Tim Finn: Review: Sydney Daily Telegraph

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REVIEW: "SAY IT IS SO"

Sydney Daily Telegraph: May 4, 2000
ByDino Scatena

Tim Finn "Say It Is So"
(rated 4 out of 5)

Tim Finn's liner notes here thank the faithful for their undying loyalty through the years. "They helped carry me to a new place," he writes. Later he sings to the same crowd: "Death of a popular song going on every day....And it's not a ridiculous trend, you and I, let's pretend we know what's going on."

It was a peculiar decade for Tim Finn the 90's. While there's never been any doubt that either Finn brother can write songs that make the whole world sing, the elder's highlights only came when in collaboration with his young sibling: 1991's world conquering Woodface, 1995's hugely underrated Finn. Well, everybody, Tim Finn is back in his own right. This is without doubt his strongest solo effort since 1989's self titled effort. Actually it's even better than that.

As always, there's that signature discordant tinge to the songs, but this time they're allowed to breath again. Whereas his last album was smothered by bland, MOR arrangements seemingly designed to find him a place in American hearts, here the music once again matches the complexities and emotion of the composition.

At moments, Finn revisits the inventive retro technology approach that he and his brother have dabbled with in recent times. And then there are just some out and out grand arrangements by anyone's standards ('Underwater Mountain,' 'Good Together,' 'Currents') where Finn pulls in everything from strings, brass, log drums and ukulele. It makes for extraordinary, unique music. Just as extraordinary for a man who once - actually, probably twice or thrice - ruled the pop scene and the airwaves, there are no singles to be released from this album. And Finn doesn't even have a major label behind him, instead releasing Say It Is So through his own record company Periscope. Death of a popular song. Indeed.