So Finch is back from a self imposed hiatus with a new offering in the form of a four song, self titled EP. The real question is, do people still care about Finch? after their last album polarized their fanbase and set them on the path to an indefinite hiatus, will people still be willing to give Finch a listen? They should, as this EP does an admirable job of attempting to bridge the gap between fans of Say Hello to Sunshine and What it is to Burn.
Are there still jagged, atonal riffs? Yes. Is there a lot of melody and some great sing slong choruses? Yes. Songs such as "Daylight" and "From Hell" do a very good job of combining the heavier aspects of Finch's sound and the sing out loud choruses of their earlier work. Both of these songs reminded me of "Miro" upon the first couple of listens. Song structure is much more traditional this time around with all except one song following the verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus format. One thing you won't find on this EP is Nate Barcalow's extensive use of Mike Patton-ish whisper to scream vocal stylization. Also gone, is Nate's use of guttural screams, which can be counted one one hand this time around. Marc Allen is also gone, which to me was a major cause for concern as his drumming on Say Hello to Sunshine is to be commended, regardless of your feelings on the rest of the album. No need to worry though, as Drew Marcogliese does a fine job filling in.
Undoubtedly, the high point of the EP is the epic "Chinese Organ Donors." Clocking in at over seven minutes and spanning a quarter of the album, "Chinese Organ Donors" might be the most adventurous song Finch has ever written. From the blistering intro of "ahhs" to the electronic sound effects littering the song, "Chinese Organ Donors" hits all the right marks. "Chinese Organ Donors" features both the best guitar work on the album and the best use of Nate's vocals. Hearkening back to songs such as "Dreams of Psilocybin," Nate's vocals are in top form.
I only have two complaints with Finch's latest offering. One, outside of "Chinese Organ Donors," all the songs end rather abruptly. Two, the EP itself just seems too short. By the time I really started to get into the album, it was over. I wish Finch had held back this EP until they had one or two more songs to add to it. Regardless, Finch's self titled EP is a noble effort and depending on your feelings towards Say Hello to Sunshine a step up or down from their previous effort.