Say It Is So
Tim Finn'sSay It Is Sounderscores a perpetually restless creativity that's carried the New Zealander from the New Wave powerhouseSplit EnzthroughCrowded Houseand other partnerships with younger brother Tim, to ALT (his earthy collaboration withHothouse Flowers) to a handful of diverse solo efforts. Throwing in with Nashville producer-guitarist Jay Joyce (Patty Griffin,John Hiatt, theWallflowers), Finn has produced a record bristling with indie spirit and musical playfulness. The dry expressiveness of his vocals often contrast starkly with the moody mix of muscular guitars, looped samples, and spare harmonies that frame them. Finn's pop sensibility won't be denied, be it straightforward (the Enz-ish "Underwater Mountain") or techno-adventurous ("Roadtrip"), but he's typically worked very hard at finding new voices and sounds to express it. If he stumbles a little (the pedantic sludge of  "Need to Be Right"), it's just another sign that Finn is a musician brave enough to occasionally reach beyond his grasp.--Jerry McCulley