In-Depth Track-by-Track Review of Finneas’ Second Studio Album ‘For Cryin’ Out Loud!’

Finneas Baird O’Connell, the Grammy-winning music producer, has unveiled his eagerly awaited second studio album, For Cryin’ Out Loud!, which became available on various streaming platforms last Friday.

This new album marks Finneas’ first major release since his debut in 2021, titled Optimist, which was distributed by OYOY Inc. under an exclusive partnership with Interscope Records.

The album was first teased in August, when the producer shared the title and cover art for his much-anticipated follow-up. In an enthusiastic caption, O’Connell expressed his joy in sharing this new project with fans:

“For Cryin’ Out Loud! – My second album, out everywhere on October 4. I’ve been privileged to create these songs with some of my closest friends and I can’t wait for you to enjoy them.”

This release follows Finneas’ recent contribution as a producer on his sister Billie Eilish’s third studio album, Hit Me Hard And Soft, which is set to be released on May 17, 2024, through Darkroom and Interscope Records.

Exploring Finneas O’Connell’s Second Studio Album ‘For Cryin’ Out Loud!’

Finneas’ latest project comprises ten emotional tracks that intertwine melancholic piano melodies, eclectic pop influences, and profound, introspective lyrics throughout the album.

For Cryin’ Out Loud! has a runtime of 40 minutes, showcasing O’Connell’s impressive vocal and instrumental performances. The thematic elements addressed in his sophomore album include:

• Love
• Relationships
• Desire
• Heartbreak
• Betrayal
• Loss
• Infidelity
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Family

Job

The album kicks off with Starf**ker, an emotionally charged ballad characterized by ethereal chord progressions. This track explores themes of love, betrayal, and heartbreak in relationships.

In this song, O’Connell reflects on painful memories from a past relationship, where he feels he was used to enhance another’s status.

“Cartier around your wrist / I was such an optimist / But you’re a f–king narcissist / The driver’s pulling back around / I’m sorry I’m so tightly wound / You think you’re so underground (You think you’re so underground) / But you’re so much less profound”- Finneas O’Connell on ‘Starf**ker.’

What’s It Gonna Take To Break Your Heart?

Next, listeners are greeted by the upbeat track What’s It Gonna Take to Break Your Heart?, showcasing O’Connell’s knack for pairing upbeat production with airy vocal delivery.

This song continues the themes established in Starf**ker, as O’Connell ponders whether his partner ever truly loved him.

“Bury all the powerlines / Cut out all the middlemen / We could play it, rain or shine / If it ever rains again / Tell me when you see the signs / So I know it’s happening / Lovers going back in time / Lovers going back to friends”- Finneas O’Connell on ‘What’s It Gonna Take to Break Your Heart?’

Cleats

As the third track, Cleats serves as the second lead single from the album, which was released alongside a captivating music video on September 13, 2024.

This track, rich with soccer metaphors and nostalgic references, explores the intricacies of young love, emotional drama, and unvoiced feelings, as illustrated by lines like:

“It’s a little touch and go / You could be the crutch that she holds / Got herself a sprained ankle / If you know, you know / Bad things always come in threes / When you broke your thumb, you lost your keys / She plays for a different team / Scraping her knees”

Little Window

In Little Window, Finneas offers a standout moment on For Cryin’ Out Loud!, with lyrics that metaphorically relate his battles with depression to the glaring narcissism prevalent on social media.

The “little window”symbolizes a smartphone, emphasizing social media’s role in enabling detachment from the real world and its toll on mental health, as conveyed by lines like:

“Just a little window / Glowing in the dark / To give you all the info / To keep you where you are / Honey, what’s on your mind? / Everything, all the time / Comedy forever / Laughing to yourself / Birds with bloody feathers / And no way you can help / Honey, I’m seeing signs / Everywhere, all the time”

2001

Following is 2001, which immerses listeners in a transient pop realm, revealing Finneas’ artistic reflections on love and heartbreak.

This track portrays various challenges within an intimate connection, with O’Connell yearning for closer ties with his partner, highlighted in lines like:

“Texas calls to take me home / Spent too much time alone / Honey, what you runnin’ from? When you comin’ back to bed? / Toss and turn it all night long with me instead / Honey, what you runnin’ from? Where the hell you headed to? Do you like the way I run after you?”

Same Old Story

Having teased it on TikTok earlier in July, Finneas delivers Same Old Story as the sixth track on his album.

The song’s engaging production and lyrics present an insightful comparison of the predictability of his relationship to a story that’s been told “too many times.”

“Same old story you told me yesterday / It ends the same way / Purgatory and nothing new to say / Are you still okay?”- O’Connell begins in ‘Same Old Story.’

Sweet Cherries

Sweet Cherries, one of the longer tracks on the album, showcases two distinct musical sections, mirroring the dual narrative style Finneas employed in Billie Eilish’s BITTERSUITE.

This song tells two intertwined stories centered on a past relationship, examining themes of betrayal, heartbreak, infidelity, and love triangles, highlighted by lines such as:

“She’ll break your heart with her hands tied / She’s got a car waiting outside for you / You bought a house on a landslide / With a hell of a view / She likes it hot, likes it greasy / She says she’s not, but she’s easy for you / You’re on the rocks, she’s on TV / With a key to your room”

For Cryin’ Out Loud!

The eighth track, which shares the album’s title, is the first single Finneas released for his sophomore project. For Cryin’ Out Loud! debuted on August 08, 2024, marking the producer’s first official solo release in two years.

This track, launched with a striking music video featuring Finneas alongside his girlfriend, Claudia Sulewski, captures the emotional toll arguments can take while illustrating their underlying love and connection.

The song delves into the compelling and intense state of a relationship, with O’Connell’s heartfelt vocal performances echoing themes of romantic anxiety. Key lyrics from the track include:

“For cryin’ out loud (Loud) / I’m calling your name (Calling your name) / You’re wearing me out (You’re wearing me out) / But I love you the same (I love you the same) / For cryin’ out loud (Loud) / Your heart is a maze (Your heart is a maze) / You’re running your mouth (Mouth) / But I’m singing your praises”

Family Feud

In Family Feud, Finneas shares personal memories from his and Billie Eilish’s upbringing. The track beautifully combines acoustic elements with emotional piano melodies that enhance its intimate storytelling.

Throughout its duration, Finneas reflects on moments from his life, including the loss of their family dog, Pepper, as well as his experiences with separation anxiety and Billie’s rising stardom.

“Mom and Dad are out of town / The two of us are grown-ups now / Pepper had to be put down / Hard to take, hard to own / Not hard to break a collarbone / A little late, but not alone”- Finneas O’Connell’s verse on ‘Family Feud.’

Lotus Eater

The concluding track, Lotus Eater, centers on themes of intimacy, desire, attraction, and romance.

In this song, Finneas parallels his own experiences to the Greek myth of the “Lotus Eater,”illustrating the temptation of escapism, as conveyed in lines such as:

“Say it like you mean it / Couldn’t keep a secret / And maybe you could leave it out, o-o-out / Backseat and my teeth hurt / Blowing out the speaker / I’m the lotus eater now”

Finneas O’Connell’s second studio album, For Cryin’ Out Loud!, stands as a testament to his artistic prowess, showcasing a more candid and vulnerable dimension of the talented producer.

With engaging instrumentals, heartfelt ballads, and stirring melodies, this album draws upon his personal journey, professional experiences, and narratives of love and loss.

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