Crowded House

Farewell to the World (Capitol)
by Tim Den

On Nov. 24th, 1996, internationally beloved pop band Crowded House performed in front of 120,000 fans on the front steps of Sydney Opera House to close out the group’s decade-long career. Farewell to the World captures the event on two-discs full of classy, eloquent, smart, literate, tasteful guitar pop that would do their influences (Badfinger, Peter Gabriel, etc.) proud, with a deluxe edition including the performance on two DVDs. One listen to the songs here and you’ll be asking yourself “whatever happened to graceful music like this?” Compare Crowded House to anything on the radio today – be it hip hop, indie, bubblegum pop, or regular rock – and it’s obvious how they just don’t make ’em like this anymore. Songs such as “Mean to Me” and “World Where You Live” were at once catchy, limber, intelligent, and easily digestible. They pulled no punches and needed no gimmicks, emitting a sense of natural talent the likes of which the present day has very little. When the band end things with the megahit “Don’t Dream it’s Over” – and the crowd sings the last chorus on their own – I dare you to not be thoroughly moved.

This just in! Seems like Crowded House have joined the reunion club. 2007 promises a world tour and another new record – their first in 12 years – which means there’s hope for human ears yet. You’ve been missed, boys, welcome back.
(www.capitolrecords.com)