Stranger than Fiction, Larger Than Life: the Finn Brothers song-by-song discussion thread

Thanks @Lance LaSalle for your comments above. I've also read/heard the similar comments about Tim's settled life which is what I was echoing. Also in general I find Tim's lyrics less obtuse than Neil's lyrics and his post marriage albums seem to be very honest (even by Tim standards) documents of his emotions.

I also agree with you 100% that it's incredibly sad that the only way to obtain Tim's last 5 albums are on import. I'm fortunate that I make the occasional trip back to Australia and so can try and hunt them down on visits or ask my family to look for them. I guess, for all its limitations, thank god for streaming and digital platforms, otherwise these songs would never be heard by a wider audience. (Now if only they would improve the royalty platforms for digital we could feel a lot better about this).

I was really glad to discover this album during 2020 (ok better late than never) and am about to set about a search for an actual CD version. I'll park it at my sister's house and eventually pick it up in Australia once they decide to allow people back in to the country...

 

The Conversation is my favorite Tim Finn album, so I am looking forward to this discussion. "Straw To Gold" starts us off brilliantly with those doomy, somber chords. He is in good voice and the lyrics utilize lovely imagery and present an emotional directness that elevates the song even farther. The strings add a sweeping drama to the arrangement. This is a powerful opener to an album I never tire of hearing.

4.5/5

 

This album is clearly the work of a man completely comfortable with his life and therefore happy to express himself honestly and to make music how he feels like making it, rather than trying to conform to any preconceived ideas of the style in vogue at the time (Escapade) or any pretensions to project a certain image (Big Canoe) or constrained by his vocal problems (Say It Is So and Feeding The Gods).

I don't find "Straw To Gold" an odd choice as an opening track because most of the other tracks are so similar in style that it's hard to find a more 'usual' choice, maybe "Forever Thursday" ? But starting with an uptempo song would give the wrong impression of what type of album was to come, and Anyway Time On Earth the previous year started with "Nobody Wants To" which is slow tempo, so if it was good enough for little brother...

As a song it's good but not great, and there are better on the rest of the album, so to give myself wriggle room for later

3/5

 

"Straw To Gold" is a very good opener for this album, sombre yet also having a lot of warmth in both the music and the lyrics. I agree with the previous interpretations of the lyrics, that it expresses relief and happiness of having found true love after a long time of having been focused on achieving success. The words seem very heartfelt.
Musically, one thing I really like about both this song and the album as a whole is that it really sounds like a small group of musicians playing together in the same room and all in empathy with the song.
4/5

 

This is a really, really unambiguous song. It could be really awful and weak because it's just so on the nose, but something about the sweetness/sincerity and how well executed it is makes it really enjoyable instead of insufferable.

3.6/5

 

Straw To Gold avoids the common trap of the singer/songwriter finding happiness at last, and thus losing the tension in their music. Tim had been with Marie for ten years at this point, and it would have been easy for Tim to have descended into a morass of songs about domestic bliss, but Tim the artist has prevailed. I enjoy the small combo on The Conversation, when I remarked yesterday about preferring to hold a physical product in my hands, I was also talking about The Conversation, which I was only able to get as a download.

4/5

Great little article with Tim from November 2016:
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/what-i-know-about-women-20161123-gsvdjk.html

 

The portentous opening chords and stripped back production signal that The Conversation isn't going to be anything like Imaginary Kingdom. This is an interesting song. The melody of the verse is so simple as to be mundane, but it's set against an unusual chord progression that creates genuine tension. That tension persists throughout the song, even when the chords shift to major for the chorus and bridge, and builds to the almost wild interplay of violin and electric guitar at the end. The song is put together with genuine craft; it's one of my favorites on the album.

4.5/5


\\

 

Our votes for "Straw To Gold"

1-0
2-0
3-1
4-7
5-6
Average: 4.05

 

Today's song is "Out of this World", written by Tim Finn; produced by Eddie Rayner and Ethan Allen; engineered and mixed by Ethan Allen.

Lyric.

This song was also included on North, South, East West: Anthology in 2009.

Tim Finn: vocals, acoustic guitar
Brett Adams: acoustic and electric guitars
Eddie Rayner: keyboards

 

Hi everyone. New to the site, new to the forums. Thanks for having me.

Thank you all for an absolutely pleasurable rainy Summer day dipping into this excellent thread. Knowledgeable and civilised posts, appreciative and supportive discussions. And quite a few interesting albums to come I'm looking forward to reading about.

Seriously, I've spent all day on here.

Growing up in Sydney, CH and the Finns generally were inescapable. Being a pretentious late-teenager, however, I was obliged to dislike the first three CH albums as being too 'popular' and 'mainstream'. Come the 90s, a trusted friend then sat me down with Together Alone and said "Have you really heard Crowded House?". Obviously, a life-changing experience from which I worked backward then forward.

So today I've been reading through my favourites, and the projects i've found most compelling in process and execution. Not always the same thing.

I read Together Alone to begin: I agree with many that it remains their (and Neil's) masterpiece. Still surprised that Woodface is frequently seen as its equal. (And surprised that "Distant Sun" wasn't rated more highly, as it's sublime. Easily top 5 of Neil's, or anyone's.) Loved the discussion on Finn, which I rate highly also. During Try Whistling This, I was reminded of how long the album is, to its detriment. Surprised that Woodface and Together Alone are of similar lengths; Woodface feels far longer to my ears. (I've returned to vinyl over the past 5 years or so, which has reinforced to me how important editing and album-lengths are in how we hear an artistic statement.) All of which is just my two cents worth.

My Finn experience: Saw a reformed Enz and CH at the Newcastle Earthquake Relief concert, 1990. Was due to see CH Opera House Farewell but the postponed date clashed with a friend's wedding. Mistake! Have seen Neil a couple of times, great shows in mid-sized venues, around when Lisa Germano was in his touring band but pre-Seven Worlds Collide. Must've been post One Nil as I was slightly miffed Wendy and Lisa weren't in his live band! My brother lives in Queensland and has met Neil on flights down to Sydney no fewer than three times, much to my peevishness. An absolute gent, apparently, which is always good to hear.

Anyway, just wanted to thank everyone for their contributions. Loving the discussions and the generosity. Nuance and thoughtfulness on the internet! Who knew?!

 

'Out of This World' - What a couple of wonderful opening lines on this one. Really conjures up some great metaphorical imagery right off the bat. I quite like the structure of this song, too. It doesn't overstay it's welcome, the verses and chorus complement each other well, & it's got a nice uplifting vibe to it. I also really like that instrumental break at 1:55 where the echoing guitar and "Don't Dream It's Over"-esque organ solo paint a nice little musical landscape. Nothing here blows me away, but it's another good song on an album full of them.

4/5

 

"Out of this World" is a beautiful love song, and the very simple, stripped-back instrumentation manages to sound full: you never really miss the bass or the drums on any of these songs.

Lyrically there seems to be this fantasy image of literally leaving the world with a lover and this perhaps hearkens back to Tim's classic "Poor Boy", and I think that Eddie's keyboard motif that opens the song and recurs in several places manages to suggest a starry night and also reminds me of his keyboard work on the old Split Enz song.

Tim's singing and particularly his phrasing has never sounded better or more heartfelt, I truly believe everything he's singing here.

4.7/5

 

Out of this World

This is a very nice song indeed. And, I believe this would have made a better opening song than 'Straw to Gold'. This song would have been a standout on any of Tim's albums. The lyrics are very nice.

Tim's vocals are very good here for this stage in his career, and the simple instrumentation works very well, particularly the electric guitar.

The video is very nice indeed. And of course not the last time that Harper will appear in a music video

On this song at this stage of the album the lack of bass and drums isn't a problem. However, we've got an entire album coming up. And, not all of the actual songs are as good as this one.

4.2/5

 

It's Elliot, actually: I know that all Finns look the same with a space helmet on...

Harper is off-screen blowing bubbles.

 

Welcome to the thread! It may be a case of over familiarity -- it's one of those songs that Neil never omits live so personally, I have heard it a lot...but the actual rating for the song was over 4.6/5, which is pretty high, even for Neil.

 

Out of This World - This is my favorite song on this album. A beautiful melody, heartfelt lyrics, and Tim sounds great.

5/5

 

I have to say that last week I found and ordered a pretty decently priced "near-mint" used CD of The Conversation on Discogs from a supplier in Australia, only 15$ "Very good" condition; now I look and there is nothing. So it does come up sometimes.


But The View Is Worth the Climb is going for $250!!! 450 euros from Germany! What!!!?

Fortunately, I already have a physical copy of that ordered around the time of release. I can't imagine someone paying that for something -- anything! -- that was available on iTunes for 12$ or whatever.

 

Out of this World - A beautiful song with real delicacy in the melody. I agree with @Lance LaSalle that Tim's phrasing and singing is really spot on here - a real return to form. And the contrast with the drama of Straw to Gold is pretty perfect. Indeed I think the sequencing of the album is pretty fantastic - but that would be getting ahead of the thread...

Lyrically those first few lines really grab your attention - this song could be really cringe-y with the sentiments expressed - but again Tim's emotional honesty and his splendid phrasing and vocal really carry this song.

First time I've seen the video - it's very sweet. It's probably just me but I do think Tim just looks even more gorgeous with age (probably the fantastic hair).

4.3/5 (obviously my scores are going to be in a very narrow band)

p.s. welcome DanP to the thread!

 

He sheds a layer of make up each decade.

I'm glad you mentioned the hair: a true wonder of nature, much like Liam's beard and Neil's moustache.

 

I don't have a physical copy of The Conversation. On Amazon.co.uk, it's £43. None on Discogs. A number of other TF releases are about £1 + p&p second hand.

Welcome DanP.

 

Another nice song and in places it reminds me - probably entirely coincidentally - of Richard Hawley.

Tim's voice was a little worn and fragile by this point, but he makes good use of it here.

It does sound like the kind of song that would normally come very late on in an album, but a strong 4/5.

 

I guess I got lucky, though shipping almost tripled the price.

 

Agreed, like shedding a skin really (though it may have put some theatrical makeup folks out of business).

And the hair becomes more naturalistic without the styling products!
(shudder: it's a wonder any Enz'ers have hair left after the early 70's...)

 

Straw to Gold: a pleasant if somewhat understated opener. It never seems to reach the potential it has. 3/5

Out of This World: one of Tim's best songs and beautifully performed. Here, the understate works perfectly. 5/5.