| Stateside
troubadour Finlin could yet be the year's hidden gem, his rootsy rock
and
roll balanced by his pithy lyrics and singer-songwriter
credibility.
His
dry vocal rasps through settings from the Steve Earle-styled rock of
Good
Time to the jangly I Am The King, which recalls Counting Crows at their
best. Elsewhere there are hints of Dr John, Creedence
Clearwater
Revival, Fun Lovin' Criminals and Bob Dylan, although Finlin remains
very
much more than just the sum of his influences.
Sugar
Blue is one of the best songs you'll hear this summer and could propel
the album into the annual pundit polls. more
Paul
Cole, Sunday Mercury
|
| A distinctively
gruff troubadour's voice, a well-read poet's sensitivity, and an
emotional
honesty in conveying bluesy hard-won angst - those are the disparate
elements
that combine in the soulful music of the American original known as
Jeff
Finlin. more
Gary
Glauber
Popmatters.com
|
Finlin’s
music is never confined to one particular landscape but links them all
into one big sonic panorama. This record is like spending
the
best part of an hour with a gifted storyteller, and for the
stripped-down
proof of his songwriting skills, look no further than the stunning
simplicity
of ‘Alchemy’. more
Colin
Somerville, Scotland on Sunday
|
| Finlin’s
piercing, Dylanesque narratives and melodies have the ear of an
increasing
UK audience. Delta Down, a song from his Somewhere South of
Wonder album, was voted the No. 1 track of 2002 in a poll of listeners
to Virgin Radio’s Captain America show. He senses positive change
in the air, and not only for himself. more
Paul
Sexton, The Times magazine
|
In
picking a quote from Jeff Finlin's lyric sheet you could almost paste
it
on a dartboard and shoot blindfolded. There is not a misplaced
vowel,
not a stranded verb. Everything seems to flow smoothly and
eloquently.
Jeff is truly a "natural poet." more
imusic.com
|
| For
some his voice is one only a mother could love, but for me its
sandpapery,
quavering sound is one of the most evocative around. ...
'Sugar
Blue' has a louche late night feel and the performance is magnificent.
... great song after great song passes through. more
Jeremy
Searle, Americana UK
|
Jeff
Finlin is not someone you can tire of easily, he writes excellent songs
with thoughtful lyrics and strong melodies. You wouldn't be
taking any chances by buying 'Original Fin', the album grows with every
play. more
c j
holley
Get
Rhythm
|
| I
deign to limit Finlin’s broad conceptual muse with comparisons, but his
ability to craft a deep emotion out of mere words recall the
songwriting
skill of Dylan, the original arrangement and producer skills of
Springsteen,
and the heart of, well, Finlin.
This
is not a record for the lowest common denominator of the populace, but
it’s a beautiful gift for the rest of us. Can I give six
stars? more
Charlene
Blevins
Music
Row
|
His
skill for marrying smart-yet-simple, honest narrative to fresh,
intimate
melodies elevates him far above the average musical fray.
Somewhere
South of Wonder is an earthy mix of heartfelt blues from everyday folks
coping with life and love, joy and despair, expressed through the raspy
filter of Finlin's compelling voice.
These
haunting musical tales weave an aural tapestry that bears closer
examination
on lazy afternoons and in the wee hours of the night, where its
powerful
sounds best fill the lonely empty spaces of an oft-moody, quietly
unpredictable
universe. more
Gary
Glauber, Popmatters.com
|
| Finlin
carves his own little folk-rock nook with a healthy shot of
blue-collar,
bar-band muscle and a razor-sharp, even Axl Rose-ish(!) vocal delivery
that snarls as much as it yearns. His romantic tales range
from playful to desperate; imagery often travels time as well as
space. more
Neal
Weiss, No Depression
|
Since
the songs deal with topics on a humane, head-on level and mix in casual
wit and charm, Finlin finds himself in the same field plowed by John
Hiatt
and John Prine. His stark Blues/Folk is an earthly romp as
full of emotion and honesty as his lyrics. more
Mike
Breen,
Cincinnati
City Beat
|
| With
a sneering delivery and hard-hitting backup thump, Jeff Finlin sounds
like
a veteran. His cynical songs of experience writhe with
roots-rock
catchiness. Sharp lyrics and a sly voice draw you in
immediately.
Lycos
Music
|
Finlin
writes with the minimalist grit of Sam Shepard and Raymond
Carver.
He sings in a gnarl reminiscent of Graham Parker. Tune in and you
will hear an elusive magic.
Dave
Hoekstra, Chicago Sun Times
|
| Finlin
is a natural poet... interesting compilations of thought-provoking ear
poetry.
Mike
Breen, Cincinnati City Beat
|
Imagine
Steve Earle with three cups of espresso and a thesaurus.
Rusty
Russell, Music Row Magazine
|
| If
Jeff Finlin were not a songwriter, it’s likely he’d be a novelist and
he’d
fall somewhere between Kerouac, Twain and Vonnegut.
With
sly wit and a keen eye for detail, Finlin tells his tales of the
disenfranchised,
the disillusioned and the dreamers that are as American as Route
66.
Neil
Fagan
Performing
Songwriter
|
A poet
and painter as well as an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Jeff
Finlin
wields a musical hook like a hammer in crafting his songs of the
American
conscience. Following in the tradition that extends from Walt
Whitman
to Raymond Carver, Finlin preaches the gospel of Everyman - but with
the
tongue of a 21st century skeptic and the muscular grace of a rock and
roll
spiritualist. more
imusic.com
|
| His
ability to tell the story of everyman is powerful.
Jimmy
Miller, Leak Magazine
|
Audacious
work bathed in warmth and reflection.
Michael
McCall, Nashville Scene
|
