Song of the Week #4: "Say That Again" by Crowded House

Neil Finn is a deity of the highest order, so any decision he makes is likely to be a good one. Like, reforming Crowded House after a decade apart. In the meantime, he'd put out a couple of fantastic solo albums and an even better one with brother Tim, so creatively speaking it's not as though he needed to kickstart the old band. But he did, and 2007's Time On Earth was a masterpiece. My personal favourite track isn't one that got a lot of love in reviews, and it's not one you often hear even hardcore fans discussing, but to me, Say That Again is one of his finest moments yet. It's taut, it's claustrophobic, god only knows what it's about, but it sounds utterly amazing.

I think one reason why musically it works for me is that the chugging guitars remind me of a childhood favourite, Icehouse's 'Great Southern Land'. Now that's a tune and a half.

Fingers crossed Neil will come up with the goods again in the near future, as the new Crowded House album nears release.

MP3: Crowded House - Say That Again

Website: http://www.crowdedhouse.com/s_home/index.php
Spotify: Time On Earth

Do me a favour, open the door, let 'em in...

Blimey, is it June already? Must be time for a few random thoughts, this time prompted by some upcoming action from some old favourites.

The new Crowded House album is less than a month away, which is of course a fine, fine thing indeed. Anyone who knows me will appreciate how exciting the prospect is of a new set of songs from the master himself, Mr Neil Finn. The brilliant video for the comeback single Don't Stop Now is a work of genius. I'm desperately trying to avoid the leaked album tracks that are doing the rounds - this is going to be one those 'event' releases, one that demands a sit-down-in-a-darkened-room-with-the-volume-right-up, listen-from-start-to-finish kind of attitude. I don't find the need to do that too often nowadays... But if the idea of a Crowded House revival floats your boat too, here's an old rarity to tide you over til 'Time On Earth' hits the shops at the start of July:

MP3: Crowded House - Most Unwanted (live)

Pre-order 'Time On Earth' from amazon.co.uk


Macca's back as well, and, given how fantastic his last record was (2005's 'Chaos & Creation In The Backyard'), expectations are high for 'Memory Almost Full'. Hoping for a career best is obviously a little optimistic, but here's the standard he needs to look at trying to match:

MP3: Wings - Let 'Em In

Buy 'Wingspan: Hits and History' from amazon.co.uk

Or indeed pick up 'Memory Almost Full'

Or even treat yourself to 'Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard'


And last but by no means least, a little bit of Scott Walker activity, as the hugely anticipated '30 Century Man' doco eventually comes to Leeds for a handful of showings at the Hyde Park Picture House in the middle of June. An edited version was shown on TV recently, which whetted the appetite. Just acquired a copy of the lost classic and nigh-on impossible to find 'Till The Band Comes In' (occasionally referred to as 'should-have-been-Scott-5'), which has some crackers on it, not least the stunning title track:

MP3: Scott Walker - Till The Band Comes In

Amazon can sort you out with a copy of 'Boy Child - the Best of 1967-1970'