The album is due for release through UK label Transgressive records, home to Iron & Wine, The Shins, Foals and Young Knives.

Originally from New Zealand but having lived in London for many years, Liam Finn’s dramatic and compelling live show came to life in London in 2001. The twenty-three-year-old New Zealand native writes, produces and engineers his own music, adhering to a strict DIY creative process, shooting his own publicity photos and album artwork. In addition to meticulously overseeing the recording of his debut album I’ll Be Lightning, Finn plays nearly every instrument on the album, a responsibility he doesn’t relinquish during his now mythic live gigs.

As one might assume, a Liam Finn show is by no means the seated, shh-inducing coffee house affair many solo singer-songwriter performances can be. It’s actually the antithesis. Finn drops fuzzed out guitar riffs, bellows bass lines and thunders on his drum kit like a punk rock caveman. When asked the philosophy behind this approach Liam remarks, “Whenever I walk in and see just a guy and a guitar, I think ‘Here we go again.’ I want to give people something different.”

Second Chance is a thrilling underground gem with a chorus so big it’s impossible not to feel exhilarated. After almost two minutes of teasing verse intro, all strings and subtle melody with Finn’s yearning vocals, the chorus finally thunders in ‘You stand around your haunted home, these demons won’t leave you alone, don’t forget me when you grow old’ screams Finn at the climax of the song, leaving hairs on the back of the neck.

This is a very special artist not to miss.

The album I’ll Be Lightning will be released in July 14th on Transgressive Records

Catch Liam‘s unforgettable live show this summer

JUNE

24th – Barfly, London

JULY

4th – Wireless Festival, London

5th – The Charlotte, Leicester

6th – Bodega, Nottingham

7th – Plug, Sheffield

10th – Night and Day, Manchester

11th – OXEGEN, Kildare, Ireland

13th – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff

15th – Bar Academy, Birmingham

16th – Cross Kings, London

17th – Audio, Brighton

19th – King Tuts, Glasgow

20th – Lovebox Festival, London

22nd – Cargo, London – headline show