What you are about to read is probably the best record review a band could hope for. Lucas is a dear friend to us and shreds guitar in San Francisco's other 90s indie band, Stirling Says. We're totally blushing but we had to share this with all of you!

"Dearest Finest Dearest,

Finest Dearest – S/T

First things first, the packaging choices for both the CD and the vinyl release blow my mind. Enough said.

Lyrically, this record is dark and epic. Several songs (Naming Ceremony & Night Blooming Flowers!) leave me with images that are hard to shake and I think that is the mark of a good song. Also, epic is the only way I want everything to be. The vox offer me a lot of things. The melodies are really well placed and the delivery of the lyrics leaves me with only one conclusion; magick was involved…..

Seth put it really well; Finest Dearest has a lead rhythm section. AJ should get lead bass listing. The riffs that are on the record are incredibly dexterous and bring to mind such bass monsters as John Entwistle and others of that caliber. However, they are "in the pocket"; they never step on anyone's toes and they keep the low-end thundering. The drumming on this record is really atypical, in my opinion. It seems to be a stretch to say that the drumming is more rhythmic than most, but I stand by that. The drums have a different accent, like a friend from New England. Now, the guitars on this record are very unique in the fact that they are a seamless combination of two players. This is something that I feel is almost impossible to achieve; no joke. I'm going to put this the best way I know how. The guitars on this record sound like they are being played by Zeus with all the lightning involved while standing on his trusty full –stack, Mount Olympus. I don't know what else to say about the elements.

The flow of the record, which I believe I attempted to address in my drunk ramble, is really special. It's like picking up an old friend at the airport. You have the anticipation of seeing them come down the escalator (intro to Naming Ceremony), then you get a big hug and you ride that feeling for a while, spinning in the airport baggage claim area (Night Blooming Flowers through Making a Sound 3), then you realize that this is only a visit and your time will be cut short by another plane taking off (Fathers), but you vow to make the best of the time you have together (Tunnel Vision through Pendulums) and you promise that you'll keep in touch and talk to one another more (March Into Flames).

It feels really good. It's timeless. It has all of the elements of a good story and will hold its own for at least the next thousand years. Also, the songs make me want to dance, which, I have to be honest, is very, very rare.

So, in short, I love your record and your band.

Lucas
Stirling Says"

If you haven't already picked up a copy of the record and find yourself inspired by Lucas' words, you can check out images in our photos and buy one for yourself online through Bloodtown Records(in our top friends) in both CD format and double 10" vinyl (yeah, holy shit!).

xoFD