Thursday evening… the weekend lies ahead and only Friday stands in the way of an escape from those 6am starts. I am winding down the day with a late-night cup of tea and settling down to review a single that I probably should have covered a week ago. But as the saying goes, the best-laid plans of mice and men…
Here is the press review, and then we have my review.
The press release:
“Written by Trevor Finlay and Ray Barnette, an Emmy-nominated songwriter with a Top 10 Billboard Country hit who has produced and sung on publishing demos for writers including Kim Williams (“Ain’t Going Down ’Til the Sun Comes Up,” recorded by Garth Brooks), and produced by Trevor Finlay and Michael Klooster (keyboardist for Smash Mouth, as well as a producer, composer, and recording engineer), the single blends tight, groove-heavy instrumentation with a chant-worthy hook that hits instantly.
“Shut The Hell Up” taps into the all-too-familiar experience of speaking before thinking, something Finlay approaches with self-awareness and a dose of irreverence. “I like to say that “Shut The Hell Up” is about having a quick mouth, sometimes you say things you haven’t really thought through fully,” says Finlay. “I have a history of saying the wrong things at the wrong times, a characteristic that I come by very honestly. This tune is dedicated to everyone with the same affliction.”
From the opening line, “I must like the taste of my foot in my mouth,” to its driving, tongue-in-cheek chorus, the track walks the line between self-awareness and straight-up rock attitude.”
My Review:
Writing as someone who has been in trouble occasionally for getting angry and then saying things that I may regret, I appreciate the lyrics here:
“I speak my mind and I get burned,
You’d think by now I would have learned…”
The single was released on June 5, so is out on all platforms now. It has a strong beat, kind of rock n’roll with a touch of dance groove and neat guitar breaks that add fun to the catchy chorus. This is a little blast from Nashville, a bit of bourbon slipped into your coffee. As a reviewer I do like it when a song entertains me, and this one did just that.
In a world that often takes itself far too seriously, “Shut the Hell Up” arrives with a grin, a groove and enough self-awareness to make you laugh at your own mistakes. Sometimes that is exactly what good rock music should do.
Love what we do? Rock the Joint Magazine is completely free — no paywalls, no ads ruining the read — just passionate music journalism for 1,000+ readers a day. If you enjoy hanging out with us, please consider hitting the “Support Us” button and buying us a coffee on Ko-Fi. Even a small donation genuinely helps keep the magazine running, lets us publish more features, and reminds us that people value independent music writing.
You can stream music from Trevor Finlay here
By Stevie Ritson
JOIN ROCK THE JOINT MAGAZINE ON A JOURNEY FOR THE BEST IN INDEPENDENT MUSIC JOURNALISM – WE COVER ROCK, COUNTRY, JAZZ AND CHRISTIAN MUSIC. LEADING FEATURES, INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS AND EDITORIALS. SUPPORT US ON KO-FI.