Woodface

This is not it.

Great.

When I saw my next album was from Crowded House, I immediately thought, "Well, here come the synths and drum machines." Only, that’s not what came. What came instead was a really good pop album that wasn’t meant to be a Crowded House album. In fact, even during the heart of the 80s, Crowded House wasn’t a synth-heavy new wave band, I just painted with a broad stroke. During a break from Crowded House, Neil Finn, the band leader, began writing songs with his brother Tim Finn. The songs were to be used for an album from the Finn Brothers.However, when Crowded House got together to write a new album, their record label didn’t like what they came up with. Neil asked Tim if Crowded House could use the Finn Brothers’ songs. Tim said yes, but only if he joined the band. Or, something like that, it seems memories are a bit fuzzy on how Tim got in the band. It seems reasonable to want to be a part of a touring act that was pretty big at the time. So, Crowded House used the Finn Brothers’ songs and made a good album, which most of the world loved, but not so much the U.S. The album came out in 1991, and the U.S. was into hair metal and rap, and this album is neither of these genres. Also, Wood Face is not a very appealing title. Woodface isn’t an '80s-sounding album. It could've been put out today and be a great album. The songs are just good pop songs with hooks that will have you singing along. But the best thing about the songs is the harmonies of the Finn brothers. If you squint your ears really hard, you almost hear Lennon and McCartney on a few of the songs. The album went to #1 in Australia, #2 in New Zealand, #6 in the United Kingdom, but it only went to #82 in the U.S. It was a top 20 album in most other European countries. But, as we all know, you can’t be huge if you aren’t huge in the U.S. So Crowded House continued on as a huge band in Europe, but they were looked at as a one-hit wonder in the U.S. Wood Face is a fine album and has some great songs, but it didn’t blow me away. I doubt I’ll be listening to it again. But, if you like good, solid pop music with real instruments, this is an album you’ll dig.

It's fine. I don't know. Just very middle of the road pop-rock, with a couple of very nice moments. It's pleasant to listen to so I can't fault it for that. But it doesn't move any of my needles, unfortunately. THREE STARS

заебись, мне понравилось

Totally OK 80's/90's poppy rock.. Will never listen to this album again.

Already from 1991? I'm getting old. Still nice music.

Another album that I shouldn't have judged by the album art. I thought it was going to be terrible, but it turned out to be pretty fun. Good soft rock, nice music, and a soothing voice. No real highlights, but no duds either. A solid album all the way through. Best song: Chocolate Cake

Every time I get an album my parents used to have in the car, I feel like it takes away from the critically acclaimed vibe lmao. But still an enjoyable listen

это интересно, надо потом ещё послушать. как минимум впечатляет разнообразие

Favourite Track: Weather with you

Love this record. The Finn Brothers together never disappoint. Incredible songs and impeccable production.

This was ... fine? I have no idea why this album cover is sticking out to me so much - must have been a weird part of my childhood.

day 20: pretty decent jangly aussie pop rock. fits the era and sounds nice. not something i’d seek to listen to again and again but a good album from an average era of music. maybe a little bloated of samey-sounding songs but not many criticisms. really like this album cover tho, reminds me of talk talk.

Ringing endorsement here: I do not hate Woodface. It is mostly pablum. The lead track and single "Chocolate Cake" references Tammy Bakker, a televangelist popular in the 1980s along with her then-husband Jim Bakker before he was convicted of felony fraud. I have a theory that Wikipedia would label original research, but here goes. With the rise of cable television in the 1980s, there were still less than 100 channels. So anyone who could get themselves on those channels had a good chance of being popular. Televangelists had more reach and popularity in the 1980s due to the fact that they had their own cable channels--like the Bakker's PTL (Praise The Lord) Network. Then, of course, you also had the music video evangelism of MTV. So, whether you were Tammy Bakker or Crowded House, if you got yourself on cable TV back in the day, you had a good chance of finding an audience.

not to be hyperbolic, but this album brought a deep - perhaps immeasurable - sadness to my day because i was expecting the fine folks who did don't dream it's over to be like, good, or something. i wanted to be swept off my feet like i was listening to don't dream it's over for the first time again. i suppose, unfortunately, it just wasn't meant to be .... 🥺 main word i feel with this album is "inoffensive," like, inoffensively decent, inoffensively bland. it was only at track 8 with there goes god that i felt SOMETHING. liked the orchestral touch on all i ask too, but besides those two tracks this was a big letdown !! highlights - there goes god, all i ask

One of my favorite genres of song is always, like, Scathing Critique Of American Excess, written by: Guy From A Different First-World Country. Never fails to make me laugh. Anyway I’d never heard of these guys but I like their style okay

My 3-month old really likes the song don’t dream it’s over. This is my first album experience with them. Decent.

Yes, okay, Weather With You is an absolute classic But I'm not hearing anything else on this collection that comes close, except maybe the Beatles-style Four Seasons song, making it a bit of a forgetable album

Some of it’s like yacht rock, but without as much soul. If this is one of the greatest Australian albums, maybe I don’t want to go there anymore. This is what the word mediocre was invented for.

I actually liked it more than I thought I would. I'm not a fan of the singles I knew before this, but this album seemed pretty decent.

It's ... nice. Unsure why this album is on this list. It's got a relaxed, instantly recognizable Aussie/Euro vibe distinct from US/UK pop music (and not knowing the band, I wasn't surprised at all to find they are Australian). Weather With You is lovely, and a genuinely great single, but the rest of the album is pretty forgettable. I see Australians find it to be in their top 5 of domestically produced albums so maybe that's why it finds itself in this list. Personally, if we need some Aussie representation, let's get Amyl And the Sniffers' debut on this list instead haha

Undistinguishable 90s alt rock.

I didn’t mind this album but it wasn’t something that resonated with me. I was never a follower of this group and only heard a hit or two (did they have more than that?). I wasnt interested in most of the tracks, though they were well produced and musically solid.

I never really got Eddie Vedder's fascination with Neil Finn and his bands. There's nothing really wrong with them, they just didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the music Vedder championed. Must have had good childhood memories of Split Enz or something. We all have bands like that... Anyway, this sounds about how I would expect a Crowded House album recorded in 1991 to sound. And it is absolutely NOT an album that anyone NEEDS to listen to. I liked "Four Seasons in One Day."

Did not need to hear this before I died.

felt the wood on my face

On first listen, it feels kind of bland for a ’90s album - like a toned-down Better Than Ezra or Toad the Wet Sprocket. You can hear the DNA of the bands they went on to influence, but this one plays things pretty safe. Still, the melodies and harmonies are perfectly aligned, and there’s an undeniable charm in how tightly it’s constructed. A well-crafted album that values balance and subtlety over flash.

Decent but kinda boring. 2.75/5

Good songwriting and good performance/production. Not sure what qualifies it as "must-hear".

smart, catchy, hook-filled McCartney-esque pop

This was a very nice 3.5, I enjoyed it although not much of it really stuck with me after one listen. The singles slap. Would probs need to listen again to have stronger feelings about this.

Favorite: Whispers and Moans

Enjoyed this much much more than I expected to. It really sounds like they listened a lot to the Beatles like we all did but really understood them on a deep level and learned to write from them in a way that many try and few manage. Simon and garfunkel creep into that sound too I guess. I kept wondering if it felt corny or twee or too on the nose but the quality carried it through at every step.

perfect plezierig pop plaatje

This was a very nice simple pop album. The big hitting singles are great pop songs, I can't resist Weather With You. 4/5

7.3

Great song writing, interesting lyrics and brilliantly performed. A great album!

Meh.

Not bad. Enjoyed their overall vibe.

Some good songs, one or two really good, and a lot of filler. This would have been better if it was a shorter album.

What are they talking about??

Nostalgic

Fine

Weird last song but overall easy to listen to and enjoyable & catchy

Omg. Really love “Fall at your feet”. This Album has amazing singles overall. 4,5

🎶 everywhere you go, always take the weather 🎶

cool but that's all

= The Beatles Perfectly fine

Terminally 80s 90s. Not a lot of standouts but nice listening.

Don't think I've heard of this band before but liked them. Songs: Fall At Your Feet, Weather With You, Four Seasons In One Day

This isn’t as bad as I was expecting. It starts off as a talking heads clone but turns into its own thing.

Meh. Pretty boring. Nothing grabbed my attention.

Not bad - pretty good melodies.

This made me depressed. It doesn't have their pop perfection masterpiece Don't Dream It's Over. It sounds entirely forgettable in a way that made me very sad. So much time and money put into something no one will ever care about.

It's nice to get an album from down under (and even better that they hail from both Australia and New Zealand), but aside from their geographical origins I'm not sure there's much distinctive to this album. I'm pretty sure I've heard a few of their singles, possibly even from this album, but their version of pop-rock isn't really to my taste. "Chocolate Cake" and "Tall trees" were the only tracks that grabbed me a bit, although they were completely offset by songs (and videos) like the sappy "Weather with you" or "All I ask".

Enjoyed this quirky band, though none of the songs lingered with me, though the one about Italian plastic hit hard--I once paid more than you would think for an Italian plastic lamp.

Man idk about this one. On one hand, its overly sachrine and sappy and none of the songs hook you. There is almost a nostalgic warm feeling and theyre so close to capturing something special but they never quite get there. The songs are flat the production is overly clean and ther lyricism is pretty poo. Whatever idk 1.5/5

It was just, meh, for me. Good musicianship

Meh. A middling album that is neither unpleasant or pleasant. It clearly doesn't really belong on this list. WOODFACE was not influential and does not exhibit some particularly accomplished bit of songwriting, musicianship, production, or genre creation that makes it a must listen for anyone. Increasingly I am perplexed by Dimery's choices. A ton of them seem to be for reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of the album and instead for non-musical reasons. Consider that Robert Dimery doesn't include SEAL's debut album, (also from 1991 by the way), nor do he include Sting's TEN SUMMONER'S TALES from 1993, but he includes this instead?

Between 1 and 2 and feeling mean.

I listened to about 90 seconds of each song and left really unimpressed. Nothing stands out as unique - mayyyybe the occasional vocal harmony keeps this stomach-able That said, none of these songs are terrible. I reserved 1 star ratings for truly horrible albums.

They were OK - some catchy songs, but nothing special. Maybe a 2.5? I will round up.

Enjoyed these guys. They cooked on this one. 3.5

This is okay rock pop but I don't think it was essential I hear this before I die.

not bad

Crowded House might be Australian, but they really give off Beatles vibes, like what the Fab Four could have sounded like if they were still around in the late 80s or early 90s. The melodies are catchy, the harmonies are smooth, and the whole thing has this easy, feel-good flow. “Weather With You” and “Fall at Your Feet” are the big standouts, both packed with hooks that stick in your head without getting annoying. The Finn brothers have great chemistry, and you can hear it in how natural the songs feel. All in all, Woodface is just a really solid album. Nothing too flashy, just smart songwriting and great execution. It’s the kind of record you can throw on anytime and enjoy from start to finish. Favorite song: Italian Plastic

Pretty boring to my ears.

Nobody ever needs to hear Weather With You or Four Seasons again. CH appeared in the (UK) charts when so much more interesting stuff was going on - principally rave, that they appeared old-fashioned at the time. Sturdy, well-built but lacking anything to set the pulse racing. Perfectly listenable album, but feels a bit comfy slippers. 2.5 really but their ubiquity on radio is a round down for me.

I really liked "Italian Plastic," but other than that, this felt very average. It was listenable and not a drag to get through, for sure, but it also didn't stand out or provide much memorable material. A lot of this album, especially the first track, sounded like an imitation of "Smooth" by Carlos Santana feat. Rob Thomas. Just less memorable lyrically. I also got some Spin Doctors and Third Eye Blind vibes. Not bad, catchy enough, just not memorable lyrically, which I think is this album's downfall. Wish I could give this a 2.5 because I didn't like it enough to give a 3, but it wasn't as grating and didn't drag on as much as a lot of the other 2s. In the interest of keeping 3 stars at "I liked this project a decent amount," I'll give it a 2.

Pedestrian

Solid Album 1. Four Seasons in One Day 2. Chocolate Cake 3. Tall Trees

A familiar sound but not one I would probably listen to again.

I've seen Crowded House in magazines forever but had never listened to any of their music. This was pretty good, lots of love songs, but not produced in any ground breaking way.

there's some weird progressive potential buried in that whole mess. but basically it's a happy version of Slint on valium and speed at the same time.

A pleasant suprise

I liked this very much. Clever lyrics, sweet voices, fun tunes. Ummm, I was finishing my dissertation so I missed them. More please!

Some standout tunes. Mostly fine.

Terrible band. Weather with you is one of the worst songs ever recorded.

A band that was continuing in the legacy of the Beatles without straight up ripping them off.

Pretty good

Always Take The Weather With You had to be the second most annoying lyric just behind Are We Human or Are We Dancer?

1991? I'd have guessed later like 96/97 probably based on Don't Dream It's Over which looks as though it was a re-release of an 80s song? Had a debate for some reason with someone on way back from soccer who said they were Aussie, I said NZ. Turns out we were both right, and wrong The result? Palatable Antipodean jangle-pop.

Some of the hits are great. Wonderful melodies, and I’d forgotten how good the Beatlesesque harmonies on “it’s only natural” were. There is also a fair bit of middle of the road pleasantry on here too though which it was a challenge not to skip over. Glad I rediscovered some of the hits. Not one I’ll be digging into from start to finish again.

Beautiful album. Fantastic songwriting, great production, harmonies and hits.

Not a bad album to listen to in the morning

YAY

After Sade yesterday it’s back to back blandness. The only song that I had any sort of feeling towards was Weather With You which I truly hate. The shop I used to work in had an in store radio which played it twice a day so I’ve heard it enough for a lifetime. Apart from that there was nothing terrible, nothing special, instantly forgettable.

That is nice album. Two songs i've added to a personal playlist (Chocolate cake and Fall at your feet). But at whole record sounds to me plain and not much interesting.

Very 90s soft rock. I wouldn’t be able to tell them apart from other bands. I did enjoy a couple songs. Favorite songs: Fall At Your Feet, As Sure As I Am

Some nice melodies spread throughout the album, most notably "Four Seasons in A Day", but all in all, it didn't excite me much

meh

i felt so relieved after hearing an original version of the song i’ve only heard the shitty cover of at my work radio

good

I knew a few of these songs going in, but enjoyed this more than I thought. Some pleasant pop numbers, little flashes of Beatles and Fleetwood Mac vocal Melodies. Good stuff.

Really loved this album! Great lyrics, really beautiful vocals and instruments played nice too!

It’s the harmonies. Crowded House formed from the Ashes of Split Enz when Tim left the band he had formed with Phil Judd to go solo. Neil who had joined Split Enz later started Crowded House. Tim and Neil singing together is what makes this record of melodic acoustic pop exceptionally well recorded and produced resonate with the listener. The Songwriting is solid and it sounds like a band having fun. Many records lose their energy by the midpoint - not so here. Whispers and Moans, Four Seasons in One Day, and There Goes God are a savory middle point following the singles It’s Only Natural and Fall at your Feet. Not a duff track on the record. As I listen to the record now, what is striking is the guitar tones on this record. Clean with a warm glow the guitar highlights the vocal harmonies with the rhythm section always in the pocket. The only outlier on the record is the crooner throwback All I Ask. Still enjoyable, it changes the sound to a more orchestral/chamber pop vibe. I might have finished the album with this song as it might be a better placement especially if it came after the wonderful How Will You Go/I’m Still Here. Anyway, that’s just nitpicking. Terrific pop record. Better for Sunday morning than Saturday night.

Was fun listening to this, I remember all the hits from the radio from back in the day. That said, the non-single tracks aren't really that interesting to me. They fall kind of flat without the nostalgia attached to them. They do have their own sound. Between INXS, Split Enz and the Dundee scene, this continent really brings it's own flavour of pop music to the table.

I got a little excited when I saw Crowded House as I thought I remember quite a few songs from the early MTV days. Then I heard nothing what I thought I remembered. Maybe it was Split Enz? Or maybe this album just had nothing worthy of MTV? Hell, I don't know. I just know this album wasn't very good and generated zero excitement. Pretty generic with minimal effort and energy. Good god, I'm wondering if I really did like this back in the day. Even for background music, was just OK. 2

2 The name Crowded House sounded really familiar to me, but I couldn’t seem to place a song by them - and after listening to this album, I can see why. Holy cow, is this music plain. Like, I don’t think I could come up with safer-sounding radio rock music if I tried. It’s certainly far from the most offensive sounding thing I’ve heard on this list, but man, was I bored. And wtf are some of these lyrics? “I saw Elvis Presley walk out of a Seven Eleven And a woman gave birth to a baby and then bowled 257 The excess of fat on your American bones Will cushion the impact as you sink like a stone” Part of me wants to give points for creativity, but at the same time, it’s also just kind of nonsense. I’m not really sure what they were trying to say on any given song here, if anything at all. Not that I was really expecting an album entitled Woodface to impart any kind of profound or lasting message, but I just don’t think there’s much substance in either the music or lyrics. Honestly, my favorite moment was the hidden track, I’m Still Here - it’s like the one time these guys actually woke up and put some energy into their music, and it’s the very last minute of the album. From a technical perspective, I think the album is fine, but from a musical one, I just don’t find it interesting - can’t imagine your house is going to be too crowded if you put this on. Or, judging by the hundreds of millions of Spotify plays, maybe it will, what do I know?

Meh

I didn't know that weather song is by them, so I guess they're a two hit wonder. Anyways, this was a decent record.

I don't love this album honestly just sounds like some pretty boring and uninspired pop rock. Weather with You is pretty good tho. 5/10 Favourite: Weather With You Least Favourite: All I Ask

Interesting record by Interesting band

Easy listening, typical (boring) 90s pop rock. But not offensive, so low 3.

Nothing special, not unenjoyable. Great background noise.

Pretty good album.

"You know more Crowded House songs that you think," I thought I would really like this but the lyrics are a bit nonsensical. It improves on a second listen while reading the lyrics.

First thoughts: Crowded House = "Weather With You"! "It's Only Natural" is o.k. too. But the rest of this album is way too lame and unremarkable for my taste. 2,5

Ik dacht dit niet te kennen maar er staan zowaar twee tracks op die ik ken. Het is een beetje eenvoudige (hiermee bedoel ik pop-achtige) maar prima geproduceerde rock uit de vroege jaren '90. Dit is wel makkelijk inkomen zo na m'n vakantie. Ik word er niet wild van, maar dit is prima om aan te hebben staan op deze dubbel zo zware maandag. Uiteindelijk is het allemaal een beetje weinig om dit gehele album legendarisch te verklaren. De hitjes zijn leuk en de rest is enigszins oké, maar een heel album hiervan wordt op den duur toch een beetje saai. Ik geef een 3.

Crowded with good tunes. Nice and varied, a couple of bangers. Can't think of an explicit reason it should not be a 5, other than I don't feel it quite lands in the way a 5 should.

Just found it quite a dull listen

Nothing really offensive, just not really for me. At times the songs phased into one. The most dramatic thing was the scream mid-way through the last song.

Recognised a couple of songs Fave song : chocolate cake

"Weather WIth You" +++ "Four Seasons in One Day" ++ "She Goes On" +

Very creative

A mid album in my opinion, don't know how this made the list. 4/10

Nothing really stood out either way. Definitely liked it more than disliked but not something I’d go back to immediately.

Взагалі не шарив цей гурт і якось спочатку не зрозумів що альбом робить в цьому списку, але з кожною наступною піснею мені загалом подобалось більше. Дуже приємний поп-рок, цікаві мелодії, такий філ-гуд вайб. Альбом собі залишив, послухаю ще щось з їхньої дискографії.

solid!

It's pretty generic adult contemporary.

Paar bösi bangers "wather with you" und "four seasons in one day" aber au paar egal songs!

Overall, this was a cool album to come across on the generator. It’s a well balanced mix of jangle pop, power pop, and sophisti-pop, which are all elements I really enjoy. That said, I have to admit, I don’t think it quite deserves a spot on a top album list. There were definitely some catchy and melodic segments that I found really enjoyable, but at times, I didn’t particularly care for the sound of his voice. Still, it wasn’t distracting or bad enough to ruin the album, it just didn’t always click for me.

As per usual it seems, this is my first listen to this album, start to finish. Let's go!! 3.4/5

Neil and Tim together is an unbeatable combo. Fantastic album across the board. Pop-rock with gorgeous melodies and harmonizing of a calibre only matched by luminaries such as the Beatles.

Perfectly decent, forgettable music

This was better than I expected

Not bad, I enjoyed it more than the offerings of the last two days.

This one was fine, just no real standouts for me.

it is ok - I like the earlier albums better

Too sober to listen to this. 2/10

Utterly forgettable for an entry into a genre I really enjoy. 2.5/5

9/10

It’s me, I’m Mrs Hairy Legs

Very beatles like

I can imagine the author of 1001 Albums realizing he had omitted Crowded House, looking at the discography, and intentionally picking the least compelling of the four albums people actually care about, just to be contrarian.

Clever, catchy rock from the Kiwi/Ozzies.

Chocolate Cake - 2/5 It's Only Natural - 3/5 Fall at Your Feet - 3/5 Tall Trees - 4/5 Weather With You - 3/5 Whispers and Moans - 4/5 Four Seasons in One Day - 3/5 There Goes God - 3/5 Fame Is - 2/5 All I Ask - 2/5 As Sure as I Am - 2/5 Italian Plastic - 2/5 She Goes On - 2/5 How Will You Go - 4/5 Average score: 2.8/5 (rounding down) yaaaaaaawn i gotta agree with most of the other reviews, this is offensively boring. so much so that i don't even want to round this up to a 3

Почти Ничего нового и приятного я не услышал Как по мне жалкая пародия на нью ве1в от токин хэдзззз

This is a fine album. I don't meant fine as in good quality, I mean fine as in satisfactory. An "it'll do" type of album. Some tracks are a little bland and forgettable, although some are catchy and it evens out to probably about 3.5-ish. 'It's Only Natural' has a memorable chorus, 'Tall Trees' and 'Fame Is' are short and sweet pop rock tunes, 'Four Seasons In One Day' is a lovely track. 'How Will You Go' is a really nice, calm closer and shows off my favourite thing about this album which is Neil Finn on vocals. I think he has a really lovely and quite distinct voice and it's on the closing track and my favourite 'Weather With You' where it really shines. The latter is just one of those songs that for some reason I just know and has always been around. I think it's a great, slightly dreamy, psychedelic and catchy pop track. The rest is a bit unexceptional and I could take or leave on any given day or mood.

This one did not do it for me. Didn't really feel like it was pushing any boundaries on the one hand, nor did I feel like it really resonated as pop music on the other. Felt a bit like a 90s Coldplay.

Some of these sound like hits, but I've never heard of them or the songs. 3.4.

I think this was fine. I don't actually remember listening to it, and I'm not sure if that's more of a commentary on the destruction of my memory and my mental health or the blandness of the album. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5

Middle of the road. Music for parents.

Just an ok album. Nothing stood out

Soft alternative rock. Not too bad but felt like the same song 10 different times.

Overall, this was a cool album to come across on the generator. It’s a well balanced mix of jangle pop, power pop, and sophisti-pop, which are all elements I really enjoy. That said, I have to admit, I don’t think it quite deserves a spot on a top album list. There were definitely some catchy and melodic segments that I found really enjoyable, but at times, I didn’t particularly care for the sound of his voice. Still, it wasn’t distracting or bad enough to ruin the album, it just didn’t always click for me.

This is not edgy music. In fact it's completely edgeless. It's like a musical sphere. Sure, the singles are decent radio fodder, but there's nothing else on here I needed to hear before I die.

The album feels boring compared to when I listened to it back in the 1990s.

great

Fav: Weather With You Least Fav: She Goes On It’s an alright album but some of these songs are so nostalgic so I can’t hate on it

I've definitely found some interesting albums on here. This definitely goes down on one of the more dumber ones..

Crowded House — always great for a coffee shop scene in a Hollywood movie. When I first heard them, I couldn't get past the clean production and tidy vocal harmonies. Maybe a bit too much like Salinger's Holden in his prime, I'd write them off as phonies or packaged fakes — and never bother to unwrap the apparent gifts to look any deeper. While I require music that's darker and edgier, there's a kind of middlebrow magic to this record as a whole, a balance of whimsy and substance rooted in a pop tradition where rebellion and meaning hides in plain sight.

7/10 a Bit boring

Far from bad album, I can’t help but think it’s “REM-lite” when I listen to it. It sounds nice and is well performed, and tbh Crowded House is probably a band I would have liked if I was a 20 something in the late 80s. I was only a baby though and they’re not a band that’s ever drawn me in other than Don’t Dream It’s Over, which obviously slaps.

Honestly just fine. But I don't really enjoy this style of music, maybe when I'm older.

The vocals reminded me of a 90’s Prefab Sprout. Instrumentals sounded very clean. I enjoyed this while it was on, but there were so many songs on here that felt forgettable. Favorite songs were Fall At Your Feet, Weather With You, and Italian Plastic.

Are the Finn brothers close to the best song writers? Really up there with my favourite albums but just falls shy. Solid 4.5/5

Tolerable

My most pressing thought here, listening to (semi-) Australian pop rock featuring an occasional harmonica and looking at the book's inclusions again as well as reading the reviews is how I must have slipped into an alternate reality in which INXS' Kick never existed.

Found this really bland and forgettable. It's diet Lennon-McCartney pop songs. Unless I'm missing something, I'm not sure why this is innovative or deserves to be something I need to hear before I die. It's not offensively bad or anything, it's just too "safe". The production is dated, the lyrics are not clever, and the album cover is ugly.

It was OK. All of the songs sound like they could’ve been in a Farrelly brother's movie.

This album is kinda neat. Just some easy-listening soft rock. Nothing is really jumping at me to keep my attention, but I appreciate the good production and songwriting. Strings on “All I Ask” were a cool surprise

There are some songs that sound like a Beatles cover band wanted to write songs in that style, but suitable for the 90s audience. There's a strong early 90s vibe with the music. Nothing grabs me

Good enough to make the list. Not good enough to make me remember they're on it

Not hating this at all, slatki su mi oni i ima mi tu dobrih stvari. Ima ih doduše i dosta lejm, pa će zato biti neka recimo sredina. 3/5, 6/10

Their best album, just ahead of Temple of Low Men. Favorite track: "Whispers and Moans"

This album is a cross between Billy Joel and R.E.M. abomination. So bland.

A bit fun but not a standout or something I consider to be great. Another album with a lot of different styles, I was getting heavy (lol) yacht rock vibes at the start. Then it got to more classic 80s (I’m a big don’t dream it’s over fan). And some interesting 90s indie at the end

Inoffensive in the worst way

- chocolate cake: funny lyrics, groovy, ordered and nice guitar in middle - it's only natural: cheesy or weird but not bad lyrics, good solid music. Guitar is set free now and then. - fall at your feet: solid straight flow, not bad vocals. Instrumentals are tender and fits together - tall trees: good for the first time listen but can't imagine listening again. It's alright. - weather with you: snake handler guy kind music, nice lyrics, flows nicely - whisper and moans: good start, little less middle and not bad end - four seasons in one day: nice title. And lyrics. Vocals are nice. Music fits together. - there goes god: nice beginning. Very nice instrumental. Nice lyrics.

I thought this album started out fairly strong, but pretty quickly fell off into something more bland and boring. It's also a bit long, with 14 (and a half songs) running 48+ minutes. It never really got back to being as good as it began, but stayed generally uninteresting. A lot of the songs felt the same, had similar themes, or sounded alike. The only song that really stood out as different was the last "hidden" track, which lasted barely a minute. While I can appreciate consistency for an album, that made it all blend together into something not very memorable. By the time it ended, I'd forgotten a number of the songs that had just played. I'm not sure I'll remember the rest in a few days. I wouldn't say it's bad, but it's really no better than fine to me. I probably would've appreciated a few of the tracks more if I heard them on their own. As it is, I don't see myself coming back to this one. Overall: 2.5/5

Favorites: Fall at your feet, weather with you, whispers and moans Probably doesn't deserve 4, but I'm a sucker for CH

I enjoyed this one. It simple, effective, creative and young. My favourites: chocolate cake and weather with you .

Ok.

I grew up on Aussie pub rock thanks to my dad. Crowded House aren’t quite Aussie pub rock I grew up with, I was more The Angels, Australian Crawl, Cold Chisel, Hoodoo Gurus, etc but I know a little bit of them. This was great, turns out I did recognise Weather With You which is a lovely song. This album was right up my alley and I loved it!

"jangle pop". Fun, happy vibes, mixed with some strings towards the end

7/10, i like it butttt, the first half is amazing, but da second one is mid.

This album was great, full of classics I was surprised all came from the same album. Amazingly progressive and produced for something of the era and still holds up today.

The Finn brothers' songwriting here lacks the spark or magic of their previous efforts in Split Enz. Most everything here is oh-so-pleasant (not a good quality for a rock record) with the exception of "Fame Is" which manages to bust through the blandness. Mitchell Froom's hyper-crystalline production also robs the songs (even the few tougher-sounding ones) of any kind of punch. The chimey guitars on this record come across as toothless. (Dude also has no idea how to properly mix the drum parts - does the snare *really* need to be louder than the singer?)

This is a hard one to rate. It's a great album with some amazing songs, but it's not exactly timeless outside of maybe 3 songs. Neil Finn has always been an incredible writer and there's some legendary songs on this record (Fall At Your Feet, It's Only Natural, Four Seasons In One Day, to name a few). But there's some odd (if that's the right word) tracks on here too, like the opener "Chocolate Cake", which has some kinda silly lyrics set to an otherwise fantastic song and the bonus track "I'm Still Here"s drunken swagger. I think most surprisingly is this album being included on the list over their self-titled debut. I mean, how many bands hit the scene with a "Don't Dream It's Over"?

Nice energy from the start with some strong songs and fun harmonies.

Consistently good melodies with a laid-back but engaging sound.

chocolate cake - grooovy, i love the layered vocals. feels like a song you would walk down the street to if you were the tall coolgirl love interest with big hair in a movie can tell it’s early 90s bc it still has a bit more of an 80s vibe liked fall at your feet a lot just a bunch of happy, groovy songs about love prob 3/5 - no strong feelings but no criticisms really either

Mostly good album with a few quite good songs and some forgettable filler

Meh

a couple good tracks, generally not my speed per say. at least not to listen all the way through

poppiges aus den 90ern, und zu schnulzig um lange hinzuhören - please, take these songs with you ..

Rock Pop

Good, liked chocolate cake, and the entire album was very entertaining. Not the most sophisticated, but fun nonetheless.

One hit wonders

Soft early 99’s

I don’t like adult contemporary, but this was such a pleasant listen, I couldn’t help but enjoy myself on more than one track.

Generic pop rock, mate. Inoffensive at best. Leave this one to the Australians, I'll stick to Don't Dream It's Over. Please note the attempted jumpscare hidden track at the tail end of this album (4/10, 2/5 on this scale)

Not bad but nothing really stood out.

Love to see NZ music represented. Musically this is kind of a late 80s/early 90s college alternative rock vibe. Some of the vocal harmonies is kind of Beatlesesque

Brand new artist to me and I loved this! Weird and chill music, easily listened through several times and didn’t have the desire to shut it off. This is what I like about the 1001 project, finding music that you would otherwise miss.

Talking Heads for NIMBYs

Offensively mid. Depressingly insipid. I think I rated yesterday’s Tears for Fears record too low because I did not enjoy this at all. When I saw a Crowded House album without Don’t Dream It’s Over come up, I was pretty skeptical, and I was right to be.

Sigh. Why the hell is this album on this list? I don't get it. It's dog shit. At least Tommy was the first at something. It's hard for me to understand how this thing was ever culturally significant. It essentially sounds like a record executive saw the college rock radio scene making the jump to the mainstream (see R.E.M.) and thought "hmmm can we pull together a soulless, cheesy, pop rip off of that and sell it to boring people? I dunno, but we're gonna try." And that's essentially this album. It's R.E.M. but worse.... and i really don't like R.E.M., but at least I can respect them. This album is disrespectful to my ears. Sigh. I also hear shades of Big Star but filtered through 90s adult contemporary and that makes me feel very sad. The sound is soooo lame and the lyrics are just awful. Weather with you? Dumb. Four Seasons In One Day? Also dumb. Italian Plastic? Very dumb. The only song i recognized is Fall At Your Feet. I remember hearing it on the radio while channeling surfing and quickly moving on because it sounded deeply uncool, and as a teen it was important to not be caught listening to deeply uncool music. And sure, in hindsight some of the music i avoided as a teen is actually good and i was letting this idea of "coolness" get in the way of my own happiness, but in this case teenage Terrence was spot on. The only redeemable song on this whole thing is "I'm Still Here", the secret bonus track at the end of the album. It's rowdy and weird and a little punk? This one minute track has more personality than the rest of the album combined. I burst out laughing when it came on. I was imagining the U.S. government using this album to torture POWs in Guantanamo (probably people who don't deserve to be there) and then the silence of the last song hits and the poor POW thinks "thank god that album is over, i couldn't take one more second of it, I'm never going to tell these Americans anything"... but then the singer comes barreling back through the speakers with the refrain "i'm still here" like a poltergeist with unfinished business left on earth and then the POW just starts screaming "i'll tell you whatever you want, just make it stop." Sigh. I always thought that Crowded House were a one hit wonder and I fucking love that hit. Don't Dream It's Over is a beautiful song. I could listen to it every damn day. It is a hundred times better than everything on this fucking album. I wish they had just quit after their debut. Woulda saved me from wasting 48 minutes of my life this dog shit album. That is time that i'll never get back.

A pleasant surprise of an album. A fun ride!

For some reason I like Crowded House even though the style is not my favorite. I really like their debut, not sure why this one is on the list and the other is not.

Some great songs and really enjoyed it form a band I have never heard of before, but in the end this album is just too long and too similar for large parts of it to be truly great.

It's not that the songs were bad... They were just kinda boring and sounded the same

Pleasant and uncompelling.

Crowded House is always a pleasant listen. 80s vibe ✨️

some pretty great songs on here that I know. Overall a pretty good album to listen to, with a few duff tracks

Easy, chill vibes. Fav songs were chocolate cake and weather with you. Beginning of album is fun and spunky and then songs get slower and more sultry.

A bit entertaining. Didn't really enjoy it.

Great

ok

Generische Radio musik. Warum unter den 1000 besten alben? Klar gibt es hier schlechtere alben, aber dort wurde zumindest experimentiert. Abgesehen davon läuft das Album halt einfach runter ohne dass man sich danach an ein Lied erinnert. "Super zum Autofahren". Von den einzelnen Liedern eigentlich eine 3/5 aber für das Album insgesamt 2/5

heard a lot of this as singles. wasn't offensive.

Melodic perfection.

This is an absolute classic. Every track is a banger.

Non mi è dispiaciuto.

Was just ok, definite retro 90s vibe coming through

It’s fine but not essential. Seriously, why is this on this list?

Not bad but boring. Just uninterested in what was being brought to the ears.

I don’t know how I’ve heard so many of these songs, but never knew the band. Perfect 90s vibes

Really enjoyed this one. I like the variety of songs and the harmonies they put together. Subtle but pretty effective

Some songs about the weather. Some slow, slow, ballads. Hidden song at the end was pretty great. Not my favorite CH album but a nice reminder of them at that time.

not bad but not in the mood

Fine

Somehow missed Crowded House in the late-80’s outside of a few of their hits. This is probably my favorite album of theirs beginning to end.

chocolate cake- 5 its only natural- 5 fall at your feet- 5 tall trees- 5 weather with you- 5 whispers and moans- 5 four seasons in one day- 5 there goes god- 5 fame is- 5 all i ask- 5 as sure as i am- 5 italian plastic- 5 she goes on- 5 how will you go- 5 mid

Crowded House did really well in the 80's and to be honest, I thought they went the route of most 80's 1 hit wonders and disappeared into the ether with nothing left to show for it. But, apparently they released this album and I didn't think it was all that bad. Nothing to write home about, but not horrible like some of the prog rock acts on this list. 3.18/5 stars. Good tunes: "Whispers and Moans" "Chocolate Cake" "Italian Plastic"

so generic to me. just zoned out through it. sorry!! this house was too crowded!

another banger! the more i hear crowded house the more i like them, and this is no exception. fall at your feet is one of my favorite songs of theirs. definitely going to keep bumpin this. favorites: it's only natural, fall at your feet, weather with you, four seasons in one day, fame is

Wasn't a fan then. Am a fan now. Lovely!

It's goofy, sultry and emotionally dense. Great like all of crowded houses stuff.

A bit generic. Folksy pop.

Blind album, know the artist thanks to their hit. Decent listen, diverged from what I thought the band would sound like based on the hit but also a bit of the same.

Like this.

Dybe og smukke lyrikker samt velorkestreret melodier og lyd. Kom ud i en tid hvor at grunge var meget populært (tidligt 90'erne) men de lavede en well crafted pop album som var lidt beatleesque. Det belønner åbenbart en for et høre det flere gange, så det må jeg gøre i fremtiden. :)

Maybe I'm just projecting the Finn brothers' history in Split Enz onto this music, but between the varied keyboard sounds, moderately ambitious song textures and sardonic Costello-like lyrics, it's clear that these guys have their roots in idiosyncratic, colourful pop music. On here, however, the songs have been neutered and seemingly designed for mass appeal enough to lose almost all semblance to creativity, real passion and even personality, instead reaching only mass tolerance.

Great songwriting, performance. Nice production. Medium/high corniness factor; very 90s.

I’d listen to this again

Thoughts before listening: I know Crowded House gets a lot of praise, but I only know their hits. Said hits were mostly from the 80s I believe, so it is surprising to see one of their 90s albums on this list. Even the cover is not ringing a bell for me. I've seen this a few other times on this list where later albums from 80s hitmakers are included, which feels like editor bias toward their personal favorites as opposed to truly picking the 1,001 best recordings of all time. Review: This is pretty dull if I am being honest. Its fine from a pop rock perspective, but there is not much really drawing me in. After reading the write ups on the album I do see where it gets very high praise outside of this project. Apparently considered a top 5 Australian album of all time..at least in one book. Interestingly enough my favorite songs aren't the hits or the ones highlighted on AllMusic...I like "Tall Trees" and "Fame Is" the best. Anyway, I will give this 3-stars, but I am teetering on 2. I will say however that this album started to open up a little for me the more I listened. What was at first just background music started to draw me in a bit more. There are definitely some nice melodies on this album, even in the slower tracks that did not immediately grab my attention. Still though, 3-stars.

Heard the weather song before and wasn’t a fan. This was the full experience of that initial reaction

saw on spotify this band was similar to the police AND fleetwood mac?!? i really liked their sound and didn’t know them beyond the scope of “don’t dream it’s over” and now i’m def a fan. fav was probs four seasons in one day BUT some of them did blend together. not in an unpleasant way though

For some reason, I thought Crowded House was a rap group. I was wrong. I even know three songs off this album. It’s the kind of radio friendly soft rock that I hear every day. Nothing bad about it at all, but also tends to find a Aug corner in the background, rather than getting the listener fully invested. This album is fine.

Very pleasant. Good melodies and vocals 7/10

Replacement level rock. Fine but boring. Probably could be three stars based on listenability but I found the slower ballads to be a real slog so I’m knocking it down to two.

Das dritte Studioalbum der australisch-neuseeländischen Band Crowded House wurde zwischen 1989 und 1991 in mehreren Studios aufgenommen, darunter A&M Studios in Los Angeles, Ocean Way in Hollywood sowie Periscope und Platinum Studios in Melbourne. Produziert wurde es von Mitchell Froom und Neil Finn. Mit dem Einstieg von Tim Finn, dem Bruder des Frontmanns Neil Finn, erhielt die Band eine neue kreative Dynamik. Viele Songs des Albums entstanden aus der Zusammenarbeit der Brüder, was sich in der harmonischen Struktur und den Melodien widerspiegelt. Musikalisch bewegt sich Woodface im Bereich des Pop-Rock mit Einflüssen aus dem Alternative Rock und psychedelischem Pop. Die Arrangements sind klar strukturiert, die Instrumentierung bleibt zurückhaltend und unterstützt den Gesang. Zu den bekanntesten Titeln des Albums zählen "Weather with You", "Fall at Your Feet", "It's Only Natural", "Four Seasons in One Day" und "Chocolate Cake". Diese Stücke zeichnen sich durch eingängige Melodien und durchdachte Texte aus. Insgesamt präsentiert sich Woodface als ein solides Album mit gut durchdachten Kompositionen und einer klaren musikalischen Linie. Die Zusammenarbeit der Finn-Brüder verleiht dem Werk eine besondere Note, die sich in den Songs bemerkbar macht.

How I reacted when I heard the lyric "There goes god... in his sexy pants and his sausage dog" perfectly encapsulates my reaction to this album. "Huh?"

There’s one Crowded House album on this list. Instead of the one with the only Crowded House song anyone can name, why the fuck would that one album be this cheesy, generic garbage?! Terrible album that just drags.

Listens: 3 Standout tracks: Four Seasons In One Day, There Goes God, Chocolate Cake Nothing particularly remarkable about this album. I like the album cover. Halloween pumpkin vibes (even though it's a Woodman... Whatever the relevance of that is...) I don't like or dislike it after a full listen. Maybe subsequent listens will evoke something.

Some decent songs

This had me wondering about the origin of the band's name. What I settled on, was that this is good music to play when it's time to empty a crowded house. I was not engaged, nor impressed. This was dull.

2.5

Very 90s sound. Not really my thing. Easy listening but it felt so...dated. Like a worse version of REM. Lyrics were forced and weak. Music was mediocre. Not offensive, just very very forgettable.

i love finding new old music!

Pretty cool

This is a pretty unremarkable album. At times I thought it sounded vaguely Squeeze-like, at others I thought it sounded a bit like late period AOR Fleetwood Mac (maybe unsurprising since Neil Finn joined Fleetwood Mac for a time). Basically I have no pressing wish to hear this album again.

An extension of the bland soulless folksy pop rock from the 80s. The first song was pretty solid and I thought I was going to go on a fun adventure of something completely new, but then ensuing tracks were rather annoying, whiny, drab, and just a bit of nothing. This has no signs that the same band who made an iconic 80s song (Don’t Dream It’s Over), a song that is almost in any scene/flashback to the 80s on TV and movies. Definitely not an album that anyone has to hear before they die. 2.2/10 #60/1001

I like them.

Better than I expected

I'm behind on albums, I just know this was a 4.

definrely need a relisten, only one listen. yesterday was chaotic. But i really liked this

Pop meio psicodélico da Nova Zelândia. Passou meio batido por mim. Nada chamou muita atenção.

Now this is great dad-rock

OK, some absolutely amazing songs but some dross too

Easy to listen to and kinda catchy, but I think some of the songs would be better if they played with more passion/energy. Four Seasons In One Day was probably my favorite, maybe because it's a slower song that doesn't rely on a high energy performance.

Better than I expected

Always forget how awesome crowded house are!

I honestly don't remember much of this album. I know I listened to it, but it was apparently utterly forgettable. I guess that means it wasn't bad enough or good enough to leave an impact. 3/5?

Mostly inoffensive soft rock so far... weather with you stands out for a reason it's good i like it. Four seasons in one day... feel like they could have gone bigger on the production and it might have been something special.. as is it feels like a lacklustre beatles track. Maybe that applies to a lot of this album actually. There's the odd standout I dont dislike it - there goes god is fun and fame is has a fountains of wayne vibe? -but idk as an album I'm not that interested. Not sure what it's trying to do. Why did they go nuts at the end where was that energy for the last 48 minutes

This album was pretty solid - their hits were good. Back half of the album got snoozy.

ok

sadly so many of these songs fell flat for me. only enjoyed four seasons in one day and as sure as i am.

The good thing about the house being crowded is that it should make an easy target for a surgical strike. Sadly this never happened and we have albums like this as a result

Woodface is the third studio album from Australian band Crowed House, and is considered their best work. It is listed near the top of several "best Australian albums of all time" lists. The band makes alt-rock that could be a thread of brit pop - melodic, guitar based rock with interesting harmonies. Woodface includes "Weather With You," one of the band's most successful singles, and a great example of the band's work - a catchy pop song, expressed in a few voices in practiced harmony, with interesting rhythms.

Brilliant.

Really strong melodies on this one, that sits somewhere between soft rock and orchestral psychedelia. There’s not much beyond that that’s all too attention grabbing, but it’s a very pleasant listen overall. The lyricism is a bit all over the place, often oscillating between silly and sincere, but this just adds to the charm. Listened to: walking through manhattan. Favorite tracks: Four Seasons in One Day, Fame Is, Chocolate Cake

Woodface is the sound of effortless songwriting meeting just the right amount of quirk. Neil and Tim Finn’s harmonies are rich and playful, and the album dances between melancholy and brightness without missing a beat. Tracks like Weather With You and Four Seasons in One Day have a timeless, gentle charm, while songs like Chocolate Cake add a wink of weirdness and humour to keep things interesting. I mean what a way to start an album with those lyrics... It’s a melodic, well-crafted album that feels lived-in and warm, with lyrics that are both clever and quietly emotional. Maybe a couple of tracks don’t quite reach the same heights, but overall Woodface is a reminder that pop music can be smart, subtle, and full of heart.

Eyerollingly bland.

Not a fan of this. It's too soft and corny. They talk about weather a lot.

Increíble

Poprock med 90’er lyden, gode hooks, lidt kor, halvering guitar, ok nemt

A beautiful album. I've never really gotten into Crowded House, which is probable equal parts slightly-before-my-time and Australian tall poppy syndrome, but virtually every Aussie and Kiwi knows "It's Only Natural", "Fall at Your Feet" and "Weather With You". Fortunately the rest of the album holds up extremely well. Just great songwriting and an effortless vibe.

I really gotta hear this before I die?

Fairly generic stuff. Didn’t actively hate it but I was never excited to be listening. 2.5/5

Loved and listened repeatedly when it was new in 1991. Today’s listen brought back memories of those days. Timeless. Beautiful harmonies and lyrics. Love and listen repeatedly in 2025.

I’m not sure I have heard an album where I didn’t feel anything listening to it. I’m not talking about a numbness that takes me on an out of body experience. I’m talking about nothing. I hear the songs start and finish. I hear the different sounding songs. I hear the lyrics and each individual instrument. I feel nothing. This is probably one of the worst albums that probably shouldn’t have been a worst album that I have ever heard. It’s not Grimes or FKA Twigs terrible but it’s not good. I shake my head at whoever thought this album should be included in this list. I’m off to listen to Blind Melon so my ears can get ear boners

Very nostalgic for me as my mum has all their cds and used to play them in the car a lot. While it isn’t their best album I’m glad they have one on the list. Great songwriting, does maybe run out of steam a bit at the end though.

I’ve never heard of them. Kinda enjoyed though

This album is OK. The one song I got into is "Four Seasons In One Day" - it sounds like the Beatles.

Aggressively pedestrian.

Weird how tinny elements of 80s production mixes with an almost 90s alt earnestness in this not very good album.

Dad- 9 Mom- 6.5 Mike- 3.5 Lori- 3.5 Michael- 5 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 5.5

New to me and I really like this album!

I liked Weather With You, but the rest of the album had too much filler; no need to be 48 minutes long.

Used to have this CD in my car - a random charity shop purchase that turned out to be not too bad.

I had only really heard of ‘Weather with You’ before. I wasn't sure if the other songs would be on the same level. I'm relieved that they were just as good. Particularly liked ‘ chocolate cake’ and ‘four seasons in one day’. The length of it was just about right, and I also think the album cover is pretty cool. All in all, a very solid effort.

Generous but I liked it

an auditory kaleidoscope. a fun album.

Why is this on here?

When this album came up, I didn't recognize the band at all. - Fall At Your Feet is a favourite song of mine, but I know it as a cover...not realizing that it was a cover! So this song will definitely be getting added to my play lists. - I like the vibe of this band, and will likely listen to them again and check out more of their albums.

I thought this was going to be a 4, but I'm opting for a 3. The second half of the album is a bit to boring for me. That being said, I do like the band and the sound, just probably not for a whole album's worth of material.