Pace Setter by Adam Fields

Years in the making, Pace Setter marks the full-length solo album debut of three-time Grammy-nominated urban pop artist Adam Fields. Released in August 2011 on the independent label Monumental Records, the 13-track album showcases Fields’ talent as a singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist with a style that draws from pop/rock, R&B, and rap. In fact, besides a couple guest features each from rappers Brett Yates and SpeakEZ, the entirety of Pace Setter is the Austin-based artist’s handiwork.

Influenced by Michael Jackson, Dr. Dre, Stevie Wonder, and Roger Troutman, Fields does it all. First and foremost, he’s versatile producer with a knack for intricately layered harmony vocals and cutting-edge beat making. His vocals are smoothly delivered in a soulful style – take for instance album standout “Neon” with its infectious chorus, or album-closer “Generator” with its uplifting gospel touch – and since he writes his own lyrics, the words carry a lot of weight. They’re street-smart and forward-looking; they’re impassioned and thoughtful too.

Listen closely to introspective songs like “To the Top” and you’ll feel like you know Fields personally by the end of Pace Setter. He puts himself out there in a way that is all too rare in pop music. His integrity as a music maker is all too evident. He’s in the game for the love of music, not for fast fame or quick money. Listen closely and you’ll find yourself hoping that he does make it 'Big.' The air of positivity that permeates Pace Setter is inspiring. If only more urban pop music had this much heart and were this deserving of attention.

From a musical standpoint, there is a lot to take in on Pace Setter. Fields favors digital piano and electric guitar, two instruments that aren’t often heard on Top 40 radio, but at the same time, his songs are drenched in an array of sleek synth and bass lines that are straight from the city streets. It makes for a fresh approach in an age of imitation. For instance, the album-opening title track is an up-tempo jam that gets the proceedings off to a blazing start. Fields’ singing and Yates’ rapping bob and weave over a dense musical track driven by nimble piano and beats interspersed by blasts of electric guitar and a funky bass line. Pace Setter changes gears with each track, of course, as laid-back standouts like “Visions” and “Rain” set a different, moodier pace that is no less enjoyable.

In the end, Pace Setter is an audacious solo album debut by Fields, who recorded these tracks at multiple studios over the course of 2007-2011. Too often, urban pop fans are quick to write off independent artists in favor of the Drakes and Kanye Wests of the world. The production quality of independently released albums is often thought to be subpar if not downright cheap. With Pace Setter, that’s definitely not the case. Fields was thrice Grammy-nominated for good reason. He may be an independent artist, but there’s no doubt that he’s a major-league talent with his sights set on the big time. And as he sings in “To the Top,” he’s already well on his way. Let the spotlight shine.

monumentalrecords.net