FINNEAS – For Cryin’ Out Loud (Album Review)

In a matter of years, FINNEAS has become a new face of the pop, working behind the scenes. Through some of the most record-breaking tracks with his sister, Billie Eilish, he has established himself as an extremely versatile producer.

However, two years ago, FINNEAS displayed that he is much bigger than a producer in his sister’s shadow. With Optimist, his debut record, he showcased a great focus not only on his production but also quite memorable songwriting. Optimist was a good record, demonstrating that FINNEAS is not only a great producer but also quite mature in his songwriting. However, the main problem for me was that it felt slightly stale and monotonous in parts.

While some songs do strike you in a captivating and impactful manner, like the intro track “A Concert Six Months From Now,” with electrifying rock performances, his melancholic cuts seemed a bit less engaging and interesting to me. On the more rock-infused songs, his vocals usually accompanied the more rough rock performances in a much more entertaining way, rather than his melancholic cuts.

Now, after three years since his previous and following his work on Billie’s new record HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, FINNEAS is back to his own craft, fresher than ever.

For Cryin’ Out Loud is cozy, sincere, and delicate. I quite dig his vocal range here, which signifies a big improvement since his last album. FINNEAS may get emotional, taking on the uniform of a big brother on “Family Feud,” or might be slightly more or less unbothered on some catchy tracks like “2001”.

He opens up the record with a self-conscious sorrow ballad, “Starfucker” which reflects on unintentional and past love. I really like how from the beginning, FINNEAS slightly alludes to his previous album with this line “I was such an optimist, but you’re fucking narcissist.”

Despite opting for a less lyrically heavy album with the introduction of some thought-provoking ballads, FINNEAS switches things up with a more upbeat and catchy production. Whether it’s the electrifying drums or the more orchestral, epic side of the instrumental, he implements these elements flawlessly. As expected, the production is a standout aspect of the album, as is often the case with producer-driven projects.

From time to time, you certainly see some of the similarities between FINNEAS and Billie in their delivery or their expressions. In “What’s It Gonna Take To Break Your Heart”? FINNEAS’s fade-out vocals smoothly transition into a still delicate yet much more emotional side. In other cases, there is a “Little Window” that features almost identical or even the same combination of guitar chords as Billie’s “WILDFLOWER,” providing quite a direct comparison between them. While Billie often stands out in the way she captivates the listener with her charisma and fragile sound, FINNEAS gives a fresh addition to similar soundscapes with a different view.

When FINNEAS jumps into the bigger alternative rock scene, it is the least you can compare him to Billie, and he delivers his best work. On “Cleats,” you get a great combination of dynamic, upbeat rhythm, which smoothly transitions to the prominent rock influence, which is the biggest highlight of the track for me.

I certainly feel as if this record is a much better version of Optimist that combines a great deal of the sound that complements FINNEAS strengths like alt-rock and indie. This combination of incorporating more dynamic and touching performances makes this album a pleasant surprise.

I enjoyed this record much more than I expected to. The short runtime keeps you immersed in this artsy indie aesthetic, continuously stirring it up with impressive lyrical essence. His vocals and vocal range also sounded significantly better to me here, making the personal tracks not awkward but relatable and touching.

On the downside, I’d say the album lacks standout, memorable moments. The record works as one cohesive piece, immersing you in a very smooth and pleasing experience that leaves great emotions as an aftertaste. Additionally, FINNEAS’s performances can feel a little bit monotonous, like on “Same Old Story” or “Family Feud,” despite these two being the highest lyrical points of the album.

Score/Excellent To sum it up, For Cryin’ Out Loud is a progressive release that shows work, effort, and soul. FINNEAS offers a diverse range of sounds and emotions just in 40 minutes, delivering a very well-curated album.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]