Although he is not the biggest singer songwriter of his generation, Craig Finn is certainly the best rock storyteller whose main preoccupation are lost people who love to have a party so that they can feel like they are somebody while having fun. I believe this is the reason why music critics love him, as they are finding themselves in his lyrics. Yes, I am being a shady queen now.
Finn was also a member of a band called The Hold Steady. His third studio album represents step away from the work he did with his band. Sonic image is softer and more diverse, almost without any guitar punches that characterized The Hold Steady with the exception of Tracking Shots that resembles materials of Eagles and Jackson Brown. Finn courageously dives into more melodic textures and he is obviously not afraid to amplify his experimental field.
We All Want The Same Things creates the impression that the author and his songs are in the center of the project, while the rest of the musicians are only there to give the support. I guess that's how things should be. Music is bursting from various flavorants, whether it is wah-wah pedal on Jester and June or Young's vibe on Rescue Blues or silent It Hits When It Hits. During the whole album, the music is approachable and unpredictable. That is just what we need from music - to surprise us and lure us while doing so.
Finn's new masterpiece is called God In Chicago, soft piano track that is half spoken and half sung in the manner of Tom Waits. It is about two American antiheroes who find themselves in Chicago after job well done. This is probably one of his best works ever and maybe one of the most touching pieces of poetic art you will hear this year. The verse from this song is the album title.
Listening to Finn's songs, you start feeling important because he knows how to be intimate with you. He is semi-pathetic towards the characters he is describing and those characters are everywhere around us. You might even be one of them. That is why We All Want The Same Things is such a magnificent title, and the best factor on the album is permeating feel good feeling. Great job, Finn.
