Photo by Michael Sparks Keegan
OFFICIAL: www.jeradfinck.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/jeradfinck
The
newest single from Spokane native Jerad Finck will haunt you. His interest in
music from an early age, discipline to work hard, and a willingness to learn
from those who’ve come before you set him apart in an age when pop sensations
flame out at a faster rate than ever before. “New Kids” has the entertainment
value, intelligence, and emotional resonance we associate with extended
careers. The discipline propelling his hard work touches on his penchant for
writing first class material. It’s his latest collaboration with writer/producer
Denny White (The Fray, Tiesto, Usher) and the two have an obvious rapport.
Another factor contributing to the song’s success, without question, is the
influence jazz music had on Finck’s youth, but it isn’t an influence that
readily announces itself. You can hear it in the exquisite textures that make
the song so memorable and the attention to style that far outpaces what most
modern pop has to offer.
There’s
a pleasing inevitability about the way it moves. Finck has certainly hit upon a
winning formula for this song and it moves with cool fluidity throughout its
entire duration. Groove and melody, more than anything else, makes this work.
The drumming has just the right touch and the reverb driven guitar work weaves
an evocative web over the top without ever overindulging. There seems to be a
little like post-production work applied to Finck’s singing, but it just
accentuates his natural greatness thanks to the phrasing he employs in every
passage. It’s finesse coupled with feeling and you can hear the conviction he
brings to the song. Perhaps some of his early jazz influences come out in the
clear way he listens and studies the musical accompaniment behind him. This isn’t
a performer who’s trying to take up the entire spotlight. He wants to sing with
a band and does so marvelously here.
His
musical collaborators are equally focused on serving the song. The guitar work
is particularly memorable and, much like his vocal, certainly suffers no harm
from the sounds laid over it but has enough melodic merit it could have easily
stood clean on its own. It works as a second vocalist, in a sense, and duets
with his voice quite well. Finck spends much of his time fixed on working with
the six string and percussion alike, but the song never feels cluttered. Everything
is streamlined, sleek, but sizzles with undeniable life. Jerad Finck’s steady
ascent towards global stardom likely continues with this song. “New Kids” burns
with exceptional lyrical content and an excellent musical and vocal
presentation and shows his growth is exponential. Jerad Finck clearly has a
strong musical DNA that is evolving at an impressive rate and moves with a sure
footedness beyond his years.
Written
by: Pamela Bellmore
Grade: A+
No comments:
Post a Comment