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I see it is out; CD is way expensive in the states. I thought I read early on that it was to be a "series of EP's", and I've also read 20 tracks were recorded. The CD is ten tracks. Does anyone know if there is to be a second CD, or is this it?

Lots of artists record heaps of tracks for an album that gets cut down to about ten. I think we'll get the ForENZics album well before or if we get another Finn/Manzanera album. I'm just happy Tim's back recording and releasing albums.

Well... 22 months after this thread was started, the album has finally been released! I am listening now and really enjoying it. Im currently listening to Shut the Door - it uses the beginning of Give It A Whirl, and I can hear a number of very early enz tracks referenced in there too (both lyrically and musically). It's also one of the more upbeat songs.

Shades and Echoes is definitely a very different type of album - it will take quite a few listens to get all the nuances contained within it. Some songs evoke a bit of Bowie's BlackStar album for me - possibly just the atmosphere, the piano and sax (System Overload and Love Is come to mind here). It is quite brilliant on a number of levels.

I just love that Tim and Eddie are working together again and making new music. It sounds fresh and different but contains so many great references (some subtle, some very obvious) back to the early Enz. The last track - Autumn did my head in for a while because I just couldn't put my finger on the song that starts it off (despite instantly recognising it) - finally realised it was the beginning of Without a Doubt.

I really hope that there is a second album and that maybe more of the Enz have cameos (it was great to see Noel having some input on this one). It would blow my mind if Phil Judd in particular could contribute - I would love a new interpretation of Under the Wheel particular the "Its not fair" scream! I found Marty's 13th floor interview interesting in that Phil was having to approve the use of his enz parts in the songs, so maybe it isn't too much of a stretch to have some kind of contribution for the next one via sharing files (although I understand the factors that still make this very unlikely!).

Tim is on fire at the moment and I am also really pleased for Eddie. He has reworked many Enz tracks over the years (ENZSO, ENZO, Play It Strange Album etc...) and he is finally making new music with Tim while revisiting and reworking old pieces from the early days He must be in his element!

Great to see Warners get in behind it with the promotional jigsaw puzzle. You can get this if you buy through their site direct. It reminds me of the See Ya Round jigsaw.

I can see this will be on heavy rotate for a while! I am very keen to hear others' thoughts on it...

Last edited by Whysus

The album sounds fantastic, a good example of lifelong creativity from both Tim and Eddie. Even though I was waiting for more Mental Notes and Beginning of the Enz songs to be reworked in an obvious way as it was in "Walking" and "Strange Stars", there are a lot of exciting moments hidden in this collection of songs. Now I am waiting for the CD to be delivered (even though didn't expect it to be distributed in my country and even the possibility to be delivered to the CD shop next to my house), and it will be the great addition to my Finn collection. Even if Forenzics 2 and Finn/Manzanera 2 are going to arrive soon, still the Forenzics project will be a great way to finish the career - like I've already written somewhere on the forum, going full circle right to where it all began is such a beautiful move. Long live Tim Finn, Eddie Rayner and the rest of Enz!

I downloaded the album from iTunes (in Canada) and was surprised the release date says Nov. 2021. Has it really been sitting there quietly for over 2 months?
First impressions so far, are that this is a very strong collection of beautiful songs, with deeply layered arrangements (likely due to Eddie’s involvement).

Contrary to the Finn/Manzanera project, I’m immediately captivated by the themes and instrumentation, as well as the vocals. There are immediate connections to some of my favorite artists and albums (Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach’ Painted from Memory, Tim’s Feeding the Gods, and more).

This is a Home Run!!! Finger’s crossed they have more…

Last edited by BRANDO BRANDT

I love the Manzanera album but the piecemeal nature of the recording is pretty evident in the sound which is also over compressed and faded. This album sounds better recorded and mixed, maybe because much of it may have been recorded in a studio.

both albums are great in my book and Tim’s Renaissance or resurrection from the world of theatre is one of the most pleasant musical surprises I’ve had in years.

So, the vinyl version of the album includes:

  1. Chances Are
  2. Rules
  3. Unlikely Friend
  4. Abandoned
  5. Premiere Fois
  6. Shut The Door

  7. Walking
  8. Europe Speaks
  9. Empty Nest
  10. System Overload
  11. Strange Stars


And the digital version of the album includes:

  1. Walking
  2. Rules
  3. Abandoned
  4. Chances Are
  5. Empty Nest
  6. Premiere Fois
  7. Europe Speaks
  8. Shut The Door
  9. Love Is (bonus track)
  10. Unlikely Friend
  11. Strange Stars
  12. System Overload
  13. I Spy (bonus track)
  14. Autumn (bonus track)


I guess those extra digital tracks aren't labeled as bonus tracks, they're just there. Interesting too that the different formats have different sequencing. Makes me wonder if Tim and Eddie see either one or both versions as the definitive representation of the album.

I've been wondering the same thing. Fourteen tracks are too long for the LP. Apparently, there's more tracks recorded, so if the LP was to be definitive, it could have added the digital only tracks plus two or three more and been released as a double. Autumn is such a natural album closer, but is missing from the LP. More people are likely to hear the digital version, and the extra tracks are not clearly designated as bonus tracks. Therefore, I think the digital version is probably definitive at this stage, and the LP version an interesting variant.

This album is incredibly enjoyable.

I too am really enjoying it. It grows on me more with every listen. I do kind of wish that we had a whole album with re-worked Enz pieces with a band feel of Tim, Ed, Noel and Phil M, and another whole album with Tim and Double Life. The merging of the two does work well enough, but I personally I would have preferred seperate albums (or a double album, with each project having its own album). I wonder if this was a record company call?

Shut The Door remains a firm favourite. I just love the fact that it is essentially a re-working of the first Enz(Ends) single For You (at least lyrically) with the Give it A Whirl bells and a bit of 129. Being a huge fan of the early Enz, I am enjoying the references back to those very early songs...

@Whysus posted:

I too am really enjoying it. It grows on me more with every listen. I do kind of wish that we had a whole album with re-worked Enz pieces with a band feel of Tim, Ed, Noel and Phil M, and another whole album with Tim and Double Life. The merging of the two does work well enough, but I personally I would have preferred seperate albums (or a double album, with each project having its own album). I wonder if this was a record company call?

Absolutely agree. They sound like two distinct projects -- two mini albums, seven songs each. I'll probably end up playlisting them separately for maximum enjoyment. (I do the same with Woodface: I never listen to that as released.)

Just got the vinyl (imported from Aus to US) and am loving the album even more. I think it’s too soon to say that this is Tim’s best album ever, but it’s certainly in the running. I can’t think of another Tim album with this amount of depth, quality of performance, and level of production.

I also appreciate the way the vinyl starts with “Chances Are” and moves “Unlikely Friend” up to track three instead of burying at the end. I do like all the tracks, but the 11 track vinyl feels more like a traditional album than the 14 track version. But I digress. It is so good!

Got my CD recently and really loving it. It's a real keeper.



On the subject of Abandoned, I was wondering "is this referring to Malmsbury Villa?" but I looked up the house in my copy of Stranger Than Fiction. That actually listed an address, so I put that into Google Maps and clearly the house there has been replaced with something modern. (17 Kohimarama Road, Auckland) So not literally that, anyway.

Listened to the album 3 or 4 times now, and I agree with most of the listies here; it is a very good album. Lots of small details make that impression, it's not that much a "broad strokes genius" thing. Tim's mature voice together with Eddie's inventive arrangements blend really well. I love the bits and pieces shades and echoes of early Enz songs, sometimes really hard to figure out which ones they refer to.

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