When his former band, the Justin Vernon-fronted DeYarmond Edison, decided to relocate from Wisconsin to North Carolina in 2006, Porterfield stayed behind to finish school and figure out what his next move would be. That next moved turned out to be the band Conrad Plymouth, which evolved into Field Report, a meticulously crafted folk project who's self-titled debut was released in September 2012.
While Field Report is Porterfield's musical child, he plays with six other musicians who provide backing vocals, strings and some percussion. The group has already received a swell of praise from the likes of Rolling Stone, TIME and Pitchfork, as well as opening gigs for the Counting Crows, Aimee Mann and Emmylou Harris.
The songs Porterfield crafted while in Wisconsin tell soulful, detailed narratives about the small town he grew up in, redemption and growth, and moving on from the past. His gentle, passionate voice comes with soft, ambitious backing melodies that recall the subtler side of Simon and Garfunkle, or Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska."
Whatever your reason for coming to explore Field Report's music, you'll stay for the poignant, comforting sound and elegant melodies.
All photos by Bryan Sutter.
