blackleatherbookshelf | Entries tagged with neil finn

We're Just Paper Over Cracks
4 Out of 5 Stars

When Crowded House member Paul Hester committed suicide in 2005, Neil Finn reacted by recording "Time On Earth" with the surviving CH members. That album was a heavy rumination on the loss of a life-long friend and creative partner, and was a tough album to absorb. One of Crowded Houses's best attributes was that they were a terrific band, with a sense of camaraderie and often (despite some serious songs, like "Better Be Home Soon" or "Four Seasons in One Day) the sounds of good mates getting together for a good joke or two. This was always reflected in their videos and even in the odd comic song ("Chocolate Cake," "Here Comes God"). "Intriguer" is less weighty than "Time On Earth" yet still feels haunted by Hester's ghost.

Neil Finn's songwriting remains top-notch, with brilliant moments on "Intriguer" measuring up as should-be hits like "Even If" or the giddy in love "Twice If You're Lucky." There's a nice propelling beat and synth-line to the opening "Saturday Sun" that hearkens back to Finn's days with Split Enz (and seems most indebted to Hester's passing).

"The madness is won,
The nightmare is done.
Meantime, he waits
Colors up the sky,
Make the darkness come to life.
Memories inside his heart
Of everything he wants to know
And every place he has to go."

There's plenty of other delightful songs and temptingly quotable lyrics all across the album ("Amsterdam," the atmospheric "Isolation") that will lure CH's many fans to this CD. I've been an Enz/House fan myself for many years, including seeing the band on the "Woodface" tour (with Roger McGuinn showing up for the encore!). "Intriguer" lives up to Neil Finn's continuing legacy of excellent albums.

20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection (Reis)

Plenty of Profound Performers
3 Out of 5 Stars

Split Enz made their second attempt at world pop domination on this album, the follow-up to "True Colors." "Corroboree" (or "Waiata" for us Yanks who bought in on vinyl in 1981) is not quite as strong as its predecessor, but still has some astounding songwriting from Neil and Tim Finn. But once again, American stardom eluded them, despite such strong contenders as "History Never Repeats," "One Step Ahead" and "Ghost Girl."

It is interesting to me that, as the band lost their eccentric get-ups and stage shows, their music became more and more confident. The opener, "Hard Act To Follow," had the kind of choral hook that most bands would kill for, and the crashing chords on "History" never fail to make me smile. The haunting melody of "Ghost Girl" has stayed with me for almost 30 years, and "Iris" gives hints of balladry to come (like "Message To My Girl" or Neil's later Crowded House songs).

The bring down is the inclusion of two - yes two - instrumentals, which then reeked of filler, and today sound like synthed-out 80's trifles. I have at times wondered if they were under pressure to put this out to capitalize on the US semi-success of "I Got You." Especially after the legendary story that A&M retitled and recolored the album when they determined the title and the color brown would 'put off' American buyers. Dopey marketing or not, "Corroborre" has enough good songs on it to overcome its weaknesses.