h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've been a Crowded House Fan for some time, and have just recently bought Neil's new album, One Nil. It's great. I think he's a really good songwriter. My favourite on the new album is Hole in the Ice.
My favorite Crowded House song, besides Don't dream it's over is probably the acoustic version of Private universe, on the Afterglow album.
Any other fans: What are yours?

"Recently Neil has worked with Johnny Marr, members of Radiohead and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, which demonstrates rather excellent taste."

A review of this concert can be read at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A682913

Great review, Loony! The thought of Neil Finn and friends doing 'Not for You' is... well... kinda hard to imagine!

Must get hold of '7 Worlds Collide' now...

Mark, happy hunting. TV NZ (via their webside - [URL removed by moderator]) may be able to help you track down the distributers in Pommieland...

Found it on good ol' Amazon - handy, as I've got a few other CDs I want to pick up as well. Marvellous!

TVNZ also made a tape of the show. The programme (it was shown on TVNZ last week) goes by the same name as the CD and is well worth having a look at.

Thinking out loud.... I guess you are in the right place to put a bit of pressure on the BBC to purchase the programme

Unfortunately, that's not the way it works. It's funny how people say: 'Ah, you work for the BBC. Can you get them not to show repeats of Star Trek at 6pm, because I don't get back from work until 7?'

There's as much chance of us influencing government policy on Europe. None, in other words.

hmmm well...
Yes, I forgot to say, great review, and great article too.
Is seven worlds collide any good? I was going to get it.

While I haven't heard the CD, I can report that the concert and the TV programme are both splendid.

No doubt Mark will be able to bring you up to speed about how good the CD is.

It's on order!

Oh, right...! Well, I await your opinion!
Ta.
Kaz

I've got the album, and it's OK. I'm more of a Neil Finn fan than a Tim Finn fan (never really got the hang of Split Enz, to be honest), and there's quite a lof of really early stuff which leaves me cold, but highlights include:

* Anything Eddie Vedder sings on. What a voice!

* The glorious version of The Smiths' 'There is a light that never goes out', which is a delight.

* Neil Finn's solo songs.

Worth buying, then, if you're a Finn fan, but if you don't like Split Enz much, or rate his brother, then it's not that great. Horses for courses, really...

Yeah. Oh well. to be honest I haven't really heard any Split Enz stuff, and I'm not a great Smiths fan so maybe its not my cup of tea.
Thanks for your opinion though. I think its kinda swings and roundabouts with these things, if you know what I mean.

To me the best and most cohesive Crowded House album was Together Alone. It was much moodier and less commercial than Woodface and in Distant Sun and Pineapple Head it contains my favourite Neil Finn songs. Its a pity that he didnt develop that sound with Crowded House.

Hmm. I suppose so.
Actually, I bought Together Alone shortly after I read the article on h2g2. I do like it a lot. Fingers of Love is my favorite on that album. Its so atmospheric, and Nails in my Feet is also a good one. Fantastic lyrics.
Though I have to say the acoustic version of Private Universe on the afterglow album knocks spots off the version on Together Alone. Its just more raw and emotional than the other one.

Love the entry, but would like to know more about Mr Finn's state of mind when he wrote Try Whistling This. Had he been ill/addicted/had personal trauma? I guess he recovered as the last track is a great affirmation of life and gentle pleasure.

My very favourite Finn song is Nails in my Feet - fabulous lyrics "your skin is like water on a burning beach, and it brings me relief" how lyrical is that? You can taste the salt... the man is a poet.

Absolutely.
Don't know about Try Whistling This though.
I think I may have rented it out from the library a while ago, listened to it once and not had a chance to go back to it. Thus, not letting the songs sink in. If its anything like One Nil, it probably needs '2 listens' worth, to get an idea of the material, if that makes sense!

Did anyone hear the last three Crowded House songs? 'Not the girl you think you are', 'Instinct' & 'Everything is good for you'.
(They're all on the best of album called "Recurring Dream" (which came out around 1996).

I love them, they have a great sound. It would've been interesting to hear what a fifth Crowded House album sounded like.

Yeah. Sometimes I wonder if they'd stayed together for just another year, what they might've come up with.

I always loved Wooden Face - to the point where we wore out the tape - and I've just recetly found the CD copy that I had and started listening to it again I love that album