The offspring of famous musicians always have a tough time establishing themselves, and Liam Finn, son of Crowded House mainman Neil Finn, certainly came to his debut album, I'LL BE LIGHTNING, with a lot to live up to. He acquits himself admirably, with a smooth, reedy singing style (admittedly a bit like that of his old man) that navigates its way through breezy, largely laid-back, sophisticated pop-rock that owes as much to Ron Sexsmith and Elliott Smith as to the Beatles and Beach Boys.

What the critics say…

Spin (p.98) – 3.5 stars out of 5 – “Liam loops hook-happy guitars through syncopated rhythms…LIGHTNING showcases a confident, evolving voice.”
Uncut (p.79) – 3 stars out of 5 – “His willingness to scribble over the pretty surfaces of his songs brings a bristling edge to his Beatlesque pop, twisting the familiar into intriguing new shapes.”
No Depression (p.74) – “[T]he quintessential laptop record, with looped rhythm tracks, vocal enhancements and a trick bag of sonic quirks married to simple guitar strumming.”
Mojo (Publisher) (p.112) – 4 stars out of 5 – “Finn buttresses his songs with recorded loops of guitar and keys, backing vocals, some squelchy electronic flourishes, and an often frenetic assault on the drum kit…It exudes an organic, direct feel…”
Harp (magazine) (101) – “Liam Finn's solo debut has the free-wheeling vibe of Paul McCartney's early post-Beatles stuff, and with a tart twist of Kiwi fruit for zest.”