Illustrator: David Hyde.

Photographer: Ian West.

Arranger: David Brewis.

Begun during a hiatus from his main band, Field Music, School of Language is the project of Field Music singer and guitarist David Brewis. SEA FROM SHORE, School of Language's debut, doesn't stray much from the smart, sharply inventive indie pop template of Field Music; in fact, it could easily be a Field Music release. Brewis delivers artfully crafted pop songs rife with hooks, layered harmonies, and endlessly inventive arrangements and production flourishes that keep the album consistently surprising. Add to this the fact that Brewis plays nearly every instrument on the album, and SEA FROM SHORE grows even more impressive, adding more luster to the gleam of this pop gem.