The Finals: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• Midtown
• Saves the Day
• The Ataris
• Ultimate Fakebook
• Autopilot Off
• The Get Up Kids
• No Motiv

• Jimmy Eat World
• The Cars
• Hot Rod Circuit
• Death Cab for Cutie
• The Clash
• Alkaline Trio

Genres:

Rock Music, Alternative Rock Music

Decades Active:

2000's

A youthful popemo quintet from the New York City suburb of Bergenfield, New Jersey, the Finals formed out of the teenage friendships of its five members. Bassist Matt Reilly, guitarists Jason Sazer (who shares lead vocal duties with Reilly) and Lou Bottone, keyboardist Christian Kisala and drummer Joshua Sazer were in the usual series of teenage bands before putting together the Finals under the influence of Death Cab For Cutie, Jimmy Eat World, and similar bands. Kisala, originally the band's drummer, adds a certain 1980s postpunk vibe to the otherwise straightforward indie guitar pop tunes through his New Orderinfluenced keyboard style. The band released their debut EP, Long Story Short (overseen by My Chemical Romance producer John Naclerio) on the tiny indie Stab Me Records in the summer of 2004. The record got enough buzz that the Finals signed to Immortal Records, a Los Angelesbased emo and numetal label distributed by Epic, in 2005 and recorded their debut album with the production help of Midtown singer and guitarist Heath Saraceno, an old friend from Bergenfield. That first fulllength, Plan Your Getaway, was released in the summer of 2006.

- Stewart Mason, All Music Guide