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

I totally forgot Nigel was in Schnell Finster.

 

Our votes for Sleeper
1-0
2-0
3-1
4-4
5-0
Average: 3.64

 

This week, two fan club albums by Neil Finn:

• Live In America 1998 Neil Finn
• Encore! 1998 Neil Finn

Both of them were recorded during Neil Finn's 1998 North American tour to support Try Whistling This. Neither of them offer full shows, but rather consist of a grab bag of songs performed at various different venues at various different times. And both were released simultaneously, in September 1999.

Live In America:

1. Last One Standing (Neil Finn) - New York City, July 22nd, 1998
2. King Tide (N.Finn, Robert Moore) -Washington D.C., July 26th, 1998
3. Twisty Bass (N. Finn) - Washington D.C., July 26th, 1998
4. Mean to Me (N. Finn) Myrtle Beach, SC, July 20th, 1998
5. Only Talking Sense (N. Finn, Tim Finn) - Chicago, August 1st 1998
6. Try Whistling This (N. Finn, Jim Moginie) Washington D.C., July 26th, 1998
7. Sinner (N. Finn, Marius Devries) Myrtle Beach, SC, July 20th, 1998
8. Tokyo (N. Finn) Myrtle Beach, SC, July 20th, 1998
9. Distant Sun (N. Finn) - Toronto, July 30th, 1998
10. Fall at Your Feet (N. Finn) -New York City, July 22nd, 1998
11. Truth (N. Finn, Moginie) -New York City, July 22nd, 1998
12. Souvenir (N. Finn) New York City, July 22nd, 1998
13. I Got You (N. Finn) - Myrtle Beach, SC, July 20th, 1998
14. She Will Have Her Way (N. Finn) New York City July 22nd, 1998
15. Message to My Girl (N. Finn) - Philadelphia, July 25th, 1998
16. Don't Dream It's Over (N. Finn) - Chicago, August 1, 1998

Encore!

1. Loose Tongue (N. Finn, Moginie) Myrtle Beach, SC, July 20th, 1998
2. I Love You Dawn (N. Finn) - New York City July 22nd, 1998
3. Not the Girl You Think You Are (N. Finn) New York City July 22nd, 1998
4. Love This Life (N. Finn) -Chicago, August 1, 1998
5. Dream Date (N. Finn) Chicago, August 1, 1998
6. Faster Than Light (N. Finn) New York City July 22nd, 1998
7. When You Come (N. Finn) New York City July 22nd, 1998
8. Last Day of June (N. Finn) Montreal, July 28th, 1998
9. Suffer Never [B][B](N. Finn, T. Finn)[/B][/B] [B][B][B][B]New York City July 22nd, 1998[/B][/B][/B][/B]
10. [B][B][B][COLOR=#ff8000]Private Universe [B][B](N. Finn)[/B][/B] [B][B][B][B]New York City July 22nd, 1998[/B][/B][/B][/B][/COLOR][/B][/B][/B]
11. [B][B][B][COLOR=#000000][B][B][B][B]Throw Your Arms Around Me [B][B](Mark Seyour, Hunters And Collectors)[/B][/B] Toronto, July 30th, 1998[/B][/B][/B][/B][/COLOR][/B][/B][/B]
12. [B][B][B][B][B][B][B][COLOR=#ff8000]She Goes On [B][B](N. Finn)[/B][/B] -- Atlanta, July 19th, 1998[/COLOR][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B]
13. [B][B][B][B][B][B][B][COLOR=#ff8000]One Step Ahead [B][B](N. Finn)[/B][/B] -- Minneapolis August 3rd, 1998[/COLOR][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B]
14. [B][B][B][B][B][B][B][COLOR=#ff8000]Pineapple Head [B][B](N. Finn)[/B][/B] - Philadealphia, July 25th, 1998[/COLOR][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B]
15. [B][B][B][B][B][B][B][COLOR=#ff8000]Astro [B][B](N. Finn)[/B][/B] Philadelphia[/COLOR][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B]
16. [B][B][B][B][B][B][B][COLOR=#ff8000]Addicted [B][B](N. Finn)[/B][/B] Orlando, FL, July 18th, 1998[/COLOR][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B][/B]

 

Weird how this came out. Some system bug.

 

Thanks, that label started out reissuing legitimately licensed recordings, but they've apparently changed their business model. Glad I didn't order the CD.

 

I could be wrong! I think that i brought it up on this thread several years ago and I was told it was a bootleg.

 

Note: I have no problems with bootlegs at all. I love bootlegs and pursue them sometimes. And in Europe this release is basically legal.

I hope my post didn't come off as self-righteous anti-bootleg. That attitude irks me.

I know that we are all fans who have spent more -- probably far more-- than our fair share on legit releases.

But just saying when I can get a digital copy of a bootleg for free....I feel absolutely fine about that.

 

Live In America (The Neil finn album, not the Split Enz album discussed)

Pretty good.
4.3/5

 

I guess I missed catching these live recordings from 1998 along the way.

It was early internet days, but Neil's show in Myrtle Beach was broadcast as a webcast. I probably heard about it last minute from the Tongue in the Mail or Audities mailing list at the time. I was able to watch the stream live, but haven't been able to see or hear it since.

 

The three Neil Finn fan club CDs (the two for this week and the one yet to come) are the last previously released things on the schedule I expect to contribute to. The problem is, I have no time to listen to this week’s choices before Saturday.

I will say that I remember adoring Encore and will rate it 5/5. It was the first fan club CD that completely knocked me out.

I will chime in with more when I have time, but it’s sadly not going to happen in the next two days.

 

Encore!

I find that most Neil Finn fan club albums are kind of boring on paper because they are not from one show and there's not a whole lot of banter and so on. But the songs win me over every single time. I think that Encore! and Live In America are very much two halves of one greater whole, which is probably a complete picture of the North American tour of 1998. In the end, I have to admit that there is no world in which these songs do not blow me away.

For some reason I responded to this one more to Live In America.

4.5/5

 

I'll just wait until Sunday to put the next one up, it doesn't matter.

 

I haven't listened to either fan club album in forever but my abiding recollection is that I was really disappointed in them. Neil seemed to struggle vocally on many of the songs and the playing just felt ragged at times. Perhaps I need to give them another shot.

 

I've listened to Encore and Live In America several times this week, but not closely enough to give specific comments on each song individually. There's no duplication of songs, they're clearly companion pieces to each other., that makes for a really nice listening experience.

It's always nice to hear songs stripped down to just Neil and an acoustic guitar or just him on piano. I've enjoyed the songs where Neil plays piano instead of guitar. I think his singing is better on these piano songs than on the songs where he's playing guitar, especially when he's playing electric guitar. The weakest songs for me are the full band songs, although it is nice to hear live versions of every song on Try Whistling This from that tour.

I'd be fine to never hear any version of "Throw Your Arms Around Me" again.

Encore - 4.2/5

Live In America - 4.3/5

 

Live in America

The mailing list was still very active in 1998, so more or less every gig on Neil's tour that year was reported about. It was very nice to be able to follow the tour like that, reading about each gig and their set lists. With one officially released live DVD (Sessions At West 54th) and the fan club CDs it's fair to say it was a well-documented tour.
This fan club CD has a very good song selection, with my two favourite Try Whistling This tracks (King Tide and Souvenir) included plus the unexpected "Tokyo", great unplugged versions of "Distant Sun" and "Fall At Your Feet", Split Enz and Finn Brothers tracks among others. I think there are a lot of superb versions on this CD, but somehow the CD as a whole is less than the sum of its parts. Part of that is due to the songs being from so many different shows, the CD never gets the same momentum as the fan club CDs which were from one show only. In addition, based on these fan club CDs I don't think Neil's live band on the 1998 tour had anything coming close to the musical chemistry that Crowded House had, technically skilled as the musicians in the 1998 band might be. Not many bands could achieve that of course, but it is a bit disappointing to hear.
3,9/5

 

Encore

I bought this fan club CD as soon as it was released but it's one that I seldom choose to play. The track listing includes three of my least Finn favourites (Loose Tongue, Dream Date and Suffer Never) plus the zillionth version of "Throw Your Arms Around Me". In addition, I am not a fan of the concept of compiling tracks from so many different shows - I much prefer the fan club CDs that stick to documenting one particular show.
Having said that, there are many great versions on this fan club CD too, especially "I Love You Dawn", "Love This Life" and "Astro" so it is definitely a fan club CD also worth having.
3,7/5

 

Live in America
One of the great things about the thread going through these fan club CDs is that it reminds me to actually go back and revisit some albums. It's been quite a while since I've given "Try Whistling This" a spin. But listening to "Live in America" reminds me just how out of left field that album was in contrast to Crowded House. There's just a latent artiness to the songs on that album, and I guess it's kind of highlighted how different they sound when compared to say, "Mean to Me" (which I love). I mean yes, the songs themselves are separated in time, but they really do sound worlds apart.

I really like hearing "Tokyo". What a great song.
The CD does suffer a bit from the disjointed nature of it, and also the fact that there isn't all that much banter. Still it's always a pleasure to hear Neil sing, especially when it's just him and a guitar or piano.
4/5

 

Our votes for Live In America:
4-4
Average: 4.2475

Our votes for Encore!
4-3
Average: 4.1333

 

This week's album is Nada Sonata, by Mark Hart, member of both Supertramp and Crowded House.

It is available on most streaming platforms, it seems: here's a Spotify link: Nada Sonata

Nada Sonata was released on the minor US label PSB Records in 2001. It was produced by Mark Leggett and Mark Hart.

The album includes a couple of songs we've discussed: "I Don't Know You", (the version we discussed is from from the York Street Sessions in 1995), and "Something to Take My Mind Off of You", which was co-written by Tim Finn.

The Tracklist:

1. I Don't Know You (Mark Hart)
2. Something To Take My Mind Off Of You (Hart, Tim Finn)
3. I've Got a Girl (Hart)
4. Around Again (Hart, Ken Segall)
5. To Paris (Hart, Segall)
6. Many Roads (Hart)
7. Always Better U Near (Hart, Segall)
8. Time Bomb Man (Hart)
9. 1000 Days of Beer(Hart, Segall)
10. Nada Sonata (Hart, Segall)
11. Drowning in the Air (Hart)
12. Lullaby For Channing (Hart)

 

Nada Sonata Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nDNKxbG-5Rnv6jF-hZuovd-87cOxPblTE

 

Thank you Lance for including Mark Hart on the list of musicians here as I would like to go on a bit about it!

(Sorry, also going to include a bit of his creative contributions to Supertramp too).

Nada Sonata (Mark Hart)
(An interview with Mark Hart gives a little background on Nada Sonata:
Question: What are the main difference you see between both albums ('The Backroom' and 'Nada Sonata')?
Mark Hart: For me, the main difference is that the approach I gave to “Nada Sonata” was more informal. Back then I wasn't so concerned with perfection. We mixed the whole album in a few days, whereas it took me months to mix “The Backroom”. On the other hand, “Nada Sonata” was assembled from several pieces… Some drum parts were recorded in one studio, others in another, etc.)

I only heard this album early this year through my smart phone. I wasn't sure what to expect, but in the end I was pleasantly surprised how much I like this album.
I've tried to see if I can purchase the CD, but in this case, no luck.

I don't know you
This version compared to the Crowded House version has a more 'polish' and a more ideas.
Mark's raspy voice suits the dark tone of the song.
It's a simple verse and the chorus gives a change of progression.
I like that little organ 'whistle' (is the best word I can describe it).
(3.5 out of 5)

Something to take me mind off of you
Probably the most pop/commercial of the all the songs on the album. What gets my attention straightaway is that simplistic acoustic guitar riff. It's got a simple verse then those drums start to take the song to different direction.
Then the chorus, it goes somewhere again and I'm desperately trying to catch up with following the changes to this song.
Apart from the obvious guitar and drums, there is that little 'bing, bing' that's happening during most of the song, that I reckon is rather 'cute'.
In my opinion, it's great Mark Hart worked with both Neil and Tim Finn. The fun lyrics have a touch of Tim Finn to it.
(4 out of 5)

I've got a girl
One of my favourites and I think this could have gone on a Crowded House album.
I'm a big fan of the lap steep. It just puts a tad of extra emotion to the chorus. Sort of like a violin.
I mentioned this thread that I thought I love you Dawn is probably the deepest lyrics to a partner. The lyrics on this song I feel match to that. This case of a man struggling with everything in life (like totally), but it's all okay because he's got a girl who loves him (I like how these lyrics - saying she loves him, not only that he loves her, which gives more reassurance that life is going to be okay).
(5 out of 5)

Around again
One of the dark song. At the start, that simple guitar riff, with lyrics of struggles, sounding like a person who's homeless.
Then the chorus, then the subtle change to the next verse, with the drums coming in after that.
It's the longest instrumental solo so far in on this album.
Raspy voice again and manic guitar happening and then fades off.
(3.5 out of 5)

To Paris
I've never been to Paris but from these lyrics, sounds like an interesting place. I have however seen children with cotton candy in their hair (definitely messy!).
A nice simple piano introduction, would have expected it to stay in that pounding, almost military notes, then changes dramatically with the melodica (I think that's what it is).
I like how Mark mixes his harmonies (which were are more familiar with), under his lead vocals. It's an example of his unexpected lead vocals, actually, I reckon.
It's not one of my favourites and it's one of the songs on the album I can't wait for the next one coming!
(3.7 out of 5)

It seems this earlier live version with Crowded House wasn't on any fan CDs then (in Setlist FM website (which isn't always reliable) it was played on 28 March 1994 and Felle Festival 1994 (30 July 1994). Then when Crowded House re-banded, 3 times after that (2 times in 2007, once in 2010).

Many roads
Just like 'I've got a girl', I love this song. I think the arrangement is so beautiful.
With the introduction and first verse I would never have expected the chorus to sound like it does.
It's another example of I don't know how Mark gets that 'swell' sound in the chorus. Is that an organ, staying on one note. Wow! It sounds so much like a violin (yes, I soft spot for the violin!).
I like the lyrics here. Is the person in denial or being genuine ("I don't spend my mind...")? I also like the "old photograph" line too. Very deep.
(5 out of 5)

Always better u near
Another of the dark songs. That guitar is what I guess fan call is 'dirty'. It's almost like an aggressive start/introduction. It stays around for the whole song but settles down.
Not much more I can add.
(3.5 out of 5)

Time bomb man
To skip straight to the instrumental break, I think it's a perfect way to describe a person 'blowing up'. The saxophone, the manic piano notes, etc. Very well done.

Who is the 'Time bomb man' one might muse. Is Mark being humourous and saying it's him as a joke. Or is he being genuine. I'm sure at least a few Crowded House fans wound understand if Mark would have an outburst on at least a few occasions. Or could Mark be talking about people he knows?

The song itself. I think it's fantastic to just match the lyrics. Just the instruments used, the speed and ton has an unsettled manner of a person who is very quiet and calm but just starting to ware down bit by bit until that insane instrumental break I mentioned at the start.
(4 out of 5)

1000 days of beer
My least favourite song from the album. I'm a big fan of Mark, but I find this song too slow and prods along a bit... And...
(3 out of 5)

Nada Sonta
... I sometimes skip 1000 days of beer so I get to this song!
It's an example if I really like the lyrics (which just describes the perfect partner), the song arrangement can just stay really simple, including that short guitar solo.
The simple piano pounding notes are effective throughout the song. The best way I can describe this song - it's just fun.
(5 out of 5)

Drowning in the air
My favourite of the dark rock songs on this album.
Just a final example of the simple verse, then slow build up to a cool chorus and then build up to the next verse. Probably a simple way how to structure a song but it's very effective to keep me listening.
Effective lyrics to compare not being able to be with the partner, to a fish struggling to breath out of the ocean.
(3.7 out of 5)

Lullaby for Channing
I couldn't imagine losing your child. It's just not right.
Lyrics are clearly very personal. It's a very beautiful song and very sad too.

(song seems so personal - not going to score it)

(Supertramp's John Helliwell has playing this song twice as an instrumental. First in his band 'Creme Anglaise' with Mark Hart on piano (released in April 2004) and second on his solo album 'Ever Open Door' (released 2020) ).

One thing which captures my attention is the variety of song styles (best word I can think of). Grunge, jazz, ballads. It does make me think of one of those variety albums you might get of various artists.
I do notice that the songs do all tend to be at a slow tempo, making me surprised that Mark suggested to speed up Locked Out back in Kare Kare sessions.
Vocals - I reckon Mark sounds fine on this album. His deeper vocal range suits the songs and his tenor range (more familiar when he was with Crowded House) are good.

On the level of enjoyment, I'm giving this album a 4.3 of 5 (same score I gave Intriguer - I don't love every single song but all together it's a great listen.)
________________________________________
(Supertramp part - can skip!!)

Just as Crowded House broke up (ie the genuine day the broke up, before Farewell to the World concert), Supertramp's Rick Davies decided to bring the band out of hiatus and asked Mark Hart to join (Quote from Rick in: "The day before I asked him [Mark] to come to Supertramp, Crowded House broke up, so I guess it was bad luck for him but good luck for me."
(One of the new members in the lineup was bassist Cliff Hugo, who contributed to Tim Finn's Before and After and on Nada Sonata).

Supertramp's "Somethings never change" was released April 1997 and had two songs with lead vocals and lyrics by Mark Hart (Sooner or Later and Give me a chance) and and one duet vocals with Rick Davies (Listen to me please).

Sooner or Later is a slow, jazzy song with lyrics about trying get over someone. It's got a very long instrumental outro (Mark stops singing at about 3 minutes and the song is just under 7 minutes long).
Mark plays a jazzy piano solo in this section.
The song played live is more lively than the moody studio version. I posted the below clip on a Facebook page and a two people thought the introduction sounded like the start of Crowded House Chocolate Cake.

Give me a chance (which is actually a hidden track on the US released album) is a bit more conventional pop song and Mark sings with conviction to the lyrics ('give me a chance to show how much I love you, give me a chance to show much I care').

Out of the two songs, from reading Supertramp's social media, Sooner or Later is the favourite.

I purchased the album this year and thoroughly enjoy it.

(TV performance (year 1999) of Sooner or Later. Do you hear Chocolate Cake at the start?)



The band's 1997 'It's about time' tour had sound engineer Angus Davidson, who was the sound engineer for Crowded House for a time. In an interview, Angus said that Mark asked him to come on the tour.
The tour went from April to October (105 concerts). A live album (It was the best of times, later re-release as 'Live, 1997' which is what I have) took recordings from 2 of nights at Royal Albert Hall.
I like how Mark sounds on this album but some other people don't like how he sounds at all, so it depends on the listener.
(Take the long way home on the link below)
https://youtu.be/_eLCLHFikcY

Going further back to 1987, Mark Hart contributed to the album "Free as a Bird" after the 1985-1986 tour and then played with them on 1988 tour, when he sang a few songs which were previously sung by Roger.

Some songs from Free as a bird album (which I also purchased this year) which Mark was significant on, are:
Where I stand - was a co-lyricist with Rick Davies. A younger Mark sounds slightly different here. He comes in a bit of the verses and sings the chorus together with Rick Davies.
Free as a bird (title track) - Mark's vocals are made better use of at the end of this song, with a high pitch scream at the end.
An awful thing to waste - 6 minute into the song, there is a guitar solo from Mark that lasts for 1 and a half minutes. It sounds very close to when he plays it live (unlike the end of Fingers of Love).
I'm Beggin' you - there are only two moments in the song but Mark's upbeat/pop synth is played. If you are a fan of Mark's little 'flourishes', you'll be able to pick it up.
A live footage of the song, two other musicians, John Helliwell and Brad Cole do impersonations of his one hand playing either side of Mark! I'm surprised Mark was able to concentrate without laughing.

________________________________________

References taken from The Logical Web.

Mark Hart's interview (in 2015)
Mark Hart en "The Logical Web" (Mayo 2015)

Rick Davies quote (from 1997).
El álbum "Some things never change" según Rick Davies

(Thank you )

 

*cough* I did give Encore 5/5, even though I did not say much about it.

(Sorry I fell off the wagon with this thread, Lance. I have been spending a ridiculous amount of time acquainting myself with Sandinista, and there was just no more time.)

 

Sorry @brownie61!

Average for Encore! 4.35

 

I listened to Nada Sonata a few years ago, and only a few tracks really piqued my interest. I didn't really plan on doing a song-by-song for this album. However, after listening to the first five tracks, I think I have to reconsider, because, well, they're pretty damn good.

I Don't Know You
I love the backing track on this. Certainly of its time with the drum loop/lo-fi/pseudo-industrial sound, but I love that time for music, so fine with me. Definitely in the same vain as what Neil did a few years earlier with Try Whistling This. Mark pulls of the vocal well, and the instrumentals are all great. If I had one criticism, it's maybe a little too low-energy for a little too long.

4/5

Something to Take My Mind Off of You
Ah yes, the Tim co-write. This one I know very well, as it's one of the two or three tracks I took note of upon initial listen. Mark almost has an Andy White thing going on vocally here. Melodically, man what a plethora of strong melodies... Not surprising considering who co-wrote the song, of course. Total winner all around.

4.7/5

I've Got A Girl
A bit of a lull in the action with this track. Not terrible, but lacks a good spark, and neither the verse nor chorus melodies are much good.

2.9/5

Around Again
Right back in it. This track is awesome, and will probably end up being my favorite on the album. This is the track that convinced me to do a song-by-song of this album, so the rest of it better be good . Dirty, grungy, but still melodic and memorable. Mark pulls this vocal style off wonderfully, too. @KangaMom, this is a track that reminds me of the Mentals song "Fine Line" quite a bit. I love that style. Mark really knocks it out of the park here.

4.8/5

To Paris
Well, this is a quaint little song, isn't it? I like it quite a lot. A very, very good palate cleanser, coming off the dirty, industrious affair of "Around Again". Strong melodies, again. Great vocal, again. Another banger of a chorus, with some marvelous keyboard work.

4.4/5

Many Roads
This song I do know. It's one of the tracks I took notice of when I listened to this album a few years ago. Actually a very Crowded House sounding track, but later era CH, funny enough. Could fit right in on Time on Earth. Beautiful track all around, with more of the same strengths we've heard thus far. Once again, a top-notch chorus elevates the track greatly.

4.5/5

Always Better U Near
So this song is really cool. Experimental and angular, but still pretty accessible and easy to listen to. Getting some Bowie vibes here, too, specifically in the vocal. Mark has really put down some strong melodies on this LP so far. Not only that, there's a wide range of sounds; a true variety pack of music. Always a big plus when you can manage to create strong songs and be able to set them apart from each other to keep the album from sounding same-y.

4.2/5

Time Bomb Man
More of a funk-based arrangement for the most part here. It's very good, though I do feel like the chorus never quite gets fully realized. I do like the challenging structure of the verses. Instrumentally, really good. The weird breakdown in the middle of the song is certainly out of nowhere, but it doesn't really annoy me for some reason. I feel that this may be a grower going forward.

3.9/5

1000 Days of Beer
This is a little too... comatose for my liking. I can appreciate the lax, almost "Kare Kare" vibe going on, but the ingredients don't quite blend right. The drum loop and the slide guitar sound a bit at odds, like having an industrial warehouse situated on a tropical island or something. I can't ever really get into Mark's vocal performance here, either. The actual melodies are good, though, so it's not a totally bad track. Just an average one.

3.2/5

Nada Sonata
Ehh, this is not the same quality as the first half of the album. Not terrible, but most definitely sounds like filler to me.

2.8/5

Drowning in the Air
More filler, but it's at least a little more my style than the last track. Some really good guitar work, and Mark's vocal has a good style to it. Still, can't help but find this to be quite unexciting.

3/5

Lullaby for Channing
Ok, so I read into what this song is about, because the lyrics obviously portray something very heavy. While this isn't a song that I personally enjoy musically, clearly the lyrics and sentiment are devastatingly real. It gives the song a level of weight that's equivalent to a ton of bricks. Mark deserves a ton of praise for creating this song and honoring his late daughter this way. I'll actually follow @Left Hand's lead and not rate this; I'm not sure I could accurately rate it without feeling the rating to be too low due to personal taste.

NR/5


Overall, a pleasant surprise listening to this album. I don't know how I overlooked some of this material upon initial listen, but I've done that before (see: @KangaMom's Icehouse thread circa Sidewalk to Code Blue). Mark is clearly not only a talented musician, but also a talented songwriter and solo artist. Good on him, and it's maybe a bit of shame that he never regularly released music, because if this is any indication, I'd have been down to hear more. I know he's got the one other solo album from 2014, but then seemingly that's it.

Regardless, a very good album of varied tracks that hold strong melodies is what we have here, and so I'm glad we at least got that from him.

4/5

Track Picks: "Something to Take My Mind Off of You", Around Again", "To Paris", "Many Roads".

 

Nada Sonata is a pretty good grab-bag of styles and features some great songs. I really think that, had Crowded House continued on post-Paul in the late 90s there would have and should have been a place for a Mark Hart song or two on a Crowded House album.

It does sound like it was a little too hastily mixed though, with Mark's voice sitting rather uncomfortably in the mix, sometimes overbearing the whole thing -- a bit like an Revolver or something...but, uh, this album is no Revolver.

Honestly, though, I find myself zoning out. Mark's feather-light voice is nice, works great as a backing vocal and might be welcome on a song or two on a Finn album, much like Paul's was. But over a whole album, it just doesn't have enough oomph to hold my attention very well. So, like, a huge amount of the album just goes by me without me noticing it. And this happens to me everytime I listen. And then the last song I really do like-- very sentimental and very old-school pop -- reminds me a bit of an Aimee Mann piano ballad. And yes, the subject matter is touching.

In the end, I'll give this a 3.6/5. One of the better "other Enz" albums we have discussed. But the vocals just don't quite cut it for me.