27 April 2009

Review: Fink, Gomez, O2 Academy, Bristol 26.04.09

Musicians like Newton Faulkner are bad enough for any number of reasons (let’s cite his cover of the Spongebob Squarepants theme tune as primary evidence), but when they succeed over far more talented artists from the same genre, all hatred borne toward them can be fully justified. Case in point: the lovely Fink (aka Cornish-born Fin Greenall), who bears the same luscious, woodsy guitar style and soulful voice (at a deeper timbre), but executes the two with a dark vocal intensity that contrasts beautifully with his relaxing instrumentation (which on this balmy Sunday evening is just two guitars; no band). A distracted frown crosses his brow on ‘Blueberry Pancakes’, as he sings, “everyone else is secondary, everyone else is temporary”, ostensibly about a departed lover, and proves that acoustic guitar-toting folkies needn’t just sing about the surf and good times with the bluesy ‘Sorry I’m Late’, his voice blistering at “she fucks me while the sun goes down”. “I’m nervous because the guy who inspired me to play guitar is stood over there,” he worries, but he needn’t. Especially considering the arrival of Gomez. 

Despite looking astoundingly youthful for a band in their thirteenth year, every other aspect of their set sounds so dated in its embarrassing pub rock predictability that it’s a chore to watch. ‘Whipping Piccadilly’ rattles its de facto groove, but their new material is atrociously boring, and not at all helped by singer and keyboardist Tom Gray goading the crowd into eliciting praise, though the audience seems to think differently – there’s many a couple smooching to the slowies, and reminiscing back to the halcyon days of 1998 when ‘Bring It On’ came out, and they’d never heard Newton Faulkner butchering ‘Teardrop’. Probably.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I generally don't like to criticise anyone, but I must point out that you niether know music, or indeed a musician, when you hear one. Newton Faulkner is, without any doubt, one of the most talented musicians of his generation. Anyone with any musical knowledge who's seen him perform live would have to agree, even if they hate his music! As for your comment regarding Spongebob - what is your point? It's a 30 second joke. OK you don't like him - your choice, but please don't talk bollocks!

Künstlicher said...

Ooh, there's nothing I like better than a moody fan on a Monday morning. I've seen Mr Faulkner live three times, and remain duly unmoved. Sure, he can play the guitar, but he has none of the beauty that Fink displayed last night, and music criticism isn't just about acknowledging prowess. And you raised my exact point about Newton Faulkner - the Spongebob song is a joke, but it's one with an obvious target audience, and it comes across as artificial and irritating. But no doubt you're going to tell me indignantly that he has an entirely genuine interest in the pursuit of the little yellow trousered one...

Anonymous said...

Neither moody, nor indignant - sorry if I gave that impression. You obviously feel that your 'hatred can be fully justified', on the grounds that Newton is more successful than people that YOU prefer. I thought music was supposed to bring people together, not encourage hatred! By the way, if you dislike him THAT much, why have you seen him live 3 times, I would have thought that once was enough.

Künstlicher said...

He's played at pubs and festivals that I've happened to be at and catch his set, and I have friends who are fans. I'm not actively encouraging hatred toward him personally (he's a nice man), it's tongue in cheek... Surely you understand that it's frustrating when a band you like doesn't get successful because there's a (in your opinion) worse band who get all the glory?

Anonymous said...

Thank you! What an unusual situation on the internet - a reasonable, balanced discussion, where people are exchanging their views - careful, it might just catch on. Actually I understand your point entirely, but I think there are far worse offenders than Newton - at the least the guy can really play his instrument and perform live without backing tracks! P.S. I rather like Gomez myself!

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEE said...

"Newton Faulkner is, without any doubt, one of the most talented musicians of his generation."

This is the best thing I've read on the internet all day. Brilliant.

Anonymous said...

I would like to thank you for bringing up this argument. I am an american who loves newton faulkner (he is rarely known in my part) Thank you for introducing me to Fink. I still enjoy Newton a bit better but I like the happier bounce to it. Newton is hella ugly though:)

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