You looked at me for half a second
Anyone who can listen to the entirety of Crowded House's best of and not find anything to like... Well, I'm not sure what sweeping generalization I'd make about those people, but I'm pretty sure we wouldn't understand each other. Pretty much the only decision I have to make now is whether to still keep Temple of Low Men, since four of the best five tracks are on Recurring Dream. "Love This Life" all by itself may be enough to earn it a place on my shelf.
(also, if I never hear the horrible, Muzak-y versions of "Fall At Your Feet" and "Don't Dream It's Over" that have haunted the local grocery stores ever again, it will be too soon - that's my childhood they're fucking with!)
(also, if I never hear the horrible, Muzak-y versions of "Fall At Your Feet" and "Don't Dream It's Over" that have haunted the local grocery stores ever again, it will be too soon - that's my childhood they're fucking with!)
All you need is "Never Be The Same." Temple of Low Men is not one of those underrated flops which needs resurrecting.
Posted by
Alfred Soto |
8:39 PM
Ahh, but I grew up with it, and already own it to boot. "Never Be The Same" is a keeper, definitely - but "Love This Life" may be my favourite Neil Finn song, and I don't say that lightly. And truthfully, listening to the whole thing right now it's aged better than I thought it had. I'm even enjoying "Mansion In The Slums" and the like. It's got a lot more character than the debut, as far as I'm concerned. None of this necessarily means I'll keep it - with Recurring Dream around, how often would I listen to it?
And what, no love for "In The Lowlands"?
Posted by
Ian |
9:35 PM
Mitchell Froom butts in as often as he can, no doubt in an attempt to compensate for limp songwriting (tell me that the trumpet solo in "In the Lowlands" isn't redundant; or that "Kill Eye" isn't obscurantic). "Mansion on the Hill" doesn't transcend its sophomore-album fame-sucks miserabilism. My thoughts on "Into Temptation": if his bedroom antics are as meticulous and well-rehearsed as his lyrics then it's no wonder the hussy cheated on him. Also: have you noticed how thin the final mix is? Wher are the bass and drums?
Keepers: "Better Be Home Soon" (which sounds better and better), "When You Come," and "Never Be the Same."
I like the eponymous debut a lot, hysterical arrangements and all. Woodface is their very best. Neil Finn meant a lot to me once. I don't listen to'em much anymore, at least not since I discovered the Go-Betweens, whose craft isn't as consistent but whose bad taste and acuity sound more adult.
Posted by
Alfred Soto |
10:45 PM
I'm sure there's something to at least some of your points (although since when is "obscurantic" necessarily bad, eh?), but remember: I've been listening to this album for 18 years now, off and on. I'm long past being able to listen to it critically.
Posted by
Ian |
10:48 PM
No love for "I Feel Possessed"?That's on Temple... isn't it? I prefer Crowded House when they're being just a little bit detached - "Four Seasons In One Day," "Private Universe" sort of thing - rather than their anthems for drunken kiwis to sing along to (as good as "Better Be Home Soon" is).
Posted by
Jonathan |
11:10 AM
I almost mentioned "I Feel Possessed", it's the first track on the album. I had heard "Private Universe" until I got the best-of, but I adore it now - it appeals for some of the same reasons Kirsty MacColl's "Angel" does, oddly enough.
Posted by
Ian |
11:23 AM