We probably all have a talent for something. Sometimes it takes a while to come to the fore and sometimes it needs to be coaxed out of you. When High Up singer Christine Fink moved to Omaha, her sister, singer-songwriter Orenda Fink, realized almost immediately that Christine had a natural and unique talent behind the microphone as she tore through soul covers at the local Karaoke bars. With a little persuasion, the two sisters joined together, pooling their respective talents, and formed a band with other carefully chosen and like-minded musicians.
The result is the soul and blues with a punk twist of High Up. “Blue Moon”, the latest track from the band’s forthcoming debut album, You Are Here, is a plaintive, slow-burning soul ballad that highlights the effortless, intimate majesty of singer Christine Fink’s voice. A song which grabs the listener by the heartstrings and doesn’t let go.
On “Blue Moon” the band refrains from overcomplicating things as it opens with swells of organ and gently strummed open guitar chords that give Fink’s vocals plenty of room to resonate. The song captures perfectly the aesthetic of classic soul, sounding authentically vintage as if it could have been released at the same time as many of the great soul records of the 1960s. It’s a perfect lesson in how to keeps things relatively low key for maximum impact.
Lyrically, the song finds Fink grappling with longstanding and highly personal issues as she explains. “Blue Moon is a very important song for me; it calls out my lifelong struggle with depression and bipolar. It’s a recognition of who I am, an apology for what I do, and a thank you for those who understand.”
“Blue Moon” is that rare song that lays its fingers on your soul and leaves a lasting impression.