Just to give you some idea of the kinds of music I like to listen to (besides CROWDED HOUSE, NEIL FINN, TIM FINN, OR THE FINN BROS.) here are some artists you will find in my cd collection: Tori Amos, Basia, The Beatles, Lindsey Buckingham's Out of the Cradle, Phil Collins, Paula Cole, Shawn Colvin's A Few Small Repairs, Harry Connick, Jr., Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews Band, Depeche Mode, Eagles' Hell Freezes Over, Genesis, John Lennon, Annie Lennox, Ottmar Liebert + Luna Negra, Live, Manhattan Transfer, Bob Marley, Sarah MacLachlan's Surfacing, Pearl Jam, The Police, Prince, Radiohead, Sade, Sting, Barbra Streisand, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Tina Turner, and U2's The Best of 1980-1990 (LIMITED).
To experience Crowded House you must listen to Crowded House: The Originals. This box-set contains the first three cds, Crowded House (self-titled album), Temple of Low Men, and Woodface. The self-titled cd remains to be the most commercially successful album for the band in the U.S. and around the world, with the exception of England which fell in love with Woodface. Yes, everyone knows the "hey now, hey now" song that is titled "Don't Dream it's Over" and the ever poppy "Something So Strong" from the first album but I'm sure there are quite a few of you who have heard the ballads of "Better Be Home Soon" and the haunting "Into Temptation" that TOLM offers. Then comes the cd that broke CH in England, Woodface. Partially recorded around the same time Neil and Tim decided to have a go at writing songs together, it was found that some of the new songs CH had planned to record were not up to par with those songs written by the brothers (they had written around 15 songs in the span of two weeks!). As the band played the songs destined for the Finn Bros. record with more precision it was decided by Neil to take Tim into the fold and the songs and finish Woodface. This cd contains my favorite CH song "Fall at Your Feet." Having said that I will now say that my personal favorite CH album is the fourth, and last, Together Alone. Recorded in Kare Kare, New Zealand with Youth, an ex-Killing Joke member, as producer, TA contains atmospheres of sound and color that were influenced by the extreme weather conditions in Kare Kare. If you cannot decide which album to start with then I suggest Recurring Dream: The Very Best of Crowded House. This cd contains 16 songs taken from the first four albums and includes three new singles, "Instinct," "Not the Girl You Think You Are," and "Everything's Good for You." Beatle fans out there take a listen to NTGYTYA... with Neil's double vocal tracks you'd swear he was channeling John Lennon! If you want to experience Crowded House live you would do best to check out Recurring Dream: The Very Best of Crowded House (IMPORT). This 2-cd set includes the 19 songs found in the RD cd and 15 songs taken from live performances.
Having finished a six-month tour to promote Try Whistling This with huge success (his summer tour saw NYC and SF with sold-out shows and his month-long acoustic tour held in November 1998 included guests such as Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Sheryl Crow, Dave Dobbyn, Shawn Colvin, Grant Lee Phillips and Tim Finn, Neil Finn returned to New Zealand for some "rest and relaxation" to prepare himself for his next three projects: a new album, a second Finn Bros. record, and a rarities-type collection of unreleased but previously recorded CH songs. He and his brother Tim, along with David Bowie and other guests, are set to perform at Gisbourne 2000, the millenial festivity to be held in Gisbourne, New Zealand.
Finn Brothers is an album worth looking into. With songs written by Neil and Tim ("Last Day of June" being the exception; it's solely Neil's) and all instruments played only by the brothers (with the exception of bass in "Kiss the Road of Rarotonga"; that was Dave Dobbyn) this album is sure to please music fans who like pleasant harmonies and exotic instrumentation. If you want to hear music from the band that came before Crowded House check out History Never Repeats: The Best of Split Enz. It includes the song that almost broke them in U.S. charts, "I Got You." For a more extensive collection take a look at Spellbound. This two-cd set contains 39 remastered songs.
What else have I been listening to? Why, there's Gomez' Bring It On. I sought this cd out after hearing "78 Stone Wobble" requested on internet radio. If you want some mood music you should put on Beck's Mutations. Caught him performing "Nobody's Fault But My Own" and the bossa nova "Tropicalia." Amazing. Sheryl Crow's Sheryl Crow cd reminds me of CH's _Together Alone_ cd. I can't help but think that Crow was deeply influenced by CH. It's a possibility... She did open for them during their American TA tour with songs from her _Tuesday Night Music Club_ cd and her drummer had to fill in for CH's Paul Hester when he decided he'd rather be with his newborn daughter in Australia. In fact, "Everyday is a Winding Road" is about Paul Hester, who Crow had gotten along well with. It is Neil you hear on backup vocals. Check out her new release _The Globe Sessions_. I just love "My Mistake" and "Anything But Down." Love the Meg Ryan 'do.
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