FINDLAY BROWN - Love Will Find You

Though practically ignored by critics, “Separated By The Sea”, Findlay Brown's debut, had slowly won over listeners thanks to a set of inspired, evocative folk-rock ballads, as well as the later success of the track “Come Home”, used in a credit card commercial.

After a good two years, the young British singer-songwriter's second project finally arrives, delayed by a forced period of rest following an accident: a broken leg, caused by being hit by a taxi, forced Findlay Brown into a long convalescence, which the singer-songwriter spent rediscovering the roots of American pop.

On “Love Will Find You” Findlay shifts his inspiration away from Paul Simon and Jackson C. Frank toward the romanticism of the Fifties, citing Phil Spector and Roy Orbison; he brings in Bernand Butler to produce, and reshapes his role as a songwriter, moving from a lo-fi singer-songwriter writing musical postcards for his girlfriend to a professional musician. 

This brings to mind Roddy Frame and his Aztec Camera: the same trajectory, where a dazzling debut is followed by a second record that winks at the charts, propped up by a heavyweight production (Roddy enlisted Mark Knopfler to produce his).

The result doesn't disappoint, but it doesn't thrill either: Findlay Brown is a good songwriter with a lovely voice, and his songs are direct and pleasant, but this time the sound overwhelms the emotion, dulling the charming naivety of the debut.

Reverb-drenched guitars, grandiose orchestrations, horns and trumpets straight out of judgment day, all rebuilding a vintage atmosphere that other songwriters have already celebrated. Unfortunately Findlay Brown is no Richard Hawley, and “Love Will Find You” remains, above all, an honest and pleasant love letter to the music of the Fifties and Sixties.

Five tracks had already seen the light of day on a mini-album released a few months earlier; oddly, Findlay has recycled every song from that EP, leaving little in the way of surprises for his most devoted fans.

“All That I Have” and “Everybody Needs Love” are two excellent pop songs, and the title track is the manifesto of his new musical direction. But although the delicate harmonies of “Teardrops Lost In The Rain” and “If I Could Do It Again” stand out among the new songs, there remains an unpleasant feeling that the artist has sacrificed part of his personality in a sincere, if misguided, attempt to pay tribute to the roots of made-in-USA pop.

A polished and overall enjoyable album, “Love Will Find You” is sure to catch the public's attention: predictable but not banal, Findlay Brown's music draws more than one smile even from the most jaded listener, though a definitive verdict will have to wait for the next album.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google

04/03/2010