The Finches

An acoustic duo whose simple, heartfelt music suggests the warmth and sincerity of folk-leaning singer/songwriter material from the '60s and '70s, the Finches consist of lead vocalist and guitarist Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs and guitarist and singer Aaron Morgan. Riggs and Morgan first met while they were both students at the University of California at Santa Cruz; Riggs came from a musical family and recorded an EP's worth of goth-flavored synthesizer music while in high school, while Morgan was a member of Roots of Orchis, an experimental ensemble which merged electronics with dual bass patterns. Riggs and Morgan became friendly, and when she began writing songs on guitar, she handed a tape of her material to Morgan shortly before he graduated. Morgan listened to Riggs' demos while touring with Roots of Orchis, and when he returned home he suggested they form a group to perform her new songs. After an unsuccessful attempt to add a drummer, the Finches began playing out as an acoustic two-piece, and in mid-2005 they released their first recording, an EP simply titled Six Songs. Sold only at shows and at a handful of local record shops, Six Songs sold more than 1,200 copies by the time the Finches released their first full-length album, Human Like a House, in early 2007 through the independent Dulc-I-Tone Records label. The making of the album was something of a family affair -- David Morgan, Aaron's father, recorded the album at his home studio and played pedal steel guitar on a few cuts, while Carolyn's mother played recorder on the sessions. The album also featured a beautifully designed package by Riggs, printed using letterpress equipment and featuring original linoleum cuts by Riggs as well as a booklet with original short stories. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide