Gig Reviews
Terror
Tøjhuset, Fredericia, DEN - 22/3
Album Reviews
Heinali and Matt Finney
Previous Nextauthor DR date 13/09/11
It hasn't even been a year yet and I've already reviewed three releases from the Heinali and Matt Finney collaboration. Their most recent, "Ain't No Night", has received strong critical acclaim, but that doesn't always translate into good album sales, especially if it sounds something like 'spoken word doomgaze'. I had the chance to e-interview Matt Finney, who discussed underwhelming album sales, writing music with someone on the other-side of the world and... awkward car rides...
RF.net: He's based in Ukraine, right?
Matt: Yeah. Kiev.
RF.net: Is it difficult putting songs together when there is such a physical distance between you two?
Matt: Surprisingly, no. Neither of us has actually collaborated with people in the same room together so we're used to having to piece it together the best way we can using words and instincts. We talk constantly here on Facebook and email and Twitter, so it's become a lot easier than the first album we did when we were just wandering around in the dark.
RF.net: Who is this artist?
Matt: I can only name one that we're positive is on there at the moment and that's Merzbow. The track we've done with him is easily the darkest thing in our catalog. Very hard to listen to. People are in for a shock.
RF.net: It's hard to imagine your music getting any darker. I remember not long ago I showed it to my friend, and his face was a mixture of awe, agreement and disgust.
Matt: Haha, that's what we aim for. And a lot of people have said that they can't imagine us going any darker, but I think we have. The stuff that we have done is so uncomfortable it makes my gut sink. There is a small fragment of light there at the end though. It's an unrelenting record.
RF.net: When will it be out?
Matt: We're hoping this fall from Handmade Birds Records. We will wanna push "Ain't No Night" some more, so maybe later than that.
RF.net: Not Paradigms Records?
Matt: : Nah, we were only signed on for two records and then R. Loren from Handmade Birds got in touch.
RF.net: How did that come about?
Matt: Our buddy Jon Rosenthal, who's gonna love this shout out, knows everybody. You name it, he probably knows them. He writes for The Inarguable and he's good friend with R. Loren. I had sent him an early copy of "Ain't No Night" and he passed it on. Turns out that R. Loren loved it and he wanted to put it out. We were already signed on with Paradigms so it was out of the question. I ended up convincing him to put out our 5th album, "On Mercy's Shore", and we've been pretty close since. He's a dear friend of mine.
RF.net: My mistake, I've had it for a little longer.
Matt: Haha, yeah man. But still, the sales have been shit.
RF.net:Is that why you've given away some of your past albums for 'name your price' download?
Matt: Well that was all when we couldn't find a label. But it was a really good starting point from us. People started discovering us and actually donating. We'll still release stuff like that. It's amazing to see how people will support what you're doing firsthand.
RF.net: So do you think Handmade Birds Records can do more for your album sales then?
Matt: I think so. I hope so. It's very discouraging putting out a record and then seeing it not really go anywhere. Not blaming that on anyone, since it's only been a month and I think the ANN sales will pick up, but R. Loren is like a living legend - really respected by everyone, and he's just a nice guy. I know he'll do right by us.
RF.net: Your music is very experimental. Do you think that contributes to poor album sales?
Matt: Probably, there's not a big calling for "spoken word doomgaze".
RF.net: They're pretty dark!
Matt: Yeah man, I'm very far from being Mr. Cheerful.
RF.net: Have your family and friends listened to your stuff?
Matt: Only a few of my friends that I know of. My buddy Nick has bought all of our stuff
and donated and I'm really happy about that. It's good to know that a friend enjoys it and he would enjoy it even if you weren't in the band and he knew you. My mom is my biggest supporter though.
It's pretty uncomfortable riding in the car with her and she puts in our albums and hears what I'm saying.
RF.net: Would you let your music be used in your other peoples films?
Matt: Of course. I know some bands object to that, but we're in no position to say no to someone who wants to give us money for our songs. We're broke. It's not even funny how poor we are and if we don't let them use our songs then they'll probably just find someone to make a song that sounds like that anyway.
RF.net: How did you meet?
Matt: Back in the Finneyerkes days I used to bug the shit out of them. Forced them to like me because I loved their first album so much, and they finally gave in.
RF.net: "in today already walks tomorrow"?
Matt: Yeah, that album is incredible. I've been following them for a few years now. So it's been great watching them grow as a band and to know that your friends are becoming successful and making challenging music.
RF.net: Did they have any influence on what your cameo consisted of, like what words you spoke or anything?
Matt: Alex told me to think of it like I was recording my last thoughts into a black box on a plane that was going down. That was the only guideline they gave me. But we might've scratched that idea. It was so long ago. He might've just emailed me and said, "Matt...we need depressing stuff. NOW!".
RF.net: What about literary influences on your words?
Matt: Raymond Carver is the biggest one, I also enjoy Cormac McCarthy, Sylvia Plath, Neil Gaiman, Creeley.