Finespun

Finespun self titled Independent This full-length CD is a strong initial outing by a band with a sounds for the 00's. Finespun would sound right at home at the a station like WLIR, and is right in keeping with the sound that Harlan Friedman is putting forward on his Tri-State Sounds show on that station. The sound is a mix of unusual elements - at times, the bass and guitar lines sound almost hard core, but the vocals and the songwriting are more from the genre of alternative rock. The single from this CD should definitely be the first song, "Sorry". It's a medium-speed rock anthem, with the aforementioned heavy guitar lines and a strong alternative vocal by lead singer Oren Barak. Another strong song is the slow rocker "Far Away". This is another song that would fit neatly into WLIR's format. - Rich Hughes

This CD starts off quite morose with a track entitled Sorry. The vocals somehow remind me of Crowded House, sort a ballad of harmonics. The second track takes my breath away and I wonder...Nah, impossible! But it almost appears prophetic in the lyrics of Tuesday of that terrible Tuesday of two weeks ago in New York City. It stands to reason since musicians are modern poets and good poets are prophets of our society, they are the empaths of our thoughts and actions. I don't mean anything at all bad by this, the lyrics are strong, backed by deft guitar work and a solid percussion.

Actually the whole damn CD is written in multiple analogy. It all comes together and I wonder why I haven't heard of these guys before. A lot of quality is woven and mingled here. Far Away continues a doomsday slide with a personal bent, that most basic hunger, that of lost love. Lots to replay here and even if you ignore the lyrics, they creep in and have you singing to yourself. The Drama is like that, with its whisper like dialogue backed by harmonies on the chorus, superb guitar makes you look up, grab the words closely.

Underground is a another slow one about looking into oneself, dredging up memories hidden but bittersweet. Finespun throws out a line of deep lyrics and entices the mind to just sponge it up with this one. When it ceases its like coming abruptly off an intense high, to land in complete utter quiet. Giving Up The Ghost is an upbeat track with profoundly odd lyrics. "Tell me, where is the truth that writes your scripts now and then, you know we're hard-pressed for time, to live inside our bodies, And so…" I need to mention the guitar work on this one reminds me of vintage Neil Young, like his work on Rust Never Sleeps. It's just awesome to hear someone rift out sound like that nowadays. It's not too heavy and not really metal. More alternative than anything and deep. Dark words woven on a frame of luxurious sound.

See The World sort of drifts you along in a semi urgent, metallic ballad. "Come and get me cause I'm dying here in this town." Whew, man I can identify with words like that. Water Stains, life tears people down to their bare essentials here with stirring lyrics that carry one quickly, I was singing along with the chorus and not realizing how really searing the lyrics were. Hard To Give In brings about the metal sound this band is capable of capturing. It swirls around between slow electric ballad and then whams the semi shred is on you. Powerful lyrics. Subscribe takes a look hard look at religion with convincing lyrics and a really good immersion of guitar, though not too heavy.

Based in NY, FINESPUN is Oren Barak (vocals, guitars), Shawn Johnston (guitars), Phil Pesiri (bass), and Ed Grazi (drums).

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