Interview with Elysian Fields

Originally released in 1995 and now reintroduced to a global audience, Elysian Fields' sole album captures the optimism and melodic craftsmanship that defined the best of '90s pop-rock. The songwriting of James Shumway and Mark Roos is consistently heartfelt, while Kerri Murray's soaring vocals bring warmth and sincerity to songs about love, dreams, nature, and loss.

Tracks like "Staying with You," "Wings to Fly," and "Desert Sky" showcase a band that understood the power of memorable hooks keeping its emotional depth. Producer Cliff Maag gives the record an organic sound that still feels inviting decades later. For me, Definition is a reminder that great songwriting never expires. An overlooked gem whose emotional honesty remains compelling today.

Interview with Elysian Fields

What does it mean to you to see Definition re-released today?

It’s extremely significant, because it means the album is now being heard worldwide, and will have a life beyond the local Utah music scene.

Looking back, did you feel the album had a life beyond its original local release?

At the time, we completely believed it did. It had a tremendously positive response from people who heard it. If the band hadn’t broken up shortly thereafter, I’m sure it would have.

What do you remember most about the recording process at Cliff Maag’s Record Lab?

The studio was a keyboardest’s paradise. Onsite, it had a gorgeous grand piano that sounded amazing, a Rhodes electric piano, and a Hammond organ, all of which I used on the album in addition to my Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer and Mark’s Kurzweil.

This was before digital recording became widespread, so the album was recorded on the big analog reel to reel tapes.

Cliff would have the band members lay down the initial tracks, playing simultaneously in different rooms for sound isolation purposes. We would then build on that foundation with additional takes of various instruments, Kerri’s final lead vocals, and background vocals.

How did working with Cliff Maag shape the sound of the album?

Cliff was very hands-on and involved in the creative process. He had worked with big name artists like Barbara Streiand and the Osmonds, and his expertise was especially valuable in combining the best parts of multiple takes and crafting quality background vocals.

He had also developed his own EQ module called EQ3. It was cutting edge at the time, and it’s a big reason why the sound of the album still stands up so well today.

The band came together quickly before even playing live—how did that influence the chemistry on the record?

Mark and I already had the chemistry from being in a band together in high school. When we met Kerri and auditioned her on the new material we had written, her chemistry with that material was immediately evident. It was that combined chemistry that led to our decision to start recording the album before even playing a live show.

What was the dynamic like between yourself and Mark Roos as songwriting partners?

Mark and I were pretty much always on the same page, and very rarely had creative differences. We had grown up listening to the same bands, and our musical thought process was so similar that our ideas blended well together.

How did Kerri Murray become the lead vocalist, and what did she bring to the band’s sound?

I can’t remember how Mark met Kerri, but he brought her in to audition with me. We had her audition on “Staying With You,” and it was immediately evident she was the right fit.

Bringing Kerri on board meant we needed to tone down the hard rock a bit, because that didn’t fit with her vocal style. That was fine though, because we had written several ballads, and she clearly had the vocal power to sing the rock numbers.

What was the original vision behind forming Elysian Fields in 1994?

The initial vision was to record the album. We wanted to get the music released to the world. But we also intended to eventually start playing live shows, which began New Year’s Eve of ’94. So, from that point on we were finishing the album and gigging all at the same time.

Why was the name “Elysian Fields” chosen, and what did it represent to you at the time?

Elysian Fields is the paradise for the blessed in Greek mythology. My view on it was that it was a fitting name, because our objective as a band was to create a musical paradise for our listeners.

What role did each member—Mark Roos, yourself, Kerri Murray, Dale Sandberg, and Jeff Francom—play in shaping the record?

Mark and I were the two songwriters. We co-wrote the music, and I wrote all the lyrics. Mark played all the guitar parts on the album, and I contributed most of the keyboard work. Mark played keyboards on a couple of songs too.

Kerri was an incredible lead vocalist and recorded a large amount of the backup vocals, the remainder of which were contributed by Jeff and I.

Jeff played drums on all of the songs, and Dale played bass on a lot of them. He was also Cliff’s assistant in the studio and played a major role in the album’s final sound production.

What made “Staying with You” resonate so strongly with audiences?

It’s a very emotional song dedicated to the person you’ve decided to spend the rest of your life with. It’s a song that anyone who has been though that experience or dreams about having that experience can relate to.

How important was live performance in shaping the band’s identity?

We definitely grew as a band from playing live. All of us gelled together on stage, and the recording sessions after we started playing live went very smoothly.

How did the Utah music scene in the mid-90s influence your sound or opportunities?

It was a bit difficult because we had constructed our sound before the alt-rock movement completely took over, so at the time it seemed like we were going against the grain. It didn’t seem to hurt our opportunities though. The Deseret News gave the album a good review and hailed it as a “breath of fresh air” amidst the music scene of the period.

How do you reflect on the band’s short lifespan and eventual disbanding in 1996?

I was very sad about it, because we really did have an amazing thing going. That’s why this re-release is so important, so the world gets to hear an album they didn’t get the chance to.

Did you expect Definition to still be discussed and rediscovered today?

At the time the band broke up, I didn’t. That was prior to the era of music steaming. But technology has opened the door to that happening now.

What do you hope new listeners hear in this re-release?

I hope they hear an album that has a timeless quality, because it conveys universal human emotions that people in every decade can relate to. I hope they hear melodies. lyrics. and performances that touch their hearts and stir their souls.

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check out Elysian Fields on the Pigeon Opinion Playlist