Customer Reviews

Say Hello to Sunshine

5 star:		(87)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(24)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

Finch did the impossible. They started with a CD bursting with tracks just itching to be put on the radio, pop-punk everywhere with What It Is To Burn. The vast majority of it was an easy sell on the general public. But don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing it at all, I think it was a great CD. Then this rolls out. This is just my opinion, but I feel like this is a lot closer to what Finch really wants to sound like, as opposed to what they thought people wanted them to sound like. And I love it. I've worn out this CD and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. Its a real shame they're now on hiatus.

I was kind of suspicious when Finch pretty much vaporized in 2003, after receiving some well deserved success with "What It Is To Burn." Instead of milking the success like they could have, Finch took the high road, disappeared, and have re-emerged two years later with a brand new album, "Say Hello To Sunshine" and a brand new sound. When "What It Is To Burn" (and the EP, "Falling Into Place") came out, Finch's sound was still fresh. Not many bands at the time were doing what these guys did. Now, three years later, and you can't get away from the scene. Just like rap-metal was oversaturated five years ago, the current "screamo" scene is overflowing as well. So, you know, things had to change. Whereas their contemporaries in The Used counteracted the trend by making their follow-up album a poppier, more accessible affair, Finch toughened up and created an angsty and loud new sound for themselves.

So how does it work? Well, on one hand, it's a breath of fresh air, really. I know I'm not alone in my feelings that there are just too many boring bands doing the same boring things, and it's great that one of the pioneers of that sound are doing something to change things up. On the other hand, I really dug "old" Finch. "What It Is To Burn" wasn't perfect, but it was still a solid album that displayed both sides of Finch, agressive and sensitive. Sadly, "Say Hello To Sunshine" bares very little resemblance to the Finch you knew before. If you are familiar with "Worms Of The Earth," the b-side that appeared on 2003's "Underworld" soundtrack (and the "Atticus II" compilation), then you have a pretty good idea of what kind of sound Finch are going for here. Aside from the fact that they end up sounding like a heavy Incubus on a few songs, Finch still manage to carve out their own sound, which you have to respect.

So, the album isn't exactly as good as it could have been. A bit disappointing, but still a good listen nevertheless. Perhaps if I had never known this group before, I would have a much higher opinion of this album. But to me, it seems like they are stuck in an identity crisis. They obviously don't want to be pigeon holed or associated with a scene that will go down in flames soon enough, so I understand why they made this move. Just try to listen with an open mind, and give it a few listens to sink in as well.

Yeah, so we'll get past the obvious this doesn't sound like their last one BS. If bands put out CD's that all sounded the same, music would never evolve, it'd get boring, and people would stop listening. Finch was emo, and they obviously got bored of it. Good for them.

This review is really hard to write because typically you compare it to something else, but I am having a difficult time doing that. The guitars are full of energy on every song and the riffs are catchy as hell. Same goes for the vocals. One minute its whispers, the next minute its screaming, then its a beautiful harmony...and it all flows together so well. The melodies are anything but predictable and they are great. Some of the sounds almost have a goofy/video game type thing going for them, but its done in a good way. The best comparison I can think of is System Of A Down, which was mentioned in the main review.

Comparing it to System is probably the greatest compliment, but don't get that confused with it sounding like System of A Down. The similarities that exist are because of the uniqueness of the song structures and rhythms througout the album. With most songs, you can listen to the first 45 seconds and figure out how the rest of the song will go. You can't say that about this album. I'd say the guitars are even better than System just because they are layered with 2 different things going on at once. System has the unique time signatures and riffs, but tend to stay with a traditional alternative distortion. The guitars on this album have a very raw yet powerful sound to them....almost as if Franz Ferdinand got heavy. OK - so thats the best comparison I can come up with - System Of A Down meets Franz Ferdinand. That alone should intrigue you.

So - I found a few comparisons to help describe it, but it doesn't really do the album justice. My expectations were low because I just thought their last CD was OK and slightly generic to the genre. Then I heard this and was blown out of the water. I can't stop listening to it.

Any time I write a review its because a CD is really awesome or because its completely dissapointing. I think you can tell how I feel about this one.

Finch tried to completely redefine themselves with this album, and in all honesty they did. In fact they completely shed the skin that they had been in for so long and decided to create something different and original for this album, and that they did. I love this album personally. I think the lyrics are incredible, the vocals are top notch, and the music is just off the wall and the band is really tight. Sure it's different from WIITB (which I love just as much), but as a musician I know that when you write the same old sound all the time you get bored with your music, your band, and the passion isn't there as much as it used to be. These guys got their collaborative minds in gear and recorded something unique and for that I was seriously happy. When I found out that it was going to be heavier and more on the screaming side of things I was thrilled, because I thought "Worms of the Earth" was a phenomenal song. The sad part about this album though is the way that the fans reacted to it. Just because a band changes it's sound, they just decide that they've sold out, which really in all reality they lost more fans with this album, but they did what they felt was going to be the album they wanted to make, and create something completely different. People are so picky today, they'll walk away from you at the drop of a hat. As soon as you write something different from what your old CD was kids flip out just cause it's not what they expected, write it off, and go looking for something new. Good job Finch, I loved WIITB and I love SHTS, both CDs rock and it's a sad day cause I just found out from another reviewer that you guys broke up. It's a shame cause these tracks are all incredible.

1. Insomniatic Meat (5/5) - An opener that already represents the fact that the sound has changed. And maybe even for the better.

2. Revelation Song (4/5) - Really tight instruments, a great chorus. Vocals sound great too.

3. Brother Bleed Brother (4/5) - Another unique song with really off the wall instrumental patterns. Awesome chorus. Great song as well.

4. A Piece Of Mind (5/5) - Awesome buildup in the music and vocals with a melodic chorus that really compliments the verse well.

5. Ink (4/5) - An off the wall rhythm gives this song a really different vibe from the rest of the songs, but still fits in this album perfectly.

6. Fireflies (5/5) - From here on out the album really takes off into a completely different place. The songs sound somewhat epic and the lyrics get extremely deep. Fireflies is a real sing-along type of song in the chorus. Once again another top notch new Finch tune.

7. Hopeless Host (4/5) - Gives you more of a taste of the first songs on the album, but the lyrics set it apart. A really awesome song.

8. Reduced To Teeth (6/5) - Awesome intro complete with bells in the background. One of my personal favorite songs on this album. The lyrics in the chorus are just demented, but the way that it's sung, you'll be singing along too.

9. A Man Alone (5/5) - The vocals are the heaviest part of this song, but the music is really jazz influenced and the verse does sound almost like an Incubus song, but then it takes a much unexpected turn and gets pretty heavy quick.

10. Miro - (6/5) - Another one of my favorites on this album. Starts out with another jazz influenced verse, and then turns into an epic sounding chorus that has some deep lyrics as well.

11. Ravenous - (5/5) - Another fast paced, in your face type of song. Really off the wall as well, but some great singing and screaming vocals that get you pumped up and then bring you right back down at the same time. Really impressive song.

12. Bitmarks and Bloodstains - (6/5) - Yet another awesome ballad type song compared to the rest of the songs on this album. Really slow paced but impressive lyrics and heaviness at just the right points make this song another favorite for me.

13. The Casket of Roderick Usher - (5/5) - Probably the heaviest song on the CD and it's just awesome. I detect a bit of System Of A Down in this song, but that's just how I perceive it. If you listen though you'll probably get what I'm talking about.

14. Dreams of Psilocybin - (5/5) - An incredible ending to a CD that really takes the listener for a ride. If you've ever indulged in Psilocybin yourself you'll really appreciate the lyrics, and the trippy intro to the song.

All in all I give this CD a rating of 5/5. It's really not what I expected, but that doesn't make it bad. An impressive effort to make something new didn't really pay off for the boys from Finch, but that doesn't mean that the music isn't appreciated by people far and wide. Their are those who are going to like it, and those who won't. I just happen to have this opinion. I recommend it's worth a listening to before throwing it to the side, and as others have already stated, some music you have to let grow on you for a bit.

Finch took a brave move, tired of the hordes of clones coming up in the "scene" and entered the studio hoping to write from the heart, to not worry about expectations and to create something they could truly call their own. And in that sense, they succeeded.
Say Hello To Sunshine is a work of art. Each track surpases any What It Is To Burn track in terms of musicianship, song-writing and dynamics. Running away from the generic screamo plague they managed to create songs with substance, by taking lots of influences ranging from scores to jazz to metal. Unfortunately, as most masterpieces, the album was hugely misunderstood.
Say Hello To Sunshine, like an abstract painting or photograph, might seem weird, almost confusing at first "glance". However, stand closer and look deeper and you'll be amazed by what you're experiencing. Go even deeper and you'll fall in love with it. Unfortunately, the average listener's attention span averages around 25 seconds, and after not finding the generic pop-punk/screamo riff or scream, people were quick to dismiss or even trash this album.
Finch is now broken up (or in an indefinite hiatus, as it is commmonly called). Even though I am not friends with the band I have a feeling that the constant rejection, bashing and even insulting of the average scenester that thinks he/she knows it all has gotten tiring. The album has also not done well, and I believe this is largely their label's fault. (Geffen has been accused and even dropped by several of Finch's peers and former labelmates (i.e. The Starting Line) as a result of mistreating their newer and not so popular artists. Maybe they'll be back, I have a sad feeling they won't. Even so, Say Hello To Sunshine must not go unheard. If you're browsing and deciding on what to buy, do it, get Say Hello To Sunshine. Give it a chance, inmerse yourself in it and you won't be dissapointed. This album goes deeper than the albums of most of the bands that are commonly and mistakenly associated with Finch. If you already own it and have bashed it, give it another chance, listen to it with an open mind. This album deserves much more respect as does this band.

When I first heard Finch had a new disc out, I didn't run out and get it. In fact, I had no intention on buying it at all. I had "What it is to Burn" and thought it was O.K. Most of it sounded too commercial for my taste. Then I was at my local Media Play store when they were going out of business and "Say Hello to Sunshine" was still there, and it was 70% off. I liked the first one enough to pay 30% of the price on the new one. I put it in and was amazed. It sounded to me like it was written by Mike Patton or at least that they listened to alot of his stuff, both Faith No More and solo. Alot of changes and different melodies within each song. I haven't stopped listening to it. If you loved the first CD but didn't like "Project Mayhem" this one may not be for you. But if you are open minded and like to check out new things, this is a must.

I am a big fan of evolution, and Finch is evolving and changing beautifully. As much as I loved their first and second releases, and the online-only content, this album has really struck a chord with me. The amazing fact that I am over 40 and have been unable to go for more than a few hours without listening to this cd should tell something for people of all ages (maybe in the younger eyes, it won't be good!) But please don't listen to those that are dissapointed that this is not the "same old Finch", because if they had it their way, we would still be watching black and white TV's, with NO MTV, or worse yet, men would still be beating their women into submission in caves.

Its a shame that the majority of Finch fans classify themselves as "emo," because quite frankly all of them just whine on and on (see most of the negative reviews). News flash kids; there is more to life than obessesing over someone who doesn't want you or has dumped you. Get over it. The world these days is a dark place to live in.

Finch have always been a guilty pleasure for me. My favorite band is Meshuggah (one of the most technically talented bands in the world IMO). I regularly rock out to Opeth, Dillinger, Necrophagist, BTBAM, Lamb of God, Darkest Hour, Demon Hunter, As I lay Dying, and Pig Destroyer. So, suffice to say having the original Finch cd a midst these other bands, just really didn't fit. I bought WIITB back when it first came out in 2002 because it was seven dollars new and I liked the cover. When I got home and listened to it though, I thought it was simplistically written and played, but catchy and heartfelt. After a while though, being as Finch was really the only band of its sound in my collection I got tired of it and put it away.

Flash foward to now, and I buy SHTS to try and recapture that cheesy guilty goodness I got with Finch's first effort. Only, when I listen to SHTS, I am blown away. This is a new band. Gone were the same riffs that were laced over similar and uninspired drum work. In its place are some beautiful vocals, some excellently placed spastic screams, and some very respectable musicianship.

So is this the best cd I've ever heard? No. Is this the best cd of 2005? No, Meshuggah's new cd Catch33, with its one song 47 minute 8-string guitar jam out has that position. So why 5 stars? Simply because I have to respect the amazing turn around. This band could have stayed stagnant and produced WIITB 2 to satisfy their fans, but instead the decided to satisfy themselves, and make the music they wanted to make. Few bands do that now a days. Brave Finch; Bravo.

It seems Finch has decided to disband it's normal sound for something a bit more heavy.

If you were more into the poppy, feel good sound of What It Is To Burn, there is a good chance you will dissapointed (that is unless you like all types of music and do not expect a band to stick to one sound their career).

Being a fan of the more "hardcore" style music, Say Hello to Sunshine has fulfilled my need for something heavy. The lyrics are creepy, as well as his voice. The singing seems to range from dark, muffled spoken words to almost Dillinger Escape Plan-esque screams.

The one thing that may drive people away is the change in sound. This change seems so dramatic that there are only a few instances in which you can truly point out the old Finch sound. They sound like a new band entirely.

Read all of the reviews on here, including mine, but do not take them as the sign to buy or not to buy (unless you FULLY trust the reviewers opinion). Check out some samples and decide for yourself. Remember, all reviewers are biased, and that includes me.

The negative reviews here almost all have one thing in common: the people criticizing this album are doing so because it's different, not because it's bad. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that these reviewers are saying "It's bad because it's different." And that's ignorant.

It's true, though. Finch is different form what they were.

For one, the utter change in sound between this release and their first should make Finch stand out above most other emo bands, save for Brand New who did the same thing between Your Favorite Weapon and Deja Entendu. I've realized from reading several listener reviews (it's hard not to) that words such as "shocked" or "surprised" frequently come up at the reaction of Finch's new direction, and this bothers me.

It bothers me because these are the people who, somewhere in their review, say, "if you were a fan of `Grey Matter' or `Project Mayhem,' you'll probably like this album." Well, if the band released songs like that on their first album with sprinklings of similar sound throughout, then why shouldn't we expect this? Not only that, but three years between two releases is a long time - and I know that if Finch had sounded the same way they did on What It Is To Burn after that long, I would have been disappointed.

After all, any emo band could have done What It Is To Burn; the fact that a band named "Finch" did it makes no difference at all. The difference comes in with this release, in that Say Hello To Sunshine is really difficult to compare with anything, as I have yet to hear anything that's really at all similar to it. In fact, I'd say that the most unfair comparison you can make in regards to Sunshine is with What It Is To Burn, as the sound of both albums has become so polarized (along with most of the band's fanbase).

I've been reading about how Finch has matured (from the people who actually like Sunshine, that is), and I think that's true in some ways and false in others. In terms of sound, I think that yes, the band has aged quite nicely and definitely has a more solid sound. In terms of lyrics, though, I'm not so sure. Re-listening to Burn makes me realize that the band wasn't too "mature" to begin with (as most emo lyrics would reveal), and I can tell you that I know a lot of immature people that could write lyrics like those found on Sunshine. Gone are the songs about love and relationships, replaced by commentaries on insanity, depression and faith. Which works, considering the new direction the band has decided to take.

Nate's voice has vastly improved over these three years; his vocal range has increased dramatically and it allows him to convey emotion like he never could on Burn. Songs like "The Casket of Roderick Usher" (a song reminiscent in some ways of "Project Mayhem") demand his voice to be volatile, while the song "Ravenous" does nothing but show it off (albeit very thoroughly).

Here would be a good place to mention some of the album's standout tracks; "Insomniatic Meat" opens the CD and proves the band's not who they were. The lyrics to this song are well-written and the ending reminds me of "What It Is To Burn's" anthem of "SHE BURNS!" "A Piece of Mind" has a more mainstream sound with a nice balance between screaming and singing. Nate sounds like he's on the brink of insanity in "Hopeless Host," a song that has to grow on you as it successfully breaks from the verse-chorus-verse standard. And, of course, "Bitemarks and Bloodstains," the CD's single, is catchy in its own right and it really sounds appropriate for the band as a whole. In fact, every song on here has something about it that stands out. This is an easy listen from start to finish.

Anyway, if you haven't figured it out by now, the sound on Sunshine is much heavier to compliment the darker overall tone of the album, and although sometimes it feels like the music was made solely to fit the lyrics or vice-versa, it almost always comes together in the end. People who wanted What It Is To Burn 2 can find it elsewhere - get cookie-cutter emo albums such as Where You Want To Be by Taking Back Sunday or Remember Right Now by Spitalfield.

For the skeptics who absolutely must compare Finch's two albums, don't look at it like What It Is To Burn by Finch vs. Say Hello To Sunshine by Finch, look at it like What It Is To Burn vs. Say Hello To Sunshine by Finch. And if you're looking for something on What It Is To Burn that might give you an idea of the content on Sunshine, don't listen to "Grey Matter" or "Project Mayhem," as neither really sounds anything like Sunshine does, though you can tell it's the direction Finch was taking. I think the most Sunshine-esque moments in Burn were when Nate screamed "It's sharpening!" in "Untitled" and "With my hands around your neck, who will stop me now? WHO WILL STOP ME NOW?!" in "Three Simple Words."

Finch has changed. You can tell that by the fact that every single review here says so, because even the titles of the songs show the band's new focus, and because it should have been obvious that the band would have over three years. But you'll never understand until you listen to the CD's opening words - "Oh my God, I think I'm blind" - to its last line - "I wrote it down in blood!" Then you can judge for yourself, because no matter what anyone here tells you, it's not what you expect.