Fink - Sort Of Revolution Review

This is the third album in which Fink, aka Fin Greenall, continues the exploration of a burgeoning songwriting craft, and it confirms what the first two albums had already implied - that he's taken to it like a duck to water.

Some big names are starting to sit up and take note. As a result the road Estelle and latterly Mr Hudson have been travelling is now open to Greenall, as no less a name than John Legend has been following his progress - enough to add his contribution to the album in the form of a Thomas Newman-style piano for Move On Me.

Once again Greenall walks the delicate tightrope between telling a genuine story and avoiding over the top schmaltz. Again he succeeds, with the help of relatively sparse textures that allow him to do his storytelling in a series of confidential asides....full text Like a gap-year student dreamily backpacking his way around Europe with nothing but an acoustic guitar, Fin Greenall aka Fink is so laid-back he’s practically horizontal. The opening title track on his third album seems to be setting the stage for 45 minutes of folktronica, but Fink is capable of delivering much more. Blessed with a rich, buttery voice, he croons hypnotically about the bright lights of New York on ‘See It All’ and is backed by a gospel choir as stress-free as he is on ‘Walking In The Sun’. The stripped-down soul vibe continues on ‘Move On Me’ (with pal John Legend on piano), and with ‘If I Had A Million’ he morphs into a funky John Martyn. Downbeat dinner parties, say hello to your new soundtrack....full text Fin Greenall, a.k.a. Fink, is a Brighton-based singer-songwriter whose new album, Sort of Revolution, is his third effort released by Ninja Tune. And, in nearly every way, the songs on Sort of Revolution sound exactly like what you would expect from an acoustic-toting singer-songwriter signed by Ninja Tune: introspective lyrics over groovy, urban backdrops. A proudly understated musician, Fink crafts a hushed, mellow album that is equal parts brooding and soulful. Primarily accompanied solely by Guy Whittaker on bass and Tim Thronton on drums, Fink’s jazzy-folk sound is occasionally dour, but often gratifyingly distinct from most of today’s independent singer-songwriters.

Every track on Sort of Revolution would feel at home in a warm, European coffeehouse — you can practically smell the clove smoke and darjeeling aromas wafting through the speakers. The album’s opening title track is clearly its strongest and best exemplifies Greenall’s ability to turn a deceivingly simple guitar riff into a beautiful, haunting experience. Clocking at over six and a half minutes, Greenall patiently utilizes all of his musical space and allows his smooth voice to gently carry the listener. “Let me know when we get there/ If we get there” he pleads over a softly tapping bass and sporadic drum clacks, setting a dim lyrical precedent that’s developed throughout the album. Perhaps to repay Greenall for collaborating on his Evolver album, R&B sensation John Legend co-writes and plays piano on the next track "Move On Me," a placid study in tension-and-release. Meanwhile, "Q & A" is a spaced-out, sexy joint that cleverly eludes over-repetition by playing around with various filters and studio effects, effortlessly conjuring lonely city streets on cold, existential nights....full text