Little Wings is the moniker of Kyle Field–a singer, surfer, and Gypsy–who has been recording his own brand of laid-back indie folk rock for the last 20 years. He began playing in the early 90’s with M. Ward in the band Rodriguez. And though they only released one album before breaking up, Field credits his time in that band as having taught him how to play music. Since then, he has gone on to release 10 albums as Little Wings and has appeared on other artist’s album’s in various capacities. He has played with Phil Elverum on The Microphones and Song Islands and appeared on Calvin Johnson’s Calvin Johnson and The Sons of the Soil. His latest record LAST has just been released on Field’s own Rad imprint and was recorded in both Sacramento and San Francisco. And the record bears the mark of having a dual identity. Half of the songs feel indebted to the gloom and fog-enshrouded landscape of Sacramento, while the other half sound warm and inviting. This dichotomy, while something that Field may not have anticipated or necessarily wanted, makes the album that much more captivating and unusual. Recently, Field took some time with Beats Per Minute to talk about a few of the albums which have influenced him and his music. Check out his choices in our latest installment of On Deck.
“I tore it out of the pile and kicked it up the trail for somebody else to find.”
This is difficult for me, to choose five albums and talk about them. It reflects so much under pressure that my true private mind has trouble clawing through and finding the surface, that’s just me, buried in protection….don’t pay attention. My on off button loses it’s bounce, science fact. The hurdy gurdy attitude can surely bite you in the a**!
Otherwise, here we go in short order!
This is in some sense a desert island disc request in sheep’s clothing, no?
Then here I go again on my own…..
Minutemen – Double Nickels on the Dime
Absorbing these many songs earned sweet music mind muscles and what came to follow after this appreciation, the interactions with watt, supernatural! I love the legend and lore and beautiful cosmos that is this music and it’s offspring. Seeing firehose play altered my understanding for the better.
Yellowman – King Yellowman
Yellowman raps and rhymes and jokes and sings through this whole tape, my younger brother and I listened to this on the way to high school for a year or so and we found it to be hilarious and wonderful.
General Public – All The Rage
Nearing perfection in terms of grasping 80’s glamour, romance and heartache….this is so close to me that I know my perception of it is unreliable.The songs like pink graphics on a turquoise surf shirt, at least that’s what I was wearing as I listened to this at twelve years olde.
Depeche Mode – Some Great Reward
I was twelve again and I layed in the back of my parent’s car listening to this at a barbecue party while the girl I was going with was in Hawaii. I put us into each song, it helped me to amplify my feelings and I learned to exude something more emotional? Is that what goths feel? Perhaps I am.
Iron Maiden – Live After Death
This at eighth grade level in Walkman earphones before bed had the Kubrick creepiness that fired off my imagination for shadow play in song, what happens at night in the dark where we are scared, toughened my pet shop boys pink into “team maiden” dark black which I was scared of, so had to become in some way ;)
Little Wings’ latest album LAST is out now on Field’s own imprint Rad. Head over there now to grab a copy.
