Tim Finn: Review: Goldmine

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REVIEW: "SAY IT IS SO"

Goldmine: May 5, 2000
By Lee Zimmerman
(Contributed by Brian Ware)

Tim Finn "Say It Is So" (Periscope)

Those fine Finns. It's practically a given that any album that bears the Finn imprint - be it by Crowded House, Split Enz, or even the one-off ALT - will sparkle with their irresistibly effervescent sheen. True to form, brother Tim Finn's latest outing embraces this signature sound, making Say It Is So another fine example of perfect pop pursuits.

Crowded House may be but a memory, but songs such as 'Underwater Mountain,' 'Twinkle,' 'Good Together,' and 'Some Dumb Reason' remain faithful to their all too familiar formula - one that uses airy, engaging melodies to convey a warm, affecting attitude. Forget the fact that he was only a temporary House mate. Finn still knows how to play by the House rules.

At the same time, Say It Is So hints that Finn is ready to venture into new territory. Recorded in Nashville for a small indie label, he's evidently free of commercial constraints and empowered to experiment at will. As a result, 'Roadtrip' takes on an industrial edge, boldly borrowing from the chorus from The Who's 'I Can See For Miles' as an additional refrain. There's an angular edge to 'Need To Be Right' that jars the pulse of this jagged rocker. When 'Rest," a wistful send-off to the 20th century, breaks out from it's beautiful balladry and rolls into a haunting choral chant, it adds an extra dimension that's simply sublime.

Finn shows finesse in this unassuming effort, one that deserves to be heard by many more listeners than it will probably garner. To say it is so simply says it all.