Say It Is So

Seven years separated Tim Finn's fourth album, 1993's Before & After, and his fifth, Say It Is So, by which time he was left without a label. With a backlog of songs and inspiration from American alt-country acts, Finn went to Nashville in late 1998 to record with producer and multi-instrumentalist Jay Joyce, lacking any clear idea where or when the record would be released. He eventually put it out himself, through Sonny's Pop Records, and it certainly sounds like his first full-fledged independent release. For the first time, Finn sounds entirely unconscious of the charts, which, coupled with his voice's new deep, gravelly texture, may be disarming at first. Although he hasn't concentrated on writing shiny pop songs, he also hasn't abandoned melody — it's just that this time, he writes melodies like singer/songwriters do, resulting in songs that take a little longer to take hold. They're coupled to production that is fairly stripped down, yet also atmospheric, with its blend of dry guitars, old keyboards, muted drums, and the occasional distorted meaning — an apt match for Finn's most shaded lyrics to date. All of these sonic textures and elliptical, yet vaguely rootsy songs are quite different from any of Finn's previous solo works. Consequently, Say It Is So may take some time before it reveals its rewards, but it eventually emerges as one of Finn's finest efforts. There may not be any initial standouts, but overall, there are no weak moments, and it's some of the sturdiest, most consistent songwriting he's ever done on one record. Some listeners may miss the pop sheen or Finn's good humor — this is a relatively sober affair, unlike much of his catalog — but Say It Is So feels like one of his strongest and most personal records.