Fields sounds like a lot of songs from '89-'90 that got canned, with the shouted/bluesy chorus a la Left Hand, Anyone Can Tell, Sacred Cow, Legs Are Gone. I can kind of see why the record company rejected the first attempt at a third album, it wouldn't have had much variation. It must have just been the direction Neil felt like taking, because he had great songs like I May be Late and Be My Guest hidden up his sleeve. (The home demo of Be My Guest is way better than the Aus-rock supergroup version from '95 btw 
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Edit to add: Dr Livingstone is great! Even though it fits the above mould, it has that dark, moody feel that makes it something special.