I
have known Jeff Finlin for many years. I represented his band, the Fur Trade
(our first meeting was worthy of Spinal
Tap). That band morphed into The
Thieves, who had a major label deal on the short lived Bug/Capitol label. Jeff was the drummer and Gwil Owen was the
principal songwriter in that band. When
the Thieves broke up, Jeff began showcasing his own song around town. And what songs they were, Jeff had a voice
and direction from his first record. It was a pleasant shock.
Jeff’s
done a lot. From his first release on Pete Anderson’s Little Dog label, to
releases on major British labels (like all great American artists his work is
probably more popular overseas than in his own country) to a song in Cameron
Crowe’s Elizabethtown. The impressive
thing about Jeff is that he just keeps on doing it-putting out great record
after great record. With little fanfare, he’s creating his own universe.
To
my mind, his new album My Moby Dick
may be his best. He’s working with producer /guitarist Joe McMahan, who has
helped Jeff create a musical setting that perfectly suits the songs. It’s
probably a cheap comparison but it reminds me of the kind of atmosphere that
Daniel Lanois has brought to records by Dylan, Neil Young and Emmylou Harris.
In a neat full circle moment, Gwil Owen designed the extraordinary collage
cover art. Jeff has also just published
his first book of poetry (with some prose) called Time Less Travel. I believe the works are currently available as a
set.
Jeff
will be doing an in store at Gwil’s Howlin’ Books http://tripaldredgelaw.blogspot.com/2013/02/howlin-books-and-grimeys-too.htmlthis Saturday May 11 at 4:00
p.m. To me, at least, this is special
because it’s one of his first gigs after moving back to Nashville after an
extended stay in Colorado. We’re lucky to have him back. Go see him. Buy a
record; buy a book.
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