Dean Fields: Acoustic Harmony

Last Thursday, a notably intriguing act played to a small and fortunate audience in the Fire Place Lounge. As compact as the crowd was, the band was undisturbed, and they played with great skill, clarity, and composure. Dean Fields is a singer-songwriter from Mechanicsville, Virginia. He plays acoustic guitar and adds his own touch of the sublime with his tender voice. Most, if not all of his songs are about heartbreak and women. His eagerness to shed these painful experiences through melody has earned him a faithful fan base and commendable national critiques. “I grew up playing piano, but soon realized girls weren’t necessarily flocking to pianists, so I switched to saxophone, and then eventually to guitar,” states Fields. Aside from singing and guitar playing, Fields also picked up the difficult knack of playing harmonica at the same time. It is talent that impressed many audience members. Luiz Pinheiro, a freshman at Plymouth State was one listener who thought Fields was talented. “Playing harmonica and guitar at the same time, that’s gotta be tough.” Accompanying Fields were friends Tim Alworth on the drums and Spencer Miles on the bass. Tim went to college with Dean and tours with him whenever he needs a hand. “Spencer and I are in a hip-hop band right now, but when we get to play with Dean, it’s always a nice change of pace.” From the technicality of Miles’ bass flow and Alworth’s drumming, it’s no wonder why Fields kept close contact with his old friend.Fields and his group began to play a little after 8 p.m., host to a vibrant but uncharacteristically small crowd for the emerging artist. With the lights dimmed and the guitar strumming, it was evident that Fields wasn’t about to put his audience to sleep, but instead emote an immediate attention with the use of his lullabies. His songs presented harmonious thought and reason, a mixture that had you tapping your foot and day-dreaming of the girl you wished was beside you. Fields’ guitar-playing was simple but traditional, and he made use of his skills through various picking techniques that helped accentuate all the styles he grew up loving. “Country rock has always been inspiring. There’s great guitar playing and story-telling. Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, who’s better than them?” Between his songs, Fields was more than eager to talk to his fans and joke about his aspiring fame. “I pissed next to Lyle Lovett one time, and I dated a girl from Temptation Island.” Fields laughed and continue to play his next set of songs. He seemed content and gracious with how his audience was accepting him. “I think he’s awesome. He has a great style, it reminds me of Dave Matthews, but still really original,” says Jackie Kus, a sophomore at Plymouth.When their set ended I was opportune enough to ask the band a few questions, regarding music and other things. Fields and company all grew up listening to Nirvana and the Beatles, Fields is currently listening to Rilo Kiley and Tom Waits, and they all agree that Halloween is their favorite horror movie. Also, they assert that Green Lantern and Thing from The Fantastic Four are the best superheroes. One thing is for sure, Dean Fields is an extremely cool guy who deserves all his success and hopefully enjoys plenty more to come. His album is entitled “Imitations” and is a quintessential singer-song writer album, expressing all forms of love and love-lost. His lyrics ring true, his guitar is melodious, and he’s on the verge of making it.