Recorded as a duet with Eliza Jane Barnes, the daughter of
Jimmy Barnes,
Liam Finn's Champagne in Seashells splits the difference between a somewhat spacy atmosphere -- best heard on the mildly foreboding opener "Plane Crash" -- and tight, tuneful popcraft.
Finn may have the upper hand here, writing "Plane Crash" and "Honest Face" on his own, but Barnes proves to be an equal partner, harmonizing easily with
Finn, co-writing two of the best tracks (the bright "Long Way to Go," the elegant crawl "Won't Change My Mind"), and takes a beguiling lead on the closer, "On Your Side." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine