Neil Finn - Try Whistling This

Label: Parlophone
Genre: Alternative Rock
Year: 1998
Recommended by: Chrissy Walker

I first listened to Neil Finn when Chrissy made me a mix CD, those were a thing and this was probably at the tail end of the phenomenon, where she included "Dream Date". The issue with the new streaming services is that they really impede sharing in a way that feels personal.

This might be an old man moment, but there is something about making something for a person and handing them the disc and tell them to listen to it. Now you can send a youtube video, share a playlist, or some other version of an e-mail. It isn't quite the same, but times change and the younger generation probably feels it is personal. The generation or two before mine would say that burning a cd didn't take much time, because they would have to shuffle through all the tapes and listen to the whole song while it was recording onto a mixtape. So, I am just an old man saying that kids have it too easy these days.

Try Whistling This is a pretty fantastic album. I believe it is the fourth artist from New Zealand I have listened to, so that's big news for them. Especially since this album cover won the New Zealand Album cover of the year in 1998, it was drawn by his boy Elroy. (Jane is not his wife.)

Neil Finn is a pretty fantastic musician who plays about 12 different instruments on the album. He also does it in a way that doesn't make you hate him, take lessons Sting. However, this album may need a lute. 

The lesson hear, keep making cd's for people. And get off my lawn.

Murder City Devils - Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts

Label: Sub Pop
Genre: Punk Rock
Year: 1998
Recommended by: Paul Conant

This is punk rock. This is Punk rock from the Pacific Northwest. This is Punk Rock that is in a Post-Nirvana world.

It is very good and after listening I was surprised that the record was released so late. It is a bit behind it's calling of a punk rock heyday and would have been more popular if they were just ten years earlier. However, I'm sure big fans of the band would rather they stayed as niche as possible. "Dancin' Shoes" is a great song.

The Tragically Hip - Phantom Power

Label: Universal
Year: 1998
Genre: Alt Rock
Recommending Person: Tim Sisk

The only Alt Rock band from Canada that I really have previously paid attention to was Our Lady Peace. 

The Tragically Hip seem to always play the House of Blues once a year, I know this only because I Curl and all the Canadians go to the concert.

None of the songs really grab me, it seems to be of the era, almost exclusively. The only stand out was the first track, I'm saying that a lot, Poets. It has minimal intro that allow the first verse to really stick and it transfers into a nice beat for the first chorus which slowly builds and changes for the rest of the song. 

Barenaked Ladies - Stunt

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Label: Reprise
Year: 1998
Genre: Alt Rock/ College Rock
Recommending Person: Adam Miller

I once heard that when assembling an album you do not want to put the big hit first, because it shows you do not have confidence in the rest of the record. Barenaked Ladies start out with One Week, the biggest hit from the record, but I enjoyed most of the album. BNL vary up they styles and their ballads are always very strong, One Week is grating only because of it's overexposure, but overall right when you are about to check out another track grabs your attention. Also, my favorite comedy podcast, COMEDY BANG BANG, uses "It's BEEN" as a repeated joke.