The Nihilist

Having grown up surrounded by peculiar pop music, Liam Finn responds with a solo career filled with weird, sublime moments where choruses chirp and arrangements freak out. Take “Helena Bonham Carter,” where Finn matches Matthew Sweet’s “Winona” (as in Ryder, in case it’s been too long) and turns in a tune that either Prince or The B-52’s could’ve also done justice to. Similarly, “Snug as F**k” is a psychedelic pastiche that sounds like Eels working up a Prince-like lather. Finn is a schooled record-maker who knows his history and has the accomplished musicianship to make things happen. “Burn Up the Road” takes on the pomp and brawn of Brit-style arena rock. “Wild Animal” updates the Split Enz legacy of his father, Neil. “Wrestle with Dad” turns up a manic performance of psychedelic proportions. The album is what it’s said to be: a solo album where Finn wrote the songs, produced the sessions, and played most of the instruments. His only help comes, occasionally, from brother Elroy on drums, Jol Mulholland on bass and synths, and Eliza Jan Barnes adding vocal touches.