So my Crowded House Intra Album Rank project is done - here are the albums ranked from best to worst, with links to the reviews:

• Crowded House: 3.81 stars
• Woodface: 3.78 stars
• Time On Earth: 3.71 stars
• Together Alone: 3.69 stars
• Temple Of Low Men: 3.5 stars

Amazon Link

I think the first album Crowded House fares well because it only had ten songs about five of which I really like, plus there’s an energy generally missing from the others. Woodface as second best benefits from the addition of Tim Finn as a second vocalist.

I reviewed Time On Earth separately as it’s new. After doing a song ranking it came out at 3.71 stars, so it compares well to the older material.

Here are all the songs I rated five stars, in more or less chronological order of the albums they appeared on:

Mean To Me

A great introduction to the band with a bit of a rockabilly groove (complete with saxophones and a horn section) which sadly faded away after this album. There are some circus-like keyboards and, a small taste of the “crazy preacher” Neil Finn at song’s end.

Now We’re Getting Somewhere

The bouncy rhythm with a rather folk-rock vibe fits the hallway production perfectly. This song has a verse in minor and the chorus in major. The guitar solo at 2.00 reminds me a bit of Rubber Soul era Beatles. The “crazy preacher” Neil Finn vocal, starting at about three minutes in, puts this song over the top for me. The whole ensemble on the verge of falling apart, which is the definition of rock and roll to me. As the final touch, a street fair organ dances over, adding an elegant, loopy touch.

(The unfortunate, sad little secret is the bass and drums are Jerry Scheff and Jim Keltner, who for you trivia buffs worked with both Elvis Costello and Presley.)

Don’t Dream It’s Over

I’ve written about this song before as what I’d consider a “perfect song” but here’s the gist of it:

A series of open, slow chiming guitar chords echo, and following a sudden, expertly executed bass fill leading to the entry of drums and vocals, we enter a new world… the sparse, back-to-basics combination of guitar, bass, and drums provide ample opportunity to wallow in thoughtful lyrics, alternating hope and despair. A sad, melancholy verse speaking of isolation is followed by a contrastingly hopeful chorus, featuring subtle harmonies, musical touches dripping with reverb, and group “hey now’s” peaking with an exquisite high note behind the word “dream” on a major chord.

Something So Strong

Yet another perfect song that I haven’t written a specific post for, but just about everything in this song gets my goat so to speak. There same organ from Don’t Dream Its Over has a joyus feel. The way the bridge leads into the slightly effected guitar solo is also divine. Lastly, the very final coda where Neil hits the high note (2.18) and follows it up with a few more syllables is pure pop perfection.

Into Temptation

Downbeat, sad, moody, and beautiful. One of the best songs on the album. Remember the piano chord on the IV.

Sister Madly

In the absence of the rockabilly sound from the previous album, here’s a pitch-perfect cabaret shuffle born of Now We’re Getting Somewhere. I love how “madly” works as an adverb or the sister’s name, and how title rhymes with “systematically.” The perfect guitar solo is by Richard Thompson.

Better Be Home Soon

This is a perfect tune that is described by some as a country song, which I never really realized of until years later. The accompaniment with just guitar, moves into fuller production on the second verse, but the really nice part for me is the joining vocals at 1.11, and then the cascade into the bridge which is when the drums finally start. The organ solo enters at 1.55 that is similar in emotion to Don’t Dream It’s Over to with a nice flange, we’re back in a third and final verse.

It’s Only Natural

This Neil and Tim duet reminds me of the Beatle’s Two Of Us, and the contrast between the major verse and the minor chorus is almost like two different songs - recalling We Can Work It Out. It’s a really tight pop-rock excursion and my favorite track of this album.

Whispers And Moans

I love the bass guitar intro which expands on the funk groove and pointed horns used on the first album. There’s also a Neil Finn “rant” vocal (3.10) to be further utilized on future tunes.

Four Seasons In One Day

A perfect song of Revolver Beatle, baroque quality. At .26 is a piano on a IV chord, recalling Into Temptation. The accessible lyrics talk about how all good things have a complimentary bad side, which is echoed in the music - the verse is in minor and only resolves to the major tonic chord on the word “day.” The bridge (”blood dries up”) carefully avoids the dominant seventh resolving to the tonic (IV, I, V7, vi) and is good enough to be another song. The keyboard solo after the first bridge is a “round”. And yes, the bridge repeats twice, just like the best Beatle tunes. Lastly, the harmony ends on a perfect fifth. There are a few added production touches like tribal background vocals and a mandolin reminiscent of the Split Enz’s Six Months In A Leaky Boat.

All I Ask

The Split Enz song I Hope I Never is a precursor to this mellow, pulsing show tune suitable for old crooners. Just orchestra, brushed drums, and Tim, who hits some glorious high notes. Thumbs up from me.

In My Command

The manner in which Neil belts out the verse is the first time I’d say he channels John Lennon to perfection, say on Glass Onion. Add some biting guitar and “double like a diplomat” lyrics and it’s a thumbs up from me. The chorus provides a soothing contrast and the song as a while is another exploration of the minor verse, major chorus pattern that Neil seems to love so much.

Locked Out

A rocker, very similar to the first album, that sounds on the verge of exploding, and there’s some nutty guitar playing to boot. Ranting Neil shows up, too. This song was on the Reality Bites soundtrack.

Distant Sun

A really pretty mid-tempo song, another of my favorites, especially the outro where Neil’s falsetto recalls the first song Mean To Me.

Don’t Stop Now

Don’t Stop Now takes a while to get its hooks in - but eventually does - after several listens.

She Called Up

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.

Pour Le Monde

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.

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