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Superior power pop with more balls in the air than Serena Williams at the US Open, The Week That Was is the brainchild of by Field Music's Peter Brewis inspired by the complicated storytelling of Paul Auster. I once read an Auster story called "The Art Of Hunger," the tale of a starving thief in pre WW II Germany whose constant battle to keep food in his stomach was matched by his need to steal. Stealing also works well for Brewis, who confidently lifts styles as diverse as those of Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel and Tin Drum-era Japan. Heck, I also hear a little Drums and Wires era XTC, but I hear that everywhere!     

The Week That Was is that old fashioned thing, a theme record. Brewis' goal is to raise questions about the way we lead our lives, receive information, watch TV, and generally perceive mass media under the rubric of modern mass communications. PR Blather adds the following, raising questions that deserve answers! 

"How do we deal with the fragments of information we receive through the television, radio, the internet? How do we balance the distrust we feel for mass media with our dependence on it? How does this relationship influence our hopes and actions in our real lives? And finally, what would happen if we decided not to deal with it anymore and switched off the information flow by throwing away our TVs, radios and newspapers?"

"I sir, for one, am not going to sit here and let you insult the United States of America!" Brewis seems to be implying, echoing Eric Stratton (rush chairman) in Animal House for sheer impunity, that our minds are our own, so we better get with it! Power to the People!   

The power pop profundity of "Learn To Learn" will slap you silly, upside the head. But there's more. "Yesterday's Paper" is deranged pop for cinephiles of all stripes, "Scratch The Surface" herks and jerks like necks snapping across the fruited plane, "The Airport Line" slings crazy rhythms worthy of Jerry Marotta on Peter Gabriel's Security, "The Good Life" tumbles galloping Stewart Copeland inspired horse gallops against stark pianos and threatening war synths. 

The Week That Was features contributions from Peter's Field Music colleagues, Andrew Moore and David Brewis, along with Pete Gofton on vibraphone, vocals by Jennie Redmond, John Beattie on cornet and Laura Cullen on flute, as well as percussive and vocal duties from This Ain't Vegas' Jordan Hill and Richard Amundsen.

Madness!

The Week That Was
"Learn To Learn" (mp3)
from "The Week That Was"
(Memphis Industries)

More On This Album
 

NO YOU DIN'T! Flora Cruz mixtape: I love this: doofus house beats and Hispanic vocals prancing like it's club land in NYC circa 1987. I used to know a security guard whose favorite word was "Fierce," and she was! Back then I was a jazz drummer, making do as the jazz buyer at Tower Records Lincoln Center. My friend would invite me to the Palladium or the Tunnel for a night out dancing, beating the floor, drinking, maybe cruising a Gay bar or two. I loved her. She scared me. She would love this music.

"Mixtape Sessions is proud to bring you the latest offering from Flora Cruz. Released in January 2008, 'Overcome' is about the struggles of living day to day. This song is for anyone who's learned to overcome real adversity in their life. Since its release, the feedback on her 'Overcome' EP has been wonderful. In particular, producers, DJs, and music lovers have all felt a strong connection with the EP's title track and its empowering messages. We received so many requests to remix 'Overcome' that we had to release them all. Here, we feature incredible remixes from noted dance music producers from around the world including: Phil Hooton, Glenn Thornton, Matt Hughes, and Anderson Soares."

"Overcome"

"Overcome"