Name: Emmett Finley
Brand: Emmett Finley

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

BPR031R

Colour

Colour details

Red Vinyl

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: Yes

Extended format

Extended format: Yes

Format detail

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2023-03-17

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

RTUK

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

Total Cap

Red LP | Rough Trade Exclusive

Artist

Emmett Finley

Genre US

60s & 70s

Label US

Big Potato Records

Selection: Pre-Orders

Vinyl variants, bonus material and signed editions exclusively available from Rough Trade.

Big Potato present the first world-wide release of Emmett Finley’s amazing 1971 album, and we at Rough Trade are super stoked to have a special exclusive red pressing, limited to 200. Imagine songs redolent of prime ‘Doom Trilogy’ Neil Young, Love, <i>Exile On Main Street</i>’s honk via the swagger of Stone Roses (no kidding). Add the crushed biblical ballads of Bill Fay plus mini rock operas and we’re close to describing this ornately crafted but beautifully raw collection. Like Fay, he was a wilful studio maverick, a virtuoso who pushed his music as far as it would go and no mind for a career. Both eschew 70’s strings in favour of driven piano, loose skronky guitar. And soul to burn.

Emmett knew Hendrix and booked him to play on ‘Sky King’ - a rollicking paean to their competitive friendship. Hendrix vanished to England, but guests who did show included gospel trio The Ellington Sisters. Emmett enthused about their adventurous collaboration including a powerful “Three part harmony on G diminished 7th chords” &amp; lovely snarl on “Gospel’s” finale “Come, come and believe...” giving way to two minutes of vocal musique concrète - and you’re only midway through side one!.

Lyrically beautiful and haunted, Emmett later described his main influence was ‘the Time’. “In 69, Rock had nothing higher to offer, Woodstock was a peaceful, contained riot. Charles Manson slammed the door of that generation shut!”. It’s dark, it’s emotional, it’s groovy, just a perfect album from a brilliant hooky songwriter and guitarist - with the look &amp; ambition of a rockstar expecting to fly. 

And then Emmett disappeared from the scene. Forever.  A mystery wrapped in an enigma: “I may wind up a thoroughly obscure figure entirely forgotten” Emmett Finley.

The songs, the beguiling, exquisite arrangements, the ambitious undated production of this soul-piercing album should say otherwise. 

Music US