I don’t know much about Crowded House. I know I’ve heard a few of their songs just due to exposure, but I couldn’t even name them right now. So I have no context for this record. You’ve been warned.

Finn has a strong sense of melody so it doesn’t surprise me (now) that he’s had a long career. Basically every song here has a decent-to-strong melody regardless of the different styles and arrangements.

But I must say the lyrics don’t make much of an impression on me. They’re fine, I think, but none of them struck as particularly profound or even insightful, though none of them struck me as being particularly poor either. They’re fine.

Not knowing anything about his band, I don’t know if this is common, but Finn does seem to try to run the gamut of different arrangements – I’d say styles or genres, but that would imply a broader reach – on his songs. There some contemporary touches – samples, for example – on the odd song, in addition to the band. He doesn’t quite commit to the contemporary production, but it does add a little bit of variety to what might have been an overly samey set without it.

But this relative variety is a bit of a downside too, because I’m not sure all of the contemporary diversions are pulled off successfully, or if they’re necessary. I’m not sure if he and his band are as capable of pulling off these different sides of their sound as they think they are, is what I’m saying.

This is fine, but it doesn’t make me want to listen to him more so I can’t say I’m super impressed.

6/10

All songs were written by Neil Finn, except where noted.

1. “Last One Standing” – 3:04
2. “Souvenir” – 3:42
3. “King Tide” (Finn, Robert Moore) – 4:33
4. “Try Whistling This” (Finn, Jim Moginie) – 4:13
5. “She Will Have Her Way” – 3:56
6. “Sinner” (Finn, Marius De Vries) – 4:25
7. “Twisty Bass” – 5:09
8. “Loose Tongue” (Finn, Moginie) – 4:12
9. “Truth” (Finn, Moginie) – 4:03
10. “Astro” – 3:46
11. “Dream Date” – 4:51
12. “Faster Than Light” – 4:23
13. “Addicted” – 4:22

• Tony Allen – drums (track 11)
• Michael Barker – drums (tracks 3, 5, 6, 10), percussion (tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 11)
• Lyn Buchannan – additional drums (track 1)
• Marius De Vries – programming (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13), keyboards (tracks 6 and 13)
• Liam Finn – drums (tracks 2, 8), guitar (track 5)
• Paddy Free – programming (track 7)
• Mitchell Froom – Hammond (tracks 10, 11, 12)
• Jim Moginie – guitars (tracks 4, 8, 10, 13), bass (track 13), omnichord (track 13), percussion (track 13)
• Robert Moore – bass (track 8)
• Sebastian Steinberg – bass (tracks 1 to 6, 8, 9, 11)
• Pete Thomas – drums (tracks 1, 4, 9)
• Neil Finn – all other instruments