I know there's been a bit of Crowded House love-in on here over the last month or two, with a live review and a belated look at their most recent album - but today is an excuse to look back at where it began.
Yes, because on 1 August 1986, the debut album for Neil Finn's new project, Crowded House, was released. Following some intense thought, they called it Crowded House.
End of the Enz:
Neil Finn had joined older brother Tim's band, Split Enz, as an eighteen year old - writing one of the classic pop tunes, I Got You, along the way. But by 1984, the Enz had folded and Finn junior took drummer Paul Hester with him, for his next venture.
Nick Seymour was approached at an after party at the Melbourne show on the final Enz tour. Craig Hooper was briefly onboard as second guitarist, while the band was called The Mullanes (Finn's middle name). Hooper left before the band signed with Capitol, who thankfully requested the band change the name.
Los Angeles:
The band recorded the debut mostly in Los Angeles with musician and producer Mitchell Froom (who would record the first three albums - and is now a member of the band). Froom produced a whole range of musicians through the 80s and 90s, including Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow and Paul McCartney (Flowers In The Rain).
Crowded House:
Mean to Me opens the album and sets the tone (it was also the first single in Australia and New Zealand). Based on a fan letter Finn had received, it has been a popular set opener ever since and it retains some Split Enz elements, with some crazy, jazzy keyboards in the middle.
World Where You Live and Now We're Getting Somewhere offer two early examples of Finn's power as a stand out pop songwriter. The former fully demonstrates the glorious vocal power of the band, as each chorus rises up with those soon to become distinctive, harmonies. The latter just jangles and shimmies and I am grinning just writing about it.
Fun Fact: Hester and Seymour don't appear on the album version of Now We're Getting Somewhere, as it was recorded in an early session. It features legendary session drummer Jim Keltner (Bob Dylan, Bee Gees, Carly Simon) and almost as legendary musician, Jerry Scheff on bass (Elvis Presley in his latter years, John Denver and The Doors).
Next comes Don't Dream It Over. There isn't much left to say about this track - it is their most well known and also most covered tune. It made it almost to the top in the US (#2), but a bit lower down the Top30 in the UK (#27). The distinctive reverb of those clean chords propel it to being more than just an average ballad and the swirl of Hammond organ in the middle eight, lift it some more.
Love You 'Til The Day I Die takes us back to a more Enz-ish feel, with its wigged out guitar notes and odd patterns. But that makes way for the straight up power pop of Something So Strong, with its strident chords and a belter of a chorus (another grin maker).
Hole In The River is a deeply personal tune, being about his aunt's suicide and with Private Universe, probably the most beautiful and haunting tune they have written. The song is desperately sad and yet Finn somehow turns the tragedy into a wonderful elegy - "Dreaming of glory, miles above the mountains and plains, free at last." And of course, the backing vocals here once again raise it up.
Can't Carry On was on the original Australian and New Zealand versions of the album, but was cut for the release in the rest of the world - replaced by a remake of I Walk Away, and older Split Enz song.
I love I Walk Away. It's the closest thing to a rock tune on the album and chugs along fairly sparsely to begin with, but after the slowdown of the middle eight, it comes out punching and flailing with Finn almost shouting over the crash of drums and cymbals, with guitars ringing out.
Tombstone is an acoustic and more sedate affair and possibly might be the weakest link lyrically on the record? Of course, the bar is rather high anytime Neil Finn is involved, so that might be a bit unfair.
We close with the funky, live favourite, That's What I Call Love, again providing a little more Enz jangle and a fun way to end.
Overall, the album feels like a transition for Finn, from Split Enz to a new world that would become totally his. Having said that, there are more than enough great tunes here to make this sparkle and be more than a run of the mill pop album. But better was to come - follow up album Temple Of Low Men remains my favourite and is, to me at least, a bit more balanced.
Notes: Produced by Mitchell Froom
Released by Capitol Records on 1 August 1986
Featuring: Neil Finn, Paul Hester, Nick Seymour
Score:
Transitioning to the next level - 7.9 / 10
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