Finnigan, Kelly: A Lover Was Born (cyan blue) LP

Distance as a measure of time and place informs Kelly Finnigan's "A Lover Was Born" with a grit and grace that turns passion into virtue. The latest solo release from The Monophonics frontman roots itself in the best traditions of midwest soul labels like King, Curtom, Dakar, and the Bodie Recording Company. "A Lover Was Born" is a testimony that these deep cut grooves are not resigned to nostalgia; instead, they are at the burning heart of longing and hope. The journey Finnigan takes listeners on over the album's eleven tracks echo the state of motion and growth since his solo debut, "The Tales People Tell" (2019). These two records bookend a prolific period of output, including a pair of Monophonics albums, a Christmas album, a mixtape, and a full slate of producing other artists. Throughout "A Lover Was Born", Finnigan's voice is raw and earthy - in the best tradition of R&B shouters like Otis Redding, Lee Moses, and David Ruffin. The songs on "A Lover Was Born" reconfigure the spliced and sampled DNA of hip hop (extracted by crate diggers like Dilla and RZA) to create something new, underscoring both the spectrum and depth of soul while making a case to the timelessness of Finnigan's sound.