By Rege Behe
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
In 1996, the Gathering Field appeared to be headed for national recognition with the release of "Lost in America." A sprawling, epic album inspired by lead singer/songwriter Bill Deasy's visions of literary wanderlust, the album sold well locally and attracted attention from major record companies.
Atlantic Records signed the band and rereleased the CD nationwide. Then the label promptly forgot about them.
"We were touring and Matchbox 20, who had also not broken yet, they were on display at every record store," says Deasy. "There was a little depression that set in."
It was a harsh lesson for a band that had worked so hard, for so long, only to see their dreams crash to earth because of their label's indifference.
Now, three years later, the Gathering Field has regrouped. Deasy, guitarist/producer Dave Brown, bassist Eric Reibling and drummer Ray DeFade have severed ties with Atlantic and will release "Reliance" independently Tuesday.
It's a situation the Gathering Field has been in before, and one they readily embrace despite the inherent financial risks. But the most palpable difference from "Lost in America" is in the band's musical direction. "Reliance" is more commercially accessible than their previous releases, with shorter songs and an edgier, more guitar-driven sound.
"It wasn't an unnatural move," says Brown of the group's new course. "It just felt like we were making another album, and the songs being a little more pop-oriented leant themselves to going in that direction. Plus, being a guitar player, you always want to have a nice heavy guitar sound."
The first single, "I'd Believe In God For You," rocks harder than any song the band's done before, and is already garnering airplay on WDVE, WXDX and WYEP. Before accusing the Gathering Field of selling out, however, it's instructive to note that the changes are subtle, not broad. Deasy's compelling narratives are still in place, albeit a bit condensed. And there are still songs, such as the spare, acoustic "Beautiful Land" and the Van Morrison-like rave, "Right Where You Want Me," that would fit seamlessly on "Lost in America."
But even Deasy admits there was a need to focus a little bit more with the new material.
"On `Lost in America,' the songwriting almost reached a critical mass, to the point where I was getting weighed down by literary ambitions," he says.
Three things happened that affected the tenor of "Reliance":
"Stan kind of got us thinking a little differently in terms of simplifying our parts," says Deasy. "He talked to Ray about drumming more simply.
"But it was mostly a kind of unconscious move in terms of the songwriting. In our approach, we just seemed to tighten things up a bit."
The end result is an album that shows commercially viable music isn't necessarily lacking a soul. Deasy's spiritual longing, his struggle to find peace in the world, remains the focus of "Reliance." And even though he admits to still harboring a fascination with the romantic, travelling figures of "Lost in America," Deasy now knows that home life (he and his wife had a son last year) can be just as rewarding.
"The album ends with `The Heart of Everything,' which is a real affirmative song that says all that emptiness is sort of overrated," he says. "I think that's sort of where I'm at with my songwriting, and what I wanted to get across on this record."