Field Music Announce Historical Concept Album, Share Single “Only in a Man’s World”

There’s no doubt the world that emerged after World War I in 1918 was radically altered from how it had been just four years earlier. The advent of machines and chemicals capable of terrific destruction, progression in medical practices and rising of surrealist art movements were just a few of the war’s vast effects. These effects are the focus of Field Music’s forthcoming concept record, Making a New World, out early next year. The target of their lead single? Women’s sanitary pads.

“Only in a Man’s World” brings forth a strangely danceable energy for a subject matter as serious as inherent societal sexism—but man, is it groovy. The immediate sonic comparison is to Fear of Music-era Talking Heads, with singer David Brewis delivering the lines, “Why should a woman feel ashamed?” in David Byrne’s signature half-sung style. The underlying music harkens back to early new wave with watery synths and slapped bass to churn the song forward. As the song brings to light the inane concept of taxing products necessary for a woman’s survival as luxuries, the repeated line “Things would be different if the boys bled” hits like a wave of injustice.

In the song’s writing process, Brewis says he was surprised at how little advertising for sanitary pads had changed since their invention:

It’s still, hey ladies! Let’s not mention it too loudly but here is the perfect product to keep you feeling normal while the disgusting, dirty thing happens. And you realize that it’s a kind of madness that a monthly occurrence for billions of women—something absolutely necessary for the survival of humanity—is seen as shameful or dirty—and is taxed more than razor blades!

“Only in a Man’s World” is just one story from the collection of 19 that form Making a New World. The record will be released Jan. 10, 2020, on Memphis Industries and is available for preorder here. You can listen to “Only in a Man’s World” below, plus Field Music’s 2012 Daytrotter session, and find their album details and tour dates further down.

Making a New World Album Art:

Making a New World Tracklist:
01. Sound Raging
02. Silence
03. Coffee or Wine
04. Best Kept Garden
05. I Thought You Were Something Else
06. Between Nations
07. A Change of Heir
08. Do You Read Me
09. From A Dream, Into My Arms
10. Beyond That Of Courtesy
11. A Shot To The Arm
12. A Common Language Pt 1
13. A Common Language Pt 2
14. Nikon Pt 1
15. Nikon Pt 2
16. If The Wind Blows Toward The Hospital
17. Only In A Man’s World
18. Money Is A Memory
19. An Independent State

Field Music Tour Dates:

November
09 – Dundee, Scotland @ Neon at Night

February
01 – Glasgow, Scotland @ Kelvingrove Art Gallery
21 – Nottingham, U.K. @ Rescue Rooms
22 – Leeds, U.K. @ Brudenell Social Club
27 – Whitley Bay, U.K. @ Playhouse
28 – Manchester, U.K. @ Dancehouse
29 – London, U.K. @ EartH