Field Medic’s Quest For Inner Peace Is Astonishing

Under the title of field medic, Kevin Patrick Sullivan He built a reputation as a very serious singer-songwriter whose music is clear and very personal. His outstanding album, Prince Al-Zahri (2020), finds him singing openly about his sexuality and drug use, mixing fully refined arrangements with rough experimental recordings. yet, Boundless and truehis latest LP represents a return to previous form, with many songs finding Sullivan in a simple, intimate setting of voice, guitar, banjo, and occasionally harmonica. The recordings also sound rough and primitive, but the lower resolution gives his modern folk and country tones an extra roughness, which translates beautifully on his eighth full-length.

On the opening theme song, “Limitless and True,” Sullivan states his mission statement: “What I’m after is true, boundless happiness.” He sings on a finger-picked guitar, detailing the hardships he faced on his journey. He fights internal and external obstacles, but reassures the listeners, singing: “And I will search forever until I die in my grave.” In his pursuit of happiness, Sullivan often chooses unhealthy coping mechanisms, self-medicating his problems with various vices. The next song, “I Hate Being Sober”, lists the many reasons why he drinks: he hates being sober, hates getting old, gets bored when out, and prefers to live in dreams. The field medic admits that drinking helps him get rid of his obsessive-compulsive disorder.

“I feel inspired by your friendly orthodontist” This is exactly what it sounds like. Sullivan tells an amusing story about how an unexpected kindness made him reconsider his life choices. When you visit to have your permanent retainer fixed, the orthodontist will offer to fix it for free next time. He considers getting his front tooth fixed and giving up music altogether but eventually calls it off by saying “I’m just kidding.”

In addition to the entertaining and frank accounts, he adds something unforgettable about “Camel Filter Cigarettes.” Here, he’s joined by Katherine Ryan, who adds beautiful harmonies to a catchy number about smoking. It discusses the economics of purchasing tobacco and the difficulty of quitting the habit. It doesn’t matter that he knows it’s bad for his wallet and bad for his lungs; When he’s alone, cigarettes seem like his only friend.

While touring, field music was often performed accompanied by a boom box, which would provide electronic percussion. He didn’t let go of this interesting juxtaposition and incorporated it into many songs throughout the album. While individual performances may seem redundant, especially if there is little variation, the beats add an unexpected touch. This combination of folk and electronic elements may seem unusual, but given Suillivan’s previous work, it feels like his unique signature. The same applies to ambiguous and static recording. One could imagine a contemporary song hunter – an Alan Lomax type – recording these singer-songwriters on the DIY circuit. These elements give Field Medic a breath of not only authenticity but also fidelity.

Nevertheless Boundless and true It may appear as a technical background pedal, it’s not. The songs penned by Sullivan are some of the most honest and raw in his discography. Contextually, his “shabby” vibe mixed with folk and country styles seems to simply be an imitation of artists like them M.J. LindermanBut Sullivan was doing that well before Lenderman became music journalism lovable. Admittedly, Sullivan’s performance seems more realistic.

The album depicts Sullivan almost alone, delivering brilliantly selected and beautifully written songs. At various junctures, you can describe him as a depressed Prime Minister Bob Dylan; Other times, it can be Conor Oberst or Elliot Smith With a drum machine – either characterization is a testament to Sullivan’s songwriting and performance. If these songs are born out of his pursuit of happiness, we can only hope that he finds peace while continuing to write poignant and heartbreaking music.