It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a rock musician in possession of a great singing voice, must be in want of an acoustic solo career. Whether it’s the toll of touring, the psychic drain of creativity-by-committee or good old fashioned ‘maturity’, the acoustic rebirth is a phenomenon which seems to have gained particular momentum over the last ten years. Swapping distortion and discordance for six strings and a fistful of heartfelt melodies has, it seems, become something of a rite of passage.
Following in the hollow-bodied footsteps of Alexisonfire’s Dallas Green, Million Dead’s Frank Turner and, at the less commercial end of the spectrum, Waiting for Sirens’ Tom George (AKA The Lion and The Wolf) comes ‘Ebb & Flow’, the début album from Big Fin. A veritable institution in the Southampton music scene, Fin – better known as Matt Reynolds – has been putting out challenging and exciting music since the late 90s. Initially with UK ska-punks Howards Alias, then as part of the tragically short-lived Thinkpol and most recently as one third of Drawings – the best band you never listened to – there’s always been an inverse correlation between the quality of Reynolds’ music and his success. This isn’t even his solo début – that honour goes to 2008’s deceptively upbeat ‘The Wreck of the Hesperus’ – but it is unequivocally a reinvention; a statement of intent; a clear labour of love.
This near-flawless collection of songs haven’t been written, they’ve been crafted. The two terms are used synonymously, but they’re not. And next time someone asks you the difference, play them second track ‘The Selfish Sun’. A plaintive melody – strangely reminiscent of the title track of Eels’ ‘Beautiful Freak’ (yes, we’re showing our age) – forms the foundation of a haunting aural collage of impeccably plucked strings and melodies, before building to a chorus that’s simultaneously melancholic and life-affirming.
We’re just recovering from this journey when ‘Weeper’ takes the listener in an entirely different direction. Something of the black sheep of this album, with its booming drums and subtle synth textures, it may have seemed an odd choice as the pre-order giveaway but makes perfect sense in the context of the record. It’s a cliché but nonetheless a statement of fact to say its layered climax sent shivers down my spine.
The whole enterprise sounds incredible, too. Lush and organic, every instrument has room to breathe in a way that compliments Reynolds’ distinctive voice – and while each track may be sparingly constructed, there are a LOT of instruments here. A relaxed trumpet solo here, a hard-panned and muted guitar riff there; every moment feels deliberate and necessary. The only way to listen to ‘Ebb & Flow’ is without distraction and through the best headphones you can get your hands on.
Between the impeccable production, beautiful choruses and considered, metaphorical lyrics this might finally be the record that gets Big Fin the attention he so richly deserves. That it’s been produced entirely apart fromand by someone perpetually on the fringes of ‘the industry’ only serves to make its obvious commercial appeal all the more surprising. A truly remarkable record.
ROB BARBOUR