Dreamers Are Waiting

by Crowded House

Overview

The first Crowded House album in 11 years can be seen as a homecoming of sorts. Standing alongside bassist Nick Seymour as always, Neil Finn welcomes his sons, Liam and Elroy Finn, as official members along with Mitchell Froom. The producer of the first three Crowded House albums is back to helm Dreamers Are Waiting in addition to playing keyboards in the group. This is a fairly dramatic shift from the Crowded House lineup who recorded Intriguer back in 2011, but the results wind up being richly textured and subtle, an album that finds its subdued groove quite early, then proceeds to find variations within it. The emphasis on quiet and space isn't far removed from Lightsleeper, the collaborative record Neil and Liam released in 2018, yet there's a heightened sense of songcraft here that makes the muted guitars, rounded riffs, and waves of keyboards embed tunes into the subconscious. Songwriting has long been a strength of Neil Finn, but the notable thing about Dreamers Are Waiting is how he's spread the songwriting wealth, collaborating with the full band on a couple of tracks, writing with both of his sons as well as his brother Tim, who once was in Crowded House, and also gives Liam a solo spotlight. The communal effort naturally emphasizes the group's communal voice, one that salutes and tweaks classic pop forms in equal measure. Echoes of loneliness float through Dreamers Are Waiting, but this isn't a melancholy album. The melodies are insistent, as are the dampened rhythms, giving this album a warm, palpable heartbeat that can be felt even if the record is all captured in soft focus. It's this gentle, reassuring touch that makes Dreamers Are Waiting a balm, an album that offers familiar comfort even if it doesn't precisely sound like any previous Crowded House record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	06/04/2021
Label:	Bmg
UPC:	4050538653052
Rank:	43925

Tracks

1. Bad Times Good
2. Playing with Fire
3. To the Island
4. Sweet Tooth
5. Whatever You Want
6. Show Me the Way
7. Goodnight Everyone
8. Too Good for This World
9. Start of Something
10. Real Life Woman
11. Love Isn't Hard At All
12. Deeper Down

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Crowded House   Primary Artist
Neil Finn   Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Percussion
Mitchell Froom   Keyboards
Nick Seymour   Bass,Vocals,Keyboards
Liam Finn   Drums,Guitar,Vocals
Elroy Finn   Drums,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards
Sharon Finn   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Eliza-Jane Barnes   Vocals,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Bob Ludwig   Engineer,Mastering Engineer
Crowded House   Engineer,Producer
Neil Finn   Composer,Group Member
Mitchell Froom   Composer,Group Member
Nick Seymour   Artwork,Composer,Group Member
Liam Finn   Composer,Group Member
Tim Finn   Composer
David Boucher   Mixing,Engineer
Wesley Seidman   Engineer
Elroy Finn   Composer,Group Member
Dino Paredes   Management
Carl Stubner   Management
Travis Pavur   Engineer
Jesse Deflorio   Photography
Cassie Wright   Cover Design
Hadley Donaldson   Design
David Bourcher   Engineer