BOULDER FIELDS – “MEASURES”
A SPILL EXCLUSIVE VIDEO PREMIERE
Scotland has certainly been a hotbed of fabulous music over the years, producing such greats as Simple Minds, Garbage, Big Country, Cocteau Twins, Belle and Sebastian, CHVRCHES, Trashcan Sinatras and even Bay City Rollers. On the other end of the spectrum, Caledonia has spawned the grounding folk-rock excellence of The Waterboys, Amy MacDonald, The Proclaimers and Runrig – not an exhaustive list, of course.
Today we are pleased to introduce yet another Scottish troubadour, who goes by the name Boulder Fields, otherwise known as Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Cam Fraser.
UK residents who have been around a while may know Fraser from two of his previous bands – Borrowed Books and 80s punk legends The Cateran, whose claim to fame is that they teamed up with Nirvana to play out their infamous 1989 UK tour, which brought the band to greater fame. They also shared the bill with like-minded artists of the day, such as The Proclaimers, Tad and Grant Hart (Husker Du),
With his debut album With All The Other Ghosts coming out this summer through Scottish indie imprint Let There Be Numbers, it’s time to present you the lead track – “Measures”. Danceable and infectious with a feel-good vibe. A catchy melody, constructed at the crossroads of folk, rock and pop, this is an earworm to leave you grinning as you grab a pint or the hand of your partner for a hearty dance.
Offering a new take on the ‘half full vs half empty’ question, Fraser sings “We measure the distance, we measure how far still to go…”
Fraser tells us about this first single:
“Is it too simplistic to say that sometimes it’s hard to keep going? Then sometimes, at least for some, it just gets too hard. Resilience is all very well, but the unexpected shitstorm can overwhelm even the strongest, and then it’s all too easy to sink below. Boulder Fields had already played a few shows prior to heading into the studio. There was something magical happening with just these acoustic instruments and the vocals, and it felt like this was what we should try to capture on the album. Listening to it now, I think that’s pretty much what we pulled off. It sounds just like when we play together; nothing fake or contrived or prettied up with technology… just us. I’m proud of this collection of songs and I’m proud of how we play them together.”
On With All The Other Ghosts, Cam forms the core three-piece with long-time collaborator Aly Barr (bass, vocals) and the talented Suzy Cargill (drums, vocals). Since their debut performance as a collective at 2022’s Belladrum Festival, they have played several very well-received shows around Edinburgh, including some also with an extended line-up.
This album also features Jamie Watson, a hugely respected figure in the Scottish music scene. Perhaps best known as a producer for the likes of Snow Patrol and The Vaselines, or former owner of Chamber Studio, Watson was also a member of such influential Scottish bands as The Monos, The Solos and The Persian Rugs. Jamie and Cam first worked together back in the 1980s, when Cam’s band rehearsed and recorded at Jamie’s studio. On acoustic guitar for several tracks, he contributes some impressive finger-style guitar, in addition to tapping his vast experience in helping create the final mix.
Fraser adds, “The album owes a lot to the very lovely guy who sat behind the mixing desk, Richie Werner at B&B Studios. As well as fretting about all the technical stuff and making sure he got the best possible sound out of all the instruments, Richie also fired up his studio’s old Hammond organ and played on a couple of songs.”
“Measures” will be available from fine digital outlets, including Apple Music and Bandcamp. The ‘All the Other Ghosts’ album – out on June 14 – is already available for pre-order.
ALBUM CREDITS
Music and lyrics written by James Andrew Cameron Fraser (PRS / BMI)
Cam Fraser – vocals, acoustic guitar
Aly Barr – acoustic bass, vocals, piano
Suzy Cargill – drums, percussion, mandolin, vocals
Richie Werner – organ
Jamie Watson – acoustic guitar, mixing support
Recorded, mixed & mastered by Richie Werner at B&B Studios
Album cover design & artwork by Cam Fraser
Front cover photography by John MacPherson
Catalogue No: LTBNLP703
Video by Cam Fraser
While you are here, also enjoy this stunning performance of “Can’t Even Say” and his latest Falkirk Attic EP:
Boulder Fields
[Single]
(Let There Be Numbers)
Release Date: April 16, 2024
Artist Links
Background Photo Credit: Deborah Mullens | Album Cover Design & Artwork: Cam Fraser
