A ticking-clock pulse, Texas-sized blues-rock grit and a hook that demands another spin.
The first thing that grabs you on Trevor Finlay’s “(No) Time to Panic” is the tick-tock: a rhythmic pulse that feels like a clock counting down and a heartbeat still beating strong. Before the song has fully opened up, there’s already tension in the room. Then the guitars kick in, and Finlay turns that unease into a gritty, radio-ready slice of blues-rock. It is quite a trick—making a song about anxiety sound this much fun.
The Canadian-born, Nashville-based guitarist has been at this for more than 30 years. His road résumé includes shared stages with Buddy Guy, James Brown and Johnny Winter, along with eight years touring with Tiffany. Now working toward his seventh studio album, Finlay sounds anything but content to rest on his history. This is a veteran musician who still has something to say, and the chops to make you listen.
The lyrics are sharper than you might expect from such a catchy rocker. Finlay describes words that“built a summer home inside my head,” a line that captures how one remark can move in and refuse to leave. He’s trying to look relaxed while everything inside is racing. Even the title plays a clever game: the reassuring “no” gets swallowed by the far louder idea of “time to panic.” It’s an anxious thought loop you can hear, not just read about.
Musically, there is a distinctly Texas-flavored swagger to the riff, all grit and forward momentum. Finlay’s voice brings Sammy Hagar to mind most immediately, with a little of Paul Rodgers’ bluesy soul and Billy Gibbons’ rough-edged attitude in the mix. Those are comparisons, not a claim that he is copying anybody. He sounds like a singer who knows exactly how to sell a line, and he has the personality to carry it.
What really impressed me is the arrangement. The stops, starts and vocal callouts are terrific; thepauses give every instrument room to breathe instead of cramming one more lick into every available second. Backing vocals arrive at just the right moments, adding lift to a chorus that is easy to imagine blasting from a car radio. That central guitar figure is memorable from the start, but Finlay wisely saves a satisfying solo for roughly three-quarters of the way through.
Producer Michael Klooster deserves real credit here. The recording is crisp and powerful withoutsanding off its blues-rock bite. According to Finlay, Klooster also introduces a theremin-inspired texture over the guitar solo, a small experimental touch that fits a song about a mind refusing to settle. The ticking snare, the space between phrases, the guitar and the voices all serve the same idea. Nothing feels thrown in just to show off.
I listened to “(No) Time to Panic” three times in a row, and that says more than a stack of adjectives. It has the kind of hook that survives repeated plays, strong lyrics beneath the swagger and production that lets the whole band-sized sound hit home. More than three decades into his career, Trevor Finlay remains relevant, inventive and full of fire. He is still kicking ass—and this single makes a convincing case that more people should be paying attention.
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Stream music from Trevor Finlay here
Release: October 30, 2026
Songwriter: Trevor Finlay Producer: Michael Klooster
By Chad B. Cubberly