= 4 stars

Crowded House recently reunited and released Time On Earth, their first album of new material in over a decade. The new group consists of Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, Mark Hart, and Matt Sherrod. Mark Hart was a member on Together Alone. Matt Sherrod is a new drummer - original drummer Paul Hester committed suicide in 2005. As an original member, the late Hester’s presence is felt, via the album’s somber, contemplative mood. Neil’s brother, Tim Finn, who added much to the sound of Woodface is noticeably absent.

Time On Earth had its roots as a Neil Finn solo album. The full band wasn’t involved in songwriting and only appears on a handful of tracks - at least that’s what I deduce from the liner notes. Nick Seymour does however provide bass for the full album and full quartet is currently on tour.

Despite awkward roots, there’s much fascinating music here: Pour Le Monde is my new favorite song of the moment, featuring Lennon-esque piano plus a Don’t Dream It’s Over style melody, documenting the passage of memory in a manner as downbeat as falling out of a chair and dropping a wine glass. The passing from the minor verse to the chorus with a high falsetto (at 1:44) is all I could hope for from a new Crowded House song - it’s beautiful, haunting stuff.

After that instant masterpiece, the most accessible songs are Don’t Stop Now that takes a while to get its hooks in - but eventually does - after several listens. She Called Up recalls Woodface through a bit of spooky-cute Split Enz humor. It contains a break exactly like Locked Out from Together Alone. Similarly friendly is Even A Child, which Finn wrote with Johnny Marr.

My other favorites are the space-groovy Transit Lounge with a surprising vocal from Beth Rowley. Slient House was written with the Dixie Chicks, but has a country vibe so subdued that it reminded me of Radiohead.

The rest of Time On Earth is more opaque and will take several more plays to sink in. The new sound contains overlapping lines from multiple instruments which interlock like layers of watercolor. Chord progressions are all slightly askew, with an experimental, unfamiliar edge and depth - a long way from Crowded House’s early days. It’s like a better-produced Together Alone passed through the filter of Beth Orton and Radiohead; more mature and bearing the wisdom of years of introspection and a variety of musical influences.

If you’re looking for a friendlier and upbeat album, I suggest checking out the more recent Finn Brothers’ Everyone I Know Is Here. But Time On Earth should provide me more personal pleasures that not many others will share. It’s a great foundation for a hopefully rich future. I really hope Crowded House comes out with a second album that is written specifically by and for the new band.

Anyhow, here’s the video for the first single, Don’t Stop Now, plus a link to iTunes so you can judge for yourself.

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