Field Report

Field Report revolves around the storytelling approach of Chris Porterfield, whose moniker serves as a rearrangement of his surname. At their peak, these compositions echo the intimate and intense songcraft found on Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, and Paul Simon's Hearts and Bones.

Porterfield originated from Minnesota before relocating to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. There, he participated in the folk-rock ensemble DeYarmond Edison alongside Justin Vernon, Phil Cook, Brad Cook, and Joe Westerlund. The group chose to shift to North Carolina during 2006, yet Porterfield remained behind in Wisconsin. Vernon departed to pursue a solo path as Bon Iver, while the other DeYarmond Edison members formed the freak folk group Megafaun, both projects achieving notable recognition.

Having previously avoided songwriting, Porterfield dedicated several years to crafting material on guitar. He polished these pieces through performances at open-mike sessions and songwriter evenings in Milwaukee, his new residence, appearing under the alias Conrad Plymouth.

Eventually, he gathered musicians including Nick Berg handling keys, Travis Whitty on bass, Damian Strigens on drums, Jeff Mitchell with baritone guitar, and Ben Lester on pedal steel. This formation became Field Report, establishing a minimal, quiet, and close atmosphere for Porterfield's complexly woven and poetic storytelling tracks. Standouts such as "Fergus Falls," "I Am Not Waiting Anymore," and "Route 18" evoke Springsteen's Nebraska period, Dylan's Blood on the Tracks era, or Leonard Cohen's extended personal epics, occasionally blending all influences simultaneously.

Porterfield reconnected with Vernon during a Bon Iver visit to Milwaukee. Vernon extended an invitation to utilize his April Base studio in Eau Claire for recording once ready. In December 2011, the group convened at April Base to capture their self-titled debut with engineer Beau Sorenson. Paul Kolderie handled mixing in February 2012, leading to a September release via Partisan Records that quickly drew widespread praise. Their second full-length effort, Marigolden, arrived in 2014 under Robbie Lackritz's production.

Porterfield returned in January 2018, channeling the tensions of new parenthood into the band's introspective third record, Summertime Songs.