ALBUM REVIEW: NEIL FINN "TRY WHISTLING THIS"

Album Review: Neil Finn, "Try Whistling This"

Neil Finn, the former frontman of legendary band Crowded House, invites us to "Try Whistling This" on his 1998 debut solo album. After listening to it, though, you'll be more likely to end up SINGING this instead of merely whistling! This is one of my favorite albums of all time, and some of the best music and best songs I've ever heard. A good friend of mine, the same person who got me listening to Jeff Buckley, introduced me to Neil's music. Once again, she proved to me that she has great musical taste because this album simply blows me away with its magnificence. She urged me to get it someday, and I said I would, but I had a hard time finding it. Finally, one day I found it in the $9.99 bargain bin at a local store. In a moment of heavenly inspiration, I decided to take yet another gander through that section, and lo and behold I actually found "Try" and of course bought it. Had I not decided to take another look in the bargain bin, I may have been searching for the album even today, and not experienced its beauty and genius.

If anyone reading this appreciates good rock and pop music, good guitar playing, good singing, and you do NOT have this album - you should definitely go find it and purchase it!! I think you'll find something to love about Neil Finn's music no matter who you are or what you like.

The few Neil Finn songs I'd heard before purchasing this album gave me some expectation as to what his other songs would be like. Boy was I wrong, after I listened to the whole CD!! The thing I just LOVE about this album is how diverse it is. Most of the songs sound nothing like each other, and each one gives you something new to love. Neil can do soft, romantic songs. He can do pop, Beatles-inspired songs. He can do rock songs. He can do all these things and make each song sound incredible. Each song stands on its own, making this an album that I can truly listen to all the way through without skipping a single track.

Each song sounds fresh and inspired. There's a quality to this whole album that is similar to what I enjoyed about Afro Celt Sound System Volume 3. It's the power each song has, the potential each song has to absolutely blow your mind and make you crave more. Each song takes you on a journey, and just when you've recovered from the last journey, here comes the next song with yet another journey for your mind to take! Like I said above, the diversity Neil shows in each track makes the whole album come alive. So many instruments, so many sounds, so many moods! But if there's one thing that holds the album together, it's the songwriting. Neil can write songs, I tell ya! Some of his lyrics are mind bending, some are beautiful, and some will stick with you forever. Same with his singing - it's the power and craft in his singing voice that turns the lyrics into something more than just words on the page. In just about every song on here, there's a "singing moment" that makes your heart skip a beat and makes you pay attention and appreciate how powerful the music is. It's moments like those that make a song a masterpiece.

You've come this far, and heard me babble on about how good Neil's music is. Now, I'll go track by track and talk about what makes each Neil Finn song something special to me.

1) Last One Standing
"And you are magnificent, and I can see you with my eyes closed. You're the last one standing."

This song is a great introduction to Neil's music. It was my first introduction to his music (except for "Don't Dream It's Over" from Crowded House). It's a very guitar-oriented track, but a softer, acoustic guitar sound. It almost sounds like a mandolin or something along those lines, very subtle. Neil sings a great song, with very, well, confusing lyrics, but lyrics you can sing along to. The chorus, like most of his choruses, is powerful and very singable. Overall, this is just a wonderful song that shows how well Neil can sing and how fun he can make a song. It's very upbeat and hard to get out of your head.

2) Souvenir
"Don't ask the question, you won't like the answer."

From "Last One Standing", straight into Neil's rock sensibilities. This song eases us into Neil's rock, with an electric guitar, but a softer sound to it. Neil, again, has a great singing voice here and gives us a catchy chorus to get stuck in our heads. There's a lot of emotion in his singing, and it makes the lyrics come alive. There's also hints of classical sounds, which works well with the guitars. That's Neil for you, he'll hit you hard with the guitars but bring you back down with his crooning and softer, gentler sounds.

3) King Tide
"You're flesh and blood, there's no excuse."

Again, Neil comes at you two ways with this outstanding track. It starts so soft, with Neil softly singing, and then kicks in with the guitars and drums and transforms into a rocking anthem-like tune. It's the guitars here that move me. Neil's voice isn't so hard to be a "rock voice," it's a very soft, light voice. But you get fooled with the harder sound and the emotion he brings. For a soft singer, he has a lot of power! His melodies are just so fresh, they explode into your speakers. The end of this song has one of those "magic moments" where Neil sings a bit differently, and more powerfully, than he does on the rest of the track. A great, hard, rocking, singable track that explodes with power.

4) Try Whistling This
"And if the gods desert us now I'll turn this chapel into flames."

A very melancholy, soft, ballad. Neil takes the piano over the guitars on this one. There's a tone of sadness in his voice as he sings about lost love (at least that's what I think the song is about). This song has a lot of beauty, power, and emotion. It will grab onto your heart and not let go. The end of the song has Neil letting go and singing his heart out as he bangs on his piano. His pure voice will move you as you let the power of the song rip at your heartstrings and put a tear in your eye.

5) She Will Have Her Way
"She will have her way, and somehow I will still believe her."

A great, upbeat pop-style song with pounding drums and wonderful guitar playing. You can definitely sing along to this song. It sounds very much like the Beatles, or some other 60's British pop group. A lot of Neil's music has that sound, I think. I believe this song was one of the first singles off of "Try Whistling This" and I see no reason why it shouldn't have been. It's catchy and light and gets you in a good mood, and it's not too complicated.

6) Sinner
"These things I should keep to myself, but I feel somehow strangely compelled."

From the easily accessible pop of the previous song, we come to Sinner, which is a VERY complex, jazzy, moody song. It opens with some strings and piano, and then comes the bassline. Then Neil comes in with his smooth, jazzy singing. It's very much an R&B sound, quite different from his usual sound. The lyrics are pretty heavy as well, especially on the chorus. "Sinner.......Beginner......Forever." You can't help but get this song in your head. Neil does a great job of transporting us to some swanky jazz club where he's at the piano giving his best impression of Elvis Costello or someone like that. This is one of my favorite songs on the whole album, because of how it makes you feel and the mood Neil succeeds in communicating through the instrumentation and singing.

7) Twisty Bass
"Santa's on the cross,and innocence is lost."

Definitely the weirdest song on the entire album. It's very dark and moody and depressing and generally screwed up. Neil sings a song full of odd phrases and images, and distorts his voice for parts of it. He's nearly yelling on some of these odd parts, so this is one place where Neil lets loose and lets go of the usual. There's lots of odd music going on in the background: a dark sounding guitar part, something that sounds like a harmonium, and weird electronics and drums. But it's the guitar that holds it all together. You're probably going to be paying more attention to the lyrics instead of the music on this song, though. It's Neil at his strangest, and it's good to shake you out of your preconceptions before the second half of the album.

8) Loose Tongue
"The house is falling down, because of my loose tongue."

Oddly enough, this sort of continues the pattern of "Twisty Bass." It's very heavy, with a hard guitar sound and pounding drums, alternating with softer sections with Neil singing. This is a song with many moods, where Neil sings sweetly at times, and sharper at others. There's a slightly distorted part at the end, and I can't really make it all out because the lyrics for that part are not printed in the booklet. At the very end of the song, there's a huge change with a softer, drifting keyboard and guitar sound with Neil singing softly. I really don't know why he put that part in, because it's such a change from the rest of the song. In fact, it sounds like another song altogether. With the exception of that, this is a good, rocking song with a lot of good singing.

9) Truth
"Everything you do continues long after you're gone."

A very soft song, with a great guitar and some drum machines. The key here is Neil's excellent singing. It sounds very 1960's again. I love how his voice gets a bit higher when he sings the chorus. Again, this is a song you can sing along to. It's a very beautiful, laid back, and thoughtful piece of music. It's not as complicated as the previous two songs, and that simplicity makes it that much better. Neil's singing is so strong, you can't help but admire his talent. And the songwriting is also something to admire! Such beautiful phrases - "truth is worth more than pride."

10) Astro
"Bright as her eyes wide in the night."

A very simple track, with a driving acoustic guitar and equally driving lyrics and singing by Neil. He sings with a lot of passion here, again sounding very Beatles-ish. I can't stress enough how great a singer Neil is. Singing, to me, is meant to put emotion and passion behind written lyrics, and that's exactly what Neil does. His singing is also so very diverse, he can sing soft, or sadly, or with anger and spite. His singing will get stuck in your head. "Astro" shows just how much passion he can put into a song, and it gets more and more passionate as the song goes on. Good use of guitars and keyboards here too.

11) Dream Date
"Whiskey at five, a weekend retreat."

Remember what I said above about Neil's diversity in his singing? Well, this track shows just that! He sings a bit higher and lighter than he does on other songs. Almost a falsetto. This is a very atmospheric song, with the lyrics matching the mood given by Neil's soft singing and the keyboards and guitars in the background. This is almost a companion piece to "Sinner," but it's later in the night at the club and Neil is singing a lullaby to his "dream date" in the crowd. What a perfect example of the interplay between music, lyrics, song title and singing.

12) Faster Than Light
"In time you'll recognize that love is larger than life."

Another 1960's sound on this track, and like "Dream Date" it puts you in a special place. When Neil sings "Close your eyes, go to sleep," he makes you feel like you want to do just that. Not that it's a bad thing! It's the mood he creates through his voice and music. This song is typical of the last half of the album - subdued instrumentation and gentle, careful singing by Neil that takes you places. How many other singers can take you places? Neil sure can!

13) Addicted
"And you say, 'I was addicted to the drug, but I know when I've had enough.' "

The last track on this magnificent album, and one of the saddest. It's a lot like "Try Whistling This" but with a livelier piano. Neil has a lot of emotion in his voice for this one. You can hear the conviction in his voice when he talks about being addicted to the drug, but knowing when he's had enough. The lyrics are very powerful, and that power matches the power and sadness in Neil's voice and piano. Overall, just a very, very beautiful song. Well done Neil!!

At the end of this album, you'll be addicted to Neil's drug, but you won't have had enough. If you're like me, you'll want more of the magic Neil Finn somehow manages to put on each song he sings and performs on this album.

I really can't think of anything I DON'T like about "Try Whistling This," except that there's only 13 tracks!! But 13 is still a decent number of songs, and you get way more than what you pay for with this album. There aren't any throwaway tracks here. Each song is special in its own right and Neil's artistry makes each one unique. Listening to each song on here is like opening a new gift. You'll find lots to love with each new track - the music, the emotional singing, the challenging and beautiful lyrics, and the images and places and feelings Neil puts in your head.

Simply put, this is one of my favorite albums ever, and I appreciate the quality that went into making it. Thank you, Neil, for what you've given the world through your music!!