Woodface

Who knew that all I needed this afternoon was some gentle rock? This album is a perfect example of how generational context can be so powerful. If I had grown up at a different time, I think this music would be bland and lame. But I came of age in the 90s so this music soothes me. Plus, “Fall at Your Feet” is a banger.

A band that couldn’t write a bad song if they tried. They were an 80s band who played 90s music. So many hits just flowed out of them, and there was no sameness to the tracks, each one had its own weight. Woodface is not my favorite (that would be the debut) nor does it hold their best song (on Temple), but it’s a beautiful, mature album that shows off their growth. Look, I just like to hear Neil Finn sing lovely songs. Sue me.

p658. 1991. 5 stars. The spiritual heirs of The Beatles. Packed with great songs, oblique lyrics and harmonies. Not a weak track on this (although the strings on "All I Ask" are a mis-step).

'You know more crowded house songs than your think' I thought mid, but pleasant. In actual fact it's a pop powerhouse at times, with lots of mid filler.

#268/1001 🇳🇿🇦🇺 Its hard to be objective about this record. It was everywhere when i was 14/15 so i've heard it many times, without ever owning it. There are some really strong singles, but the rest of the album feels quite flat in comparison. Best Tracks: Fall at Your Feet, Four Seasons in One Day, Its Only Natural.

This is a nondescript band from New Zealand. Hoped that that fact would that a it was Kiwi would have made it interesting... alas, it sounds like just another bargain-bin cast off. Disappointing.

Gorgeous harmonies. Lost a bit of steam in the back half. 3.5

idk man

not for me. something feels empty here. the first record here that made me viscerally feel like no matter the reasons it may be historically or culturally important, this collection of songs does not belong on this list. the "I'm still here" coda felt like a cruel joke.

nice enough

Enjoyable glossy pop rock that didn't completely rock my world, but wouldn't leave wanting me to switch stations of any track came on the radio. They wear their influences on their sleeves. On "It's Only Natural" and "Italian Plastic", their love for he Beatles shine through. You can also hear Elvis Costello and the Police in their sound. The ballads are the weakest part of the record. While they have a knack of writing catchy radio-rock tunes, their softer side comes off as wimpy and corny. While I can see why a band like this hasn't been culturally relevant in a long time, it comes as no surprise how they became popular in the first place after spending my morning with this album.

Jeg ville nok ikke kalde det rock, men de har styr på melodierne. Ret mange fine numre imellem, der kunne godt være endt flere på Loners.

Singles have been played to death so it’s actually lovely to hear them in the context of the album. It’s a very good album, almost a great one at times. 3.5 for me

It was added just because it’s from New Zealand? Then I would just made another shit in Antarctica to be added to this list. I’m saying this isn’t because I really hate the album, but because of that stupid reason.

Another don’t judge an album by its cover, really liked the vibe of most of these

Another one where I came in with low expectations and came out finding something rather pleasing. Would I come back to this any time soon? Probably not, but it's obviously of high quality and will feel cozy for someone who enjoys Toad The Wet Sprocket, Jars of Clay, and Squeeze.

It's the least Australian Australian album I've ever heard. It's pleasant enough, sort of a goes-down-easy pop sound. The sort of thing I don't mind having listened to, but I'm not sure I'll seek it out again. Not great, not terrible.

I liked some of the singles back in the day but this album actually offended me. I rarely turn off these albums, so maybe it turned a corner, but I hated this milquetoast "rock".

Ровный поп-рок.

This sounds like every 90s coffee shop

Surprised I never have heard of this band because they sound like one of the most quintessential 90s alternative bands that I’ve ever heard.

My favorite band - and my favorite album - with my favorite song.

I guess you had to be there, huh? I’m still not quite sure what to make of this. What alternately amuses and frustrates me, though, is the odd sequencing of this record, especially its second half: a classic power-pop-meets-early-new-wave era incarnation (Fame Is), followed by a string-backed pseudo-crooner ballad (All I Ask), which gives way to psychedelically tinged Beatles worship (Italian Plastic), before transitioning into a warped Australian take on country/Americana (She Goes On), only to culminate in a swirly, Zappa-esque rumination (I’m Still Here). It’s that wild. You wouldn’t guess it from the cover art. You’ve got to give it to them, though: Crowded House have some genuinely clever songwriting tricks up their sleeves. It’s really the power pop moments where the music shines brightest. My main gripe would be that Crowded House never quite manage to sound like their own band. They wear their influences so openly on their sleeves that you’re sometimes left wondering whether you’re not actually listening to some lost Elvis Costello song (It’s Only Natural, Tall Trees), say. But then again, you could read that criticism also as testament to the quality of their songwriting. I’ll be coming back to this one. There’s a lot to like.

This album sucks. Lame lyrics, boring melodies.

This was very uninspiring but also very inoffensive.

Not bad

Smooth collection of soft rock/pop tracks with clever lyrics and romantic expressions.

Too much wood, too little face. House was to crowded for my liking.

It wasn’t as bad as the review had me believing it would be, it was an ok album

5/10 - harmless pop rock, very American sound even if they're from Aus/NZ, but unfortunately quite forgettable

Similar to some alt rock bands I like, there weren't any songs that blew me away but it never felt samey either

Gen X-ass music (I liked it just fine)

No thanks.

Never heard of this band but great album, could be ranked higher with more listens.

Ja nice, echt zo'n begin jaren 90 album waar mn pa altijd al nummers van opzette

Listenable and forgettable

This was a little long, but I liked it. I don’t think I’d heard pretty much anything from Crowded House besides their hits, so I was pleasantly surprised that they sound better when they aren’t playing ballads. Reminded me a lot of REM, and funnily enough, that’s what auto play chose next for me when the album ended. 3.5/5

A few fun twiddles

Boring mall music

4 out of 5. This was some fine early 90's rock.

Pleasant

Hyvää soittoa. Tykkäsin rumpalin tatsista. Weather with you-hitti oli tuttu.

I’d never heard of this before and after reading the reviews here, I was ready to hate this. In fact, I thought this was awesome. I’ll definitely be looking more into Crowded House.

Absolutely blew me away. I was not expecting this at all.

Favorite track(s): Fall at Your Feet, Whispers and Moans

IM STILL HERE

This was great!

They've really got their own little world down under. It's so precious

Based on the opening of the album, I thought it was going to just be a cheesy 90's pop rock album, but the middle and end of the album was more interesting to me. Favourite tracks: "Fall At Your Feet", "Italian Plastic", "Weather With You"

It was so blandly ok. Bits felt good and then fell back to blah. Not sure why this is included on the list. It never felt any better than just plain good and never worse than ok. Really lacking anything that makes me feel like I had to listen to it before I die.

I love love love "Don't Dream It's Over" ... but that's not on this album... and there's nothing else here that I responded to.

I like to several of the early songs, ”fall at your feet”, especially. But then it just kept going on and on it felt like.

Whilst I wish their self titled was on here; this Australian band is just so good. This gets played so much in my household, it’s just great rock.

Pleasant enough pop album, quite listenable.

Well, I don't get it ... why did I need to hear this?

not bad at all, I liked most of the songs. I was vibing a little at a few points.

Nice alt rock, but nothing outstanding. It's not quite clear why it's on the list. It was nice to hear, but I hardly think I'll be back to him.

2.4/5

A very middle of the road album to me. Some good songs that stand out and none that I wanted to skip out right. It very much has the vibe of an album that I could see playing from start to finish in the background at a friends home while we hang out and while it adds to the vibes nobody stops to listen at a certain part of a song or ask what the band is. Its just good music that's easy to listen to.

Not bad

Hmm. Joku mulle sanoo että pitäis antaa 4 tähteä, vaikka en tiedä miksi. Igan hyvä albumi ja ihan kivaa musiikkia. Ehkä ihan chilli meininki? Mutta vika biisi antaa sydänkohtauksen. Ehkä siksi pisteet tippuu vähän.

Not much to say. It was fine. Nothing bad, but nothing that stood out. Not sure why this is essential. 2.5 stars

BORING

Do not like

Amazing.

Interesting pop stuff, sort of in between Squeeze and 1990s brit pop. Not my favorite but well crafted.

This is as toothless as your great nan. I didn’t hate it but kept waiting for it to win me over which it never did sadly.

Nice uplifting change from the drivel I’ve had the past week on here.

A big no thank you.

Loved! Minus the heretical song

This was nice. I haven't heard of it or any of the songs but really nice

Bad album. Every moment felt like a chore. Goofy but not funny, misshapen but frictionless, melodramatic but emotionless. Bad singing, bad lyrics, bad songwriting, bad recording. Bad album.

Like the Beatles but more niche

GROOVY!!!

Didn’t know those hits were from the hands of these guys! Iconic, but other than that very tame music. Also the harmonic singing gets tiresome after a while.

Por el nombre del disco pensé que no me iba a gustar para nada pero ya desde el arranque sorprendió. Estuvo bien, aunque no me encantó.

I recall having this CD back when it came out. I had enjoyed their first couple of albums and got this on that basis. I have zero memory of listening to it, and probably only did once. It never stood out to me as anything special and I stopped listening to any of their (or solo) new music after that. Upon listening today I think I wasn't being fair at the time, though other than a few songs there still wasn't anything too special about the record. It was pleasant sounding, and lyrically interesting, but not much made it stand out as one to play again and again. Standout songs were Chocolate Cake, Fall At Your Feet, and Weather With You.

Meh

Quintessential okayness

Chocolate cake 🌟

4.5/5

hm ok die töned irgendwie fun chli 90er hippies au cute gad. nöd schlecht. hö ich kenn fall at your feet. wiso? megaschöne song. hä wiso kenn ich weather with you au??? he ich ha huere spass alli ask isch meeega schön au d strings sind suuuper tasty und schräg und geil ich liebs? italian plastic au eaasy geil. ich ha nüüüt über die dudes glese aber finds geilo. irgendwie huuuere guet? keis füfi aber würrkli guet.

Almost none of the songs I get truly nostalgic for, but I get that this is their "best" album.

Eh bien c'était fort sympathique ! Alors je ne suis pas trop sûr de pourquoi c'est dans la liste, mais au moins, pour une fois, je peux mettre un 3 enthousiaste, ça fait deux en deux jours, on progresse. Je ne connaissais pas du tout ce groupe, mais force est de constater que cet album réussit à être assez pop dans l'esprit tout en offrant des compositions variées, souvent assez fun et avec de la personnalité. C'est pas le cas de tous les albums de rock relevés par ce bon vieux Bob Dimery.

What in the world is this '90s rock muzak? They seem like positive guys and are clearly beloved, but at best, they're a fun, harmless ’90s pop-rock band (with awful production values and uninspired vocals), and at worst, they're one of those annoying camp counselors who actually think campfire songs are the best, speak in clichés, and say, “Woo-hoo!” at the end of every sentence. Remember those guys? Valedictorians with inspirational quotes under their high school yearbook photos and not a pimple in sight? Don’t be that guy. Post-script: Apparently the book didn't have much to say about this other than it going platinum in the UK with their vomitous "Weather with You". Editors, please stop picking albums from lesser known bands just because they've made it big with the album in question. I'm giving their debut album a listen and it's a million times more unique and listenable than this one. Maybe poll the fans next time on what album they'd like to represent their favorite band?

Woodface Crowded House 1991 Genres: Rock Styles: Pop Rock, Alternative Rock 1. Chocolate Cake (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Tema escrito por Neil y Tim Finn, cantado con la voz más rasposa de Tim. Es una sátira sobre el exceso y la superficialidad estadounidense (consumo, comida chatarra, obsesión por la apariencia), con líneas directas sobre "grasa de más en huesos americanos". Fue el single de lanzamiento y, según reseñas de la época, su tono burlón hacia el público de EE.UU. le costó recepción comercial en ese mercado. 2. It's Only Natural (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Co-escrita por los hermanos Finn. Es una canción de atracción y entrega amorosa casi inevitable, que describe el deseo como algo tan natural como que el hielo se derrita o el agua hierva. El tono es sensual y confiado, sin grandes conflictos: la relación simplemente "tenía que pasar". 3. Fall at Your Feet (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Escrita en solitario por Neil Finn. Es una balada de acompañamiento incondicional a una pareja que atraviesa un momento de dolor o silencio emocional. Neil contó que el coro surgió primero y que la letra final se completó casi en el momento, tras encajar una estrofa antigua sobre "un hombre enloquecido" con la música. El propio Finn la describe como una canción sobre estar presente para el otro pase lo que pase. 4. Tall Trees (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Co-escrita por Neil y Tim. Usa imágenes de barcos, tormentas y naufragios para hablar de vulnerabilidad y peligro inminente. Es uno de los temas menos queridos por la propia banda: Neil Finn llegó a calificarla como "un punto bajo real" del disco en una entrevista posterior. 5. Weather With You (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: El single más exitoso del álbum, co-escrito por ambos hermanos. Según Neil Finn, la escribieron entera en su primer día de trabajo juntos: Tim aportó el título y el coro. La letra retrata a alguien encerrado en su melancolía dentro de una habitación, y la frase central –que uno siempre lleva "su propio clima" a donde vaya– funciona como metáfora de que el estado de ánimo de una persona depende de sí misma, no del entorno. 6. Whispers and Moans (★★★⯨☆) -Contexto: Composición en solitario de Neil Finn. Describe una ciudad nocturna, el insomnio urbano y el refugio que ofrece el amor o la intimidad frente al ruido y la ansiedad de la vida moderna. Hacia el final desliza una crítica a los coleccionistas de arte y a las "inversiones seguras", sugiriendo que la riqueza y el estatus material acaban siendo olvidados. 7. Four Seasons in One Day (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Co-escrita por Neil y Tim. El título proviene de un dicho sobre el clima cambiante de Melbourne. Neil explicó que la usaron como metáfora de los propios estados de ánimo volátiles de los hermanos durante esa época, marcada por tensión emocional y cambios bruscos de humor, tanto individuales como en su relación. 8. There Goes God (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Co-escrita por ambos Finn. Es una parodia humorística que imagina a Dios como una especie de celebridad o rockstar carismático, vestido con estilo ("pantalones sexys" y paseando un perro salchicha), en tono irreverente y liviano, algo poco habitual en el catálogo mayormente serio de Neil Finn hasta ese momento. 9. Fame Is (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Composición en solitario de Neil Finn. Es una crítica directa al culto a la fama y a la espiritualidad new age superficial ("hippies con sueldo semanal", "doncellas del fin de los tiempos"), advirtiendo que quien vive obsesionado con ser célebre termina perdiéndose a sí mismo y que, tarde o temprano, "todas tus estrellas caerán". 10. All I Ask (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Co-escrita por los hermanos, con Tim Finn como voz principal en un arreglo orquestal de aire crooner (comparado por la crítica con Sinatra). Es una canción de vulnerabilidad y compromiso emocional hacia otra persona. Se volvió especialmente significativa en Australia porque más adelante se usó en campañas de concientización sobre el VIH/sida. 11. As Sure As I Am (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Composición en solitario de Neil Finn. Mantiene el tono introspectivo típico de Finn, hablando desde la certeza personal en medio de la incertidumbre de una relación o de la vida en general; es uno de los cortes menos difundidos pero valorado por la crítica como una de las piezas más sólidas del álbum. 12. Italian Plastic (★★★☆☆) -Contexto: Única canción del disco escrita enteramente por el baterista Paul Hester, quien también canta. Es una canción de amor optimista y sin pretensiones, donde el narrador ofrece regalos torpes o "de mal gusto" ("te traigo piedras y flores, decís que se ven patéticas") y aun así es recibido con cariño. El título alude a lo ostentoso o falso frente a lo genuino y simple del afecto real. 13. She Goes On (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Composición en solitario de Neil Finn. Es una elegía a una mujer fallecida, evocando su recuerdo a través de la naturaleza (el viento, el sol, la montaña) y la idea de que su presencia sigue viva en quienes la quisieron y en los niños. El tono es tierno y consolador, más que directamente triste. 14.1 How Will You Go (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Co-escrita por Neil y Tim. Habla de alguien atrapado en un ciclo de noches de alcohol y huida ("la fuga está otra vez en tu cabeza"), con el narrador ofreciéndole refugio y comprensión sin juzgarlo. Cierra el álbum con una pregunta abierta y compasiva sobre qué será de esa persona. 14.2 I'm Still Here (Pista oculta) (★★⯨☆☆) -Contexto: Compuesta por Paul Hester, aparece como tema escondido tras "How Will You Go" luego de silencio. En su versión de 1991 es un fragmento breve; la versión completa se publicó recién en la reedición deluxe de 2016. -TOTAL = ★★⯨☆☆ (2,85) -Me resultó bastante mediocre, no destacando en absolutamente nada, sin sonar relevante en ningún momento, pero tampoco sonando relativamente mal, solo no me convencen, ni las letras salvan los temas, así que es un 2 por una ejecución decente, pero el resto es bastante olvidable.

some GREAT melodys. love the album cover and the ideas behind some of the songs. super chill not the best for studying though! Super fun songs reminds me of some almost farm bench guitar music. Vibe delivers 100%.

Surprising and fun. I dig it. Prob a 3.5 but I’m feeling optimistic.

Pleasant but bland, uninspiring and totally meh. Cannot be considered essential listening, no matter how big it was at the time of release. 1 - doesn't belong on this list

This is almost like, they realized they were missing Aus/NZ on the list so they scrolled through a list of high rated albums and picked one to cover both. Absolutely nothing special I can recognize on this album.

Tripping the fuck out that original song Fall At Your Feet by Boy & Bear is not, in fact, an original song

Aggressively 90s

WOW! I wasn't going into this with any strong expectations, but I ended up not just liking it, but REALLY enjoying it. I can already see myself coming back to a lot of these songs. And this is coming from someone who was previously only familiar with their one really big hit. Also the album cover and title are really great as well. Kind of nebulous to the overall content, which only piques my curiosity even more. Fav Tracks: "Chocolate Cake", "Weather With You" and "As Sure As I Am".

The third album from the Australian pop band. Beautiful, innovative pop music for its time. At times, the music is reminiscent of Paul McCartney and John Lennon, as the band makes extensive use of flawless vocal harmonies. Much of the sound is soft—tailor-made for the charts. Brothers Neil and Tim Finn do a great job. "Weather with You" is arguably their best-known and most successful track; it was played constantly on the radio back then. The iconic line "Everywhere you go, always take the weather with you" serves as a metaphor for one's outlook on life. It suggests that each person holds the power over their own emotional state—whether sunny or stormy—and carries it with them. Naturally, this applies to any positive mindset. The Australians themselves were true "sunny boys." "She Goes On" is a wonderful tribute to a close friend. All in all, it’s a solid pop album—provided you like pop music. For me, it’s a bit too lightweight, even though the lyrics go beyond the superficial. But then again, I generally prefer guitar-driven music.

Not for me, but ok

Ever looked an album and gone “yep, that’s a 3”?

Is it bad that the second this started I immediately thought of Steely Dan? Like Teenage Fanclub meets Steely Dan. Kinda weird. I thought this was the "Don't Dream It's Over" band. Really creepy album cover too, I can't quite place why.

I wanted to like this cause the name of the album is close to my name, but it really sucked. It sounded like fake music that the characters in a tv show would make if they formed a band in an episode.

Nicely harmonized pop with just enough melancholy to keep it interesting. Very pleasant, very polished, and somehow made me want to buy new throw pillows.

ну неплохо, не знал таких чуваков, слушать можно