ALBUM REVIEW: Fielder’s Promise of Youth
*This review originally appeared in our November 2024 issue*
Photo by Owen Goldstoff
“It’s an adept demonstration of a band being greater than the sum of its parts. As it should be.”
Take one look at Promise of Youth – the new 12-song LP from Albany-based quartet Fielder – and you’d think they were a band from the ‘60s, time-traveling forward to the 21st century. I know the old adage says not to judge a book by its cover, but I’m here to tell you there’s an exception to every rule. Because if you’re looking for a local act writing songs that lie on the same end of the musical spectrum as The Beatles or The Beach Boys, Fielder might be your new favorite band.
Album opener “Room to Grow” provides a solid taste of what to expect from Promise of Youth. It’s breezy in nature, with acoustic-forward instrumentation and a lilting vocal melody by Peter Keller, one of the band’s three (!) singers. “I want a garden with some room to grow / I want a big backyard with lawn to mow” is our introduction to the record, a sentimental look at growing up.
A standout element of Fielder’s songwriting, present in most songs including the aforementioned opener, is the band’s use of atypical chord progressions. To offer a more modern comparison, I was struck by how much Fielder channeled Dawes, one of the most underrated musical acts of our generation, especially on songs like “Shadow of the Canyon”. Both bands have an uncanny ability to deliver attention grabbing melodies outside of normal pop progressions. All in all, it helps make Promise of Youth exceptionally interesting.
Then there’s that trio of vocalists I hinted at above. Another facet that sets Fielder apart, it’s also their biggest strength. Each one has starkly different vocal qualities, and they all get ample time to shine across the record. Keller’s voice has a Neil Young-like timbre to it, while Tim Laberge reminded me a bit of Cat Stevens on songs like “Can’t Figure It Out”. Finally, there’s TJ Goldstoff who takes lead on mid-album highlight, “Later, Later”. Vocally, he has an uncanny likeness to Mike Kinsella, a name a lot of you might not even recognize. Feel free to Google him, but basically, it adds an oddly fitting, midwest emo vibe to an otherwise Swinging Sixties type sound.
While Keller, Laberge and Goldstoff hold their own just fine, the true magic is when their voices come together in harmony. It’s an adept demonstration of a band being greater than the sum of its parts. As it should be. The harmonies are tasteful and well-executed, helping guide songs dynamically to their natural conclusions.
Promise of Youth is a treat, carefully gift-wrapped by a band that’s probably not on your radar at the moment. Hopefully you change that soon, for if this record is any indication, Fielder will be outgrowing their garden in no time at all.
