7 Worlds Collide - Live At The St. James
Neil Finn's restless creative spirit didn't lounge duringSplit Enz's andCrowded House's two decades of achievement. In this live recording (culled from five shows at New Zealand's St. James Theatre in April 2001), Finn not only pauses to take stock in his rich career, he often generously shares the spotlight with an impressive array of guest musicians (brother Tim, guitarist Johnny Marr of theSmithsandElectronic, violinist/vocalistLisa Germano,Radiohead's Phil Selway and Ed O'Brien, andPearl Jam's Eddie Vedder) who've come to back him and express a little fandom of their own. The results are gratifying cross-pollinations: Vedder sharing vocals on Enz's "Stuff and Nonsense," "Take a Walk," and a jagged version of "I See Red"; Finn tipping his hat toMorrisseyon the Smiths' "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" after Marr's jangly "Down on the Corner"; and sharing an always-welcome harmony with Tim Finn on material from their various projects together. If there's a criticism to be made, it's that Finn occasionally shortchanges himself here.--Jerry McCulley