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Split Enz needed to end, particularly since founding member Tim Finn found his little brother Neil's growth spurt uncomfortable, but also because Neil was no longer writing tunes that made sense within the context of a band that ran the gamut from art rock to eccentric new wave. Neil was now writing songs that were undeniably totems of popcraft, but infused with the spirit and introspection of a singer/songwriter. This formula would later become quite popular with artists from Matthew Sweet to the legions of basement auteurs in the pop underground, but this sensibility was relatively unheard of in the mid-'80s -- hence the birth of Crowded House. Neil retained Paul Hester from Enz, added Nick Seymour for the trio, and recorded one abandoned attempt at an album before joining with Mitchell Froom for the band's eponymous debut. At the time, Froom's clean production seemed refreshing, almost rootsy, compared to the synth pop dominating the mainstream and college scenes at the time, but in retrospect it seems a little overreaching and fussy, particularly in its addition of echo and layers of keyboards during particularly inappropriate moments. But Finn at his best overshadowed this fairly stilted production with his expert songcraft. As it happened, the record was blessed by good timing, and the majestic ballad "Don't Dream It's Over" became an international hit, while its follow-up, the breezy "Something So Strong," also turned into a hit. Both revealed different sides of Finn's talents, with the first being lyrical and the second being effervescent, but perhaps the truest testaments to his talents are "Mean to Me," "World Where You Live," and "Now We're Getting Somewhere," songs where the lyrics meld with the melody in a way that is distinctive, affecting, and personal. If the rest of the record doesn't reach those heights, it's still good, well-constructed pop, and these aforementioned highlights point the way to Temple of Low Men, where Crowded House (and particularly Finn) came into its own.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Neil Finn, ComposerLyricist - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer - Crowded House, MainArtist
℗ 1986 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, ComposerLyricist - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer - Crowded House, MainArtist
℗ 1986 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, ComposerLyricist - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer - Crowded House, MainArtist
℗ 1986 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, Guitar, Piano, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer - Paul Hester, Drums, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Nick Seymour, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Crowded House, MainArtist
℗ 1986 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Neil Finn, Composer - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer - Crowded House, MainArtist
℗ 1986 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, ComposerLyricist - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist
℗ 1986 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, Composer - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer - Crowded House, MainArtist - Eddie Rayner, Composer
℗ 1986 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, Composer, Producer - Crowded House, MainArtist - Eddie Rayner, Producer
℗ 1986 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, Composer - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer - Crowded House, MainArtist
℗ 1986 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, Composer - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer - Crowded House, MainArtist
℗ 1986 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, ComposerLyricist - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer - Paul Hester, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist
℗ 1986 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hester, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Eddie Rayner, ComposerLyricist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hester, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer - Paul Hester, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Composer, Producer - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hester, ComposerLyricist - Nick Seymour, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer - Craig Hooper, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Neil Finn
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - MITCHELL FROOM, Producer - Crowded House, MainArtist - Jeremy Ansell, Producer
℗ 2016 Capitol Records, LLC
Neil Finn, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Nick Seymour, ComposerLyricist - Crowded House, MainArtist - Peter Hester, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Hayunga, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jeremy Ansell, Producer - Craig Hooper, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2016 Capitol Records LLC
Album review
Split Enz needed to end, particularly since founding member Tim Finn found his little brother Neil's growth spurt uncomfortable, but also because Neil was no longer writing tunes that made sense within the context of a band that ran the gamut from art rock to eccentric new wave. Neil was now writing songs that were undeniably totems of popcraft, but infused with the spirit and introspection of a singer/songwriter. This formula would later become quite popular with artists from Matthew Sweet to the legions of basement auteurs in the pop underground, but this sensibility was relatively unheard of in the mid-'80s -- hence the birth of Crowded House. Neil retained Paul Hester from Enz, added Nick Seymour for the trio, and recorded one abandoned attempt at an album before joining with Mitchell Froom for the band's eponymous debut. At the time, Froom's clean production seemed refreshing, almost rootsy, compared to the synth pop dominating the mainstream and college scenes at the time, but in retrospect it seems a little overreaching and fussy, particularly in its addition of echo and layers of keyboards during particularly inappropriate moments. But Finn at his best overshadowed this fairly stilted production with his expert songcraft. As it happened, the record was blessed by good timing, and the majestic ballad "Don't Dream It's Over" became an international hit, while its follow-up, the breezy "Something So Strong," also turned into a hit. Both revealed different sides of Finn's talents, with the first being lyrical and the second being effervescent, but perhaps the truest testaments to his talents are "Mean to Me," "World Where You Live," and "Now We're Getting Somewhere," songs where the lyrics meld with the melody in a way that is distinctive, affecting, and personal. If the rest of the record doesn't reach those heights, it's still good, well-constructed pop, and these aforementioned highlights point the way to Temple of Low Men, where Crowded House (and particularly Finn) came into its own.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 28 track(s)
- Total length: 01:32:08
- Main artists: Crowded House
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2016 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2016 Capitol Records, LLC
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