Perpetual Doom’s latest release is the new full-length album from Little Wings, the project of Californian troubadour Kyle Field, due on June 7th. The label tells us Little Wings is back with a vengeance on High On The Glade, bringing us songs of renewal and rebirth, vaudeville, and villainy.
Like all Perpetual Doom releases, it’s a record that’s an odd and sometimes darkly poetic musical excursion filled with lyrics that stand out like pages of long-lost, cult-classic novels.
The album was recorded at the High Gulch Ranch in Malibu, California, the old set of Gilligan’s Island. Engineer Kyle Mullarky had only a half hour’s worth of tape to capture the ten songs, and Field aimed to wrap everything up in a single afternoon. We’re told this set of constraints was a creative blessing in disguise, as Field says, “Limitations make me chuffed. It lit me up.”
The limitation also prompted Field to play faster. Little Wings’ reputation in the West Coast freak-folk scene is of one who ambles at a wanderer’s pace, but on the new record, he quickens his strum into a more lively, Gaelic air.
He says it’s his most Irish record, full of violence and heartbreak and ballads of bandits and down-on-their-luck romantics. Much of High On The Glade also explores the uneasiness of living in our frenzied, decadent era, which Field describes as the new Roaring Twenties and a farcical return to a Digital Jazz Age.
The carnival jaunt of “Bubbles Go Pop” begins the album, with Field’s plaintive vocals and the ragtime jazzy piano carrying the tune. It feels like a song you might hear at a circus or one of those fake infomercials on Adult Swim, with the innocent sounds carrying a dark undercurrent.
“Brutal North Pillow” has the Gaelic feel that Field alluded to. The tempo rumbles on quickly, fit for your nearest Celtic festival. “Green Grass of Spring” slows the tempo and brings us a more mellow vibe. Field’s vocals are slightly hushed in the mix, and he’s accompanied by acoustic guitar and spacey sound FX.
“Handful O Earth” is a short ballad with a dramatic flair. Musically, it brings a strong melody that digs into the dirt and then reaches for the skies. “Squires Locker” is relatively longer for this record, with three minutes and forty-one seconds runtime. The folk balladry is also strong with this track, as Little Wings creates a song that feels like an old pub drinking tune you’d hear in Dublin.
“Garbage” brings acoustic guitar that feels more Western and American country. Perhaps this is the Scots/Irish in Field that traveled into Appalachia and found a home in Tennessee. “They Sunk To The Bottom” is slower and quieter, with Little Wings creating a languorous short folk track.
“HaHa Blues” is surprisingly upbeat, given the track title. It may also be the silliest track on the record, as Field at one point sings, “Golly-gee willikers.” The record closes with “Goatshead,” which stretches on for four-and-a-half minutes, which is very long for this album. It’s a relaxing track, and I think I could detect the gentle whine of the pedal steel accompanying Field’s vocals as he turns out the lights and says goodbye – for now.
Little Wings’ High On The Glade is an excellent pick if you like your folk music with a heavy dose of weird. While Field horses around quite a bit on the record, the musicianship is as serious and sober as a judge, featuring several guests playing accordion, violin, mandolin, piano, and much more. If you like High On The Glade, check out Little Wings’ previous work, including his 2023 LP, Rosy’s Own. Enjoy!
Pre-order High on the Glade by Little Wings on Bandcamp here.
Support Little Wings by finding him on Bandcamp or his official website.
Support Perpetual Doom by finding them on Bandcamp, their official website, or social media (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter). You can also support them on Patreon.
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