| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Try Whistling This is the debut solo album released in 1998 by New Zealand singer/songwriter Neil Finn. The Japanese version of the album has a bonus track called "Tokyo", which also appears on the UK release of the single "Sinner".[2] Special editions of the Australian CD contained a bonus CD with six extra tracks which were used as the B-sides for the singles released from the album. The album topped the charts in Australia and New Zealand,[3][4] and also reached the top five of the UK Albums Chart.[5]
Overview
Following the breakup of his second band Crowded House in 1996, Neil Finn set out to begin a solo career, having only ever performed in bands from when he was a teenager. This album was lauded by critics as being a vast departure from the Crowded House work, which was considered mainstream alternative-folk rock music, while this was experimental, more akin to his earlier work with Split Enz, while still remaining distinct from that music also.
Awards
In 1999, Try Whistling This won the New Zealand Music Award for Best Cover Art. The cover was drawn by Neil's young son, Elroy.[6]
Track listing
All songs were written by Neil Finn, except where noted.
- "Last One Standing" – 3:04
- "Souvenir" – 3:42
- "King Tide" (Finn, Robert Moore) – 4:33
- "Try Whistling This" (Finn, Jim Moginie) – 4:13
- "She Will Have Her Way" – 3:56
- "Sinner" (Finn, Marius De Vries) – 4:25
- "Twisty Bass" – 5:09
- "Loose Tongue" (Finn, Moginie) – 4:12
- "Truth" (Finn, Moginie) – 4:03
- "Astro" – 3:46
- "Dream Date" – 4:51
- "Faster Than Light" – 4:23
- "Addicted" – 4:22
Australian edition bonus disc
- "Tokyo" – 2:56
- "Family Ties" – 3:11
- "She Comes Scattered" – 3:36
- "Identical Twin" – 3:30
- "808 Song" – 3:30
- "Log Drums" – 3:49
Personnel
- Tony Allen – drums (track 11)
- Michael Barker – drums (tracks 3, 5, 6, 10), percussion (tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 11)
- Lyn Buchannan – additional drums (track 1)
- Marius De Vries – programming (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13), keyboards (tracks 6 and 13)
- Liam Finn – drums (tracks 2, 8), guitar (track 5)
- Paddy Free – programming (track 7)
- Mitchell Froom – Hammond (tracks 10, 11, 12)
- Jim Moginie – guitars (tracks 4, 8, 10, 13), bass guitar (track 13), omnichord (track 13), percussion (track 13)
- Robert Moore – bass (track 8)
- Sebastian Steinberg – bass (tracks 1 to 6, 8, 9, 11)
- Pete Thomas – drums (tracks 1, 4, 9)
- Neil Finn – all other instruments
Charts
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[3] | 1 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[7] | 88 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[4] | 1 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[8] | 18 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[5] | 5 |
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[9] | 19 |
References
- ^ AllMusic review
- ^ "neil finn . music". Frenz.com. Retrieved 22 September 2007.
- ^ a b "Australiancharts.com – Neil Finn – Try Whistling This". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ a b "Charts.nz – Neil Finn – Try Whistling This". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Neil Finn – Try Whistling This" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Neil Finn – Try Whistling This". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ "Neil Finn Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 May 2020.