Split Enz

[CRAZY-HORSE]

SPLIT ENZ "conflicting emotions" 1983.

although Tim Finn had officially,privately departed the group at this stage he did return inbetween recording his debut solo set to finish of several tracks for this album, and his image still appears on the album cover(second from right), and for the first time Neil Finn took over as the primary writer/vocalist.
and although the album is full of good to very good tracks, it is not in hindsight a real Split Enz album, it has more in common with Crowded House. take the title and construction of the second track for example: Bullet Brain And Cactus Head, Neil had never written a song like that before,it was psychadelic,pop and in places sparse,something CH excelled at so well. and the title had no clear interpretation of what the song may be about,also his vocals were quite agressive in places.
on the flipiside he was also capable of composing on of the best love songs of his career in Message To My Girl along with the very 1940s sounding Strait Old Line...another Finn classic. again 'Our Day' is a beautiful ode to his unborn son Liam(who is now quite a successful artist in his own right in folky circles)...thus Neil was growing up, had different priorities and his music was beginning to outgrow the youthful chaotic sounds of the Enz. just listen to the vocal/musical diversity of the first three tracks and you will see just how good Neil Finn is as an artist.
Tims best contribution to this one was the last track on the album entitled "bon voyage" which clearly let it be known that he was saying goodbye to the Enz forever,even now i get the feeling that John Denver could have done a really good version of this one.
theres also some good funky basslines on some of these tracks.
quite possibly the best album these guys ever made,,apart from the electronic drum machines which i am not a fan of!!

I LOVE THIS ALBUM!

tracks:

1. strait old line***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5wcVpj14l0 video
2. bullet brain and cactus head***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhEtxqCltG8 audio
3. message to my girl***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUC_jE78FNE video
4. working up an appetite**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4h45RjOrBg audio
5. our day**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D8WfeT9f0o audio
6. no mischief**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWhdTBlwG...re=related audio
7. the devil you know**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WGCQqYlgZQ audio
8. i wake up every night**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0CF9TuI0LA audio
9. conflicting emotions***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_9O9nCBxow audio
10.bon voyage**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7FqT3T1_q4 audio

3s=5
2s=5
1s=0

rating: 2.5