Written by Noah Daniel
TJ Fink, maybe a name you haven't heard yet, but certainly a name you will hear for a long time to come. Hailing from the hills of Asheville, NC, Mr. Fink certainly brings his own unique style to the table that you can't put into one genre. Drawing from his mountain influence, TJ offers a one-off sound, pulling inspiration from music all across the board. When listening to TJ’s music, you will hear aspects of the blues, rock and roll, indie rock, and even some bluegrass elements.
Only seconds after pressing play on his new single “Dog Daze,” you are engulfed by the presence of an ambient, dreamy guitar paired with TJ’s butter-smooth vocals that leave you in a peaceful bliss with no needs or complaints. I found this song is missing three important things, but fortunately, they aren't missing long before TJ’s band fills that void. Once the combination of bass and drums gets your foot tapping, and the keys add that last melodic layer, you are completely immersed in the song.
After listening, I called TJ to ask what the song was about. He explained, “It is told through the lens of my father, which makes this song very personal and gives the listener an intimate lens into my life.”
TJ continued to say, “In the first verse, I wanted to paint a vivid picture of my dad sending me out to the old snake-ridden shed to fetch tools. Something simple, but something I resented that was layered with unspoken wisdom.”
He added, “My father’s words carry the weight of a reminder: the small ordinary moments of being asked to help will be cherished one day, not resented.”
Throughout the song, TJ transforms simple day-to-day snapshots of his father into a picture that captures his father’s “humor, tenderness, and the inevitable aging of my dad.”
Finally, when asked how the song came about, TJ kept it simple: “The song started in my bedroom as just an idea, and I brought it to the band and it just worked.” His favorite part? “Watching the band bring this song to life with me and watching my vision unfold in front of me.”
Between TJ’s lyricism and vocals, Jack Lare’s melodic lead guitar and keys, Cam Bartelot’s soothing bass line, Jake Canapp’s groovy drums, and last but not least Samuel Jenkins, whose mixing and mastering tied everything together, these boys certainly put together a song worth listening to.
You can listen to "Dog Daze" here: