Austinist Album Reviews: Crowded House and Clinic

Crowded House released six studio albums during the course of their underrated career. Songwriter and vocalist Neil Finn regularly combined lyrical insight with pop-folk melodies to conjure up many almost classics throughout the band’s hey-day. Although we’re still smarting that “Fall At Your Feet” never broke into the Top 50 on US charts, we can now take comfort in Crowded House’s latest release, a double disc (and DVD) from their last show in Sydney in 1996 that marks the ten year anniversary of the event.

Farewell To The World, although bootlegged quite often since the concert, brings to light Crowded House’s talent once again. And perfect timing as well, since the band recently announced a world tour complete with a Coachella date, as well as drummer auditions. The first disc features staples from their debut album like “World Where You Live” and “Hole In The River”, while side B puts forth beautiful reprises of the band’s best work including “It’s Only Natural” and “Something So Strong.” The second disc also features Crowded House’s biggest hits, “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and “Weather With You”, the latter recently covered by Jimmy Buffett. Although nothing fresh, nor groundbreaking, the live album allows Crowded House fans to finally get that last “official” release for their collection, while those who missed the band’s peak years can enjoy and preview Finn’s beautiful pop songs for perhaps their last chance to see the band in concert.

Crowded House: [label site] [myspace]

Liverpool, England has brought the world oodles of mentionable talents, be it the charm of the Beatles, the emotions of Echo & the Bunnymen, or the versatility of newer exports like the Coral and the Zutons. Clinic’s latest offering, Visitations, finds the Merseyside quartet consolidating their fundamental strengths. Call it post-rock, art-rock, or simply pop-rock, the new album kicks off with the thumping “Family”, a wonderful introduction to the band’s cacophony. Plenty of multi-instrumental dissonance, lo-fi distortion, and indecipherable lyrics mark Visitations (as with any Clinic record) but the album’s beauty lies in the balance between the stripped down sounds and the multi-layered, organ accentuated textures. A grooving bassline maintains “Harvest (Within You)” while “Children Of Kellogg” and “If You Could Read Your Mind” seem equally fit for a dance floor. The Raveonettes-esque vocal harmony of “Animal Human” and the nearly normal standards of “Tusk” are two further highlights but the record might seem vulnerable to usual “everything sounds the same” criticisms placed on the band with a quick listen. However, there is plenty of innovation in Visitations to keep it fresh throughout. We like it, won’t you please?

Clinic: [official site] [myspace]