Customer Reviews

Finn Brothers

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Neil and Tim Finn team up for the first time since Crowded House's Woodface album, and if you're coming into this one expecting the glossier pop tones of that album, you won't find it here. Finn is a raw album; the brothers play all the instruments (except for one bass part on the last track), and it sounds like much of the album was recorded live in the studio. It almost feels like Neil Finn's Ram, only without a Monkberry Moon Delight.

What the album does have are a lot of intricate, pretty melodies that reveal themselves upon repeated spins, and the sound of the brothers' voices harmonizing, which, as you might guess, is a nice thing indeed. This album is not really the place to start to understand Neil Finn and his grasp of the pop song, but rather another piece of the whole puzzle.

Highlights of the album: "Eyes of the World", where the brothers trade vocals; the absolutely jaw-droppingly beautiful "Last Day of June"; "Angels Heap" and "Where is My Soul", where the brothers' harmonies take the forefront; and the echoey, almost trance-like "Suffer Never".

Finn is a solid album with no clunkers; it rewards patience and repeated listens.

I'm quite a Neil Finn fan; I own all his solo albums and saw him live in San Francisco a couple years ago, and it was a great show, but the fact of the matter is that nothing that either Finn has ever done in their entire musical careers (whether it be Crowded House, Split Enz, or their respective solo works) matches the beauty of this wonderful album. It feels smoky and low-key...like it was recorded in some backroads bar on a slow wedneseday night. It may not be as polished as Finn's remarkably clean studio work, but it also lacks the sterile feel of his pop music. Every song is cozy and warm like an old blanket; you just envelope yourself in the album until it runs out way too soon, in which case you're forced to listen to it again and again and again. This album is one of the greatest and most underappreciated works I've ever come across, and it was singlehandedly responsible for steering my impressionable young ears away from the din of MTV-friendly music. For that, I am eternally grateful. Now to go listen to it again.

This understated little gem from the Brothers Finn sneaks up on you and quietly bowls you over with excellent songs, passionate singing and production that's spare but effectively atmospheric. That is, it SHOULD bowl you over---if it doesn't, check your pulse.

The more I listen to this album, the more I love it. It really conveys a feeling of being in the same room with Tim and Neil as they are playing, and the songs themselves are individual masterpieces. It's interesting to see which songs are more Tim's, or more Neil's, or which ones are a collaboration of both. If you're expecting the pop sound of Split Enz or Crowded House, this won't be the album for you, but it's beautifully written and performed. I can't get enough of it!

Out of all the neil finn related music i have. this is by far my favourite album.it lives in my stereo.it takes at least four plays to appreciate it,like all good music.only talking sense could be one of my very favourite songs of all time.last day of june is too beautiful.where is my soul is beyond words,how both brothers do it lyrically and musically i will never know.

This is a dark, dark album full of native rhythms and chanting and even insect sounds to create a Catholic nightscape. Lots of guilt ("Only Talking Sense"), lust ("Angels Heap"), and angst ("Where is My Soul"). And the melodies, well, they're just haunting. Period.

This is a great record because it's not trying to be. If you know what I mean. It's really special because it's not overdone. It's raw and a bit rough which makes it really refreshing. You won't get sick of this record. You'll be playing it forever. A definate must have. And make sure you see them play live. They are amazing when they're together..complement each other and all that. And check out Tim's album 'Before and After'. 'Persuasion' is one song that could make you fall in love with the guy. TIM FINN ROCKS.

Brothers Tim and Neil Finn have been making music together since their childhood in Te Awamutu, New Zealand, continuing through to international success in Split Enz and Crowded House. However, it wasn't until late 1989 that they actually started writing together - a reunion that yielded more than a dozen songs for a proposed Finn Brothers side project. That album was scrapped and most of the material was absorbed by Crowded House's Woodface (1991) and Together Alone (1993), as well as Tim's 1993 solo album, Before & After. The brothers' project resumed in late 1994, and in four weeks, they completed an album called simply Finn. The album, released in the fall of 1995 (the summer of 1996 in the U.S.), showed a much more casual side of the Finns and was less pop-oriented than their previous musical collaborations - the brothers play nearly all of the instruments themselves, ranging from the primitive to the exotic. After initial pressings of Finn, the duo changed their name to the Finn Brothers to avoid confusion with a band going under a similar name. - Chris Woodstra, AMG

This music will grow on you. It does not immediately strike you as memorable but give these cuts a few listens and they will certainly grow on you. A longtime fan of the finns back from the split enz days through crowded house this effort seemed a bit docile at first but what great songs here. Favorites "Eyes of The World, Only Talking Sense, Niwhai, and Last Day of June"

The more I listened to this album, the more I liked it. I say it's uneven because while some of the songs, like "Only Talking Sense", "Last Day in June", and "Where is My Soul" are hauntingly beautiful, others on the album are much rougher. The tone of the album changes from song to song - but that's kind of a good thing - it's good when not every song on an album sounds identical.

Overall, I would say that this album was definitely worth buying, more so if you are a big Neil/Tim Finn fan, like I am.