Only Talking Sense
This opens with a chanting "one-a-and-a-two-a-and-a-three-four..."
coming from the long-lost Finn brother, "Kahuna Finn", sounding
slightly Polynesian, and is backed with a bongo rhythm which fills the
song . It's a Neil vocal song, and opens with a lyric I quite like:
"There's a wild thing in the woolshed and it's keeping me awake at
night. The devil in the closet and a feeling I prefer to hide..." It
seems to be about the frustration of trying to communicate with someone
you care about, but who is carrying around problems from their
childhood which makes it difficult for them to open up to other people.
Over-interpretation? This is that "spare raincloud" that Neil
reportedly carries around in the boot, and brings out in songs like
"Into Temptation". Anyway, it's a very pretty song, and quite somber,
with a nuance of Finn-bro harmony (with Tim at falsetto levels).
Mood Swinging Man
This opens with the Optigan (which Neil also played on Dave Dobbyn's
"Betrayal" from the "Twist" album) painting a very exotic picture
suggestive of Pacific waves lapping against a sun-drenched tropical
shore - a sound and a theme which is repeated in the record. They used
the tea-chest bass on this one so the bass notes are often slightly
off, which fits the song well. I interpret it as being about someone
who has very strong and emotional personality and how dealing with
someone like that can be frustrating and frightening, as well as
fascinating and thrilling, like a roller coaster ride. So it's both
pitying and sympathetic. Having a strong personality (like Tim's, dare
I say) is a mixed blessing.
Last Day of June
Certain Finns try to avoid Beatle-esque comparisons, but just like
"Serge" hinted strongly of Elton John influences at the time, I
couldn't help hearing the opening notes of this song and remembering
John Lennon's "Imagine", complete with echoing piano and vocals.
However, I would comment that Neil's voice sounds so good that it
leaves John Lennon behind. That's a Beatle comparison he shouldn't
mind. Tim's drums enter rather unobtrusively and the song builds with
additional sounds, but it remains basically a quiet rhythmic song, and
it has a beautiful melody - chilling.
Suffer Never
Oh yes! This is thick and funky and semi-psychedelic. It has a strong
drum beat with Tim riding near the bell on cymbals and heavy effects on
the guitar which pretty much dominate the song - very plugged in.
Additional rhythms enter and the sounds build higher and the beat
deepens. It ends on a very instrumentally Helter Skelter-ish theme.
Neil has been playing more and more hard, heavy, biting guitar this
past year and this showcases it. I don't care what this song is about
at the moment.
Angels Heap
As promised, this mentions the "Information Highway". With the
internet being such un-sexy thing, it still fits into the lyrics
neatly. It's a very pretty song, and probably the most happy-sounding
of the "pretty songs". Just guitar and some bass percussion with a
little more Optigan thrown in to paint behind some very nice vocal
harmonies. This sounds the most like a team effort of any of the
songs. For comparison's sake, the harmonies are reminiscent of Simon
and Garfunkel's "Book Ends". So how many of you who were born in
1970-something are asking yourself "Simon and who?" One of the things
I like about this song is that it is utterly simple in its theme: "I
took a ride in an angel's heap, and she took me away to where the hills
were steep...and I took a ride..." Little children could sing this
one, although there is one part where the girl in the song is drinking
a flagon of beer and then she made the singer "come alive in a red
vinyl seat". Oh boy.
Newhai
A.K.A "Niwhai", pronounced "nee-fye". Peter Green hit it on the head
with the Bowie/Fashion reference to the opening theme. This mix also
reminds me of an XTC song, but I can't place it right now. This also
sounds like a slightly naughty song. Oh, my virgin ears! "Newhai,
she's so fine - makin' it happen... five satellites in just one night."
I'll bet in a previous life Newhai had electric boots and a mohair
suit, and was weird and wonderful and really keen, sorta like Benny and
the Jets? It's a sleezy homage to some space-age sex queen, I think.
Rated PG (no reference to Mr. Chestwig). This song has a lot of cool
and wonderful sounds in it, Optigan included. I think the appeal of
this one will last and become a Crowdie live number. It would perform
well in dank night club situation.
Where is my Soul
I'm really close tonight, and I feel like I'm moving inside her...
Woops, where was I? OK so it is reminiscent of "Whispers and Moans",
but the beast never gets wounded. This one is suggestive of a few
other Crowded house songs as well. Total surrender - your touch is so
tender... The finger of blame has turned upon itself... Tim is
shaking a box of matches or something. "Oh holy ancient - I smoke you
up. I'll take your wisdom and I'll turn it into dust" Like "walking
on the Spot" did for me, I could see this one going from an initially
less-noteworthy number to being one of my favourite songs. I like it
more each listen. Beautiful flowing piano scales wash to the ending.
Also, this is the closest to "Woodface" you'll find on the record, if
that's what you're looking for.
Bullets in My Hairdo
This is the silly song on the record, which pokes fun at a certain kind
of ridiculous person. It's mainly about materialism, and I'm not sure
how the military bit equates with it, but it seems to also be about
getting killed:
...shopping is a curse
every time it's getting worse
any ways to spend my money
there's not a lot to choose
the tanks are rolling over my hundred dollar shoes
shopping is a curse
getting shot is even worse
I've got bullets in my hairdo and holes in my purse.
There's a jaw harp on this song, which adds a sort of comical element.
The energetic rhythm is in synch with someone out "power-shopping".
Eyes of the World
This also has a slightly humourous air to it. And once again Peter
Green called it - very Wings-like in it's subtle comedy and humility.
It more or less follows the theme of "we're all naked in the eyes of
God" Funky electric piano and rhythm guitar with the atmospherics
which seem to trademark this record, and boyish, innocent vocals from
both Neil and Tim.
Paradise
The island theme returns at *full force* with layered guitars and a
ukulele and a vocal choir in waiata.
The lyrics speak of wanderlust and romance with the south seas:
Endless travel
Can't remember where I've been
Lying in this hammock
feeling tragic
the ones you hear so much about
can't wait to tell you where I've been
It's got a lovely whimsical sound, with - dare I say it? - shades of
"How Will You Go" and the main lyric of "Paradise - wherever you are",
reminding me of "everywhere you go". But seriously only "Where is My
Soul" sounds like a Woodface song. This record generally goes to new
heights and for that matter lacks some of the "boring moments" near the
end of Woodface.
Surprise Reprise:
The song "Paradise" returns (I expected this, believe it or not) from
the start and then after a few verses abruptly cuts of in mid phrase
with a brief echo effect which takes a little of the sharp edge off the
finish. Now the record is really over and everyone who was lulled to
sleep has been awakened. Nice finish to the journey. No one screeming
about getting laid.
All things said, I have to add that I found it just a bit hard to mesh
with this record the first time through, especially with the start
sounding pretty reckless, but I knew all along that it was going to be
raw, slightly experimental, and not Woodface 2.0 (oh joy).
Seriously, after giving it a real listen through, not that I have any
bias or anything (ha), I think this record is very entertaining,
colourful, good fun, indulgent, and provocative. It's a record (maybe
a little like "Altitude") which is playful and loose enough to invite
mild criticisms from the "Everly Brother seeker" variety of Finn fans
(sorry guys), and honest enough and (in this case) "good" enough to
maintain, if not enhance, the Finn tradition of music which combines
innovation and sheer talent and musical sense . Both Neil and Tim have
made it clear with their latest works (ALT/TA) that they aren't going
to decline into the "Sting" syndrome by allowing their musical energies
to fade into listless muzac territory. If anything, the guys sound
like they are getting back to being rock and roll performers and are
willing to take risks with their arrangements and expressions.
Neil's
work with Tchad Blake and Dave Dobbyn (and now maybe Jim Mogine) is
demonstrating the continued direction into exploratory music making,
which also happens to sound damn good in most cases. This record is
the kind of shaking up that is appropriate for them right now, and it's
a real winner, in my humble opinion.