Elysian Fields

Elysian Fields first appeared with a self-titled debut EP that channeled noir rock, its measured vocals from Jennifer Charles prompting immediate comparisons to Margot Timmons of Cowboy Junkies and Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star. Their approach sidestepped the broader commercial reach of Cowboy Junkies and the bleak intensity of Mazzy Star, incorporating appearances from downtown New York figures John Lurie and Marc Ribot. Steve Albini produced the follow-up album Bleed Your Cedar, yet that phase also initiated a steady erosion of the band’s creative drive. Radioactive deemed the material excessively somber and abrasive, prompting Elysian Fields to end the relationship in 2000. Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow then aligned with Jet Set, distributed through Caroline, to release Queen of the Meadow before the year ended.