
In a touch of serendipity while driving back home from Buckle & Boots 2022, Finnian's "Even Flow" came up on shuffle - still sounding as fresh and original as when it was released - and the next day news of a forthcoming single reached '#TEAMw21 Towers.
You can just tell be the cover that "Without You" is going to take you deep into Amercana territory and so it proves, opening to a steady drum beat and a pedal steel wailing, a fiddle later joins the mix in an equally mournful mood. The scene setting goes on for nearly the opening thirty seconds before Finian utters a word.
The song takes a fairly unique perspective in that we see things not through the eyes of the person wronged but though the twisted perspective of the person doing the wronging who blames others for his shortcomings
"Without you i'm a cowboy with no-one to duel
Without you I'm a year with no April Fool"
His attempts at playing hard done by soon unravel
"Tomorrow I'll wake with a stranger - wake up with someone new
Tomorrow I'll wake with a stranger - look what you made me do"
It's cold and emotionless - and his actions seem destined to only punish himself
In a strange passage he seems blissfully unaware of his own shortcomings and only has thoughts for himself
"I'm some extra in the movie credits"
Finnians voice, which seems to belong to a much older person that the fresh faced person in his publicity picture, fits the narrative well, there's a gruff world weariness feel to the delivery, that perfectly suits the emotionless character of the song. It's a welcome return for Finnian and if this is a start of a new musical campaign then we have plenty more to look forward to.
Without You will be released on June 24th