Music Blurbs, Vol. 2

More of my capsule commentaries.

Crowded House
New Zealand guitarist, singer and songwriter Neil Finn launched Crowded House in 1987, out of the ashes of his previous group, Split Enz. Crowded House’s note-perfect melding of classic pop melodic sense and sharp, emotionally resonant lyrics stuck a chord with listeners: the band’s breakthrough single, “Don’t Dream it’s Over” became a classic around the globe. Subsequent albums built upon and expanded Crowded House’s musical vision; in the process the band became one of the world’s most successful rock groups, though success in the U.S. was more measured. Alongside Crowded House, Finn has found time to release nine solo albums, two with brother Tim, and one in collaboration with son Liam. In between all that, Finn even joined Fleetwood Mac for that group’s 2018-19 tour. Crowded House’s latest album is the sublime, subtle and engaging Gravity Stairs, released in May. These days the group features Finn and founding bassist Nick Seymour plus producer Mitchell Froom and two of Neil’s sons, Liam and Elroy.

Creed
Launched in 1994 in Tallahassee, Florida, post-grunge quartet Creed went on to become that rarest of creatures: critically dismissed but hugely successful on a commercial level. Fronted by angst-filled singer Scott Stapp, Creed’s songs explored emotional themes that certainly resonated with listeners. Creed’s debut release, My Own Prison sold more than 6 million copies domestically. The band’s second album, 1999’s Human Clay was certified Diamond (more than 11 million units sold), making it one of the biggest sellers in the 21^st century, a distinction it still holds. Creed’s most well-known song “One Last Breath” is an exemplar of the group’s rocking, melodramatic and earnest approach to songcraft. Despite personal setbacks and turmoil, the band – which took two breaks, 2005-1009 and again 2013 to 2023) still boasts its classic lineup: Stapp plus guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips on drums. Creed’s passionate, heart-on-sleeve Christian-themed rock isn’t for all tastes – Creed somehow manages to show up again and again on both best- and worst-band polls – but there’s no denying the enduring power and popularity of this band.

The Doobie Brothers
Launched in San Jose, California in 1970, The Doobie Brothers struck a chord with listeners thanks to their stylistic breadth: breezy, catchy pop-rock tunes, soulful ballads, hard-charging rockers – and their commitment to touring. Drawing form r&b, country and folk, The Doobies covered a stunning amount of musical ground. Along the way, the group has earned six Top Ten spots on Billboard’s 200 album chart, sixteen Top 40 hit singles, a Grammy Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Over the years, the group’s musical approach has changed here and there, as has its lineup: only guitarist Patrick Simmons has appeared on every one of the group’s 15 studio releases. Most of the band’s hits have featured either Simmons, original lead singer Tom Johnston or his replacement, Michael McDonald (these days Johnston is back in the fold). But the band’s appeal has endured, not only by delivering the classics in concert but – in an age when many classic rockers rest upon their back catalog – with new material. Liberté, the group’s 2022 album, earned positive reviews.

Drive-By Truckers
Who says Southern rock can’t be musically and lyrically ambitious? Certainly not Patterson Hood, the driving force behind critic’s favorite, The Drive-By Truckers. The band has always paired incisive, thoughtful lyrics with their supercharged country-rock sound. From their 1998 debut, Gangstabilly to their latest album, 2022’s loosely autobiographical Welcome 2 Club XIII, the Athens, Georgia based group has resolutely charted its own path. Son of legendary Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section bassist David Hood, Paterson Hood is an acclaimed songwriter who takes on big themes while never forgetting to make hook-filled music that rocks. Highlights among the group’s body of work (14 studio albums and a fistful of captured-live releases) are many, but a widely-revered high point is 2001’s Southern Rock Opera. That 94-minute album initially fared modestly in the marketplace; it was released the day after 9/11, when the world had other things on its collective mind. But critics were – and remain – all but unanimous is their appreciation for the group’s fresh take on the concept album format; Southern Rock Opera wove a mythical story into an accessible and heartfelt narrative. The Drive-By Truckers’ current run of tour dates celebrates their early masterwork by reviving the album, performing it start to finish for the first time in decades (and likely the last-ever).

Echo & the Bunnymen
When one thinks of music from Liverpool, England, the first group to come to mind is The Beatles. But the port city on the Mersey River has a long and proud musical tradition, and not all of the artists from Liverpool draw upon the Fab Four for inspiration. Launched in 1978, Echo & the Bunnymen cut a decidedly different figure. The group’s namesake wasn’t a person: according to popular lore (though disputed by the group itself) “Echo” was the moniker given to the group’s drum machine. Echo & the Bunnymen crafted dramatic, haunting post-punk that drew from goth and electronica, but with a sound firmly rooted in the rock tradition. While the band’s commercial success in the U.S. was measured, Echo & the Bunnymen scored more than a dozen Top 40 singles in their native England. Stateside they remained a popular fixture of college radio, with memorable tracks like “Rescue,” “The Cutter,” “Bring on the Dancing Horses” and “The Killing Moon.” In 1986, founding member Pete deFreitas left the band; he died in 1989. The group continued without him, eventually disbanding in 1993. By 1997 lead vocalist and keyboardist McCulloch and lead guitarist Will Sergeant re-launched the band, with a return to live performance and recording. Primarily a touring entity today, the band’s most recent album is 2018’s The Stars, the Oceans & the Moon, a collection of new versions of Echo & the Bunnymen songs that date back to their 1980 debut.