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Liam Finn - The Nihilist Album Review

12 May 2014 // A review by mciver29

I've had long standing respect for Liam Finn ever since seeing Betchadupa play at Trafalgar Park on New Years in Nelson when I was 16, and although I'm aware of Liam's growing back catologue, I haven't followed his recent music very much.
You will see, no doubt, that I have been quickly taken with this album, as an album in the true sense.

Sure there are more main stream songs like track #4 Helen Bonham Carter, which has almost a Cars influence to it and track #3 Snug As Fuck which is a beautiful Beatles inspired ballad with an equally creative and rather amusing music video that you can find on Youtube, but I got the most pleasure from experiencing the album start to finish, which is something we don't often take the time out to do these days.

It's clear there is a really good sense of humour throughout the album; the vibe is uplifting and yet kind of skewed at the same time, with a very strong psychedelic influence with use of lots of delay, reverbs, fuzz and various instrument overdubs which come most into effect while wearing head phones :)

Liam has become incredibly good at crafting really interesting songs that you really want to listen to and almost explore multiple times to take it all in.

I sat with my head phones on and listened to 12 incredibly good tracks from start to finish and I can honestly say I don't regret one second of it, in fact, it's really refreshing!

Liam is joined on The Nihilist by a familiar face to Finn fans, Eliza-Jane Barnes (daughter to Jimmy Barnes and of kids band The Tin Lids), Eliza and Liam's voices fit together perfectly, the vocal arrangements are beautifully thought out and executed, there are some really pretty moments between them on more than one occasion.

Though I often think of Liam Finn as an acoustic based musician. This is not an acoustic singer/song writer album as I expected for some reason, something genuinely creative has been achieved with The Nihilist and Liam is rightfully emerging as a great New Zealand song writer and musician, hats off to you!

The Nihilist
View Track Listing
 

About Liam Finn

Liam Finn has always followed his own path. From the adolescent guitar fireworks of his band Betchadupa, to his incendiary one-man performances (including spots on The Late Show with David Letterman and Later… With Jools Holland), he’s found ways to challenge and disrupt what you might expect from a singer-songwriter.

His latest project 'Hyperverse' finds him once again charting new territory, including fans in the writing and recording process in unprecedented ways, with even more ambitious plans to close the gap between artist and audience down the line.

Betchadupa burst onto the scene in Aotearoa New Zealand courtesy of acclaimed local label Flying Nun, with accompanying oodles of indie cred. The band folded around 2006 (although there was a rogue single in 2020), with Finn’s solo debut I’ll Be Lightning arriving in 2007 to much critical praise.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Liam Finn

Releases

The Nihilist
Year: 2014
Type: Album
Fomo
Year: 2011
Type: Album
Champagne In Seashells
Year: 2009
Type: EP
I'll Be Lightning
Year: 2007
Type: Album

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