Son of Crowded House’s Neil Finn, the boy Liam’s second solo album sees him conjuring a potpourri of classy Beatlesque melodies, to which he has applied an adventurous recording philosophy. Virtually a one-man effort, Finn’s voice has the undeniable cadences of both his dad and John Lennon. It’s no coincidence that that the Finns once duetted on a cover the Beatles’ ‘Two of Us’.
The shoegazing, Beach Boys-ish ‘Neurotic World’ embraces you with its enchanting layered voices, setting the scene for what follows. ‘Don’t Even Know Your Name’ is a classic indie stomper-cum-feelgood love song. The slo-mo ‘Roll Of The Eye’ brings a touch of Flaming Lips before a rolling bass guitar seduces you, whilst ‘Cold Feet’ has a pure pop underbelly. ‘Real Late’ evokes TV On The Radio to good effect, and features sturdy bass, as does the frantic ‘Jump Your Bones’ with its provocative sonic explorations. Finn gets to shout a bit on the rambunctious ‘The Struggle’, which settles somewhere between stadium metal-rock and the VU, while his penchant for a cute melody crops up again in the psychedelically-tinged ‘Chase The Seasons’.
Apparently FOMO is down-under shorthand for “fear of missing out”. You can allay your own fears by trying on this adventurous blend of pure pop and indie textures.