The TCT Folio: ANTICIPATION

Matt Lucas lives outside of Houston, TX, with his wife, their dog and three cats. When he isn't writing songs for his band, Todville Road, he works for a local school district.

Also in this folio, essays by:

Marjorie Cardwell
Colleen Matan

21 April 1998.

The master tapes have been completed and turned in to the powers that be. Thousands of Try Whistling This CDs will soon be pressed and shipped to music stores across the world. At this moment, Neil Finn is likely shaking hands, doing interviews and making promotional plans. The buzz that accompanies any new Finn-related release is always a combination of excitement and mystery, but the feeling is stronger this time.

To paraphrase one of my favorite Neil Finn lyrics, it's like a slow volcano.

Even before Crowded House's final show, Neil was already setting my imagination ablaze. In a Mojo Magazine interview, he explained his new music--most of which probably hadn't even been created at that time--as "psychedelic-gothic-Pacific."

We also heard that Neil had built himself a home studio, and he'd no longer have to worry about finding a solitary space in the house to compose [this dilemma is surely the source of his kitchen fixation]. Then we learned that he was puttering around the studio with peers like Jim Moginie from Midnight Oil. My ears were already ringing, and it was to the sound of a album I hadn't even heard.

Once Crowded House broke up, the assumption among fans was that Neil would make a solo album, and most fans probably expected the music to continue the progression that Neil has made over his 20-year career.

But I don't expect that at all. I fully expect Neil Finn to take his music to another level--not in terms of commercial or critical success, although those accolades are certainly welcome. I'm talking about artistic success, which is something Neil has already experienced. But with Try Whistling This, I expect Neil to walk an artistic path that could lead him to become a performer along the lines of Peter Gabriel [but let's hope that Neil can get subsequent albums done in less time than Gabriel's typical five years between releases].

My reasons are simple enough. First, no matter what anyone says about him being totally free to take his time and make music that he wants to make, the pressure is on for Neil to make a strong first solo album. Common sense says that Try Whistling This will be the perfect combination of Neil's Crowded House work and whatever direction he plans to take in the future. This way, he keeps the longtime fans happy while still including something stylistically fresh.

But I think ... I hope ... that Neil won't take that path at all. I'm certain that his songwriting will remain the focus of the album, but writing songs for his own album means that he's no longer writing based on the strengths and weaknesses of his former band. After ten years of performing, any band will have boundaries around them--some built by their own hands, some by the record company or the fans. For the first time in his career, Neil can write any song in any genre he wants, and he never has to say to himself, "No, this song isn't 'Crowded House' enough." Any song he composes is a 'Neil Finn' song.

Second, Neil's growth as a singer, composer and musician is staggering. He's arguably singing, writing, and playing better than he ever has.

Finally, he has the good sense to embrace innovation by working with producers and others who are known for being in touch with modern music-making techniques. Although I have a strong distrust for technology, I know that whatever devices, gimmicks, computers, processors, or gadgets that he uses will only be applied because they serve the song and for no other reason.

Neil has hinted at this progression himself, albeit through his own recordings. Like much of Gabriel's work, Neil's songs have become increasingly environmental in their scope. Listen to Crowded House's "Private Universe" and you'll see exactly what I mean. It's not just a pop song; it's another place.

Many of Neil's songs take the listener to another world. But it's not some faraway planet; it's yours and mine. Neil's songs occupy a space that we all know well, but he shows us a perspective of our lives that we didn't know was always there. Sure, I look at the kitchen sink every day, but I never really think about it 'til I listen to one of Neil's songs.

Now, some would argue that there are much better things to do with one's time than to think about sinks. Good point, but sometimes any escape is good escape, and I'm a willing passenger on any journey he charters. I can't wait to buy my ticket.