Appearing a mere three years after
Dreamers Are Waiting, the 2021 album that debuted the third iteration of
Crowded House,
Gravity Stairs finds the veteran pop group settling into their new skin. In most regards,
Gravity Stairs isn't far removed from its predecessor. Like
Dreamers Are Waiting, this 2024 record moves slowly, not so much marching at a deliberate pace as drifting along with a wayward breeze. The difference here is,
Crowded House choose to linger, dwelling upon different moods and melodies instead of letting the moments slip away. Individual tracks may be distinguished by subtle flair -- vocal harmonies, a spike of fuzztone or tremulous treble guitars, a wash of analog synths -- but the accents are never so pronounced that they distract from the overall sense of comforting reverie. Enough of
Gravity Stairs contains a distinct pulse to keep it from sleepiness -- "Oh Hi" bears a polished punch reminiscent of
Fleetwood Mac circa
Mirage, "I Can't Keep Up with You" fittingly breaks out into a spirited trot, "Teenage Summer (aka Life's Imitation)" conjures the slightest hint of adolescent romance in its crystalline hooks -- yet the overall record carries a distinct dreaminess. To
Crowded House's credit,
Gravity Stairs may feel cozy, but it never feels lazy. Some of that surely lies in how the band chooses to camouflage its strong melodic core with fluid, shifting surfaces -- a decision that winds up emphasizing sound over song while also directing focus to the familial chemistry of the band.
Neil Finn still functions as the center of gravity in
Crowded House but the addition of his sons
Liam and
Elroy, as well as his long-term collaborator
Mitchell Froom -- they all join the other constant in the group, bassist
Nick Seymour -- transforms the band into an empathetic collective who gain strength from their communal warmth. They're now built for comfort, not speed, a shift that can pay great dividends as
Gravity Stairs illustrates. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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