Crowded House - Time on Earth

Neil Finn Can Do No Wrong

I had to spend some time with this album in order to fall in love. I am a HUGE Neil Finn & Split Enz fan, never truly catching on to the Crowded House frenzy...however... I always appreciated them. So, two months into owning this album, I can now give it a very favorable review. It is a departure from Neil's solo work, but not a far cry. The standout tracks for me are People Are Like Suns, Pour Le Monde, Say That Again and English Trees, however, the most "Crowded House-like" songs (and equally as good) are Nobody Wants To, Don't Stop Now and She Called Up. This is an album that grows on you, not an easy fix to an immediate need... more like a warm blanket that casually envelops you. May 1, 2008

It's a shame they are not more popular in the U.S.

It's a great album. The songs are well written and the music is great. I stumbled upon this album after watching a performance by them on Soundstage (PBS). It's the first I heard of it and am glad I did. After hearing a few excerpts, I couldn't wait to buy it. There's a whole lot more to this band than "Don't Dream It's Over"..... March 22, 2008

Fabulous!

I love this CD! I liked it the first time I heard it, which is pretty normal for Crowded House. After listening, I find myself singing the songs during the day, which is a good sign. If you are a Crowded House fan, you won't be disappointed. I came to be a fan only recently, and figured there wouldn't be anymore of their music to enjoy since they lost their drummer. Not true! Try it! February 27, 2008

Welcome Back to the Housers

OK release from one of my favorite bands. They have replaced Paul Hester on drums, and followed this with a tour that was great. This lack the poppy hits of the first Crowded House album, and the sophisticated melodies of "Woodface". Still, welcome back! February 19, 2008

Takes Time to Appreciate

I had mixed feelings about this reunion of Crowded House. After Neil Finn's excellent One All (Nil) album and his splendid collaboration with his brother, Tim, on Everyone Is Here, I felt that Neil was finally on track after disbanding Crowded House 1996 (I view his Try Whistling This being a disaster).

Hearing the lead single, Don't Stop Now, left me disappointed. The song seemed to be aimless and a really never getting off the ground, despite being a rather bouncy song. My expectations were hence low when initially hearing the album. I felt that my worst fears had come true; I barely noticed the tracks and felt they lacked all life. A half year passed and I decided to give it another try. All the previous Crowded House needed a few listens to be appreciated, so why not this one? During the latter part of the second listening nothing had happened and I was just about to give it up. Then came Transit Lounge and all of a sudden I saw a glimpse of greatness. During the third try I figured out why.

This album is too long. There are tracks, especially among the first half of this release, that are simply sub standard, especially Crowded House wise. The worst offender is She Called Up, an annoying song (I love kids, have three sleeping next to me, but OMG, that video is terrible) which is track number 3. A couple of other tracks could easily be lost. Once the really fine tracks begin to emerge, most of which need time to grow, interest is dwindling.

There are tracks here that are no less than exceptional:
Nobody wants To: A warm track that actually is worthwhile from the beginning.
Don't Stop Now: A grower, what seemed to be aimless has vanished from my thought, still a bad choice as the first single.
Pour Le Monde: A majestic track, among their very best
Silent House: An obvious reference to Paul Hester, very well done with a similar sound that dominated One All.
Transit Lounge: Here we have a jazzy type of song yet molded in the Neil Finn songwriting style should have been the first single.
People Are Like Suns: Here Crowded House meets the circa 1966 Beatles, great final track.

There are a few other good songs on this album although not as good as the above mentioned ones. What we get is thus a great selection of songs but not an absolutely solid set of them.

Another (small) gripe is the production. It is immaculate and clear, but a bit flat and the mix lacks adventure. Although the instrumentation is similar to One Nil, it is more gritty on that release, which actually became even more organic on the American version, One All (the version I recommend). The structure of the album is similar to Woodface, a bit bouncy at first but more wistfully thoughtful during the latter part.

In whole I am satisfied with this release, especially by omitting a few tracks. Were it another artist, I would give it 5 stars, this being Crowded House, and for the sake of comparisons of other Neil Finn releases, I duck a star due to the few filler tracks (She Called Up being deleted would make an enormous difference) and the below the standard CH production. Although this is no Together Alone (my favorite CH album), this is still a must have for all CH fans.
January 23, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...