Jeff Finlin - Highway Diaries [1995] [Album][EAC,log,cue. FLAC]seeders: 12
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Jeff Finlin - Highway Diaries [1995] [Album][EAC,log,cue. FLAC] (Size: 280.11 MB)
Description Artist: Jeff Finlin Release: Highway Diaries Released: 1995 Label: Little Dog Catalog#: LDR-95001-2 Format: FLAC / Lossless / Log (100%) / Cue [color=blue]Country: USA Style: Folk,Americana,country  1 Napoleon, Josephine & Me 4:10 2 West Of Rome 3:18 3 Lovers In The Street 4:40 4 Sunday's Forgivin 4:20 5 The Promised Lans 4:47 6 Hammer Down 5:20 7 Only An Immigrant 3:07 8 Come On Annie 4:19 9 Idaho 4:16 10 For The Life In Me 4:46 Given Jeff Finlin's Angels In Disguise was one of my favourite albums of 2006 a trawl through the man's back catalogue was inevitable. Little did I know how difficult that would be. Virtually non-existent when it comes to rummaging through major high street stores, Finlin, like some endangered species, can best be discovered hiding on the shelves of specialist music shops or with second-hand sellers in dingy back streets. The ever reliable Amazon does provide better prospects for success but pristine copies are still difficult to come by – particularly his early material. And, apart from the self-released Lonely Light, they don't come any earlier than _Highway Diaries._ Initially I couldn't make my mind up about Highway Diaries. I can understand why people could have an issue with Finlin. Like Dylan his voice has a cracked and croaky quality which can sometimes break free of his control producing bum notes and oddly off-centre tones. On Highway Diaries this is much more pronounced than usual. Certainly the average production values don't help but it's more Finlin himself. There's a sense of him getting accustomed to his voice; its limitations, its quirks and the way the studio surroundings themselves can make it sound. It takes a little patience getting used to but it's more than worth the effort. Another oddity about Highway Diaries are the songs themselves. The reason why most artist's debut albums appear so strong when compared to their second or third releases is they've been living with the material for some time. They've had the opportunity to hone and refine it, to play it live and to knock it into exactly the shape and sound they're looking for. Finlin's work is the other way around – improving with age. On Highway Diaries some songs have an unfinished air about them and Finlin acts like he's feeling his way, searching for the exact nuance, the perfect pitch and delivery. Sometimes, as with "Only An Immigrant" and "Sunday's Forgivin'", he falls short. But, when he gets it right, Finlin proves himself to be one of the most eloquent and poetic singer-songwriters around. "The Promised Land" and "Hammer Down" are both superb and worthy of comparison to Tom Petty at his best. There is a windblown desert rock quality that conjures up pictures of dusty trailer parks and decaying remote communities, even when the subjects are urban based. While the album doesn't showcase Jeff Finlin at his best, Highway Diaries remains an interesting example of an artist learning his craft, building his experience for the challenges to come. Sharing Widget |