Death of a popular song (Tim Finn)

Tim Finn - Say It Is S0 (1999) **** 

Nominated by: Kevy

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition:  Underwater Mountain

I was shocked to see so many albums of Tim's on Spotify that I had never heard, or was even aware of their existence. He was definitely flying under my radar, but not only mine I suspect.

This is one such. It's good. Not a great Tim Finn album, but a good one.

Like so many of his albums he leads off with an instant success. Underwater Mountain maintains the tradition brilliantly. It seems effortless to him - creating these kinds of commercially vibrant songs.

I like many things about this album and if he sounds like this in concert on Saturday night I'll be well pleased. He sings well, he's a great NZ vocalist so no surprise there. His voice is starting to sound more lived in but he's getting on a bit now. Still great though.

Currents is another brilliant song, effortless again and kind of thrown in mid album like - meh, I can toss these songs off no problem mate. Similarly Death Of A Popular Song. Last song, Rest, is also a beauty - maybe even the best song on the album. It certainly climaxes the album and it really must have seemed an obvious closer as they recorded the songs. 

The album is just right length wise - not too long, not too short.

Only song I skipped after the first listen was Good Together. I don't think this type of smug type of song works for Tim, and I just found it kind of annoying - personal taste I guess.

A very pleasant surprise Kev! Loved it! On to the concert!!

Milestones

The Topp Twins - Honky Tonk Angel (2009) ***

Nominated by: Big G

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition:  Honky Tonk Angel

I well remember seeing The Topp Twins, national treasures, in concert - they were larger than life and able to project their brand of Kiwiana country to the whole audience. They were a lot of fun! That was in the late seventies. 

How would they go as a straight (ahem) country act on a long player in the new millennium though? That's a whole other cheese ball of enchiladas.

Full disclosure - I am less inclined to their brand of comedy schtick, so I was not amongst their TV audience.

When they do their country and western (yes, both types) straight (you know what I mean - no pun or double entendre intended), and without the yodeling thanks, I am with them. 

Their comedy routines (Holy Cow) don't do it for me and a whole album's worth of their songs is more than I can take at one sitting, to be fair. Let's face it - they are not the greatest solo vocalists. They get by on good will and somehow they managed to tap into the kiwiana zeitgeist of the last century.

This whole album sounds like a few too many songs and the last  song is too slow for a closer. 

Comedy yee har songs like Holy Cow seldom work. Once heard and enjoyed, they quickly become too familiar and outstay their welcome.

But when the twins are on, they are terrific in their own way. Their harmonies mostly lock in and become endearing. The country backing with pedal steel and acoustic instruments sets a familiar scene - that's a good thing!

Topp moments (see what I did there) for me on this 2009 set are the title song - it gets things off to a cracking pace, Palomino Moon (even with the yodeling), Town This Size (has a nice easy lope going on with some fiddle action), and Milestones.

The only surprise is that Kevy didn't pick this before you - bet he's kicking himself!

Best behaviour

Greg Mendez - Greg Mendez (2023) ****

Nominated by: Alex G

Music club: MNAC

MNAC playlist addition:  Maria

I've enjoyed listening to this stripped down to basics version of Greg Mendez.

I don't have too many reference points, even though he's working in a familiar singer/songwriter fashion. Maybe some Lindsey Buckingham at times, maybe some Justin Vernon. I think Alex mentioned Elliot Smith - another inspired singer songwriter. But Greg's his own man.

The whole album skips by very pleasantly. No hard edges. Not a challenging listen at all. Not usually Alex' preferred MO for MNAC. Mellowing Alex?

Just wondering - that scraping of the fret sound when shifting finger positions and basic drum sound - is that deliberate do you think?  Certainly makes for a natural real context in a world of overly treated sounds. No one makes mistakes on records any more and mistakes help provide a sense that a real live human is making the music.

When Spotify finished this shortish album it played a few more electric songs with Greg in more of a band setting. They were great too.

I'll need to explore more of his catalogue. Definitely a musician to revisit.

Thanks for the introduction Alex.