Personnel: Neil Finn (vocals, various instruments); Jim Moginie (guitar, omnichord, bass, percussion); Mitchell Froom (Hammond B-3 organ); Robert Moore, Sebastian Steinberg (bass); Michael Barker (drums, percussion); Tony Allen, Lyn Buchannan, Pete Thomas, Liam Finn (drums); Marius De Vries, Paddy Free (programming).
Producers: Neil Finn, Marius De Vries, Tchad Blake, Jim Mogine.
This is the first solo release from the lead singer of the seminal New Zealand pop band Crowded House has more of the thoughtful pop songs that made his former band so great. (He was, after all, its chief songwriter.) Many of the songs are small snippets about love, how it changes, what it provides, and what it means, such as the piano-based ballad "Try Whistling This" and the Celtic-sounding "She Will Have Her Way."
It's a varied album--some songs are quiet and reflective, others chug ahead with electric guitars and interesting feedback. Finn's signature strong melodies pervade, as does his penchant for writing in 6/8 time. The production is clean; each instrument has its place, and there's an overall otherworldly sensibility. Finn also manages to integrate more contemporary sounds without sacrificing his talent to the point where it sounds cheesy and forced. TRY WHISTLING THIS also proves what Crowded House fans knew all along: that Finn is both strong enough to stand on his own, and probably incapable of writing a bad song.
Professional Reviews
Entertainment Weekly (8/21-8/28/98, p.127) - "The title's a bit of an in-joke, with Finn making a conscious effort to flush the sprightly Beatle-isms from his first post-Crowded House solo album for a less obvious approach. Nice try: Denser and trickier, WHISTLING is an only modestly less hummable embarassment of melodic riches..." - Rating: B+
