Neil Finn

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=883256" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=180 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03164643.jpg"> <div> <B>The Fyfeopedia has been superseded by the NEW AND IMPROVED FYFEOPEDIA!!!</b></div> <div> <B>Please visit the new site at http://</b><A HREF="http://fyfe.fusion.net.nz/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://fyfe.fusion.net.nz/"><U><B>fyfe.fusion.net.nz/</b></U></A></div> <div> <B>This site will no longer be updated.</b></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=300 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="03164643.jpg"> <div> <B>Neil Finn</b></div> <div> <A HREF="directory.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Directory"><U>Directory</U></A>    <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fyfeopedia Music Reviews "><U>Home</U></A>    <A HREF="feedback.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Feedback Page"><U>Feedback</U></A>    <A HREF="recent.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Recent Reviews"><U>Recent Reviews</U></A>    <A HREF="aplus.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The A List"><U>The A+ List</U></A>    <A HREF="links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>Split Enz</b></div> <div> <I>Dizrythmia</I> (1977, Mushroom)</div> <div> Ridiculously, I have owned <I>Dizrythmia</I> on vinyl, cassette and CD. I'd like to thank Aaron for giving me a stylish vinyl copy for Christmas (Neil Finn looks really cute in his big-rimmed glasses), and Jono for giving me a CD that someone stole the cover from. </div> <div> <I>Dizrythmia </I>was a transitional album for Split Enz, with the group shifting away from Roxy Music style art-rock (Phil Manzanera produced their previous album), to more conventional song-driven pop-rock. Split Enz were also undergoing a number of line up changes, most notably Neil Finn replacing founder Phil Judd as a guitarist the tender age of 18.<I> </I>The 1977 vintage Split Enz also feature a saxophonist, but most of the instrumental virtuosity comes from flashy keyboardist Eddie Rayner (along with percussionist Noel Crombie, the only member to play on all of the Enz's albums). </div> <div> The result is a relatively satisfying compromise; the group retain a quirky flavour, but the songs are focused and full of hooks. <I>Bold as Brass </I>and <I>My Mistake </I>are particularly concise catchy pop songs, while the ballad <I>Charlie </I>became a live favourite. A few of the songs outstay their welcome, but there's not a bad song in the bunch. While <I>Dizrythmia </I>is not as inspired or as developed as later Finn projects such as Split Enz's <I>Time and Tide </I>and Crowded House's <I>Together Alone</I>, it's still a satisfying work in its own right.</div> <div> <B>A-/B+ </b>(Three copies and I still can't decide what mark to give <I>Dizrythmia</I>. For the record, A-/B+ is a legitimate mark; my history lecturer awarded me one for my comparative essay on French and British fur trappers in Canada.)</div> <div> Only a few minor complaints, which I'm not going to bore you with.</div> <div> <B>7</b></div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="crowded_house"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></b><B>Crowded House</b></div> <div> <I>Crowded House </I>(1986, Capitol)</div> <div> Crowded House were formed from the ashes of influential New Zealand band Split Enz. Singer/guitarist Neil Finn joined with Australian rhythm section Paul Hester (also drummer on Split Enz' final album) and Nick Seymour, and their debut album was released in 1986. <I>Crowded House </I>is the least interesting of the group's four albums; Finn's song writing is less developed than on subsequent efforts (<I>Don't Dream It's Over </I>is easily the standout here), while the group's sound is inclined towards generic guitar-pop. A few eighties elements creep in with tasteless horn sections in <I>Mean to Me </I>and <I>That's What I Call Love</I>, and a guitar intro to <I>I Walk Away </I>(reworked from Split Enz' final album) that sounds suspiciously like Bryan Adams. <I>Hole in the River </I>in particular would benefit from a folkier treatment, but is haunting even with a synthesiser dominated arrangement. </div> <div> But despite all my efforts to deflate it, <I>Crowded House </I>remains an enjoyable album. You could play any of the songs on the radio; they are all concise, tuneful and have catchy choruses. And <I>Don't Dream It's Over </I>is one of the best records of the eighties, featuring producer Mitchell Froom's wonderful organ solo. The low point of <I>Crowded House </I>is the abrasive <I>Mean to Me</I>; Neil Finn isn't a good screamer and the horn section is horribly dated. But if you can find <I>Crowded House </I>cheap, it'll yield a high melody and pleasantness return for your dollar.</div> <div> <B>B</b></div> <div> Lovely songs about commitment (<I>Love You 'Til The Day I Die</I>, <I>Don't Dream It's Over</I>), while there is only an occasional offensive line.</div> <div> <B>7</b></div> <bR> <div> <I>Temple of Low Men </I>(1988, Capitol)</div> <div> <I>Temple of Low Men</I> is Crowded House's second album, and also their second best. <I>Crowded House</I> was moderately successful in America, with <I>Don't Dream It's Over </I>reaching #2 in the singles charts. <I>Temple of Low Men </I>failed to follow this precedent, suffering from the lack of an upbeat single like Something<I> So Strong </I>or <I>It's Only Natural</I>. The closing track <I>Better Be Home Soon </I>is one of Crowded House's best known songs, but it failed to make an impact on the American chart.</div> <div> It is a shame about <I>Temple of Low Men's</I> lack of commercial success, because it is consistent and classy. While many songwriters, such as <A HREF="rpage_roxy_music.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The R Page"><U>Bryan Ferry</U></A> or <A HREF="cpage_the_clash.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The C Page"><U>Joe Strummer</U></A>, tend to lose their muse and become boring when they hit the age of thirty, Neil Finn reached a new maturity in his compositions. Every song is expertly crafted, and Finn exudes more emotional depth than contemporaries such as Sheryl Crow. Even the lesser tracks like <I>Love This Life </I>would not disgrace any standout album. <I>When You Come </I>successfully incorporates the cumbersome meteorological term cumulo nimbus. </div> <div> The standout track on <I>Temple of Low Men </I>is the beautiful ballad <I>Into Temptation</I>, with a soaring bridge, while <I>Better Be Home Soon</I>, <I>I Feel Possessed</I> and <I>Never Be The Same </I>are similarly beautiful. These are balanced by the more uptempo <I>Kill Eye </I>(opening with a sample of Jimmy Swaggart), <I>Sister Madly </I>and <I>When You Come</I>. The trio of Finn, drummer Paul Hester and bassist Nick Seymour are augmented by producer Mitchell Froom's keyboards, Neil's brother Tim on backing vocals and <A HREF="fpage.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The F Page"><U>Fairport Convention</U></A> guitarist <A HREF="tpage_richard_thompson.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The T Page"><U>Richard Thompson</U></A>, who plays some lovely little solos on <I>Sister Madly</I>. While <I>Temple of Low Men</I> is lacks the individuality of <I>Together Alone</I>, it is still an awfully good piece of work.</div> <div> <B>A-</b></div> <div> The songs are all fine; <I>Into Temptation </I>takes a negative view on sexual immorality. The album title has sexual connotations, while the burning tumbling towers on the back cover are inappropriate given the recent events in New York. However, these are not serious offences at the Fyfeopedia.</div> <div> <B>8</b> </div> <bR> <div> <I>Woodface </I>(1991, Capitol)</div> <div> <I>Woodface </I>was the child of two different recording sessions; an attempt at a third Crowded House album, and Neil Finn's collaboration with his older brother Tim. The sessions for the Crowded House album were not particularly fruitful, and the Finn's album was only half completed, so Neil decided that the best solution would be to combine the two. </div> <div> Not surprisingly <I>Woodface</I> comes out disjointed, even though the same producer (Mitchell Froom for the third consecutive album) worked on both projects. <I>Woodface </I>contains some of Crowded House's best work, notably the signature singles <I>Weather With You</I>, <I>Four Seasons in One Day</I> and <I>Fall At Your Feet</I> as well as the highly irreverent <I>There Goes God</I>. But in between, the album<I> </I>is not as substantial; although most of the Finn material is fine, most of the songs without Tim aren't particularly interesting. <I>She Goes On </I>starts as a beautiful pastoral song until it loses continuity with the irritating line "We owe it all to Frank Sinatra." Drummer Paul Hester's <I>Italian Plastic </I>is awfully average as well. By the time the evocative bridge ("Cos I want you to see/Round the world round the world/Is a tangled up necklace of pearls") of the closer <I>How Will You Go </I>appears, the momentum of <I>Woodface</I> is lost.</div> <div> Any Crowded House fan will enjoy <I>Woodface</I>, but it doesn't contain enough quality material to support the brilliant singles as they deserve. Bonus marks for dissing the obnoxious Andrew Lloyd Webber in <I>Chocolate Cake</I>.</div> <div> <B>B+</b></div> <div> The big issue on <I>Woodface</I> is the Finn Brother's <I>There Goes God</I>, which both acknowledges and mocks God, a pretty foolhardy idea. <I>There Goes God </I>is easily the most offensive song in the entire Crowded House catalogue, and is reminiscent of <A HREF="xtc.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="XTC"><U>XTC</U></A>'s <I>Dear God </I>but with a harmonica instead of a string quartet. <I>Italian Plastic </I>is also questionable.</div> <div> <B>1</b> </div> <bR> <div> <I>Together Alone</I> (1993, Capitol)</div> <div> Crowded House's final studio album was recorded in a lonely beach studio in the north of New Zealand. Producer Youth tried to bring more spontaneity to the recording process with holistic techniques, such as asking Hart to play in a stone circle 200m away from the studio, or getting the group to run around naked to lose their inhibitions. <I>Together Alone</I> is the groups finest hour. With the addition of second guitarist Mark Hart, rockers such as <I>Black and White Boy </I>and <I>Locked Out </I>are far more intense more previous albums, while <I>Private Universe</I> and <I>Nails in My Feet </I>are their most beautiful songs. Unique New Zealand ethnic elements are seamlessly incorporated, such as the Polynesian percussion in <I>Private Universe</I> and the Maori choir in the title track. </div> <div> As a result extra impetus and uniqueness is given to an album that already had strong songs. Many fans along with Neil Finn himself, would nominate the surreal <I>Private Universe </I>as their favourite Crowded House recording. Other particularly poignant tracks include the single <I>Distant Sun </I>(I don't pretend to know what you want/But I offer love."), <I>Nails in My Feet</I> and the gentle <I>Fingers of Love</I>. Even the weakest track, drummer Paul Hester's <I>Skin Feeling</I>,<I> </I>is enjoyable, especially Mark Hart's vocal improvisations at the end ("I want to roll in the sand like a horse.") </div> <div> <B>A+</b></div> <div> "Like a Christian fearing vengeance from above," from <I>Distant Sun</I>, unfortunately perpetuates the image of an unforgiving God. <I>Nails in My Feet </I>is about sandals with spikes used to aerate Neil Finn's lawn.</div> <div> <B>7</b></div> <bR> <div> In 1994 Finn was busy producing <A HREF="dpage.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The D Page"><U>Dave Dobbyn</U></A>'s <I>Twist</I>.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Recurring Dream The Very Best Of </I>(1996, Capitol)</div> <div> Neil Finn, along with his brother Tim and <A HREF="dpage_dave_dobbyn.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The D Page"><U>Dave Dobbyn</U></A>, is one of the pillars of popular songwriting in New Zealand. While he has made albums with several entities, including Split Enz, the Finn Brothers and a solo career, perhaps his best known work was written during the course of Crowded House's four studio albums. Some of the best loved songs ever produced in New Zealand are compiled on <I>Recurring Dream</I>: <I>Don't Dream It's Over</I>, a timeless ballad with a memorable organ solo, <I>Weather With You</I>, and <I>Better Be Home Soon</I>.<I> </I>Here the Fyfeopedia presents an analysis of the songs contained on <I>Recurring Dream </I>on an album by album basis.</div> <div> <I>i) Crowded House (1986): </I>Even though it contains Crowded House's most memorable single, <I>Don't Dream It's Over</I>, the debut is the weakest contributor to <I>Recurring Dream</I>. Finn's songwriting would develop markedly by <I>Temple of Low Men</I>, and the remainder of the songs are comparatively shallow and slightly splashed with 80s production values. <I>Mean to Me </I>is the worst culprit, with a dated horn section and abrasive screaming. </div> <div> <I>ii) Temple of Low Men (1988): </I>All the songs from <I>Temple of Low Men</I> are solid: <I>Better Be Home Soon </I>is one of Crowded House's signature tunes.</div> <div> <I>iii) Woodface (1991): </I>Four great tunes; the three collaborations with Tim Finn (<I>It's Only Natural</I>, <I>Weather With You</I> and <I>Four Seasons in One Day</I>), and the beautiful <I>Fall at Your Feet</I>. Due to the diplomatic policy of including four songs from each album, <I>Chocolate Cake </I>and <I>There Goes God </I>are excluded from <I>Recurring Dream</I>. </div> <div> <I>iv) Together Alone</I>: Another four great songs, although <I>Pineapple Head </I>doesn't really sound like it belongs on a best of. <I>Nails In My Feet</I>, Crowded House's only #1 New Zealand single, is a strange omission. </div> <div> <I>v) New Songs:  </I>The three new songs recorded for <I>Recurring Dream </I>are a disappointment. <I>Everything is Good For You </I>is quite possibly the worst album track that Crowded House ever recorded. <I>Not the Girl You Think You Are </I>may be Beatlesque, but it isn't particularly interesting. <I>Instinct </I>is the best of a bad lot, but is among the worst of the material on <I>Recurring Dream</I>.</div> <div> <I>Recurring Dream</I> loses a mark for ending with <I>Everything is Good For You</I>, rather than <I>Better Be Home Soon </I>which is tailor-made for the position. While it is inferior to half the group's studio albums, <I>Recurring Dream </I>is still a good introduction to Crowded House, containing classic singles <I>Don't Dream It's Over </I>and <I>Weather With You</I>, along with key album tracks such as <I>Into Temptation </I>and <I>Private Universe</I>. Early copies of Recurring Dream came with a bonus live disc, but record stores now charge exorbitant amounts for second hand copies of the two-disc edition.</div> <div> <B>A-</b></div> <div> <I>Everything is Good For You </I>directly contradicts scripture, as Corinthians 10:23 states that "not everything is beneficial." While <I>There Goes God </I>is a surprise omission, it does enhance <I>Recurring Dream's </I>appropriateness rating.</div> <div> <B>6</b></div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="finn"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></b><B>Finn</b></div> <div> <I>Finn </I>(1995, EMI)</div> <div> Tim and Neil Finn convened in 1995 to record the low-key <I>Finn </I>album. Tim plays drums and piano while Neil plays guitar. The only outside musicians are <A HREF="dpage_dave_dobbyn.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The D Page"><U>Dave Dobbyn</U></A>, who contributes some meaty basslines to <I>Kiss The Road of Rarotonga</I>, and the Avarua Presbyterian Choir who contribute backing vocals to <I>Paradise</I>. As demonstrated on the collaborative tracks on <I>Woodface</I>, the Finn’s lyrics become more cryptic and less personal when they write together. Instead of the confessional songs they tend to write individually, Neil and Tim’s joint lyrics abound with surreal in-jokes: “Feeling just a little surprised/Like you discovered Engelbert Humperdink or something/Inside the fairy light.”</div> <div> Because most of the instrumental parts are straightforward and low-key, the focus is often directed onto the song writing. Apart from the staid, tuneless <I>Bullets in My Hairdo</I>, the melodies on <I>Finn</I> are lovely. <I>Last Day of June </I>may be the most beautiful song Neil has written, and its low-key arrangement celebrates its fragility rather than trampling it into ground with iron clad rhythm section boots. <I>Angels Heap</I>, a lovely nostalgic ode to a vintage car, spotlights a similarly enchanting melody. When the Finns undertake fuller bodied arrangements on <I>Suffer Never </I>and <I>Kiss the Road of Rarotonga</I>, they also sound fantastic. </div> <div> While <I>Finn</I> doesn’t contain a Finn signature song like <I>Six Months In a Leaky Boat </I>or <I>Weather With You</I>, it does deliver some of the pairs most solid songwriting. Apparently the brothers are planning to collaborate on another album later this year, which sounds promising. Based on the theory that consumers are stupid, later editions of <I>Finn </I>are retitled Finn Brothers.</div> <div> <B>A-</b></div> <div> As noted above, the Finn’s lyrics are difficult to decipher. I’m not sure what aspects of <I>Where is My Soul </I>refer to, but I’m sure it isn’t particularly pleasant. Charmingly, the liner notes thank the Avarua Presbyterian Choir for <I>Paradise</I>.</div> <div> <B>4</b></div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="neil_finn"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></b><B>Neil Finn</b></div> <div> <I>Try Whistling This </I>(1998, Parlophone)</div> <div> Neil Finn disbanded Crowded House in 1996, after a memorable final concert on the steps of Sydney's Opera House. For his first solo record, <I>Try Whistling This</I>, Finn made an intentional effort to distance himself from Crowded House, dabbling with new textures and collaborating with <A HREF="mpage.htm#midnight_oil" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The M Page"><U>Midnight Oil</U></A><B> </b>guitarist Jim Moginie on some songs. While I don't pretend to welcome Finn's shying away from more conventional pastures, he manages to partially reinvent himself successfully. His artistic freedom doesn't stop him from focusing on his songwriting, which has always been his strength.</div> <div> While <I>Sinner </I>is arguably the best song Finn has written, <I>Try Whistling This</I> is his weakest set of songs since his Split Enz days. A great deal of <I>Try Whistling This</I> is forgettable, comparable with the insubstantial songs that graced <A HREF="dpage_dave_dobbyn.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The D Page"><U>Dave Dobbyn</U></A>'s <I>Twist</I> which Finn produced in 1994. I read an opinion that Finn has not written a bad song since the mid 1980s, and I agree (apart from the awful <I>Everything is Good for You </I>from <I>Recurring Dream</I>). There aren't any bad songs on <I>Try Whistling This</I> but a number of nondescript ones, especially towards the end. While <I>Twist </I>was enhanced by Finn's mildly psychedelic treatments, <I>Try Whistling This</I> is cold and uninviting. The last four songs are particularly mediocre, with surprisingly colourless lyrics ("In time you'll see that some things travel faster than light/In time you'll recognise that love is larger than life," or "Lightweight, dream date/Fly or fall, it's my call) and low profile melodies. Despite my whining the remainder of <I>Try Whistling This</I> does measure up with Finn's meticulous standards, although it drags without enough catchy melodies or upbeat songs. The single <I>She Will Have Her Way </I>has both, but is too simplistic to retain any long lasting appeal. Along with <I>Sinner</I>, the most interesting songs are the rockers <I>Souvenir</I>, <I>Twisty Bass </I>and <I>Loose Tongue</I>.</div> <div> While moments of class inevitably shine through, <I>Try Whistling This</I> is Finn's worst album since Split Enz. With Finn having reached forty, there has to be concern that his best years are behind him.</div> <div> <B>B-</b></div> <div> <I>Sinner </I>is a personal rejection of faith ("Forever I must walk this earth/Like some forgotten soldier"), while some of the imagery in <I>Twisty Bass </I>is inappropriate.</div> <div> <B>4</b> </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Fyfeopedia Music Reviews</div> </td> </tr></table></body>