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

I don’t think he had met Scaatchi yet but he had recently divorced Liz Malam.

I like the melody of “Bon Voyage” but, as I wrote back in the day (and this is weird) I wish he had sung the song in French. I don’t know why but I want to hear the song in a language I don’t understand.

 

It's interesting the different takes on "Bullet Brain And Cactus Head". Some (of the users) say "it's about a manager", others about Neil and Tim. Put me in the camp that firmly thinks it's about two sides of Neil himself. I really don't believe that Neil and Tim release personal songs about people in their family too much at all, that would be very destructive thing to do and I don't think they have a bad relationship like the Oasis brothers or Ray and Dave Davies. Which is not to say they haven't argued, or anything. They are aren't insane like those guys are in my opinion. I get this sense, in fact, of it being "Finns against the world"so to speak in a lot of ways.

I also think that Neil and Tim are crazy energetic and prolific, especially considering their age and that speaks to me of people who are really kind of focused on creating and doing things and not focused on holding grudges too much.

I see Neil as very much a dual personality, knowing the gap between his affable humorous public image, his obvious generosity and the behind-the-scenes side that is ambitious and (in those days, anway) almost incredibly uptight,driven, nervous, and unhappy. I see this album as him writing songs maturely for the first time as he emerges from the "Little Brother" role I think he was playing on Time And Tide, where songs like "Hello Sandy Allen" and "TAke A Walk", really almost all of his earlier songs, with the exception of "one Step Ahead" have an almost naive perspective on things.

From Conflicting Emotions all the way through Crowded House and Temple Of Low Men I think Neil very much writes about this inner conflict between this sort of Catholic-boy, well-brought up urge to "be good" and his urge towards ruthless ambition. There's a lot of anxiety, and a lot of literal screaming on these four albums, as if he's trying to get out this inner tension out of him. There's a lot of songs concerning fears for the future, or feeling like sex/love is his only relief from a cruel world that he's fighting against.

It's all later compounded by his feeling of crushing guilt and homesickness and longing for familial comforts, as well as the urge towards providing for his young family that makes his international success unenjoyable and drives many of the songs on Temple Of Low Men, and ultimately drove him, however briefly, to consider becoming a monk in 1989.

After that, really, his lyrics slowly but surely begin to lose meaning for me, even as his musicianship develops.

 

Yes, that's what I recall - which is why I was surprised to see it on the See Ya Round CD as a bonus track...

I can wait to comment on Next Exit to do it with See Ya Round since it seems to be a bonus track there.

 

I'm also surprised at how Conflicting Emotions is rated, and am pleased to see that @Michael Rofkar likes the album too. I also think it's a better album overall than Time and Tide.

 

I definitely agree with that Neil was really trying to adjust to being the main songwriter and leader of his brother's band on "Conflicting Emotions". And you definitely get that sense on that album - it's just full of anxiety (for the whole band actually). As you progress through See Ya Round and Crowded House you can see that evolution and the adjustment.

I was just thinking about it, and Time and Tide is the album where Split Enz are really working together as a band. There's none of the tension between Neil and Tim songs (like on Waiata) and the band members are really collaborating (as I understand it T+T took a while to record, but in a good way). And Conflicting Emotions is kind of the loss of all that. I don't necessarily mean that the band had fallen out, but more life had got in the way and they couldn't quite recapture the dynamic, especially with Tim being present but not really 100% committed. This is why I think I would like Conflicting Emotions more if they were to re-record it. The songs are high quality albeit some of the lyrics are a bit clunky (and thanks to @jimbutsu and @ToneM I'll never be able to hear No Mischief correctly again!) but I think they are better songs than as presented on the released album.

Bon Voyage suffers from the problem of some clunky lyrics. I like the melody. But I think you are right Lance, if it had been in French we'd all be ok with using that phrase. The problem is it's very theatrical (the only times I use the phrase is when I am trying to be lighthearted about someone's travels) and it's backed with this very stately (not quite the right word) ballad. For all the folks bagging "I Hope I Never" for being a bit maudlin and over- the-top, I actually think Bon Voyage is actually that song (but I will concede it has the better melody line).
It occurs to me that when I heard "I Hope I Never" I just assumed it was a "romantic love gone wrong" song. And it has to be said that the music video actually helped promote that idea. So it was pretty interesting when I was reading this thread (when in lurker mode) to find out it was a song about the angst of his failing/failed relationship with Phil Judd...I guess my point is that Bon Voyage is painfully personal and direct and I Hope I Never is somewhat ambiguous which I prefer.

 

@KangaMom - I think there are many songs which appear to be about romantic relationships that are actually about different types of relationships. Re: I Hope I Never.

 

Oh, for sure. I was trying to understand why I don't really care for Bon Voyage even though it checks a series of boxes for me (Tim ballad, good vocal, good melody, theatrical, piano driven). It's slightly mystifying to me where it is wrong because on paper it seems like a sure fire favorite....

I guess there's a fine line between ambiguity and obscurity in lyrics ...

 

I posit that only now are you hearing it correctly.

 

Conflicting Emotions

I remember when this album was released here in mid-1984. There was zero promotion for it, but every record store seemed to have it in their S sections. The magnificent cover painting is really striking and one I would nominate for Best Cover Artwork of all the albums this forum thread has discussed (though there are certainly several others which also has top notch cover artwork). I was a semi-fan and decided to listen to the first three tracks at the record store. I loved “Bullet Brain and Cactus Head” immediately and thought “Strait Old Line” and “Message To My Girl” were also very good, so I hinted to my parents that this would be a good gift for my birthday. They got the hint and I got the album on my birthday in 1984 and would soon enough start buying every Split Enz record I could get hold of.

Strait Old Line
This is a very good opener, a pop song with a slightly jazz-ish feel to it. It didn’t really sound like anything else when it was new and it still sounds relevant. It manages to sound unlike previous Split Enz songs but also a song that only Split Enz could do. The guitar parts towards the end, both the more quiet one and the more rock-ish one, fit the mood of the song very well rather than just being there to show off the guitarist’s technical prowess as can happen in many other guitar solos by other groups. The drumming is superb on this song which just goes to show how unnecessary it was to bring in drum machines for this album’s sessions.

Bullet Brain and Cactus Head
A track that really stands out in the Enz catalogue. It has a kind of theatrical feel in its musical structure, with each verse sounding different to the previous one, the instrumentation and the sampled voices, the mysterious characters Bullet Brain and Cactus Head which can be interpreted as metaphors for many different people (or an inner conflict as Lance suggested) and Neil’s totally committed singing. The keyboard parts are stellar and the manic piano solo is utterly brilliant. I love every second of this song, it really sounds like nothing else I can think of.

Message To My Girl
Obviously a great and timeless classic. Very good keyboards and bass parts, creating both a romantic and dreamy mood of the song. Neil’s lyrics sound very heartfelt and genuine and I think it really makes the listener pay attention when the first line is “I don’t want to say I love you”. This song keeps building in intensity and passion as it goes on.

The video clip is nice but I also feel that the creativity and uniqueness of the early Split Enz clips has been replaced by an awareness of what could work on MTV and striving to achieve that. It’s interesting that Tim so often plays electric guitar in the video clips for the songs that Neil sings and here it just looks weird considering there isn’t that much electric guitar on the song to begin with.

Working Up An Appetite
A Tim song that sounds very different to any of his previous songs. There is an unusual rhythmic focus in this song, giving it a unique energetic vibe. I find it very catchy. The one thing about this song that I’m less keen on is the choice of keyboard sounds, they sound very half-hearted and uninspired. Perhaps Eddie wasn’t that keen on this one and couldn’t be bothered to go the extra mile for it.
Lyrically, I sense it is more of a spiritual hunger, for wisdom and understanding, rather than anything else, though overall I think the lyrics for this song are a bit half-hearted.

Surprisingly, there is a fascinating instrumental cover of this song, without the same intense rhythm, by an artist called Tom Carleno on his album Perfect Imperfection. Well worth hearing!

Our Day
A very well-written song about becoming a first time parent. The lyrics are very heartfelt and you can hear both the love and the anticipation as well as the worries about what kind of world the child will be born into. I’m glad the music is quite a contrast to the lyrics. It could have been a sappy ballad where a father is singing about his newborn child and how wonderful everything is, but the music gives the song a level of nerve that enhances the song’s humanity.

No Mischief
A good album track with some interesting choices of keyboard sounds. It’s quite a busy arrangement and I think it would have benefitted from having real drums. Neil’s singing is very good, but the lyrics are a bit cliched – it seems an easy target to attack a nameless, random politician and have the audience thinking “yeah, we don’t like politicians”.

The Devil You Know
One of Neil’s best Split Enz songs in my opinion and one that should have been a single back in the day. The melody is hauntingly beautiful and the array of piano and keyboards perfectly captures the mood of the song. Top notch lyrics that with the benefit of hindsight sound very prophetic – to me it sounds like Neil had started pondering what life without Split Enz could be, feeling stuck with the Enz and looking for change but also finding it a tough step to take. I think many people can relate, whenever a big change is afoot in one’s life it can seem very daunting and it’s understandable that people think “better the devil you know”. This song is excellent in every way.

I Wake Up Every Night
On its own, this is a rather average song but I think it is enhanced by being placed between “The Devil You Know” and the title track. I think the lyrics make this song more interesting than the music would otherwise do. On a surface level, this is a song about going out at night to meet your friends, relax and have a nice time, but there is also a lot of anguish just beneath the surface – “Every day is taken over by detail / Come the night I’m a free man off the rails / There’s emotional baggage in my head / Heavy dreams weigh me down like lumps of lead / I wanna liberate myself from all these things” Looking at these lines closer, he wants to liberate himself from all these things, including only feeling like a free man off the rails at night. The title of the song comes across as a reference to insomnia (seemingly caused by the emotional turmoil of having heavy dreams weighing him down) but I also think of the title as referring to a spiritual awakening, of feeling dissatisfied with one’s life and wanting to make a change which is what I also hear in the lyrics of “Working Up An Appetite” and in the next track.

Conflicting Emotions
A very unique song. It’s been interesting to read all the comments about the intro to the song, Tim repeating the title over and over. I think that is an essential part of the song and to my ears it really conveys an image of the narrator having turmoil in his soul. It isn’t just Tim repeating the title, there are a lot of little details going on in the background as well. The laugh gives a sense of someone bordering on insanity and it also sounds like the same person who laughed in “Bullet Brain and Cactus Head”. When the drum (machine) comes in after one and a half minute, sounding a bit like a machine gun, to me it’s like the person decides to face his demons and try and get out of the dark emotions he is in. Lyrically, this song seems to express similar themes as in Neil’s song “The Devil You Know”. I think the second side is sequenced very well – there’s a narrator in “The Devil You Know” who longs to see “the other side of things” and wishing he had the courage to make a change, but who is for the time being thinking that it’s better with the devil you know than taking the step into an uncertain future; in “I Wake Up Every Night” there is a narrator who amidst the night time partying sings about having “emotional baggage in my head / Heavy dreams weigh me down like lumps of lead / I wanna liberate myself from all these things” and I get a sense that the person isn’t happy in his life and the night time partying only temporarily brings relief. It then feels entirely natural that in the next song, there’s a narrator who is not at ease when he is back home and alone at night. And then “Conflicting Emotions” is followed by a farewell song. I think without that tormented first one and a half minute, “Conflicting Emotions” the song would be a much more conventional but less powerful song.

Bon Voyage
This is such a beautiful and also sad song. Tim is a master of piano ballads and I’m hearing a lot of subtle references to previous Split Enz songs which are possibly about the same person, which I am (based on reading Mike Chunn’s book Stranger Than Fiction. The Life and Times of Split Enz) guessing is Liz Malam, Tim’s significant other from around Dizrythmia until just prior to the Time and Tide sessions. From what I’ve read, “Stuff and Nonsense” was about her and “Six Months in a Leaky Boat” was at least partly influenced by them parting ways and the emotional turmoil of that time. As both “Six Months in a Leaky Boat” and “Haul Away” had nautical references I think it’s logical that this song is called “Bon Voyage”, another nautical reference in the title. I’ve also read interviews in which Tim referred to Split Enz as being a quest and on a metaphorical level I think the emotionally stressful time he went through before Time and Tide made him re-calibrate his ambitions and goals, so he might be saying “bon voyage” to his previous ambitions and goals and now starting to have a different approach.

In “Stuff and Nonsense”, one line was “I soon learned your love burned brighter than the stars in my eyes” and in “Bon Voyage” he sings that “And all that I give you is brighter than the stars above” and “And all that I wish you is brighter than the stars above”. To me, it sounds like references to the line in “Stuff and Nonsense”, perhaps because “brighter than the stars” was an expression they both used in that relationship, so to me the lines quoted in this song links it to “Stuff and Nonsense”.

In this song, I particularly like the melancholy piano chords towards the end that are repeated several times. They are like musical equivalences of waves and I get an image of the ex-significant other being on a boat that is departing from the harbour and the distance between the narrator and the ex is growing bigger for each moment. Tim’s voice singing the words “bon voyage” drifts off, fades away as the song reaches the end. I think it’s a magnificent way to end the album and, as it would turn out, Tim’s final contribution to a Split Enz studio album.

At the time when I first heard this album, I hadn’t heard any other Split Enz studio album so I had nothing to compare it with. For several months I lived and breathed this album, plus Escapade, and even now I discover details in the backing tracks that I haven’t noticed before. Listening to the album again now, in October 2021, after years and years of listening to Finn music and having been part of this forum thread for more than two years and having read all the posts about everything from the classic Crowded House hits to obscurities, I still find Conflicting Emotions to be a very special album. I hear it as a companion piece to Time and Tide. If Waiata could be viewed as being patterned after True Colours I think Conflicting Emotions is a kind of opposite to Time and Tide, in a very fascinating and intriguing way. I think the arrangements are ambitious and I can hear what they were aiming for and if they had used less of the totally unnecessary drum machines and more real drums played by Noel it would have been even better. Still, as a whole unit this album has its own musical world and its own narrative and drama. I think it is brilliant.

4,8/5

 

It's interesting how your perceptions and interpretations of the songs on Conflicting Emotions differ so radically from mine, sometimes your take on these songs seem to be a direct rebuttal of what I wrote yesterday. We both really like/love the album, but in very different ways, I look forward to listening to Conflicting Emotions again using your analysis as a guide.

 

Our adjusted votes for Conflicting Emotions

1-0
2-0
3-4
4-4
5-2
Average: 3.62

 

Albums ranked.

Conflicting Emotions adjusted. The rating score changed from 3.444 to 3.62. The ranking changed from #39 to #34.

Similar irregularities may exist in the early Betchadupa's albums: Aiming For Your Head, might be an accurate score, but on the earlier albums and EPs, some refrained from voting, thus skewing the scores slightly.

I may give some time for whole album discussions of the early stuff at least, later on in the year.

Green: abums with Tim and Neil
Orange: Neil Finn
Blue: Tim Finn
Purple: Tim Finn/Phil Judd albums
Magenta: Liam Finn albums
Grey: Neil Finn and sons albums
Light blue: elroy
YELLOW!!!! HARPER FINN (RUNNING OUT OF COLORS)

1. Everyone Is Here 4.975
2. Woodface 4.8033
3. Together Alone 4.7333
4. Time And Tide 4.7
5. Temple of Low Men 4.5577
6. Dizrhythmia 4.5333
7. True Colours 4.5125
8. Frenzy 4.4944
9. Before and After 4.4667
10. The Rootin' Tootin' Luton Tapes 4.42
11. Mental Notes 4.3
12. Caught By The Heart 42571
13. Second Thoughts 4.2438
14. Crowded House 4.2142
15. Imaginary Kingdom 4.2042
16. Try Whistling This 4.2
17. The Conversation 4.1727
18. Time On Earth 4.13
19. Say It Is So 4.055
20. I'll Be Lightning 3.9889
21. FOMO 3.9625
22. Tim Finn 3.9429
23. One Nil 3.9
24. The Fiery Maze 3.9
25. Finn 3.889
26. Beginning of the Enz 3.8667
27. Out of Silence 3.85
28. The View Is Worth the Climb 3.84
29. Waiata/Corroboree
30. Feeding the Gods 3.833
31. COLLECTED WORKS OF HARPER FINN 3.8101
32. The Nihilist 3.7778
33. Intriguer 3.6615
34. Conflicting Emotions 3.62
    
35. Suzanne Bartsch On Top soundtrack 3.6 (only two votes)
36. The 3d EP 3.5667
37. Aiming For Your Head 3.5333
38. Dreamers Are Waiting 3.5269
39. Escapade 3.495
40. Conflicting Emotions 3.4444
41. The Alphabetchadupa 3.28
42. Lightsleeper 3.2385
43. Pablo Vazquez 3.1825
44. See Ya Round 3.175
45. Big Canoe 3.16
46. Rain 3.083 (song average)
47. Dizzy Heights 3
48. Altitude 2.9714
49. Pajama Club 2.89722
50. Steel City 2.82
51. Betchadupa 2.8
52. Elroy 2.644

 

Today, I'll hold up See Ya 'Round , for the newcomers to rate and discuss and for "oldcomers" to revise if they want.

Original song-by-song discussion starts here.

Album discussion starts here.

Paul Hester was hired after Conflicting Emotions for the tour: Tim especially was keen on his drumming and Eddie Rayner later said "with Paul, it just felt so right." The band toured. They entered the studio, with the intent of making a new album that would be more R&B and dance oriented, at Tim's assistance.

Around the same time Tim contributed some solo songs and a cameo role to film called The Coca-Cola Kid, where he met and fell in love with Italian actress Greta Scacchi. She was living in London and so while still in the demo recording process, Tim left Split Enz and moved to London to be with her and pursue a solo career. The film and album were not released until 1985, but I've put them here as I think they date from the See Ya Round era.

With Neil as the main songwriter of the band, he almost immediately announced his intention to leave the band himself. They continued recording though, and released an album called See Ya 'Round, which consisted of one side of Neil songs and one side that featured a song from each member of the band: most of the tracks on side 2 were old, dating to 1981 in one cases; in fact, only Paul's "This Is Massive" was really new.

See Ya 'Round was only released in Australia, New Zealand on November 24th, 1984, and, eventually it was released in Canada as well. It hit #29 on both the Australian and New Zealand charts and seems to have missed the Canadian chart altogether, their lowest showing since 1975 in Australia, and their lowest ever -- by far -- in New Zealand.

The track list, with original ratings is here:

Collated ratings for See Ya 'Round

1. Breakin' My Back 3.77
2. I Walk Away: 4.175
3. Doctor Love: 2.6090909
4. One Mouth Is Fed 3.7444444
5. Years Go By: 4.2444444
6. Voices 3.776923
7. The Lost Cat 3
8. Adz 3.3875
9. This Is Massive: 3.41
10. Kia Kaha 3.65555555
11. Ninee Knees Up 1.947

Overall average: 3.175
Vote by song: 3.42908703

Bonus tracks

• Overdrive 2.35
• Serge 3.4429
• Home For My Heart 3.4 (only 2 votes)
• Strange Night 3.4 (only one vote at the time)
• Coca-Cola Jingle 3.44

 

Looks like I missed a few songs on the list above:

Collated ratings for See Ya 'Round

1. Breakin' My Back 3.77
2. I Walk Away: 4.175
3. Doctor Love: 2.6090909
4. One Mouth Is Fed 3.7444444
5. Years Go By: 4.2444444
6. Voices 3.776923
7. The Lost Cat 3
8. Adz 3.3875
9. This Is Massive: 3.41
10. Kia Kaha 3.65555555
11. Ninee Knees Up 1.947

Overall average: 3.175
Vote by song: 3.42908703

extra-album tracks/outtakes, demos

• Overdrive 2.35
• Serge 3.4429
• Your Inspiration 2.38
• Love And Success 2.7
• Big Heart 3.12
• Mr Catalyst 1.8

The Coca Cola Kid

• Home For My Heart 3.4 (only 2 votes)
• Strange Night 3.4 (only one vote at the time)
• Coca-Cola Jingle 3.44

 

I gave See Ya 'Round a 3.4 on the last round....I think I'll revise that up very slightly to 3.5.

Truth is, I really enjoy it, including side 2. Yes, it's more of a "double EP" than an album, in a way and some of the outtakes are great (especially "Serge" and Tim's "Big Heart").
I find the album a bit underrated.

Oh, no, it's not one of Split Enz's best but Neil's side is very cohesive and, as I mentioned yesterday, thematically linked to Crowded House and Mullane demos. Musically, it's closer to those Mullane demos than Crowded House, and it is a good study of how much Mitchell Froom really brought to Neil's songs.

Since its so self-consciously a "last album" I wish they had released a double or a sort of companion collection of odds and sods, B-sides, non LLP singles, because quite a few of those were never released on CD until the '00s where of course they were compressed. But, the album barely sold as it is, it seems.

 

First: welcome @StefanWq to the team who like Conflicting Emotions a great deal.

Conflicting Emotions

I see that back in the day, I voted in whole numbers but was too conflicted on how to rate this album and went for a 3.5. I think I'll upgrade that to:

3.75

There are quite a few excellent songs on this album. but also some songs that don't work so well. I don't think it quite qualifies for a '4' as an album. In my ranking that's 'excellent'. But, it's near to it.

I'm not going to rewrite all my evaluations - what I wrote previously stands. It's good to have a prompt to listen to the album again. I'm up to the excellent flugelhorn in 'The Lost Cat' as I write this. I think that 'Overdrive' has been flushed from my mind and I will refresh my memory once I've finished listening to the album. I'm still disappointed that Neil didn't play the guitar in this track.

I think it's an interesting and fitting way to end Split Enz, with this album.

EDIT: I like Overdrive more than I remember. And, with seemingly other members on the track (that certainly sounds like Neil and Nigel to me, at least), maybe it would be better than The Lost Cat on the album. It would be a big shame to lose that flugelhorn though.

 

See Ya Round

It's interesting to reflect with hindsight how Tim and Neil began to split off the Enz at right angles over the course of the early 80's, while the rest of the band continued their strait old trajectory. Neil had diverted their path to a more mainstream direction with his songwriting emergence on True Colours, so it's good to see him finally get a turn on the reins on their final album.

There's a dark, claustrophobic air to Neil's tracks here. Perhaps that's from a combination of the moody subject matter, the crisp production, or the relentless staccato rythym track. Whatever you call it, I really enjoy this transitional hybrid Enz/House sound. SYR would have made a splendid 5 track EP as initially intended. As a padded out full album? Hmmm...

Breaking My Back
A hard hitting opener which sets the tone, highlighting an undercurrent of anger running through many of Neil's songs here. The sense of anxiety is almost palpable. Luckily, struggle and misery make for great song material.

I Walk Away
Like most, I heard the brilliant Crowded House version first, which to me is definitive. Maybe Neil felt this busier upbeat original didn't quite do the song justice. There's too much going on in this arrangement and it feels very chopped into sections, rather than flowing smoothly through transitions. Still a classic tune though.

Doctor Love
Quite seasonal this, I can hear the spooky Halloween vibes in the "say ahhh" bit. It's reasonably funky, but difficult to get past the creepy cheesy pasta of lyrics. Plus my brain's wires always get it crossed with Doctor Beat from the same year.

One Mouth Is Fed
A real album highlight. Love how the gloomy verses explode into a joyous if bittersweet chorus.

Years Go By
This tends to bleed into One Mouth Is Fed, must be the similar melancholic atmosphere and quiet/loud structure. The chorus lyric isn't exactly a revolutionary sentiment, but it's always stuck a strong chord in me. Another cracker.

Voices
I used to love this, but for some reason its appeal has waned a little over the years. It's still a striking, atmospheric and jazz tinged piano ballad.

The Lost Cat
Discordant noodling that builds to a raucous racket. I struggle to make it to the end.

Adz
Forgotten how long this takes to get going... A likeable song with a very pleasant melody. Nigel's not the strongest singer, but that's beside the point.

This Is Massive
A fun, knockabout and catchy song with some daft lyrics. Probably my favourite of Paul's.

Kia Kaha
A Conflicting Emotions outtake that somehow fits better here. It's rife with schooldays nostalgia and regret for discarded dreams. To be fair, Neil did alright for himself. It's a lovely emotional song and nice to hear him incorporating Maori sounds for the first time.

Ninee Knees Up
Chronic.

How to rate this as a whole? The first side has terrific energy from a reinvigorated Neil. It's dark, spiky and edgy, his Chronic Town, with the more polished Murmur to follow. It was a nice farewell gesture to open up the second side to the rest of the band, but there are few highlights, including a couple of tracks I'd gladly never listen to again. They'd become a different band without Tim, one showing potential, but it was the right time to call it a day.

9 (mostly) fantastic albums inside of 10 years. Wow, what a legacy.

3.75/5

 

I just realized the last sound of the last song on the last Split Enz album is Noel Crombie saying “f— it.”

 

See Ya ‘Round is a pretty good Split Enz album, considering the circumstances in which it was created. It kind of feels like a Frankenstein creation, with a bunch of strange parts assembled into an LP (which makes sense considering it was supposed to be an EP originally).

Neil’s songs, as usual, are wonderful here; even better than on Conflicting Emotions, I’d say. “Breakin’ My Back” is a fantastic opener; one of the bands best. I’ve always been a big fan of “One Mouth is Fed”. It initially was and probably still is my favorite track on the album. I love the energy and the fact that each chorus is distinctly different from the last. Great outro, too.

“Years Go By” is the other song that I think is phenomenal with its beautiful melodies and chorus. I’ve always particularly loved the breakdown at 2:40 and then the subsequent guitar solo, with Neil wailing in a background for a couple seconds. I don’t really know why, but those few seconds plus the solo elevate the song to another level for me. It’s possibly my favorite Neil guitar solo of the Enz era.

“Voices” is another simply brilliant track. Neil really brought his A-game for this record, much more so than Conflicting Emotions. Just a beautiful song, though the ending is a little anti-climactic. I think It would have made a wonderful closing track. “Doctor Love” is a good one with a nice beat and good energy, but those disco backing vocals make me shiver a bit. They’re not great. Still a good song with a good chorus, and one of the more ‘pre-Crowded House’ sounding songs here; it sounds like it could have made the first CH album in a slightly different form with those disco vocals removed.

Speaking of Crowded House, “I Walk Away” is another highlight of the album, but not quite as high as my all-time favorites here. Most of the time, I honestly prefer this version to the Crowded House one, but I recognize they’re both really good. The CH version is certainly much more produced and polished, but there’s a rawness to this one that appeals a little more to me.

Eddie’s song, “The Lost Cat” is very meh to me. It’s decently interesting, but coming off the brilliant side one, it just is so inconsequential sounding. But I’ve already established I’m not a huge fan of Eddie’s instrumental stuff, so that’s on me. “Adz” is a pretty great track from Nigel. It’s not brilliant or anything, but it’s a nice little song that I think of every time I see a barrage of advertisements while driving, or eating, or swimming, or breathing (we have an over-advertising problem in this country).

Paul’s “This is Massive” is another really good one that shows his skill as a songwriter leading into the Crowded House era. “Kia Kaha” is a good song, too, but doesn’t impress me quite as much as Neil’s other tracks here. I’m not a big fan of the sample-sounding clip of the title throughout, but the song itself is nice.

That leaves “Ninnie Knees Up”, which simply does nothing for me. It’s neat to see Noel get a writing credit on an Enz album, and he did a great job writing the music for the Brainwaves charity single in 1986, but "Ninnie Knees Up" is flat out annoying to listen to.

Off topic for a sec, but that Brainwaves project is one of the most interesting enz-related things to exist. It’s got Neil on vocals for the first verses and chorus, plus the rest of the See Ya ‘Round lineup, PLUS Michael Den Elzen and Phil Judd on guitar. To this day, I swear that’s the only piece of released music that allegedly has Neil and Phil on the same track, though maybe there are a few tracks from the Luton sessions (“I’m So Up”, etc.) that has them both.

For the extras, "Overdrive" is a fairly enjoyable Eddie instrumental; I think it’s better than “The Lost Cat”. Both "I Walk Away" prototypes are an interesting insight into the creation of it. "Big Heart" is nice, and I've always been quite fond of "Mr. Catalyst", but I like it's final form, "Spiritual Hunger", more.

So overall, See Ya ‘Round ends up being a really good album. It’s not as good as their 70’s stuff, but it’s at least better than Conflicting and Waiata, in my opinion. A nice send off from a brilliantly creative band.

4/5


Track Picks: “Breakin’ My Back” (4.5/5), “One Mouth is Fed” (4.8/5), “Years Go By (4.8/5), “Voices” (4.6/5)

Low Points: “The Lost Cat” (2.5/5), “Ninnie Knees Up” (1.5/5).

 

See Ya ‘Round
Just read all the other comments. I’ve never really thought of it as a 2 EP situation, but that’s probably a good description. Whereas others may be willing to ditch the 2nd half, I definitely wouldn't. I remember thinking how cool it was that the band members each got a song and in a way it highlighted exactly what made Split Enz a really great band.

My recall about this release was that yes, Tim had hived off to London to be with Greta so that was the background drama (kind of – it was kind of big news in Australia since Greta was also considered to be an Australian and she was pretty famous). I remember being sad about the demise of the Enz. It felt like I had only just discovered them and now they were gone. I was very glad when they announced the Enz with a Bang Tour (with Tim) because it really did relieve a bit of that heartache.

Anyway, to See Ya Round. I remember liking this album when it was released. It wasn’t as immediate as say Time and Tide or True Colors, but it had a new kind of sound that I liked (and in hindsight was a preview of Crowded House). They had ditched the production/instrumentation that I hadn’t liked on Conflicting Emotions and so it was much more accessible to me. I could hear on the album that there could have been a possibility of more Enz but I agree entirely that the long shadow of their history would have dogged Neil forever. It was the right decision to disband.

Breaking My Back
This is a pretty strong opener. The most interesting thing to me listening to it now is how much it sounds like a bit of a prototype Crowded House song. I mean sure, there are some Enz touches particularly the keyboards, but it sounds very much like a nascent Crowded House song. I did think at the time that it was a pretty strong declaration that the final Enz album was going to be better than Conflicting Emotions.

I Walk Away
I’ve always preferred this version of this song. When I listen to the CH version I just can’t get on board with it even though it’s fine. I guess when this was released as the single, it was known that the Enz were no more. I was totally heartbroken but this song just seemed like such a joyous song that it helped me feel a lot better about it. The band sounded like they were actually enjoying playing together whereas there had been a lot of anxiety on Conflicting Emotions. Maybe that’s why I can only ever view this as a Split Enz song. I did like the slightly goofy music video.

Doctor Love
I like this song with a very funky/jazzy feel. A nice little bass groove here. So, 3 songs in and Neil’s songs already sound a lot better than on Conflicting Emotions. Much more assured, less anxious. The band actually is playing on the recording...and they sound like they are enjoying it. Love that little bit in the outro where they sing “Say Ah…”

One Mouth is Fed
I like the instrumentation of this song. I think this is a terrific song, really neat verses and a good strong chorus. They played this live a number of times and it actually sounded better live. I like the backing vocals in the chorus. There’s just so much to like about this song. So far, this album is shaping up really well. The outro reminds me a bit of Crowded House’s first album.

Years Go By
This is probably a good spot for this song. It does have a great chorus, I tend to think the verses are a bit weak but maybe it would be better described as low-key. It’s very deliberately as a contrast to the chorus. The chorus is great and Eddie’s piano/keyboard work is really great on this track especially when it segues into that guitar solo and the extended outro. Really kind of makes the song actually.

Voices
I like the piano in this piece. It seems to be a bit of a throwback to earlier Enz sounds with just a faint hint of music hall flavor. It has a very pleasant chorus but it’s not outstanding. It definitely sounds like a farewell type of song though. I like the sax/horn that is on this song (my booklet doesn’t say who plays that).

The Lost Cat
I think this is kind of an interesting instrumental – I do get the right atmosphere – kind of vaguely feline and Asiatic. Eddie has done better instrumentals but the end of the piece gets kind of interesting with that kind of interesting guitar solo over the top and then the introduction of the flugelhorn (which is one of my favorite instruments). It definitely reminds me more of something from the early 70s. So I guess my short form might be that with a bit of editing, this would have been a brilliant Ed instrumental, it’s just a bit long in the setup phase.

Adz
This is one of the more interesting songs on the album. Interesting with it’s very retro feel but the intro is really cool, with the TV voiceovers and low key vocals. Then it kind of takes off with this very melodic song. I like it a lot, it very distinctly sounds like a Split Enz song. Nigel should have probably had more opportunities to feature songs on albums if this is an example.

This is Massive
OK, the intro to this is so funny where Paul thinks the song is never going to make the record. It’s a real genuine moment where you can just visualize the entire band being a part of this setup. (I did have at one time a copy of BookEnz, probably at my mother’s house, and it very vividly documents the Enz love of pranks/water fights etc. so it’s easy to visualize).

As a song, I like it a lot. It’s very simple and straightforward, but it’s what the album needs at this point. It does have a great chorus. This is just a great chugging rock song. A bit of a highlight, and well I guess it got a pretty good run in live settings (much like Italian Plastic in the future). It sounds like it was a lot of fun to record – more like a jam session.

Kia Kaha
I’ve always liked this song. It really does seem like another farewell song but it really is a pretty joyous. I like the chiming sounds like bells and the soft drumming (which kind of foreshadows the drumming sound on Together Alone). I like the Maori section in the song – another assertion that the Enz were going out on their terms. It’s not a song I’m adding to a playlist but I’m always pleased to hear it,

Ninnie Knees Up
Well, it’s Noel. This is a recorded embodiment of what he really meant to the band. Offbeat but with a definite style - and that style was infused into the DNA of Split Enz. The amazing thing is that this song really is the equivalent of the Noel spots in the live gigs. Seemingly random but with quite a bit of deliberate style. Love that spoken section “..best daks…(!)” Cracks me up every time.

Next Exit
Can I tell you how much I like this song? I just like the whole piano driven style. I know the song dates from all the way back to RTLT but I liked it when it was released as a single (before Conflicting Emotions). It’s got that Enz kind of groove and Tim’s vocal is really spot on for this song. It’s a dang catchy song. And I do like that ending where Tim hits that high note. I did like the video – simple and very Enz like.

I actually like “See Ya ‘Round” more than Conflicting Emotions. It’s partly that it’s a better sounding album (to me), more organic. But it’s also that the anxiety was gone. Everyone knew the status of the band and I think that was pretty liberating. I appreciate the fact that every member of the band got a track on the album. And as it turns out it was a pretty good preview of what Crowded House would become because Neil’s writing is definitely more assured here.

3.8/5 (this feels a little low but I honestly can’t remember where I rated the earlier albums probably 4+ and it’s definitely below that).

 

I'm not sure if I've ever heard 'Brainwaves'. I may have done but don't remember it. Is there any way to hear it? I searched for it, but only found Stefan discussing it on this thread, back in 2019.

 

I first heard Next Exit on their VHS video compilation (think it was called History Never Repeats?). Loved the song so much I tried recording it off the telly, with hissy cassette results. The video was indeed cool. I can see why the band weren't enthused about releasing a new version of a 5 year old demo. Their style had transformed over those years, but different as they are, both versions are great.

 

In the fan club released book Letters To My Frenz. A Split Enz Book, which features Q&A interviews with most Enz members, Paul Hester was interviewed and one question concerned this very song and its intro:

"Q: With See Ya Round you had 'This Is Massive' on the CD, the intro has you saying 'This isn't going to go on the album at all is it'. Did you really think they wouldn't use it?
Paul: The boys were very up front about it, they'd all done some recordings years before, and were sitting on these demos of their songs, which they felt they wanted to finish off and make See Ya Round the album, instead of an EP. So there was talk for me to contribute and they were very sincere about it. I was just being my usual defensive self and covering my **** (laughs). I recorded it illegally in a studio unknown to me now (chuckle) and we'd go in about midnight when the Enz session was finishing and just trash about in there for an hour and put stuff on tape."

A few questions later, he is also asked Noel having previously been on drums and the answer is very interesting:

"Q: Was it strange having Noel in the band still, knowing he previously played drums?
Paul: At first I felt like I'd kicked Noel off the kit, and I remember playing drums at that point with no cymbals. It worked out well for me and Noel, as Noel had moved onto percussion. I was very keen to connect with Cromb, so no cymbals gave Noel more room to be expressive in the songs. Musically, I really looked up to Noel and I was sensitive to Noel's feelings and it worked out well. Nigel was a real mentor too, he would take me aside and say 'don't underestimate what you do, you've added a new lease of life here."

 

One record that I don't think has been mentioned (and sorry if it already has been mentioned in this forum thread) is the 7" single "No Commotion" by Karen Ansell (of the group The Reels). In 1983, while Split Enz were on their break and Tim did Escapade, Neil produced this stand-alone single for Karen Ansell. The video clip for this song can be viewed here:

Karen Ansell - No Commotion (1983) - YouTube