Sharon and Neil Finn have teamed up for an exciting new venture, their self-titled release a curious and ultimately satisfying affair. The pair have done well to push the parameters of the Finn family legacy, combining traditional pop sensibilities with an unprecedented groove-laden stratagem. The change of pace is owed in part to an apparent electronic imposition. It would appear that Neil has found a few new tricks up his sleeve of late and, here, he’s only too happy to toy and tinker liberally to ensure a foreign context for his expertise.
An exercise in experimentation, the LP doesn’t necessarily yield pure gold on a consistent basis. It is, however, pleasantly intriguing. The sultry swagger of Tell Me What You Want shines a light on the vulnerability of lust, while These Are Conditions offers up a shot of smooth introspection. The sharp melodic gem Daylight emerges the key highlight, however.
Neil has been optimistic, if a little coy, concerning the future of the project. For the Pajama Club to emerge a flash-in-the-pan, a mere dalliance, would be a shame: there’s an abundance promise strewn throughout this self-title release, after all. It might appear patchy and challenging in the context of a career built on more efficient means of pop brilliance, but persistence with the record certainly pays off.
BY NICK MASON
Best Track: Daylight
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Barb BARB, Day By Day DEE
In A Word: Curious
