In the three years since the Kiwi’s acclaimed solo debut ‘I'll Be Lightning’ and ‘Champagne in Seashells’ (his 2009 collaborative EP with tour-mate Eliza-Jane Barnes), Finn has crisscrossed the globe as a headline artist and support act with Pearl Jam, Black Keys, and Wilco. He returned to his little beach cottage in New Zealand to write and polish the songs for his sophomore full-length, yet found himself a bit stymied by being out of the spotlight — where anyone who has seen him live will attest he's quite comfortable — and back in the small pond from whence he sprang. That friction is at the heart of the album title, an acronym for "fear of missing out".
Finn enlisted Burke Reid to co-produce ‘FOMO’ after recognising him as a kindred spirit, and Reid certainly challenged Finn’s perceptions about what constituted a great record. The often confrontational collaborative process pushed Finn to develop his sound and the resulting LP exudes raw energy.
There are many surprises to be found on the album; from the echoing, angelic vocals on opening track ‘Neurotic World’ to the sunny 60s guitars of ‘Cold Feet’ and the distorted vocals on ‘The Struggle’, ‘FOMO’ reveals the true nature of Finn’s talents. Whereas the primary feeling that inspired Finn's debut was heartbreak, ‘FOMO’ encompasses a wider spectrum of sentiments: the artist's struggle to grow and evolve; the international nomad versus the small town New Zealand boy; and, happily, newfound love.
Following his rapturously received performances at SXSW last month, where he debuted his full band line up, Liam Finn played London’s Hoxton Bar & Kitchen last week, the sold out show was the UK’s first opportunity to see the beguiling performer’s new live set up and was a spectacular triumph. Full UK tour dates for later this year will be announced soon.
A limited edition version of ‘FOMO’ will be available to buy that includes the debut record from BARB – a project Finn is involved in with Lawrence Arabia, Connan Moccasin and Eliza Jane. This has previously been unavailable to buy in the UK.
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