Lizz Fields - By Day By Night

Genre r & b Publisher ABB Records External Links Official Site ABB Records

Lizz Fields is a vocalist from Philadelphia. These days, you can tell when a singer has come up in The City of Brotherly Love. The Philly neo soul movementïhowever you want to characterize itïbonds dozens of artists. Similarities in groove, poignancy and improvisation connect artists like Jill Scott, Bilal, Musiq, The Roots, The Jazzyfatnastees and now Lizz Fields. Fields, like other Phildelphia artists, makes you believe she never sings a- song the same way twice. With skill and confidence, Fields reaches her essence every time she belts out a tune. Big deal. Shouldn't every professional singer bare their soul each time they perform? Ideally, yes. But you've seen Ameican Idol. These jokers are rewarded in the music industry today. As a result, manufactured symbols of mediocrity define singing for millions of Americans. Artists of Fields' caliber encourage listeners to reconsider what they seek in vocalists.

Her talent, facility and assurance in performanceïwhich she shaped at the Philadelphia Creative & Performing Arts High Schoolïdraws listeners and other musicians and producers to her music. That allure helped her garner the support she needed to record and release By Day By Night. Though Fields is the star of the show, her cohort Damon Bennett matches the instrumentation with Fields' vocals to create an uncontrived yet complex feeling on the album. Sluggish basslines and dreamy keys fill-in the gaps between Fields' words, and compliment her interpretations with subtlety.

At times, her singing is virtuostic. The music and production dovetail with Fields' style and occasional arrhythmic patterns. The only element that could muddy an otherwise solid album is lyrics. In the world of R&B and soul music, lyrics frequently fall into pits of heavy panting cheese. Generally, lyrics like the following run rampant in R&B. Oh, baby. Baby, yes. Oh baby, please. Please, please. Let me rub you all night long. Oh, yes. Baby, baby. Yes. Please. Rub me too. ï Pennick Purpose, 2005 But Fields avoids such mindless attempts to capture passion and a sophomoric sense of love. She speaks personally about love and desire, honesty and hurt. Words from the album's opening song, "I Gotta Go," about her friendship with a former boss, are both thoughtful and concise. "Now keep in mind, it's clear and apparent, your ruthless ways will take you as far as your grave / If you had the time to change your direction, lift your foot off the hearts of the people you pained." Throughout the album, her lyrics move in and out of relationships, emotions and personal philosophies without getting bogged down in complaint and frustration. In this sense, Fields' approach is unique within a genre that's flattened with songwriters who are obsessessed with stanzas about yelling at their mate or screwing the ever-loving honeydew out of them.

As Fields tours Europe and America in support of By Day By Night, she's sure to attract scores of new fans. She's magnetic, sweet and smartïand absolutely stunning, if that has any bearing on the situation.

For a fresh take on R&B and soul, check out By Day By Night by Lizz Fields. If you don't, it's your mistake, and mistakesïin partïmake you who you are.