History Never Repeats: The Best of Split Enz

Performer: Split Enz
Engineer: David Tickle; Hugh Padgham
Producer: David Tickle; Eddie Rayner; Hugh Padgham; Split Enz
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Neil Finn (vocals, guitar); Tim Finn (vocals); Eddie Rayner (keyboards); Noel Crombie (drums, percussion); Malcolm Green (drums); Nigel Griggs (background vocals). Audio Remasterer: Arnie Acosta. Liner Note Author: Tim Finn. This compendium of the New Zealand band's best material includes Neil Finn's "I Got You" which went to number 12 in the UK when it came out in 1980. Neil would later go on to form Crowded House, while his brother Tim would release several solo albums and join Neil on his band's album WOODFACE in 1991. This collection is Beatles-influenced New Wave--the keyboard and all its sonic capabilities was somewhat de rigueur for many bands in the early '80s, and is heavily featured here. Besides the aforementioned "I Got You," other great tunes include "Six Months in a Leaky Boat," the simple, anger-motivated "I See Red" and the sweetly romantic "Message to My Girl." Much as with early Beatles, these songs are simple, direct, short, and uncomplicated.

Q (10/95, p.147) - 3 Stars - Good - "...when Neil Finn got drafted in to join his brother Tim in 1977...in came a far purer sense of pop..."

Split Enz were New Zealand's homegrown heroes--art-rockers who reveled in theatricality, face-paint, strange outfits, and quirky prog-pop numbers. By the late '70s,they began to focus on material that was more accessible, yet had a new-wave spikiness that retained their earlier sense of daring. The band's new direction and success may or may not be attributed to the addition of leader Tim Finn's brother Neil, but Neil was responsible for one of the band's most enduring hits, "I Got You," from their breakthrough album, 1980's TRUE COLOURS. By 1983, the band began to disintegrate, quietly ending for good in 1984 when Neil left to form '80s pop stalwarts Crowded House.

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