Woodface

Crowded House

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 2006)
• Original Release Date: July 2, 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000006MVE
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #69,251 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Another reissue in the Centenary Edition, in a Slipcase with Bonus Tracks. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Woodface has shining moments--and weak ones too, September 21, 2000

By	"jabbertx" (College Station, Texas USA) - See all my reviews

"Woodface" was to be Crowded House's return to the top of the pop charts--Neil Finn, I understand, delivered a much darker record to Capitol that they rejected, and that's how Tim came into the band--he and Neil had been collaborating on a Finn Brothers project that pretty much became "Woodface." And while Tim Finn is truly an outstanding songsmith in his own right, he's not the consistently impressive lyricist that Neil is--some of the lyrics don't work as well as one would expect from a Neil Finn composition. Still, much of the material is among the best and catchy Crowded House stuff available--"She Goes On," "Four Seasons in One Day," "Fall at Your Feet," "Fame Is," "Weather With You"--which is why, I think, it's such a popular album in Europe--that, along with the tongue-in-cheek poke at American shallow consumerism: "Chocolate Cake." In a nutshell, they bartered some of the artistic lyricism for pop sensibility when they brought in Tim (and if you want to hear the "Woodface" rejects, pick up "After Glow"). But it works--this may be the most immediately accessible of all Crowded House stuff. The only truly "weak link" is the obligatory Paul Hester comp that shows up on all of their albums--the Ringo effect, I guess. "Italian Plastic" is okay, but it's a bit like serving a platter of corndogs at a wedding reception--sure, they're tasty, but don't belong with the caviar and champagne.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Golden Wood, January 4, 2004

By	Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Even above their wonderful debut, this is my favorite Crowded House CD. It's probably because Neil and Tim Finn reunited long enough to work their brotherly chemistry for a batch of melodic, hook laden songs. Unfortunately, the image of goofy nonsense that the first album's hits and videos cultivated remained as one Crowded House couldn't shake, and despite such obvious charmers as "Weather With You" or "Four Seasons in One Day," chart success again eluded them. That's a darn shame, because the band's assimilated influences of Byrds and Beatles were at their peak on "Woodface." There was even a lethal double-dose of humor in the American Vs England "Chocolate Cake" (these guys were New Zealanders, remember), and the thinly disguised swipe at Hollywood in "There Goes God."

Anyone who got to see Crowded House on tour during this period also got a magical show. I was fortunate enough to catch them on a night that Roger McGuinn came out for an encore of "Mr Tambourine Man" and "Eight Miles High." (If you can snatch a copy of the "Byrdhouse" EP, it's worth it.) Tim again left for solo ground after this, and took that little extra sparkle with him. But for the duration of "Woodface," the four cornered Crowded House managed to spin some of the lost magic of their Split Enz days.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who else, but Neil!, January 10, 2000

By	Michael D. Abernethy (Chapel Hill, NC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I once read a review of this album which stated, "This is not only one of the best albums of the nineties, but it is also one of the best white/male/anglo-saxon albums ever recorded. Period." After owning WOODFACE for a little over a year now, I can not agree more. Every song on this album fits perfectly together to create nothing less than what could be described as a journey. Even the weakest tracks on the album (I will not state my opinions here, from fear of offending many a Crowded House fan!) are near perfect pop tunes. And the strongest tracks transcend. "There Goes God" is one of the wittiest songs I have ever heard - the lyrics here are truly stunning! "Fall At Your Feet" is simply gorgeous. Its power to move your heart is undeniable. And lastly, (I could go on and on with this, but I will try to cut it short!) "Four Seasons In One Day" is the best Beatles-influenced song I have ever heard; tie-ing only with Tears For Fears' "Sowing the Seeds of Love." Its simple melody is so disarming - the way it works its way underneath your skin is true magic that is rarely ever seen in music of this decade. But again, it is the album as a whole - the cohesiveness of the writing and performances - that make WOODFACE Crowded House's best album. The fact that I picked up this album eight years after its release, and it is not weighted down by the typically dated songwriting so characteristic of the early 1990's is a testament to the quality of Neil's overwhelming talent as a songwriter. As I said, these tracks transcend! They are not of a time, or of a period in your life - they are true classics. I have never once regretted the purchase of this album. I urge you to pick this one up. If you have doubts about its quality, it is not too difficult to find it used for about 7 or 8 bucks. Go ahead! Do yourself a favor and buy WOODFACE ASAP!