By Lake DiStefano
Arts & Entertainment Editor
FINNEAS, best known for his work with his sister, Billie Eilish, released his third studio album, “For Cryin’ Out Loud!” on Oct. 4.
The record, coming three years after his last, is a very clear attempt to evolve his songwriting and musical inclinations to fit a more adult and contemporary style — which works to mixed effect.
The album starts with “Starf*cker,” a mellow track with only piano and his vocals, as well as some light strings peeking through every so often. To me, this is one of the few tracks on the album where the sound he’s going for works properly.
Much of this album is live instrument-heavy, with it having an almost orchestral influence. This works on some tracks, like this one, because his voice adds energy where the sound doesn’t. It may be a slow groove in terms of melody, but he gives a passionate enough vocal performance that the song has enough bite to be memorable.
“What’s It Gonna Take To Break Your Heart?” is another example where this new style works well for him. It’s not necessarily revolutionary, but it's pleasant sounding and smartly takes advantage of his lower register as a singer. The percussion also serves to distinguish this one from the previous track, by keeping a progression of sound to be excited by.
Despite tracks like these, there are an equal amount of middling and forgettable ones, which go from being mellow to outright boring. “Family Feud” and “Same Old Story” are the two main examples of this, where no matter how many times I listen to them, I cannot remember how they go. They’re simple in a way that may be purposeful, but ultimately makes them a boring listen.
“Sweet Cherries” almost escapes this fate, but suffers from the ironic issue of being a little too experimental. The first half of the song is similar to “Cleats” with its frantic high-pitched chords. However, about halfway into the song, there is an extended silence before another song starts playing — a new melody and all.
This does not work for me, no matter how much grace I try to give as a reward for the experimentation. It’s a bit too jarring to excuse, and with there being no transition or even instrumental break to bridge the two songs, it ends up feeling gimmicky for the sake of flair.
If I had to guess, this seems inspired by the song structures seen on his sister’s latest record “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT,” which he was the producer of. Most of the songs on that record are like this one, each containing multiple musical sections. However, they’re done with a little more care there.
The title track is easily one of my favorites, with the percussion and horns creating a really fun sound. The use of live instruments is welcomed here, and I find myself returning to this one the most as a result. The outro is especially catchy with him trying to sing over the increasingly loud blare of the horns. It’s the most successful result of this new sound for him.
The aforementioned “Cleats” is another successful product of this new style for him. It’s frantic in the verses and smooth in the chorus, creating a dynamic enough effect where the simple production doesn’t feel too stale by the end.
The album’s closer, “Lotus Eater,” thankfully ends the album on a good note. It’s not terribly different from the other songs, but the tempo changes up enough to keep me engaged, unlike in some of the other tracks.
This record is certainly a departure for him, although into a more pared-down sound than seen in his previous two albums. All these songs are more subtle than anything else, which makes it so I either love a song or have no emotions toward it whatsoever.
While I appreciate him trying out this new sound, I can’t help but miss some of his more quirky and odd productions. Some of these songs feel a little safe for him, and unmemorable is never something I’ve felt when listening to him before.
Regardless of some of its unaffecting tracks, there’s enough here to warrant a listen if you happen to like some of his previous work.
