Music Review: Iceage, Plowing Into The Field Of Love

By Less Lee Moore

I don’t care whose house is on fire
As long as I can warm myself at the blaze.
—Iceage, “On My Fingers”

Anyone who is surprised by the evolution of Iceage on their new album Plowing Into The Field Of Love hasn’t been paying attention. The seeds of the band’s sound were sowed early on, in songs like “New Brigade” and “You’re Blessed,” a seemingly haphazard collision of styles and sounds hinting that something far greater was in their future. That something has arrived and it’s one of the best things you’ll hear this year, if not for a long while, or at least until Iceage makes another album.

Plowing Into The Field Of Love presents a panoramic view of what the band is capable of, almost as if the frenzied anarchy of their early work was stretched out, allowing the music to catch its breath. The songs are impressive from a musical standpoint, as the standard vocals/guitar/bass/drums aesthetic is enriched by viola, mandolin, and trumpet, most of which are played by the band members themselves.

Singer Elias Bender Rønnenfelt’s voice is equally astonishing; anyone who gripes about him singing off key* needs to open their minds and ears and stop thinking perfect pitch is the epitome of vocal prowess. His performance throughout the album is wonderful, and he’s penned poetic, evocative lyrics to match. Animal imagery that dovetails with biblical references prods at the duality of man, gender dynamics, sexual politics, and more. That this is their third album in four years and that the members of Iceage are barely into their twenties makes Plowing Into The Field Of Love a profound accomplishment.

The religious imagery is in nearly every song, but rather than being literal or supporting faith in a supreme being, these are allusions used to illustrate ideas on power struggles in relationships. “He must be our saviour/the second coming/he has come here to waltz around” in opening track “On My Fingers” seems more ironic than respectful, particularly when the narrator threatens to “place a stone on each of your hostile wings.” After all I think it’s evident that I am god’s favorite one, Rønnenfelt croons in the surprisingly sexy “The Lord’s Favorite One” but it reads almost like a sarcastic interpretation of sexism—”I think I am the only one breathing on this planet tonight”—with heavy undertones of Adam and Eve.

For anyone wondering if Plowing Into The Field Of Love is a devout text, there’s something brewing in “Simony” (“making profit of sacred things”) that conjures sex and the clergy—”these sacrifices can’t redeem no soul/primal urges oversold”—which should clear up any doubts.

There’s an ongoing thread of genesis and birth that is almost primal on the album. “Hands become thundering hooves” in “Stay,” in which feral horses are a symbol of something within the narrator that must escape, and the building pressure of the struggle to rein it in is matched by the building pressure within the music itself. “Let It Vanish,” which showcases the evolution of Dan Kjaer Nielsen’s commanding drumming style, also seems to regret the birth of whatever animal has been unleashed, as Rønnenfelt begs, “Let it vanish/hunt and capture.” In “How Many,” the scan of the lyrics—”trapped in a body that doesn’t act on thought/I have a sense of utopia/of what I truly ought/to do”—is impeccable and Rønnenfelt’s ascending vocal is interrupted by crashing music and the bellowed line, “How many?” in the same way that dreams are destroyed by reality.

One of the most striking, heart wrenching songs on the album is “Glassy Eyes, Dormant and Veiled” sung from the point of view of an “absent father” to his son, later expanded in scope to hint at the patriarchy of colonialism: “I’ve got nations blaming me for the passings of their children/I’ve been dragging ships across dry land/To fill the hole you emptied.” Another exquisite track is “Against The Moon,” with a repetitive piano motif underscoring the chronic actions described within the song: “Whatever I do/I do not repent/I keep pissing against the moon.”

Perhaps the most astounding song, however, is the musically and lyrically stunning “Forever,” which continues the ideas from “Stay” and Let It Vanish”—”If I could dive into the other/like it was an ocean/caressed by its water/I’d lose myself forever.” It’s the centerpiece of the album and a genuine triumph of artistry.

When a band is this good and this young, the knives comes out, as evidenced by that recent interview with Rønnenfelt in The Fader. Their unique sound has elucidated much discussion and pigeonholing of them as a hardcore band, a label that not only displeases the band, but also reminds us that subcultures can be just as confining and judgmental as the ones their members claim to rail against.

So forget, for a moment, all the snarky diatribes about Iceage finally discovering Nick Cave or what happens when you give 20-year-olds a record deal*; stop trying to figure out whether or not Iceage are cool, and let yourself be enveloped by their glorious music. Plowing Into The Field Of Love is the album I knew Iceage had in them from the moment I first heard “White Rune” and like everything they’ve done thus far, it promises even better things for their future.

*Actual Twitter comments.

Plowing Into The Field Of Love was released by Matador on October 7.

Tour Dates:
Fri. Oct. 24 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown w/ Helm
Sat. Oct. 25 – Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Music Hall w/ Helm
Sun. Oct. 26 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive w/ Helm
Mon. Oct. 27 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court w/ Helm
Wed. Oct. 29 – Reno, NV @ Holland Project w/ Helm
Fri. Oct. 31 – San Francisco, CA @ Elbo Room w/ Helm
Sat. Nov. 1 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo w/ Helm + Rakta
Sun. Nov. 2 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo w/ Helm
Mon. Nov. 3 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah w/ Helm
Tue. Nov. 4 – Phoenix, AZ @ 51 West w/ Helm
Wed. Nov. 5 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister w/ Helm
Sat. Nov. 8 – Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest
Fri. Nov. 21 – Utrecht, NL @ Le Guess Who? Festival
Sat. Nov. 22 – Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefahrlich
Sun. Nov. 23 – Trier, DE @ Exhaus
Mon. Nov. 24 – Berlin, DE @ Berghain Kantine
Tue. Nov. 25 – Esslingen, DE @ Komma
Wed. Nov. 26 – Vienna, AT @ Arena
Thu. Nov. 27 – Munich, DE @ Strom
Fri. Nov. 28 – Zurich, CH @ Kinski
Sat. Nov. 29 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
Sun. Nov. 30 – Antwerpen, BE @ Het Bos
Mon. Dec. 1 – Paris, FR @ Nouveau Casino
Tue. Dec. 2 – London, UK @ 100 Club