Every Temptation and Device

Crowded House's Intriguer is finally out in the US today. Check out a few solid reviews: AV Club, Popdose, PopMatters. Sounds like yet another well-respected piece of work from Neil Finn and company.

iTunes
Amazon.com MP3

There's Always a Way to End This Isolation

In the countdown to the release of Crowded House's new album Intriguer in Australia this week, they are streaming tracks on various news websites. You should be able to access them from anywhere, though. For those of us in the US, we still have more than a month to wait for its official release (7/13).

Pre-order via Amazon.com or the import if you just can't wait.

The Waiting Is Done

Crowded House is offering their new single Saturday Sun as a free download for a limited time (one week according to a Facebook post)!

MP3: Crowded House - Saturday Sun

Previously...

It's All About You

A "Global Exclusive," people! Yes indeed, it's the premiere of Crowded House's new single Saturday Sun. Naturally, it's fantastic.



Thanks, Brandon Schott for sharing the video!

The House's new album Intriguer will be out in June.

I Hang on Every Word

Crowded House will release a new studio album called Intriguer this June (worldwide anyway - no details yet on a US release date)! They are also touring in support of it.

Their last album Time on Earth proved Neil Finn still has it. Can't wait to hear the new one and hopefully see them live again for the first time since they toured in support of their masterpiece Woodface.

Don't Dream It's Over

Neil Finn follows up his 2001 live album 7 Worlds Collide in similar form in the studio by convening with part of Radiohead, all of Wilco, Johnny Marr, son Liam, and others. They'll gather in New Zealand over the holidays to record.

The amount of talent in that one studio will be jaw-dropping. As a bonus, all proceeds go to charity. Stunning.

Please Let Me Go With You

Crowded House visit their Americans fans this spring:

April 28 - New York, NY - NY Fillmore at Irving Plaza
General onsale 28 March, 10am

April 29 - New York, NY - NY Fillmore at Irving Plaza
General onsale 28 March, 10am

April 30 - New York, NY - NY Fillmore at Irving Plaza
General onsale 28 March, 10am

May 2 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
General onsale 3 April, 10am *Please note new onsale date*

May 5 - Boston, MA - Somerville Theatre
Presale 2 April 08, 10am. General onsale 4 April.

May 6 - Boston, MA - Somerville Theatre
Presale 2 April 08, 10am. General onsale 4 April.

May 7 - Toronto, ONT - Danforth Music Hall
Presale 2 April 08, 10am. General onsale 5 April.

May 8 - Toronto, ONT - Danforth Music Hall
Presale 2 April 08, 10am. General onsale 5 April.

May 10 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theater
General onsale 29 March, 10am

May 11 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theater
General onsale 29 March, 10am

May 14 - San Francisco, CA- Fillmore
Presale 2 April 08, 10am. General onsale 6 April.

May 15 - San Francisco, CA- Fillmore
Presale 2 April 08, 10am. General onsale 6 April.

May 16 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre
Presale 2 April 08, 10am. General onsale 5 April.

May 17 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre
Presale 2 April 08, 10am. General onsale 5 April.

Saw them in Chicago during their Woodface tour and they're as great as you'd expect. Time on Earth is their latest and, well, it's as great as you'd expect.

Gave Me the News

Crowded House is releasing a new single from their excellent new release Time on Earth on September 17. She Called Up will be backed with So Dramatic, a piano version of People Are Like Suns, and the video for She Called Up. No word on a domestic release, so save the extra few bucks for an import single. Click here for the video.

I Wish You Were Here With Me

Well, I've already burned through the new Crowded House several times over and I'm not the least bit disappointed. You always have to tone down expectations for "reunion" albums. This is Neil Finn and company we're talking about though, so no big surprise.

I am a bit surprised to discover Neil's offspring is making music and it sounds damn good. Liam Finn is releasing an album called I'll Be Lightning in New Zealand and Australia at the end of this month. For those of us in the US and the UK, we'll be waiting a long time until January 08. In the meantime, there's plenty of time to get intimate with four tunes at hisspace. He's got his pop's skills, that's for sure.

Ok, so how do I remember to pick this up in January?

Give Me Something I Can Write About

If you were hoping to pick up the new Crowded House album Time on Earth today because it came out yesterday everywhere else, well, you'll be disappointed. It's not out here in the states until the 10th, but:

you can pre-order it now from iTunes US. The download album comes with two bonus tracks, "Lost Island" and "Stare Me Out", and if you pre-order the album, you'll also receive a live version of "World Where You Live", recorded at the Crowded House webcast from Real World Studios earlier this year.

In the meantime, here's the video for the excellent new single Don't Stop Now:

I Hang On Every Word

Streaming new Crowded House ... smiles abound.

Time on Earth comes out the week of 7/2.

It's True I'm Missing You

Crowded House releases its *NEW* album, Time on Earth, on July 10. Big day. Former Smiths/current Modest Mouse guitarist Johnny Marr guests on a couple of tracks. Tracklist:

"Nobody Wants To"
"Don't Stop Now"
"She Called Up"
"Say That Again"
"Pour Le Monde"
"Even a Child"
"Heaven That I'm Making"
"Silent House"
"English Trees"
"Walked Her Way Down"
"Transit Lounge"
"You Are the One To Make Me Cry"
"A Sigh"
"People Are Like Suns"

For those in the know, Silent House is the same Silent House that appeared on the Dixie Chicks' most recent album. It was written by Neil Finn and the Chicks.

I'm not one to rush my summer, but it's going to be grand!

Previously...

What's that Sound in Your Voice?

Tim Finn's new album, Imaginary Kingdom, was released elsewhere in 1990 or 2006 or something. It's finally out here in the states today! Finn is of course half of the legendary Finn brothers of Split Enz, Crowded House, and Finn Brothers fame. Virtually anything a Finn does is gold. Not necessarily RIAA gold, but gold nonetheless.

Hear more of Imaginary Kingdom at hisspace.

And don't forget about the upcoming Crowded House reunion. All is well.

Roots That Spread So Deep Bring Life To Frozen Ground

Despite bidding farewell to the world, Crowded House is reuniting two years after Paul Hester's suicide! It's official. They'll be performing at Coachella and will be releasing a new studio album.

"It's a pretty emotional record, I think," Finn said of the new disc, which was produced by Ethan Johns. "It's hard for me to evaluate, 'cause I'm so close to it now. But I think it's fairly simple, which I'm really happy about. There's a lot of heart in the record, which I'm happy about, too."

Stunning news. No word yet on a release date or other tour dates.

It's Hard to Let Go of All That We Know

Oh the drama! Back in 1996, Crowded House played their final concert at the Sydney Opera House to a near record crowd of over 100,000. To commemorate the show, they have released the performance on CD and DVD in stores today (although released last November everywhere else). Farewell to the World includes many of my favorite Crowded House tunes like Four Seasons in One Day, Fall at Your Feet, Sister Madly, Weather With You, and of course, Don't Dream It's Over. I'm not a huge fan of live CDs, but c'mon, it's their farewell!

Now, don't cry. Crowded House mastermind Neil Finn and his brother Tim are still making music as The Finn Brothers and they still got it. Everyone Is Here was released a few years ago and it's their best output since their Crowded House days (Tim was an occasional House member). In fact, Anything Can Happen is one of my favorite tunes from the past few years. I've heard murmurs of a potential new release sometime, but I haven't seen anything firm on that.

Finally, Tim Finn recently released a new solo album everywhere but here called Imaginary Kingdom. And never forget about where they both got started: Split Enz. Considering their output over the past few decades, the Finns easily rise to the top as two of the best too popsters of our generation.