Breaking Up & Brotherhood: For Cryin’ Out Loud! by Finneas

Overall Rating: 8.6/10

For Cryin’ Out Loud by Finneas marks a departure from his debut album, showcasing a more collaborative and mature approach to songwriting and production. While still deeply personal and introspective, this album embraces a broader range of emotions and sounds, reflecting his growth as an artist. The album explores themes of love, loss, and the complexities of relationships with a raw honesty. Several tracks delve into the aftermath of heartbreak, while others offer social commentary with a mix of cynicism and hope. For Cryin’ Out Loud! also showcases Finneas’s willingness to experiment with different musical styles. From stripped-down balladry to upbeat pop energy, the album demonstrates his versatility as a musician. For Cryin’ Out Loud! is an album about navigating the challenges and joys of life with vulnerability and authenticity. It’s a testament to Finneas’s growth as a songwriter and producer, and an invitation to connect with every emotion.

Track 1: Starfucker 9.1/10

PERFECT opening track. Sets up the tone and theme of the rest of the album while still being a beautiful stand-alone song. The lyrics are also so heartwrenching but irreverent at the same time. 

Track 2: What’s It Gonna Take To Break Your Heart? 9.2/10

 I looovee this track. The production and vocals are so good, and it’s so catchy. The pacing is also really well-done. Not too fast but it doesn’t drag either. The content is also very relatable; wanting to be the heartbreaker after so many times of having your heart broken. 

Track 3: Cleats 6.9/10

Silly little song! Not my favorite but it’s cute. Some of the imagery is just a little too silly for me. Feels slightly out of place with the rest of the album. However, the melody and how it shifts several times during the song is memorable. 

Track 4: Little Window 8.6/10

Completely different vibe from Cleats, which almost makes me wish it were placed somewhere else in the album. Portrays so much emotion and softness. Gorgeous lyrics. 

“Tears in your eyes / Brush them aside

And have a nice day

Not a cloud in the sky / And you’re still alive

But you don’t look that way”

Track 5: 2001 8.8/10

Soooo good! The vibes are so funky and upbeat. I also love the imagery – hot, desert, Texas. The guitar riffs in this one are too good. 

Track 6: Same Old Story 7.5/10

Very lowkey and slow but I enjoy the melody. Otherwise, fairly unremarkable. 

Track 7: Sweet Cherries 9.8/10

THE VIBESS!! I’m obsessed with cherry imagery so I might be biased but this is one of the best songs on the album. I also LOVE the femme fatale, sexy, slutty girl persona that he paints with the song. It’s so fire. The song is also separated into kind of 3 sections; the first section, the bridge, and the last section. They’re all in different keys and have different melodies but all fit together somehow. I love it. The production on this one is top tier. Favorite song on the album. 

Track 8: For Cryin’ Out Loud 9.7/10

Definitely one of my favorite songs of the album! The way he makes certain words so sharp and staccato is unique and so sonically pleasing. He also utilizes repetition as a literary device in the lyrics to make them memorable. 

“What’s gonna help you wake up / Won’t help you sleep at night”

Track 9: Family Feud 9.3/10

It can be inferred that this song is about Finneas’ sister, Billie Eilish. It’s a hard-hitting exploration of siblinghood and Billie’s fame. 

“And you’re only 22 / and there’s nothing I can do

A part of me is part of you / Just a different shade of blue” really resonates with me because I’m 22 and have older siblings. Painfully relatable song. 

Track 10: Lotus Eater 8.7/10

Very successful end to the album, and a nice upbeat follow to Family Feud. Feels final and solidifying and captures the essence of the rest of the songs.

Read my review of the album produced by Finneas, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish!