sienna lettering
- Inside right flap of package, there is a photo of SW & AV (originally found on rear of original booklet)

Tracklisting:
01- Open Mind - 3:19
02- Blackfiled - 4:06
03- Glow - 4:09
04- Scars - 3:57
05- Lullaby - 3:29
06- Pain - 3:17
07- Summer - 4:12
08- Cloudy Now - 3:34
09- The Hole in Me - 2:47
10- Hello - 3:09
BONUS TRACKS
11- Perfect World - 3:53
12- Where is My Love? - 3:01
13- Cloudy Now (Live) - 3:44
ENHANCED CD VIDEO - "Blackfield"

Blackfield is a progressive rock/pop band whose blend of minor key melancholia and wall-of-sound euphoria works best as the soundtrack to late night lounging and contemplation. Maybe under blacklight.

With a lineup featuring Aviv Geffen (Israel's David Bowie), and members of Porcupine Tree including Steve Wilson, musician and producer extraordinaire, Blackfield's sound doesn't stray too far from the Porc Tree blueprint -- if anything, it's simply more streamlined and spacey, and perhaps a tad bit more or less accessible, depending on preference. Hard rock listeners might be put out at the album's stellar but soft-edged production, but the songwriting is sure to entice people from all walks of music-listening life.

The acoustics and pianos twinkle, the drums thump, the fuzztones are truly fuzzy -- where Porcupine Tree has been given to knock-down, raspy, in-your-face metal chunk right along with the shimmering prog-rock guitar (such as on "Blackest Eyes," the first cut from their "In Absentia" LP), Blackfield's instrumentation is much more pop-friendly. The guitars swirl together in the mix, distilling a fog of tones that recalls the shoegaze of yesteryear. But, Steve Wilson's knack for production insures that the vocal lines can just as easily melt into the mix while a repeated rhythmic motif takes center stage, such as on the outro to "Perfect World."

Contrary to the warm production, "Blackfield" works wonders as a chill-out record. Hardly anything else is as relaxing as curling up with an ice cold beverage of one's choosing and putting on highly-ornamented, sparkling, yet bleak pop such as this band can create. Recommended along with any Porcupine Tree record, especially "In Absentia" and "Deadwing."

Fans of Porcupine Tree who live their lives on the slightly darker side rejoice: Blackfield is here to sum up all your woes and angsts in life through dark, atmospheric pop songs that only a masterful hand such as Steven Wilson's could craft. Imagine the lush sounds of Porcupine Tree's Stupid Dream/Warszawa era filtered through a dark, gloomy spectrum of lost love, child abuse, and self inflicted pain, and the beautiful if dreary result which you have is Blackfield. Spawning from the brainchild of SW and Israeli songwriter Aviv Geffen, this self-titled release is the bands debut, although the outstanding production, deeply moving and equally disturbing lyrics, and pure chemistry between these two musicians would suggest that they've been feeding off of each others talents and emotions for years.

The album opens with Open Mind, a deceptively light finger-picked folk tune flowing innocently through the speakers before exploding in your face with ultra-heavy distorted riffing accented by intense, sharp orchestral backdrops, leaving you no time to breathe before plunging you into the album and band's title track, a pop tune of epic proportions, and a silencer to anyone who has ever thought Steven Wilson needed a 10 minute plus prog track to express himself. Indeed, the title track may just sum up the beauty of this album altogether by showcasing the two talents which Geffen and Wilson bring out in each other best, Geffen's strictly pop-based songwriting technique forcing Wilson to step out of his progressive comfort zone and get what he has to say out there in 4 minutes or less. As far as relation to Porcupine Tree goes, the songwriting is more focused along the lines of pop gems such as Blackest Eyes and Open Car rather than sprawling musical mountains like The Sky Moves Sideways or Arriving Somewhere (But Not Here). One must only thank Geffen for cutting down the song times to short-attention span lengths, for it is an aspect in both musicians songwriting skill which puts the emphasis more on infectious melodies and unforgettable hooks than on developing a longer mood piece.

After track 2 the album takes a downward twist with Glow, which enters with haunting keyboards and ghostly, suicidal undertones of lyrics before monstrous tribal drums pound the track into submission, followed shortly by Lullaby, which features a touching, almost child-like piano part which would be soothing if not for the disturbing images which Wilson's solo vocal performance suggests. Pain, the album's midway point is a highlight of the disc, not to mention the one that hooked me to the album in the first place, and Geffen's words will hit home to anyone who has been on the losing end of a relationship. Surely not to be missed.

The rest of the album is equally powerful, and not a track is to be missed, therefore it becomes a difficult task in singling out one song or another, although I would love to go on at length about how great each one is. One more noteworthy inclusion is that of The Hole In Me though, featuring a soaring chorus melody that puts it in the running for catchiest Wilson track of the last 5 years. And that's a bold statement. Buyers should definitely make sure they purchase the version featuring the three bonus tracks, Perfect World and Where Is My Love?, both of which should have been left on the album in the first place, as well as a nicely performed live version of the loud and abrasive Cloudy Now. Even if you're not a fan of Porcupine Tree, anyone who enjoys a good melody and can appreciate a crafty twist on pop-songwriting will not be able to unglue this from their CD players. Just make sure you've got that little itch for darkness in your lyrical content. If you don't buy this it's your own fault for ignoring one of the most underrated pop albums of the last 10 years.

THE BAND: Steven Wilson (co-writer, producer & performer), and Aviv Geffen (co-writer and performer). Other guest performers join in - drummers Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree's current '05 drummer on 3 tracks); Chris Maitland (Porcupine Tree's original, now ex-drummer on 4 tracks); Jerry Kaplan on 2 tracks; string arrangements from the Illusion Quartet on 3 tracks. Since it's not mentioned in the liner notes, I have to assume Wilson and Geffen are taking on any and all guitars (acoustic, electric and bass) as well as keyboards, synths and sound effects. Wilson is a wizard with anything musical - so it's easy to assume here, no?

THE DISC: (2005) A tri-fold case that's self titled. 10 tracks originally, but this new and improved re-release from KOCH gives you 3 additional bonus tracks. "Blackfield" clocks in at approximately 43 minutes. A 10-page booklet includes lyrics, assorted obscure pictures and one picture of Wilson and Geffen together. Recorded during 2001-2003, back and forth between Wilson's home in the U.K. and Geffen's in Tel Aviv, Israel. The disc also contains a video of "Open Mind".

COMMENTS: I am a huge fan of Steve Wilson. I own all of his Porcupine Tree releases, as well as some of his work from No Man, OSI (Office Of Strategic Influence), Bass Communion, and IEM. I consider the man a genious in the music industry. I've seen The Tree live, and they put on a great show... basically, Wilson can do NO wrong. With that being said, "Blackfield" is a great album... but it's somber, moody and mostly a "down" affair. Wilson is a master at creating atmosphere through music. Once again, he's given us a beautifully crafted, wonderfully produced effort here. Being a rocker at heart, Porcupine Tree grabbed me from the start and I can plug in The Tree at any time. However, I feel that I often times have to be in the mood for "Blackfield". By no means do I mean to diminish or lessen the effect of this album! A majority of the songs here are slow at first, and then they pick up halfway through. "Cloudy Now", "Pain", "Hello" and "Blackfield" were released as singles edits in the UK in 2003/04. The 1st track "Open Mind", "Pain", "Summer" and the title track all kind of reminded me of something Porcupine Tree might have done... all on the mellower side of the scope. "Glow" is a brilliantly somber keyboard piece with the other instruments joining only at the end of the song. If you're settling down for the night and not in the mood for some of The Tree's more progressive and rocking tunes, this "Blackfield" might be the answer.

Blackfield is the side project of Porcupine Tree front man Stephen Wilson and Israeli pop star Aviv Geffen. I admit to being a Stephen Wilson junkie as I think just about everything the guy does songwriting, playing, singing, and producing is brilliant. The Blackfield album is a fairly mellow affair with occasional heavy bombastic guitars making only brief appearances. The songs are all on the short side, and it definitely has a bit more of a pop feel than what you might be used to with Porcupine Tree. Wilson takes the lead on the majority of the album, although Geffen gets in his share of the spotlight here and there. Highlights for me include the title track, "Glow", "Summer" and "Cloudy Now". The lyrics for the most part are on the downer / depressive side, but that should come as no surprise for fans of Wilson. Is this as good as a Porcupine Tree album? In my opinion no, but it is a solid disc that fans of PT will surely get into.

I stumbled across this disc via a Prog-Rock sampler on iTunes, and I'm SO glad I did. As the other reviews have stated the sound of this disc is mesmerizing. The mix of impeccable production values & other worldly vocals make this a "Must Listen" especially if you are a Prog fan. It's quickly becoming my favorite disc to just listen to while relaxing. I only wish the tracks were longer ....

There's a lot to be said for an album that is so difficult to categorize. Blackfield certainly has an aura to it. All of the songs on this disc are somewhat pop-oriented. At the same time, though, these "pop-oriented" songs make a lasting impression by their almost haunting feel.

The melancholy tone of the disc is almost enough to make one want to stop listening. Great choruses, memorable lines, and fleeting hooks, though, prevent you from turning it off. An odd animal, Blackfield... after having listened to the CD so many times, I was intruiged when I heard it again. For a moment I didn't realize who it was. The CD is forgettable like that. But, once you hear certain lines in the songs, you begin to hum along. This is a good 'anytime' CD. However I feel it's best suited to a walk in the rain.

A listen to this CD surely subdues the listener. Don't expect rocking lines a la Porcupine Tree. The extent of the rocking is done in the opening track, and is only a few phrases -- interrupted by flowing harmonies (certainly representative of Wilson's other works). The synths in the background provide a constant flow throughout the song, making it smooth and flowing... rather than choppy and syncopated.

Purchasing this CD would provide the listener with a unique listen that is best experienced.

This is in the same vein as Opeth's Damnation. Cool, relaxing, great sounding music- nothing more, nothing less.

Blackflield must have wanted to create an album to relax its audience from the grinds of life and daily stress and it worked- every time I hear this album I fall in love with it again.

If you are looking for a mellow album with great songs- this is it. 9/10 for me! 4.5 stars- a must have!!!

A collaboration between Israeli singer songwriter Aviv Geffen and British musician and producer Steven Wilson, whose most popular musical endeavour is the genius called Porcupine Tree (PT), Blackfield is a somewhat difficult to categorize (the curse of modern music industry is categorization and productization of art) effort. Some people term it meloncholic pop, which I think is the closest approximation to term this band's music.

I am a HUGE fan of PT and own almost all their albums except some rare to finds stuff like Out Absentia, Recordings II and XM II. So when I first heard Blackfield and instantly fell in love with the music, I wondered if it was the Steven Wilson effect. The effect is simple, I love every single composition this man ever made, period. I am still to check out IEM and Bass Communion, but I am sure I will love them anyway. People compare PT to Pink Floyd but I dont agree with that at all. If you can mix Pink Floyd and Opeth you get this monster hybreed called PT. But my feelings were wrong, since I know that with or without loving PT I would have still immensely liked Blackfield. This album is full of heartfelt, meaningful melody and it really is irresistable.

Aviv who is fan of PT and has his own career in Israel wanted to collaborate with Wilson for many years and the result in Blackfield. PT played in Israel on invitation from Aviv and the two men (Avin and Wilson) eventually had to work together since they bonded well. Blackfield is a beautiful baby born from that holy alliance. The music is all elements of rock/pop in that they use guitars, pianos, synths, drums etcs and strong melody is created by vocals, vocal harmonies, and all instruments. For instance, many songs are filled with superb lead guitar work. All music was arranged by Aviv and vocals by Wilson. Some old songs of Aviv were covered I believe and I think its "Cloudy Now" and I dont know the others. The songs follow a verse/chorus pattern with some fantastic, memorable and catchy choruses I have heard in music in many many years. I am talking about the sweetness found in 70s pop before Disco raped it. Add to that sweetness, a moody, sad layer and you have Blackfield. I am not going to do a song by song analysis here but I have a few favourites, Blackfield (brings goose flesh every single time I hear it), Pain, Perferct World and Where is my Love?

If you are a PT fan, do not even think twice before getting this album, you will LOVE it. If you have stumbled on this page by accident and have never heard any PT but do appreciate quality music, you will LOVE this album. There is not a single filler song on this CD. Switch the lights off, play this loud and you know what...this is the perfect fix for my melancholy!!!