Indie Music Album Reviews

Spinning Swords - All We Thought Was Right

11/29/2022

Spinning Swords

All We Thought Was Right
self-released; 2022

By Dan Weston

Marty Finkel has been steadily releasing music under his own name since 2005. Finkel mentions “As my music became more polished I realized I didn't have a place to put my love for bands like The Microphones, Elliott Smith and Tyrannosaurus Rex. Thus Spinning Swords was born.” Finkel recently released All We Thought Was Right which is a ten-song album.

Finkel also mentions that the album revolves around depression, faith and politics. The music does have similarities to The Microphones in terms of the production. There’s a mix of genres here like folk, singer/songwriter and like- minded styles.

Finkel begins with “Where Have All The Flowers Gone, Tom Dooley?” and revolves around bass, guitars, drums and vocals. I liked the vocal delivery tight off the bat. The instrumentation sounds organic. It’s a well written song with a sense of mystery to it. The chorus is catchy and I was on board with hearing where the album would go.

Next up is “Had a Day” which is really catchy. The feeling is similar when I listen to bands like Wilco. There’s a warm melancholy which passes over you but feels comforting. The instrumentation sounds great and is relatively straightforward putting the vocal upfront in the mix.

“Something To Say” goes a little more into a sense of melancholy. It revolves around strummed chords, bass and drums. The vocals really shine here. Finkel’s delivery is on point. It never feels too “woe is me” and hits a nice tone that is relatable and easy to appreciate.

The Wilco vibes came back strong with “Lost Within the Sound.” The songs contain a warm blend of instrumentation and I thought this was another accessible song. I was quickly realizing how good of a songwriter Finkel is.

As the album progressed I was impressed with the consistency of the songs. The somber “Den of the Lion” flows into “Whistles and Bells” which felt like two songs that went together. “Coming To an End” might be the highlight. It’s just a great song with an irresistible repeat worthy quality and such a good chorus. “Rest Your Head,” “How’d My World Catch On Fire Again” and the nostalgic “When I Was Younger” continue to create a strong foundation for Finkel. The closer “When I Was Younger” was exceptional.

This is a cohesive album. I recommended listening to from beginning to end. There’s nothing too fancy in terms of the production and that’s some of the charm. In my opinion Finkel hit it out of the park with this release. Recommended.