Italian post-rock trio entered the music scene in 2010 with a single and an EP, followed by festivals and a lineup change. Time and a new guitarist / mixer have led to a shift in sound, and while Cosmonaut follows in the same general vein as the 40 years ago EP, a clear maturation is noticeable. Good Morning Finch is now beginning to branch out past the classic post-rock sound, a wise decision in the current climate as it opens more doors to possible success.
The trio can still bring the post-rock, as evidenced on the EP’s closer “Last Rocket From Moscow to Neptune”. This track exudes a love of classic tropes, including the slow build, the explosion, the glockenspiel frosting and even the sound of children (also evident on the opener “Sputnik Girl”). But the track is also livelier and better mastered than anything on 40 years ago, and musically bolder. The six-note blast at the three minute mark sounds like a secondary riff, but it’s never repeated, even though one expects it to reappear in a lower octave; and the ghostly vocals of the following minute never jump forward, even though they are clearly invited to do so. Restraint is key.
“Alexis Graciov Is Gone” takes the opposite approach and heads where none of the trio’s songs have ever ventured before. Alexis Graciov is the name given to a possibly fictitious cosmonaut who was allegedly launched a bit further than he expected back in 1960 and sent an SOS from deep space in English morse code. If he did exist, it’s a very sad story, because he never came back. Either way, the story is a lovely launching pad for a song. Good Morning Finch scores the story with acoustic guitar, wordless harmonic vocals and glockenspiel, providing a sweet elegy for the lost cosmonaut. The mixing places these elements into the foreground, changing the band’s timbre. This unusual choice helps listeners to track the trio’s evolution, from post-rock to something more. The next EP should provide a clearer image of where the band is headed, but it’s definitely on the right track. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 