There is something to be said about being both popular and prolific enough to be anthologized—it’s a space that soul music stalwart Kelly Finnigan and his latest release, B-Sides, Singles & Forgotten Gems, occupies with intent and fire. Serving as a mile marker pacing the fifteen-year collaboration between Finnigan and Colemine Records, B-Sides, Singles & Forgotten Gems is an easter egg moment for new and long-time fans to collect rare takes and flip sides in one spot, while unearthing Finnigan’s evolution as an artist, producer, and vocalist.
From his earliest explorations to one of the first tracks cut at his new studio in Ohio, this travelogue in sound both brings the listener forward to the present while laying out Kelly Finnigan’s road ahead.
“It’s nice to reintroduce material that really was the beginning of my relationship with Terry and Colemine,” says Finnigan. “And so, it made perfect sense to look at a B-side by my group called Destruments and a song called ‘Freedom’… There’s so much focus on [the early work of] Monophonics that [Destruments] gets overshadowed and forgotten about, so I’m happy to reintroduce it.” With its wide-open experimentation and tight-but-loose feel, “Freedom” plants the flag for psychedelic soul while serving as an early vocal for Finnigan. The power and soulfulness are finding their way to hold court within the mix.
Ultimately, B-Sides, Singles & Forgotten Gems is a love letter to Finnigan’s relationship with his longtime label, Colemine Records, and their fans. It’s a partnership that started in the label’s early days and continues to be a fruitful collaboration.