Intriguer
Encyclopedia
Intriguer is the sixth studio album by alternative pop group Crowded House
, released on 13 June 2010. It is the band's followup to the group's 2007 reunion album Time on Earth
, and the first to feature all four current band members, including multi-instrumentalist Mark Hart
and drummer Matt Sherrod
, on all tracks. The first single for the album, "Saturday Sun
", was released to radio and the video clip released to the internet in April 2010.
in 2007, Neil Finn
announced that the band would re-enter the studio to record a followup album which would feature the current lineup, consisting of Finn on vocals, guitars and piano, fellow founding member Nick Seymour
on bass guitar, Mark Hart
on guitars and keyboards, and then-newcomer Matt Sherrod
on drums. The band performed a small concert in The Leigh Sawmill, north of Auckland, in February 2008 and featured a few songs which were later to be recorded by the band for the next album.
In 2009, the band re-entered the studio and recorded demo tracks of 11 songs, some of which Finn had written during the tour around the previous album. For these recordings, the group enlisted producer Jim Scott
for the first time, who then continued to produce the whole album in Finn's studio, Roundhead Studios
in Auckland, New Zealand.
The band hired various guest musicians throughout the recording process, including multi-instrumentalist Don McGlashan
, Lisa Germano
on violin, Jon Brion
on vocals and guitars, James Milne
on additional vocals, and Finn's wife Sharon and son, Liam Finn
contribute backing vocals and guitars, respectively.
, except where noted.
– USA/Canada issue substitutes "Don't Dream It's Over" for "Isolation"
Crowded House
Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
, released on 13 June 2010. It is the band's followup to the group's 2007 reunion album Time on Earth
Time on Earth
Time on Earth is the fifth studio album by the pop-rock band Crowded House. Tracks have been produced by both Ethan Johns and Steve Lillywhite and the album was released on 30 June 2007 in Australia, 2 July in the United Kingdom and 10 July in North America...
, and the first to feature all four current band members, including multi-instrumentalist Mark Hart
Mark Hart
Mark Hart , is a multi-instrumentalist best known for his participation as a member of Supertramp and Crowded House....
and drummer Matt Sherrod
Matt Sherrod
Matt Sherrod is an American drummer, musician, and since 2007, a member of the New Zealand band Crowded House. Sherrod first became known as a musician playing drums for rock artist Beck...
, on all tracks. The first single for the album, "Saturday Sun
Saturday Sun
"Saturday Sun" is a song by rock group Crowded House, released on their sixth studio album Intriguer. It was released to radio and its video was released to the internet for preview in April 2010.-Music video:...
", was released to radio and the video clip released to the internet in April 2010.
Background
Following the release of Crowded House's reunion album Time on EarthTime on Earth
Time on Earth is the fifth studio album by the pop-rock band Crowded House. Tracks have been produced by both Ethan Johns and Steve Lillywhite and the album was released on 30 June 2007 in Australia, 2 July in the United Kingdom and 10 July in North America...
in 2007, Neil Finn
Neil Finn
Neil Mullane Finn, OBE is a New Zealand Pop recording artist. Along with his brother Tim Finn, he was the co-frontman for Split Enz and is now frontman for Crowded House...
announced that the band would re-enter the studio to record a followup album which would feature the current lineup, consisting of Finn on vocals, guitars and piano, fellow founding member Nick Seymour
Nick Seymour
Nick Seymour is a musician, painter, and record producer. He is best known for being the bass guitarist in the Australasian rock group Crowded House and brother to Mark Seymour of another successful group; Hunters and Collectors.- Biography :Born in Benalla, Victoria, Australia, Seymour studied...
on bass guitar, Mark Hart
Mark Hart
Mark Hart , is a multi-instrumentalist best known for his participation as a member of Supertramp and Crowded House....
on guitars and keyboards, and then-newcomer Matt Sherrod
Matt Sherrod
Matt Sherrod is an American drummer, musician, and since 2007, a member of the New Zealand band Crowded House. Sherrod first became known as a musician playing drums for rock artist Beck...
on drums. The band performed a small concert in The Leigh Sawmill, north of Auckland, in February 2008 and featured a few songs which were later to be recorded by the band for the next album.
In 2009, the band re-entered the studio and recorded demo tracks of 11 songs, some of which Finn had written during the tour around the previous album. For these recordings, the group enlisted producer Jim Scott
Jim Scott (producer)
Jim Scott is an American music producer and engineer, best known for his large body of work as an engineer, and his work as a producer with American rock band Wilco. Scott has worked as engineer with a range of other rock music artists, including Dixie Chicks, Tom Petty, Sting, The Rolling Stones,...
for the first time, who then continued to produce the whole album in Finn's studio, Roundhead Studios
Roundhead Studios
Roundhead Studios is an Auckland-based sound recording studio owned by singer-songwriter Neil Finn. It was officially opened in June 2007, however by the time of its opening, several international artists had already used it whilst the studio was either in construction or receiving finishing...
in Auckland, New Zealand.
The band hired various guest musicians throughout the recording process, including multi-instrumentalist Don McGlashan
Don McGlashan
Don McGlashan is a New Zealand musician and songwriter who has been a member of bands such as The Plague, From Scratch, The Whizz Kids, Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn, The Mutton Birds and, from 2009, The Bellbirds. He composed several pieces for the Limbs Dance Company...
, Lisa Germano
Lisa Germano
Lisa Germano is an American singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has released seven albums featuring her often-hushed vocal style, confessional lyrics, and distinctive violin. Her 1994 album Geek the Girl received widespread critical acclaim, including being featured as a top album of...
on violin, Jon Brion
Jon Brion
Jon Brion is an American rock and pop multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer and record producer.-Early life:...
on vocals and guitars, James Milne
Lawrence Arabia
Lawrence Arabia is the musical guise of New Zealand artist James Milne. In 2006, Lawrence Arabia released his self titled debut album and the debut album his band The Reduction Agents, The Dance Reduction Agents...
on additional vocals, and Finn's wife Sharon and son, Liam Finn
Liam Finn
Liam Mullane Finn is a New Zealand musician and songwriter. Born in Australia, he moved to New Zealand as a child...
contribute backing vocals and guitars, respectively.
Critical reception
The album was very well received by professional critics and the public. On "Metascore" it reached 75/100, as generally favourable album and 9,3 out of 10 from listeners. Most enthusiastic was "The Times" which pointed that "it goes shoulder to shoulder with their best materials" and gave it straight 5 stars. Also very positive was "Billboard" which found that "Finn's durable songcraft never fails to enthrall." "BBC" was also very positive with statement "Crowded House have always sounded in parts like the later solo career Paul McCartney should have had. Despite the anthems being on a tight leash, repeated listens reveal this to be one of their best albums". "Entertainment weekly" gave it B+ saying that "the House head honcho proved he was still a classy, clever tunesmith, and does so again here on Intriguer." Famous "Mojo", "All music guide" and "Music OMH" gave it 4 stars with many praises such as "Intriguer will have to stand or fall on its own merits. If there is any justice in the world it will be a bestseller". "All music guide" put "Intriguer" in the annual list of best rock albums in 2010. "Intriguer" was on many lists of best albums in 2010 of various music magazines and sites including "Popdose","Popblerd", "Qromag","Blurt-online", etc. In "Popmatters" which gave 7 out of 10 stars at first, "Intriguer" finished on "slipped discs" of 2010, great albums which didn't make top 70 of the year. Among mixed critics was "Q" which gave 3 stars stated that "who could've predicted, then, that Intriguer would be his best work in nearly two decades?". "Uncut" also gave 3 stars saying that "suffers slightly from Crowded House's signature weakness: a tendency to retreat into tastefulness". Ally Carnwath from "The Guardian" also wasn't thrilled with the album, and gave it 3 stars saying "the trouble with the album's more conventionally crafted pop songs is that they invariably sound dull".Chart performance
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia | 1 |
| New Zealand | 3 |
| United Kingdom | 12 |
| Ireland | 17 |
| United States Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
50 |
| Netherlands | 31 |
| Norway | 32 |
| Spain | 98 |
| Belgium | 10 |
Track listing
All songs were written by Neil FinnNeil Finn
Neil Mullane Finn, OBE is a New Zealand Pop recording artist. Along with his brother Tim Finn, he was the co-frontman for Split Enz and is now frontman for Crowded House...
, except where noted.
- "Saturday SunSaturday Sun"Saturday Sun" is a song by rock group Crowded House, released on their sixth studio album Intriguer. It was released to radio and its video was released to the internet for preview in April 2010.-Music video:...
" – 3:26 - "Archer's Arrows" – 4:04
- "Amsterdam" – 3:34
- "Either Side of the World" – 4:35
- "Falling Dove" – 4:35
- "Isolation" (Finn, Nick SeymourNick SeymourNick Seymour is a musician, painter, and record producer. He is best known for being the bass guitarist in the Australasian rock group Crowded House and brother to Mark Seymour of another successful group; Hunters and Collectors.- Biography :Born in Benalla, Victoria, Australia, Seymour studied...
, Mark HartMark HartMark Hart , is a multi-instrumentalist best known for his participation as a member of Supertramp and Crowded House....
, Matt SherrodMatt SherrodMatt Sherrod is an American drummer, musician, and since 2007, a member of the New Zealand band Crowded House. Sherrod first became known as a musician playing drums for rock artist Beck...
) – 4:37 - "Twice If You're Lucky" – 3:33
- "Inside Out" – 3:19
- "Even If" – 4:02
- "Elephants" – 4:30
- "Eyes Grow Heavy" (Getmusic Bonus Track)
- "Turn It Around" (iTunes Bonus Track)
Bonus DVD (Deluxe Edition)
- "Either Side of the World" (Upstairs at Home)
- "Amsterdam" (Upstairs at Home)
- "Saturday Sun" (Upstairs at Home)
- "Twice If You're Lucky" (Upstairs at Home)
- "Elephants" (Upstairs at Home)
- "Falling Dove" (Upstairs at Home)
- "Isolation" (Upstairs at Home)
- "Archer's Arrows" (Upstairs at Home)
- "Either Side of the World" (Live at the Auckland Town Hall)
- "Isolation" (Live at the Auckland Town Hall)
- "Saturday Sun" (Official Video)
– USA/Canada issue substitutes "Don't Dream It's Over" for "Isolation"
Crowded House
- Neil FinnNeil FinnNeil Mullane Finn, OBE is a New Zealand Pop recording artist. Along with his brother Tim Finn, he was the co-frontman for Split Enz and is now frontman for Crowded House...
: vocals, guitars, piano - Nick SeymourNick SeymourNick Seymour is a musician, painter, and record producer. He is best known for being the bass guitarist in the Australasian rock group Crowded House and brother to Mark Seymour of another successful group; Hunters and Collectors.- Biography :Born in Benalla, Victoria, Australia, Seymour studied...
: bass - Mark HartMark HartMark Hart , is a multi-instrumentalist best known for his participation as a member of Supertramp and Crowded House....
: piano, keyboards, electric guitar - Matt SherrodMatt SherrodMatt Sherrod is an American drummer, musician, and since 2007, a member of the New Zealand band Crowded House. Sherrod first became known as a musician playing drums for rock artist Beck...
: drums
Additional Musicians
- Don McGlashanDon McGlashanDon McGlashan is a New Zealand musician and songwriter who has been a member of bands such as The Plague, From Scratch, The Whizz Kids, Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn, The Mutton Birds and, from 2009, The Bellbirds. He composed several pieces for the Limbs Dance Company...
: Mandolin, tambourine, acoustic and electric guitar and euphoniumEuphoniumThe euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"... - Sharon Finn: Vocals
- Liam FinnLiam FinnLiam Mullane Finn is a New Zealand musician and songwriter. Born in Australia, he moved to New Zealand as a child...
: Electric guitar on Isolation - Lisa GermanoLisa GermanoLisa Germano is an American singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has released seven albums featuring her often-hushed vocal style, confessional lyrics, and distinctive violin. Her 1994 album Geek the Girl received widespread critical acclaim, including being featured as a top album of...
: Violin on Archer's Arrows and Even If - Jon BrionJon BrionJon Brion is an American rock and pop multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer and record producer.-Early life:...
: Guitar and vocals on Twice If You're Lucky - Jim Scott: Low piano, tambourine, shaker, sleighbell
- Michael McClintock: Violin on Even If
- Greg Leisz: Pedal steel on Elephants