HIGHLY RECOMMENDED W/ FIELD GUIDE
* Providing the A's to the 5 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Q's today is Field Guide — a Canadian singer-songer who recently dropped a stripped down re-imagining of their lovely 2022 self-titled debut LP called ‘Field Guide (Tape Redux)’ (and you can catch the track ‘Worst of Ways - Tape Redux’ on the HI54 Mix CD playlist ‘SLOW MORNINGS’) // Field Guide photo by Eric Roberts.
#1 - WHAT IS THE ONE ALBUM (OR EP OR SONG) THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE THE VERY NEXT MUSICAL THING THAT EVERYONE PRESSES PLAY ON THE NEXT TIME THEY FIND THEMSELVES THINKING “WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NOW”?
One of my favourite records ever is Slow Spirit’s ‘Idle’.
Slow Spirit is a Manitoba based band that makes incredible music and largely self records and produces it themselves. Some of my favourite songwriting ever. The band isn’t very well known but I think that they are making some of the best music in the world today.
#2 - WHAT IS THE ONE MOVIE OR TV SHOW THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE NEXT IN EVERYBODY’S NETFLIX QUEUE (OK, DOESN’T HAVE TO BE NETFLIX, WE’RE ALL INTERNET ADULTS HERE AND KNOW HOW TO FIND ANYTHING ONLINE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER)?
I recently watched an Apple TV show called Severance and it totally rocked my world. It’s about a company that requires certain department employees to undergo a surgery to sever their work and home-life consciousness.
#3. I (AND BY “I” I MEAN “THE PERSON THAT IS READING THIS”) AM GOING TO THE LOCAL BOOK STORE (OK, MAYBE THE LOCAL LIBRARY FIRST) TO FIND THE VERY NEXT BOOK THAT I WILL BE PUTTING SOME EXTREMELY VALUABLE ‘ME-TIME' ASIDE FOR. WHICH BOOK WOULD YOU GET, IF YOU WERE ME (AND, I SUPPOSE, YOU HADN’T ALREADY READ WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO SUGGEST)?
I’m an audiobook guy and I always feel like I’m cheating haha, but I’ve been listening to Rick Rubin’s new book ‘The Creative Act’.
In a way it feels more like a meditation than a book, especially with Rick reading it in your ear, but it’s essentially just a bunch of wisdom around making art, I’m digging it.
#4 - WHAT IS THE ONE WEBSITE (OR JUST ANY OLD INTERNET THING: APP, GIF, SERVICE, WHATEVER) THAT YOU WOULD GET REALLY DOWN IN THE DUMPS ABOUT IF IT WERE TO SUDDENLY GO AWAY?
Probably this random computer app called Anytune that let’s you slow down songs and learn Hot Licks™. It’s so handy.
#5 - AND FINALLY… PLEASE GIVE ONE COMPLETELY UNAIDED RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD START DOING / USING / WATCHING / EATING / THINKING / QUITTING / ETC-ING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE BETTER AND/OR BEARABLE.
I’m a disciple of Julia Cameron’s ‘The Artist Way’ so I’m a big believer in the daily morning pages (3 pages of stream of consciousness journaling in the morning before the day begins).
I also just generally find myself being reminded that making things is always what makes me happy. Sometimes I lose my way and get caught up in life’s distractions, but as soon as I return to making something (however big or small), everyday I realize that it’s what makes me the most happy.
OK folks, there you have it. Things that Field Guide thinks you should consider incorporating into your day/life. Before you log off and go make something to make yourself happy, make sure to follow xx on the Facebook / Instagram and then also give ‘Worst of Ways (Tape Redux)’ a listen below…
