With this follow-up to 2002's Love and China, the thematically adventurous Massachusetts-based duo turns its songwriting and trilling sisterly harmonies toward the uncertain, often tumultuous world of female adolescence. T... more »he Nields sisters occasionally get a trifle erudite on songs like "Plastic Angel" and "The Day I Let Glory Steer." They are more successful when they grapple more viscerally with the perils of teenage intimacy ("When I Let You into My Closet") or the struggle for personal liberation from small-town minds (title tune). And when they deliver a tour de force like the affirming country ballad "When I'm Here," their intertwined voices ring not only with occasional anger and well-aimed sarcasm, but also empathy and passion. --Bob Allen« less
With this follow-up to 2002's Love and China, the thematically adventurous Massachusetts-based duo turns its songwriting and trilling sisterly harmonies toward the uncertain, often tumultuous world of female adolescence. The Nields sisters occasionally get a trifle erudite on songs like "Plastic Angel" and "The Day I Let Glory Steer." They are more successful when they grapple more viscerally with the perils of teenage intimacy ("When I Let You into My Closet") or the struggle for personal liberation from small-town minds (title tune). And when they deliver a tour de force like the affirming country ballad "When I'm Here," their intertwined voices ring not only with occasional anger and well-aimed sarcasm, but also empathy and passion. --Bob Allen
"I've tried three times now to write a track-by-track review. Forget it. Nerissa does a better job in the liner notes."Intensely personal songs combined with an aware Weltanschauung" is applicable to this album but you'll forget whatever highbrow analysis you've read (or tried to write) as soon as you start listening. All the songs are great. On this album, Nerissa and Katryna (and Dave Chalfant) fuse their rock-folk-country-blues-pop influences even tighter together to make Music You Like. The sisters' voices blend in that irresistable harmony that once you hear, you'll never forget. Their singing and the musicians' playing combined with Dave's producing genius and uncompromising stratospheric production value standards result in one of the best albums you'll hear for a long time. It gains my highest recommendation."
More Nields is good news
JoAnn Whetsell | Seattle, WA | 03/29/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"As has been said before, the songs on _This Town Is Wrong_ relate to Nerissa's book of the same name. I don't think each song is by a different character (as I first thought when I read reviews), but rather the songs are by different characters, and some have more than one. Not that it makes any difference. You can enjoy the album without having read the book or even knowing about it. The sisters go back to their rocking days, and the album sounds more like the Nields band than the duo's release. The country influence is still there, even stronger on songs like "When I'm Here" and "Sara, With Your Ring" and present, but in more country-folk format on other songs. Overall it's grown and continues to grow on me, though the roughness the sisters' voices sometimes have grates on me a bit more than usual. I'm happy to have a whole album full of their insights on teenagers (from the perspective of both teenagers and adults.) The Nields have brought us so many great songs about teenagers (much of _Gotta Get Over Greta_ springs to the top of my head; there are many others) it seems like they're the right people to do it. Right now it's my least favorite of any of the Nields releases I've heard, but considering how much I love their music, it's the difference between a "B" and an "A." I still like _This Town Is Wrong_ a lot and heartily recommend it."
This town rocks
JoAnn Whetsell | 01/21/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Nields sisters have outdone themselves this time. You don't have to know that the album is the soundtrack to a book to enjoy this wonderful set of songs, but the background enhances the experience even more. The songs on the album were supposedly written by two different characters in the book, yet somehow Nerissa has managed to make it completely clear which are which. And the sibling harmonies have never sounded more beautiful.Dave Chalfant is one of the most exciting producers out there today. This is the most gorgeous sounding album yet from any incarnation of the Nields, with sounds we haven't heard in their work before.A must-buy!!!"
Another nields gem
Bruce R. Hume | wilton, ct | 08/29/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is another gem and a deserving follow up to Nerissa and Katryna Nields' classic "Love and China". Nerissa's tales of life and growing up are mesmerizing.
The soaring, Nieldsy harmonies at the end of the album's opening song "The Day I Let Glory Steer" blew me away the first time that I heard them and are still blowing me away well over a year later. "Glory" holds special meaning for this father of a 4 year old girl.
I'm guessing that everyone who hears this album will find a song which holds some special meaning for them, too."
I can't wait for the book!!!
Bruce R. Hume | 01/17/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Nields sisters have done it again! Nerissa is such an amazing songwriter, and as always, Nerissa and Katryna's harmonies lift the spirit. The album goes with Nerissa's upcoming book of the same title, about two teenage girls. You don't need to know the book to enjoy the album, but each song is by one of the characters in the book. This will make it really fun when the book comes out next fall. I can't wait. In the meantime, I will have something to tide me over."