I got an advance copy of the forthcoming reunion album by Crowded House (which has just two of the three original members after drummer Paul Hester's suicide a few years back), and I put it on this morning. After it had been playing awhile, I noted to Mrs. F that this was the new CH, to which she replied, "Oh, I didn't even realize there was music on. Maybe they should call it Vacuous House."
Unfortunately, I kinda agree with her assessment. I've been a huge Neil Finn fan for ages (including him in my Four Pillars of Pop Perfection, which I'll cover another time soon). After I my first listen to Time on Earth, I complained to my pal Jeff Carlson (another Finn fanatic) that the album just wasn't hitting me, to which he reminded me that it usually takes a couple of listening sessions before the subtlety really hit you. Well, I've listened to the thing about five times now, and the creativity and spark of songcraft just isn't there. Here's an example, with the lead single -- the somewhat ironically titled, "Don't Stop Now."
I guess it's a fine ditty for adult contemporary radio, but I just expect much more from Mr. Finn. Sigh.
