Crowded House (album)
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| Crowded House | |||||
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| Studio album by Crowded House | |||||
| Released | June 1986 | ||||
| Recorded | 1985, Sunset Sound | ||||
| Genre | Rock | ||||
| Length | 38:40 | ||||
| Label | Capitol EMI |
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| Producer | Mitchell Froom | ||||
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| Crowded House chronology | |||||
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Crowded House is Crowded House's debut studio album, released in 1986. It was produced by Mitchell Froom. The album is known for launching the group and the first album the group's frontman Neil Finn and drummer Paul Hester had recorded since Finn ended their prior group, New Zealand oriented Split Enz. The album was noted for its stronger rock influences than those apparent in much of Split Enz's music, despite Finn being a main songwriter for each group. The album spawned hit singles "Don't Dream It's Over", "Something So Strong", "Mean to Me", "World Where You Live", and "Now We're Getting Somewhere", four of which were included on the group's greatest hits album Recurring Dream.
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[edit] Background and recording
Following the demise of New Zealand group Split Enz in 1984, Neil Finn and drummer Paul Hester decided to put a band of their own together, announcing their intention to do so on an australian television show. Melbourne bass player Nick Seymour approached Finn during the after party for the Melbourne show and asked if he could try out for this new band. The group also auditioned former Swingers and soon-to-beMidnight Oil bass player Bones Hillman, but it was Seymour's playing on the demo for "That's What I Call Love" that earned him the spot. The group, then named "The Mullanes" also included The Reels guitarist Craig Hooper, who exited the band in unknown circumstances before the band signed with Capitol Records. Capitol rejected the name "The Mullanes", along with other contenders "Largest Living Things", and "Krakatoa Chorus".
The trio flew to Los Angeles to record the album. While there, they were provided a very small apartment to live in while recording, prompting the name Crowded House.
The album was produced by Mitchell Froom who, since the album's release, has become a highly respected producer, a reputation that began with producing Crowded House. The album's initial rhythm tracks were recorded in Los Angeles' Capitol Recording Studios with Larry Hirsh as engineer. The main sessions for the album were at the famed Sunset Sound studios, where the group first collaborated with engineer Tchad Blake who would later work in partnership with Froom as engineer for the albums Temple of Low Men and Woodface.
Seymour and Hester do not appear on "Now We're Getting Somewhere," which was recorded early on in the sessions with drummer Jim Keltner and bass player Jerry Scheff. This is because Froom had doubts about the rhythm section's abilities at the time, but these doubts were dismissed the next day with the sombre recording of "Don't Dream It's Over."
The last song on the album, "That's What I Call Love," was written by Hester and has often been mistaken as a song written by Finn (though Hester is credited on the inlay of the album). This misconception is likely because most of the album's songs are written by Finn.
[edit] Release and reception
Initially, the album was released in New Zealand and Australia with ten tracks all originally written and recorded for Crowded House, however when the album was being prepared for export internationally, it was decided to re-record the song "I Walk Away", previously a Split Enz song (written by Finn), and re-order the track listing. With the re-ordering, the song "Can't Carry On" was removed from the listing. After recording the following album Temple of Low Men, EMI decided to re-release Crowded House internationally, but used the original Australian/New Zealand track listing but with the addition of "I Walk Away." This is now considered the "standard" track listing of Crowded House.
The album's single "Something So Strong" lent its title to a biography of Crowded House in 1997 by Chris Bourke, telling the story of the career of Crowded House from inception until the disbanding that occurred in 1996. Since the band's reunion, there have been no plans announced to re-write or re-release the book with further up-to-date details, filling the gap of the ten years since its initial printing.
A DualDisc version of this album was made available in 2005, 19 years after the albums initial release. The DVD side features a DVD-A version of the album and also lyrics, a discography, and music videos for "Don't Dream It's Over" and "Something So Strong."
The album has reached #1 on the Australian ARIA charts and #12 on the US charts in 1987. The album has been certified 6x platinum in Australia.
[edit] Singles
The single "Don't Dream It's Over" was an international hit that made it to #2 on the US Billboard charts on April 25, 1987. Its success has continued as 18 years later in 2005 was used in TV commercials by the New Zealand Tourism Commission. Its follow-up, "Something So Strong," peaked at #7 on the ARIA charts. "Mean to Me", "World Where You Live", and "Now We're Getting Somewhere" were also released as singles.
[edit] Personnel
[edit] Crowded House
[edit] Additional musicians
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[edit] Production
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[edit] Track listings
[edit] Original release
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[edit] Original international release
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[edit] International & DVD-A release
- "Mean to Me" (Finn) – 3:15
- "World Where You Live" (Finn) – 3:07
- "Now We're Getting Somewhere" (Finn) – 4:09
- "Don't Dream It's Over" (Finn) – 4:03
- "Love You 'Til the Day I Die" (Finn) – 3:31
- "Something So Strong" (Finn, Froom) – 2:51
- "Hole in the River" (Finn, Rayner) – 4:02
- "Can't Carry On" (Finn) – 3:57
- "I Walk Away" (Finn) – 3:06
- "Tombstone" (Finn) – 4:29
- "That's What I Call Love" (Finn, Hester) – 4:22
[edit] References and notes
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