 |
Fink - Distance and Time Singer-songwriter has become a very dirty (hyphenated) word in the last couple of years, thanks to the sub-par artists continually being pumped our way by some evil individuals somewhere, still tuned in to the fact that people just won't stop buying rubbish if you keep telling them that they should. I'm not going to mention any names, but that's mostly because it would probably bring me out in a nasty rash. Thankfully though, we have Fink to help us through these dark times, and Distance and Time is exactly the kind of beacon we were hoping for. It really is the more satisfying main course to the promising debut that was the exciting, albeit perhaps rather nutritionally unsound Biscuits for Breakfast from 2005.
Two years ago, part of the thrill was the sea change that Fink appeared to have gone through, making his name originally within trip-hop and DJ circles. Here was this fully-fledged songwriter that we, and perhaps even he, didn't know existed. Apart from anything else, the fact that Ninja Tune themselves also seemed to grow with him was further cause for celebration. Of course, album number two doesn't have that novelty value, so needs to prove its worth on its own terms. And prove it it does.
The lonely but persuasive drumbeat that opens the album, on Trouble's What You're In, is the perfect distillation of all that's to come. This is an intimate, reflective album, but it's not vapour-soft. Fink's music has a noticeable gravitational pull; it's simple on the surface, but then it builds and deepens, becoming something with a much higher density than you'd normally expect from acoustic guitars and solo vocals. But what guitars. An arpeggio ebbs and flows over the insistent bass on this opening track, and before you know it you're submerged. Fink's opening lyric is also indicative of the dark ambiguity to be found throughout; "Trouble's what you're in. In that dress that's as black as my heart". But rather than sounding depressing, Fink's warm voice instead gives it an intriguing edge; you're immediately drawn into this world because you want to keep chasing the mist, to see that little bit further.
This is the Thing follows, with Fink's deep humming stacked up layer upon layer until it falls halfway between musical accompaniment and group meditation, is similarly compelling. That it made the iTunes single of the week in the UK is truly exciting stuff - Fink really does deserve wider recognition. It's also the perfect song for the time of year, as Fink sings "I don't know if you noticed anything different. It's getting dark and it's getting cold and the nights are getting long". A throbbing rhythm guitar refuses to let up, with strings threatening to snap as the songs builds to a climax. The sky might even darken as it plays.
Not that this intensity would necessarily make for a great album if it continued throughout, and If Only might just be a few shades lighter, but it's enough to keep everything moving forward. Blueberry Pancakes is next, and is one of the most upbeat on the album. It's also one of the true standouts, with bass drum and bass guitar pulsing through from start to finish as Fink reminisces about the pub visits and homemade pancakes of an expired relationship: "And now i'm in the Holly Bush baby, the Holly Bush...Sitting at the table where it all began for us". It's an unlikely chorus, but Fink makes it sound like all songs should feature the names of specific public houses.
Another lyric that's indicative of Fink's skill is to be found in Under The Same Stars. It's not complex, but "and we're under the same stars...and that's as close as we get tonight" is a touching sentiment. Significantly, the almost hypnotic, pulsing nature of Fink's music doesn't allow this to become sentimental. And that's when you realise it. It's impossible to see quite how it's happening, but somehow Fink is managing to makes love songs sound cool.
If you're not persuaded by now of course, then there's probably little else we could say. Distance and Time is an intense listen that demands concentration, and the production and song style doesn't vary a great deal. That's the idea of course, to sustain this deep mood, but depending on your point of view that could either be a compliment or a criticism. Be sure to see him perform live if you can, as that's another real treat. Ah, If only all singer-songrwriting was this accomplished, but then...well...we'd all be living in another dimension I suppose.
Main photo by Chris Lopez
|
