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Neil Finn - Try Whistling This (1998)
Posted By :
LezDawson
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Date :
28 Dec 2009 15:21:41
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Comments :
8
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Neil Finn - Try Whistling This (1998)
FLAC | EAC | LOG | CUE | Scans | 54m 46s | 370 MB | RS
Alternative/Songwriter
FLAC | EAC | LOG | CUE | Scans | 54m 46s | 370 MB | RS
Alternative/Songwriter
Try Whistling This by ex-Crowded House frontman Neil Finn was one of the most awaited releases of 1998, at least outside of North America. Despite frequently being lauded as the most accomplished songwriter since Lennon-McCartney, and despite producing memorable song after memorable song, Finn and his band were never able to really make an impact in this vital market.
Nonetheless, those that did know him eagerly purchased his new album. Established Finn territories New Zealand (his home and birthplace) and Australia (home of Crowded House) sent Try Whistling This to number one in its first week. And the response in the United Kingdom was almost as impressive, with the album having to settle for the number five spot.
The big question, then, is whether all the hype and excellent sales figures were justified. Unfortunately, some Crowded House fans may not have thought so, for Try Whistling This sees Finn making some fairly major changes of direction. While the classic melodies, thought-provoking lyrics and clever structure of his songs remain, they are now joined by samples, trip-hop beats and other assorted technological devices.
In itself, this should not be too surprising, for when Neil Finn broke up the band in 1996 one of the reasons given was that he wanted to engage in some musical experimentation. The problem - and indeed this is the only weakness of the album - is that rather than complementing the music, many of the special effects come across as being unnecessary or self-indulgent. The strength of the four Crowded House albums was that the songs were allowed to stand on their own. This time, however, one has to learn to ignore the wrapping to enjoy what's inside.
Thankfully, that's not too difficult, for Finn does live up to his billing as the best songwriter since Lennon-McCartney. As usual he provides a collection of songs with impressive variety. For instance, there are the guitar-driven numbers such as Loose Tongue, Souvenir and King Tide, pop in the form of Last One Standing and Astro, slower ballads (as only Finn can write) like the title track and Faster than Light, and instant classics like Sinner.
All in all the songs that sound like they've been lifted off Crowded House albums - "Souvenir," "Astro" and "King Tide" for example - are generally the better ones. As could be guessed, these are the ones where the special effects are kept to a minimum. Some Crowded House fans may not like the musical evolution which Try Whistling This embodies, but conversely some new listeners have probably been won over by Finn's change of direction. Sadly, this wonderful album could have been even better if Finn hadRead only stayed away from all the computers, but otherwise it is of his usual high standard.
RATING: 9/10 © Nick Bendel
This CD does sound like it has fallen victim to the Loudness Wars, with frequent clipping of the waveform. However, it does retain more dynamics than most modern CDs.
Last One Standing waveform - Click To Enlarge
Contents
01 Last One Standing.flac
02 Souvenir.flac
03 King Tide.flac
04 Try Whistling This.flac
05 She Will Have Her Way.flac
06 Sinner.flac
07 Twisty Bass.flac
08 Loose Tongue.flac
09 Truth.flac
10 Astro.flac
11 Dream Date.flac
12 Faster Than Light.flac
13 Addicted.flac
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Hmmm, and you are a sound engineer?
Well, let me put this to you, as nicely as I can. I engineer - 20 years under my belt. I also love the 'old-school' recordings from the 50's/60's when, in some cases only one microphone would be used and placed in the middle of the room and the musicians would place themselves at suitable distances away from the single microphone knowing in their heads how the sound will sound once on tape.
And that brings me to another subject: Tape. Good old wonderful tape. The beauties of tape meant you could push a greater signal level to the tape whilst recording thus achieving a beautiful "pushed sound". VU meters should be in the red sometimes when people record. It is an art in itself.
If you live for crystal clear recordings every-time, then you are clearly misguided and need to take your head and your ears out of the 'naive sand' you seem to be buried in.
Live music is always special as it is the soul of the music. Sometimes a mistake will be made. Sometimes an amp or two will distort. That's the beauty of reality. Not some horrible clinical recording made by a bunch of nerds who learnt their skills from equal naive fools from some lab at a university. We are all human. All life makes mistakes... and that is what music is all about. After all, music is a language, a way by means of communication through what the ear understands the most.
Please don't look at waveforms and think you know what you are on about - because you clearly do not.
Go listen to some real music, like James Brown, or some old blues recordings. That is what recording is all about - hearing the honest and true sound captured by great musicians who can express their communication through their music.
Don't get me started on compression either!
This recording needs more "Ooomph!" in my opinion. It needs to be pushed more; more RED VU to bring out the lost harmonics.
Love,
Uncle Lode
X
(And yes... I am an engineer with advanced degrees in music and engineering.)
You need to perk-up your listening habits a bit more... wake up and explore real live music and their live recordings! Try playing a bit more in a band of musicians, and allowing yourself to stand outside of the box you play in and examine yourself and others around you - and the way they behave -- rather existentially.
In fact, ignore the above rambling mess, and just do what you think is best.
The better will always out-do the lesser.
Love,
Uncle Lode
And as for "Well, let me put this to you, as nicely as I can" - Hahaha! You're not capable of being "nice", you're a wanker, and you know it!
But I shall address your points.
Firstly: I don't use 'Sound Engineering' as qualification for being able to detect dynamically compressed sound. I simply use my ears. I merely posted a copy of the waveform image for interest. If I hadn't heard the compression I wouldn't have bothered making the image.
Secondly: You absolute arrogant DICK HEAD!! When I trained as a sound engineer, I was using reel-to-reel tape, I LOVE tape, I f@cking KNOW full well about pushing levels to create wonderful tape harmonics on drums, vocals - in fact anything! So don't tell ME about tape, you sad wanker! That's what this digital recording could have used!!!!
Thirdly: To repeat: This a DIGITALLY RECORDED ALBUM, you utterly ignorant arse! Which is partly why it sounds as it does - clinical, cold. I consider it to be a victim of the loudness wars, because quite frankly, it F@CKING IS! It lacks dynamics in places, lacks warmth, lacks many things. Oomph, as you say. It sounds like much of the digitally-recorded stuff from its era.
Fourthly: Just point me to anywhere - ANYWHERE, CUNTFACE - where I said I lived for "crystal clear recordings every-time" prick.
Fifthly, I DO listen to old blues recordings, and I DO listen to James Brown - as well as Miles Davis, The Doors, Beatles, Buddy Holly, Cream, Classical, Jazz, and lots else.
Finally (and I'll put this to you, as nicely as I can): drop the arrogant know-all act. It really makes you sound like a sad little wanker.
EDIT
I just had a thought: do you even know what "The Loudness Wars" is? I'm wondering if all your spouting is based on a misunderstanding of the term (which is to do with digital limiting to maximize volume on a CD at the expense of dynamics)? Because that is ALL I was referring to in that single sentence upon which you based all your prejudiced bullshit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ