STACK #145 Nov 2016

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MUSIC REVIEWS

CROWDED HOUSE

Various Recovery C’mon ABC… what the hell is wrong with you? You simply won’t press the button, wave that green flag and give kids another live music/variety show that has an edge, an artistic release and an aspirational vibe of positivity and camaraderie against the turgid commercial crap on offer. Okay, kids; this is THE SH-T! There’s a reason why the ‘90s were great

Crowded House (1986) The impressive debut which included the signature song Don't Dream It's Over and other hits Something So Strong , Mean to Me , World Where You Live and Now We're Getting Somewhere alongside the highly personal Hole In The River and their re-recording of Split Enz's I Walk Away . Among the 17 extra tracks are the studio demo of Hole In The River and the home demo of Don't Dream It's Over . Temple Of Low Men (1988) famous farewell on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.To celebrate all this, six studio albums and the rarities collection Afterglow are being given the expanded reissue treatment. But for the generations that missed the beloved band in their heyday, where to start? tracks are live versions of the Byrds' Eight Miles High and So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star , plus Dylan's Mr Tambourine Man (all with former Byrd Roger McGuinn). Together Alone (1993) Although its predecessor Woodface (1991) found Neil reunited with brother Tim and included Four Seasons In One Day , It's Only Natural , Fall At Your Feet and the American-baiting Chocolate Cake (perversely the first single), Together Alone is a more interesting album. It didn't spring hits but does contain Private Universe , Distant Sun , the rocking Locked Out and has a Maori choir and log drums on the title track. The band was stretching. Time On Earth (2007) Recorded after the death of drummer Paul Hester and their first studio album in almost 15 years, this was a return to form… but with a twist. Among the many guests were former Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr, Finn's children Elroy and Liam, and producer/arranger Ethan Jones. Musically ambitious, lyrically fascinating and again full of memorable songs. The extra 13 songs are mostly home and studio demos. And also... Check out the combined star power on 7 Worlds Collide CD/DVD set (2001), the Finn-helmed project with Marr, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Tim and others, and Finn's more recent dream-pop Dizzy Heights (2014). When Crowded House play their reunion concert in Sydney this month it will be 30 years since their self-titled debut album and 20 since their In a rudely suggestive title, this second album confirmed Neil Finn as one of the greatest pop songwriters since the Lennon-McCartney team. He spun out memorable singles with Better Be Home Soon , Into Temptation , When You Come , Sister Madly and I Feel Possessed . Half the 10 songs were released as singles, and among the 21 extra

for local music in Oz – we didn’t have the Internet, we had Recovery . Just about everything on this is killer (we fast-forwarded Ben Lee and The Whitlams ‘cos, lets face it, life’s too short) and played live, in an ‘anything can happen’ way. These are impeccably recorded tracks by bands arguably in their prime; Grinspoon’s jaw-dropping-debut of Champion , Jon Spencer Blues Explosion’s Wail ; Silverchair’s best and most Sabbath meets Zeppelin offering, The Door ; Snout’s Hey, Hey, Hey – man, even The Clouds sound exciting compared to what we hear on most radio today. 40 tracks including You Am I, Spiderbait, Cake, Custard, Sonic Youth, Dave Graney, Frenzal Rhomb, Ben Folds (pre Opera House), Midnight Oil, Kim Salmon, Tumbleweed… plus a double DVD of live performances different to the ones on CD. Yes, you can spend an entire weekend getting through this. Make your own judgement; and although this isn’t the best release of the year – it’s the only one you MUST own. (ABC/Universal) Chris Murray

Ben Lee Freedom, Love And The Recuperation Of The Human Mind It’s a classic Ben Lee title: Freedom, Love And The Recuperation Of The Human Mind . No local pop performer polarises people like Ben Lee. Me? I think he’s one of the great Australian songwriters. For his 11th studio album, Lee’s still “chiselling away at the stone”. But after a lengthy external search for the meaning of life – involving gurus and mind-altering drugs – Lee has gone within, urging listeners to “take a moment, catch our breath” and “think for yourself”. “It’s equilibrium that I seek,” he confides in Bigger Than Me . Lee’s existential poetic pop, augmented by Sara Watkins’ exquisite backing vocals, is perfect for Smooth FM. (ABC/Universal) Jeff Jenkins

Tkay Maidza TKAY Tkay Maidza is like a steam train: it took a while to gain momentum, but now there’s no stopping her. The young South Australian’s excellent Switch Lanes EP and an A+ live show have gained the attention of an industry screaming out for more female hip hop artists. TKAY is marbled with intergalactic synths, dancehall vibes and her furious flow. Lyrically, she’s got a lot to say; she lets loose on haters on the Killer Mike-featured Carry On and rallies for peace on the robustly bouncy Drumsticks No Guns with mischievous sarcasm – perhaps the most appealing thing about TKAY . If this is the kind of record being released at 20 by the bubbly Maidza, world domination is inevitable, and I for one welcome our new supreme leader. (Dew Process/Universal) Tim Lambert

For more interviews, reviews and overviews from Graham Reid visit www.elsewhere.co.nz

NOVEMBER 2016

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