Remember those salsa commercials where the cowboy questions that it's made in New York City? Well Finian McKean is from Brooklyn but despite the urban locale his music sounds like it is hundreds of miles away. He says he is "Tired of the city, yearning for the deep woods." That sentiment shines through his music and is perhaps one reason why I am drawn into it. I too want nothing more than a peaceful escape.
All that aside, Finian McKean is one helluva talented singer/songwriter and musician. His songs sound like tapestries that are woven from litte pieces of the fabric of America. His latest album Shades Are Drawn is a genre-spanning affair in the same way that many Brendan Benson records are. He touches on everything from Devendra-esque folk to sixties psych-pop to blusey backwoods stomps that remind me of my fondness for Red Red Meat. Ranging from uptempo rock songs to fragile piano ballds, all of Finian's songs are shards of raw-indie pop splashed with classic melodies that are comforting while never sounding contrived. He is a fresh new voice in a musical landscape so often flooded with mediocrity.
His advice is simple: "Play it loud." My advice is to follow his. And if you are in NYC on January 9th, go see him live with Tapes n' Tapes at The Mercury Lounge. Should be a great show.
MP3 | Finian McKean - Shades Are Drawn Shades Are Drawn
MP3 | Finian McKean - Black Hole Shades Are Drawn
3 Comments ↓
move here! I know you guys want to. lots and lots of peaceful escapes and I can show you a bunch of them.
Ayn - We are considering a lot of places. An escape would be great though.
If you move anywhere I will hunt you down and kill you in your sleep.
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