North, South, East, West...Anthology

North, South, East, West...Anthology
Compilation album by Tim Finn
Released	2009
Genre	Pop
Length	127:37
Label	Capitol
Tim Finn chronology
The Conversation (2008) North, South, East, West...Anthology (2009)

North, South, East, West...Anthology is the first solo compilation album by New Zealand singer/songwriter Tim Finn. Released in 2009, the two-disc collection features songs from Finn's solo career as well as his time with Split Enz, Crowded House and the Finn Brothers.

Background

According to Finn, the idea of releasing a compilation album came from John O'Donnell, the head of EMI Australia at the time. "It was his baby. He likes my work and it was his suggestion that we create an anthology. I liked the idea that it would take from all parts, starting with Split Enz and I only realised after the title was chosen that there are four parts to my career: the Enz work and Crowded House, the Finn Brothers material and of course my solo work. So that's kind of neat, yeah, the musical north, south, east and west."^[1][2] Each of the two discs includes a new song, and several of the older songs were re-recorded for the album.^[1] Finn noted that the retrospective does not signal the end of his career, as he plans on releasing new material in the future.^[2]

Critical reception

Russell Baillie of The New Zealand Herald wrote that some of the 1980s songs on the compilation have not aged well, but that the later material "holds up better." Baillie complimented "How Will You Go" amongst the revised songs, and said that the anthology "remains a fascinating map charting just how far this Finn has sailed."^[3] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic suggested that the album does not portray a completely accurate summary of Finn's career, as the combination of new songs and revisions ends up "downplaying the progressive pop of the '70s and the new wave leanings of the '80s." Still, Erlewine concluded, the compilation "does make a case that Finn has been consistently delivering fine songs for over 30 years."^[4]

Track listing

CD1

1. "I See Red" - Split Enz
2. "My Mistake" - Split Enz
3. "Poor Boy" - Split Enz
4. "Six Months In A Leaky Boat" - Split Enz
5. "I Hope I Never" - Split Enz
6. "Dirty Creature" - Split Enz
7. "Maybe" - Split Enz
8. "Stuff And Nonsense" - Tim Finn & Missy Higgins
9. "Fraction Too Much Friction"
10. "Made My Day"
11. "So Deep" {New Version]
12. "How'm I Gonna Sleep"
13. "Not Even Close"
14. "Many's The Time" - ALT
15. "Persuasion"
16. "Into The Water" - The Finn Brothers
17. "Nothing Unusual" [New Song]

CD2

1. "Weather With You" - The Finn Brothers & Liam Finn
2. "How Will You Go" [New Version]
3. "It's Only Natural" - Tim Finn & Bic Runga
4. "Underwater Mountain"
5. "Dead Man"
6. "What You've Done"
7. "Subway Dreaming"
8. "Angels Heap" - The Finn Brothers
9. "Disembodied Voices" - The Finn Brothers
10. "Luckiest Man Alive" - The Finn Brothers
11. "Winter Light"
12. "Couldn't Be Done"
13. "Astounding Moon"
14. "Straw To Gold"
15. "Out Of This World"
16. "The Saw And The Tree"
17. "Light Years Away" [New Song]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Sweetman, Simon (29-09-2009). "The Tim Finn Interview". Stuff.co.nz (Fairfax New Zealand). http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/blogs/blog-on-the-tracks/2883985/The-Tim-Finn-interview. Retrieved 28-08-2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} McQuillan, Laura (12-10-2009). "Tim Finn’s Good Hair Day". Stuff.co.nz (Fairfax New Zealand). http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/2955457/Tim-Finn-s-good-hair-day. Retrieved 28-08-2011. 
3. ^ Baillie, Russell (24-09-2009). "North, South East West ...". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10599351. Retrieved 28-08-2011. 
4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "'Anthology: North South East West' - Review". Allmusic (Rovi Corporation). http://www.allmusic.com/album/anthology-north-south-east-west-r1697248/review. Retrieved 2011-08-27.