One day I’ll wake up cool. It’s a thought I often have. An aspiration if you like, but we all should have something to aim for in life and if you are aspiring then you should also have a suitable soundtrack. Something slightly quirky – but knowingly so – and slightly obscure as you don’t want to be the same as everyone else. Enter stage right: Stephanie Finch and The Company Men.
“Cry Tomorrow” is a tasty confection. It’s an album full of sugar coated goodness created with uncommon care. Whether originals or covers (including a new to my ears Randy Newman track called “She’s The One”), all the songs fit together perfectly and you can drop in anywhere and it all makes sense. Perfect sense at that. Somewhat at odds with the modern pop idiom, subtlety is exuded throughout with Ms Finch sounding laidback but never lazy. I was prompted to think of Nell Bryden as a comparison – Ms Bryden tends to sound a bit rushed in terms of her singing style while Ms Finch sounds like she stops for a cigarette in the middle eight. However, I reckon both these ladies will probably appeal to the same, undoubtedly male, demographic. The Company Men (Chuck Prophet, Kelley Stoltz and Rusty Miller) give immaculate support throughout with the smoothly shuffling “Wandering Son” and the old time charms of “All Is Forgiven” bringing my ears the most pleasure.
While she isn’t my favourite chanteuse (yet!), I’d let Ms Finch buy me a drink any day and anyone who has outgrown indie pop and developed fine taste in women (I meant wine…) would do so as well.
One day I’ll wake up with Stephanie Finch. Now that would be cool.