Customer Reviews

Neil Finn - Sessions at West 54th

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Try Whistling This tour covered a lot of ground over it's 5 months on the road. For many fans this DVD is a chance to wander down memory lane and enjoy Neil Finn and band live in your living room. The bonus features on the dvd -Discography/Biography are up to date- my only train spotter mistake is the lack of mentions of some Split Enz releases that Neil performed on. However for new fans it's a way to mark off Finn related recordings that may be missing from one's collection. The 15 songs performed are the majority of Neil's Try Whistling This solo cd (with only Dream Date absent). Neil's old band mate from the Crowded House days- Mark Hart is special guest and Neil's band departs the stage to allow Hart/Finn to play 2 rousing versions of "Fall at your feet" and the USA mega hit-"Dont dream it's over". My personal favourites are: Twisty Bass, the wonderful Pop moment that is "She will have her way" and a tough as nails version of " "Faster than Light"with Neil's son (Betchadupa front man) Liam on drums. The dvd has dolby digital 5.1 sound and PCM Stereo for that cd quality- nice on all music dvds. It's intro'd by Talking Heads David Byrne and Finn himself still has youth on his side making him New Zealand's answer to Paul McCartney (with songs that McCartney would kill for). If you managed to catch Neil Finn and band on this tour, than you will enjoy this release- if you simply enjoy music with exceptional lyrics Neil Finn is your man. 75 minutes later the fan side of me is content, but eagerly awaiting his next solo outing. This dvd is sure to find it's way into many a Finn fans Xmas stocking this year.

This long rumored dvd of Neil Finn's Sessions has finally been released. Having been at the taping, it captures the terrific sound quality of the Sessions studio and the performances perfectly. Long time Finn fans will lap this up. First timers should jump in because he is truly a gifted songwriter, a great live performer and his voice, which remains a thing of beauty, all of which come across clearly and cleanly on this release. The song selection, mostly from "Try Whistling This", does feature an outstanding version of "Don't Dream Its Over", which knocked me over at the taping. His reference to the Everly Brothers' "Dream" shows that Neil Finn appreciates a good tune as he incorporates it seamlessly into his song.. When you see him on stage it is clear that Neil Finn has a place at the top of the class of songwriter/performers/vocalists. Other standouts are "She Will Have Her Way", which should have been a huge hit, and one of his many Split Enz favorites "I Got You". The band stands out as well, including a nice cameo by former Crowded House musician Mark Hart. The picture and sound quality are excellent. Music lovers everywhere should not miss the opportunity to enjoy this treasure.

These West 54th Sessions capture all the musical genius of a live Neil Finn performance. Drawn mostly from his dark and atmospheric 1998 solo release, TRY WHISTLING THIS, Neil's DVD set list also includes a couple of Crowded House songs ("Don't Dream It's Over;" "Fall at Your Feet") with a guest appearance by former bandmate, Mark Hart, and a Split Enz classic ("I Got You"). Neil's band includes his son, Liam, who gets credit for cowriting "Souvenir." Other standout songs include "She Will Have Her Way," "Truth," "King Tide," "Addicted," and "Faster than Light." This somewhat laid-back, unplugged performance makes an excellent companion to Finn's more jangly and electric, 7 WORLDS COLLIDE DVD performance.

G. Merritt

Quality intimate 'unplugged' concert from Neils 'Try Whistling This' tour. Some great moments. A lot of instrument swapping between the band. Great to watch Neils son do a sterling job on the guitar, awkward adolescent presence and all. I agree with another reviewers comment about Neils down to earth presence but
my main criticism is the somewhat strained repoire with the audience, who are so annoyingly quiet. He seems a little unrelaxed compared to what I know of him in live concerts with Crowded House. This a good DVD for fans of Neils solo work to have but I would thoroughly recommend however the 'Seven Worlds Collide' DVD -an inspiring concert covering Neils 'One Nil' album and beyond.

Musicianship, songwriting, performance and DVD quality do not get any better than this. Anyone who appreciates the type of hook-laden pop-rock of Lennon/McCartney, Squeeze, and of course Crowded House will be knocked off their feet by this exemplary DVD. Neil Finn and his stellar band excrete more talent than most others on the music scene today can muster collectively.
While the PCM stereo is superb, the 5.1 Dolby digital mix is incredible. Discreet instrumentation and crystal-clear sound imaging, along with stunning video clarity, set a new standard for recorded concerts. The instrument and vocal placements provide the sensation of being right behind the camera as it moves around the sound stage.
Do yourself a big, big favor and get this DVD. When the concert ends, you'll find yourself grabbing for a Bic lighter. Just hit replay.

An absolutely essential release! Neil Finn, late of Split Enz, Crowded House and the band Finn, crafted a piece of pop perfection with his 1998 solo album "Try Whistling This." But as good as Finn is with studio material, many fans believe his songs truly come alive on stage. This DVD proves the point. Neil Finn combines the pop craftsmanship of Paul McCartney with evocative lyrics and one of the best voices in modern music. Perfect sound and excellent camerawork make this a fabulous document of the "Try Whistling This" tour. And hopefully it will put pop fans in the mood for Neil Finn's next solo release, due out sometime in 2001!

Forget 7 Worlds collide, add the 57th Sessions to your Neil Finn collection. If you are knew to Finn or Crowded House, this is and excellent place to start. The sound in the 57th Street Series is just top notch, and it enlivens the already excellent work of the Try Whistling This CD. TWT is a vastly underrated album...and all songs on that recording except for Dream Data (a great song) are included in this package. The Crowded House classics Don't Dream It's Over and the hauntng Fall at your Feet are also featured. The acoustic live Fall at Your Feet is absolutely magnificent. Finn is warm and wry with bandmates including his son and Mark Hart and the crowd. My personal favorite is Loose Tongue which just rocks the house down. A must.

I've bought a few live concert DVDs, but Session's high-definition digital audio/video methods reign supreme. The intimate sound mix is a revelation--especially how the rear channels are utilized way beyond simple crowd noise and spatial reverb--whether you're comparing it to what you'd hear on the broadcast edition or just to the Whistling This CD. (Nice feature for newcomers to solo Finn: subtitle track provides the lyrics.) Here's hoping we see more of these single-artist Sessions instead of the mixed-bag season compilations released so far (a suggestion: David Byrne's weird set from season one).

It's nice to finally have this whole performance on DVD and to see what was edited out of the 30-minute TV show. Neil Finn and his band are brilliant! I was especially amazed by the songs in which Mark Hart, who was in Crowded House, joined Neil. Mark's a fantastic musician and singer, and he adds a lot to the overall band performance.

This DVD is well-worth having just for the music alone!

Anyone who has never heard a Maton guitar in Neil's hands must take a listen/look.Not to mention a very sweet Gibson Les Paul! Great image with luxurious bit rate. Nice 5.1 with approproiate scale and nicely controlled .1 channel. A real treat and something for Crowded House/Split Enz fans also. In an age of sampling dooof dooof rubbish true crafted rythym and blues.