Although
Neil Finn was always the undisputed leader of
Crowded House, they also possessed an undeniable band chemistry, most apparent on their freewheeling live shows but also evident on their four studio albums, each possessing a distinct identity from each other. When
Neil pulled the plug on
Crowded House after 1994's
Together Alone, it was clear that it was for musical reasons, that he wanted to step out and try some new things, resulting the kaleidoscopic
Try Whistling This and the hazy
One Nil, both book-ended by albums with his brother
Tim.
Neil planned to follow that second
Finn Brothers album with another solo project, but as he started work, tragedy struck: his longtime friend
Paul Hester, the drummer for
Split Enz and
Crowded House, committed suicide in 2005. In the wake of his death,
Finn reconnected with the other founding
Crowded House member, bassist
Nick Seymour, and slowly the third solo album turned into a
Crowded House album, with latter-day second guitarist/multi-instrumentalist
Mark Hart brought in along the way, working alongside guests like
Johnny Marr and
Enz keyboardist
Eddie Rayner. It was an organic reunion -- and not uncommon in the
Enz universe, either, as the band keeps falling together for occasional anniversary concerts and popping up on each other's albums -- that arose perhaps as part of the grieving process, or perhaps
Neil realizing he'd rather be part of a band than a solo act and, in his words, "what other band could I be in."