The Word: Now Hear This January CD/Neil Finn Interview

The Word's January issue contains loads of year-end coverage, including the "100 tracks of the year" - 5 staffers' 20 most-played tracks. In a feature called "How Was It For You", Neil Tennant, Jack White & Brendan Benson, Matt Bellamy, and others discuss how 2006 treated them.

Just over 10 years after Crowded House's Sydney Opera House concert, a Neil Finn interview helps promote the January 16th release of the Farewell To The World concert on CD and DVD. Finn has been pondering bringing the group together again (that sounds familiar).

Excerpted from the interview:

Has the subject of reforming Crowded House or doing something under the Crowded House Umbrella come up?

It always comes up, and every time people ask me my pat response is no, that's done and dusted, it's fine. But every time, you do think, well how would that be? There are probably a lot more reasons at the moment why that would be almost expected. The volume of rumour has gone up considerably with Nick in the band. To be honest I can't even answer definitively because we are making a record and I haven't been thinking about it, but it is a possibility. It's in the ether and it's more there than it has been for a variety of reasons. It would be very wise to consider very carefully.

Wouldn't it be easier for the audience if you went out as Crowded House, under which umbrella you could do a wide variety of stuff, material you've done on your own, Crowded House stuff, stuff you've done with Tim?

There would be a certain expectation that people would walk into the room with if you were under that banner. Beyond that issue, I have this year felt more like being in a band than previously. As long as bands are working reasonably well, there's company and comfort in the whole thing. Being solo is kind of lonely and a little too much me-me-me. Mind you us-us-us can be just as ego-gratifying. It's just more dull being solo....

So now you wouldn't rule it out?

It's tricky; it's easy for the rumour mill to go mad then suddenly it's surrounded by hype. To be honest it has been in my mind but I can't tell you definitively. I will promise you that if I decide to do it I will give you a call straightaway.

Among the tracks on this month's Now Hear This! compilation is "Distant Sun", from that Sydney Opera House concert.

Also included:

- Tanya Donelly's "New England", which brings to mind not Billy Bragg, but Rilo Kiley. It isn't just that she evokes the memory of "With Arms Outstretched" by using the phrase "outstretched arms" or sounds like Jenny Lewis; the song sounds like a specific Rilo song... I just haven't yet figured out which one yet. I don't think it's "With Arms Outstretched".

- A romantic alt-pop gem from Sean Lennon.

- Former Gus Gus singer Hafdis Huld contributes "Ski Jumper", the second single from her solo debut, Dirty Paper Cup. Her voice is sweeter than her intentions, and its a charming contrast (the handclaps are also a plus.) I prefer her biting, funny, first single, "Tomoko", but both are strong.

The "Tomoko" video:



The Word - Now Hear This! Track Listing:

1. Davitt Sigerson - It's A Big Country
2. Bole2 - Harlem
3. Tanya Donelly - New England (available on This Hungry Life)
4. The Maps - Don't Fear
5. Rachid Taha - Josephine
6. John Mayer - Waiting On The World To Change
7. Todd Snider - You Got Away With It (A Tale Of Two Fraternity Brothers)
8. Califone - Pink & Sour
9. Pernice Brothers - Zero Refills
10. Crowded House - Distant Sun (Live) (available on Farewell To The World, available January 16th)
11. Hafdis Huld - Ski Jumper (available on Dirty Paper Cup, already out some places, such as in the UK and in France. Available in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark on January 10th. Out in Spain on January 23rd.)
12. Sean Lennon - Wait For Me (available on Friendly Fire)
13. Tartit - Ansari
14. Shearwater - Red Sea, Black Sea - quite a good song. A demo version is available at Shearwater's website.
15. Solo Andata - Among The Olive Trees