I have never got my hands on any live (barring FTTW) or rare fan club albums, so all rarities on these albums are new to me. So as much as I appreciate the early demos of songs that went on to be released, the real treasures for me are the wholly unique tracks that never saw an official release. This album's gift to me is four great tracks: Newcastle Jam, Same Language As Me, Convent Girls and best of all, Tail of A Comet. Same Language does briefly borrow from the bridge of Private Universe, but it's a unique beast otherwise. Blue Smoke features some nice instrumental work and a decent chorus with somewhat of a lyrical throwback to As Sure As I Am, but the verse is fairly uninspiring. Had the potential for a solid album track if Neil had improved that part of the song.
To be perfectly honest (I realise i'm in the minority), I cannot stand what they did with the closing track of the album. The clapping draws me right out of the experience as compared to the final "stop" of the version we have come to know. I understand why its there, but I find the original version best suited to the intimacy of the album. That's why i've removed the reissued version of the title track from the track list on the iPod and replaced it with the original.
TryWhistlingThis posted:To be perfectly honest (I realise i'm in the minority), I cannot stand what they did with the closing track of the album. The clapping draws me right out of the experience as compared to the final "stop" of the version we have come to know. I understand why its there, but I find the original version best suited to the intimacy of the album. That's why i've removed the reissued version of the title track from the track list on the iPod and replaced it with the original.
Are you in the minority? I just reread this thread and don't see a lot of discussion about it.
I agree with you, it changes the feeling in a way that doesn't suit the intimacy of the album.
I much prefer the original mix for the same reason as you, Brownie. I'm not massively upset over it, but it does change the way the album leaves you.
I also doubt very much that this was a creative decision, but instead a mistake. It makes me wonder who listens to these prior to getting finalised. No-one familiar with the album would let that slip by.
I don't mind the different ending, but just to have the option, I made an edited version of Together Alone cutting off at the same place as the original. So the mastering stays consistent, etc. Very simple to do in Audacity (free software btw).
There were a few positive responses to the new ending and I think i'm the first to really pick it apart. That's why I put myself in a 'minority'. Again, I can see why some would love it. But, for me it's just jarring.
I like it and I don't like it. Despite my adoration of Together Alone, I've always thought it wasn't quite perfect, and one change I've made to my own playlist is to move Walking on the Spot (which I never liked in its "real" place) to the end of the album. It creates a wonderful "come down" after the intensity of the title track and works fabulously as an album closer. I think the applause at the end of the new version achieves a similar affect. The problem is, that effect is now there and can't be removed without either a) a little editing, or b) reverting to the original album.
If you use iTunes it's super easy to go into the track settings and tell the track to end before the applause. No editing program needed. I guess I'm indifferent to the applause. I don't like them changing the album but I also enjoy a little peak behind the curtain of my favorite album.
I guess I too have always felt the need for a little sense of piece at the end of Together Alone. Back in the day I actually added the wave sounds from the end of "Zen Roxy" to the very end of the title track. So there would be this cacophony of sound and then just quite waves fading slowly away.
Paināporo posted:If you use iTunes it's super easy to go into the track settings and tell the track to end before the applause. No editing program needed. I guess I'm indifferent to the applause. I don't like them changing the album but I also enjoy a little peak behind the curtain of my favorite album.
I guess I too have always felt the need for a little sense of piece at the end of Together Alone. Back in the day I actually added the wave sounds from the end of "Zen Roxy" to the very end of the title track. So there would be this cacophony of sound and then just quite waves fading slowly away.
I did not know that about iTunes, I'll have to give it a try to maybe edit off some of the brief comments at the beginning/end of some of the tracks. I've also used Audacity, but this sounds easy.
I like the idea of your waves ending TA.
Yes, I forgot about iTunes' ability to truncate songs at either end. But you've still got the faff of working out precisely where to stop/start the track to ensure it's clean. That's arguably more messing around than opening the file in Audacity and just editing it.
I like your idea of adding some ambient sound to the end.
Paul H posted:I like it and I don't like it. Despite my adoration of Together Alone, I've always thought it wasn't quite perfect, and one change I've made to my own playlist is to move Walking on the Spot (which I never liked in its "real" place) to the end of the album. It creates a wonderful "come down" after the intensity of the title track and works fabulously as an album closer. I think the applause at the end of the new version achieves a similar affect. The problem is, that effect is now there and can't be removed without either a) a little editing, or b) reverting to the original album.
The ending reminds me of the ending of Within You Without You from Sgt pepper. I like it . I agree about loving TA while realising it could have been even better. How You Can Touch could be left out is beyond me. I think Skin feeling should have been a B side , and I've never understood the love in for Catherine Wheels - it just meanders on and never really goes anywhere...
Add You Can Touch , I am In Love , and Blue Smoke for that matter at their expense , and you have a near perfect album in my opinion.
Still adore TA though !
Ooh, no. All I do is add to it 
Move Walking on the Spot to the end and place I am In Love where Walking used to be and, bingo. Perfect album
The only problem is that I now can't see how I could leave out Convent Girls...
Inetersting thoughts, guys... I have always considered TA perfect as it is and my nr.1. album ever, anywhere, from anyone. Didnt hear Blue Smoke yet, but I have always somehow been gratefull to those guys who decided to put I am in Love and You can Touch out of album. And it would be maybe the one and only album for I could say that... love that songs on Afterglow, but I dont have any place to put them on TA album...to me they are just dont fit to it... plus, I was surprised that I am in love was even from that era, tottaly out of it, to me...and sorry to hear that someone dont enjoy Catherine Wheels - to me its just perfect song, one of the best Neils voice and singing ever, one of the best turns ever in Neils songs, made from emerging two songs into one, apparently..just beautifull to my ears...
Plus Convent Girls - cant believe that song is from that era...its tottaly first album era to my ears.. also kind of glad it didnt make to album.. sorry 
I would add "Zen Roxy" to Together Alone. As the opening track. I agree with Mariola that the other b-sides just don't suit the album. But "Zen Roxy" really takes you away to that misty valley and black sand beach. It's no pop song but like "Kare Kare" it really puts me into the headspace that I want to be in to maximize the listening experience.
I do think "Skin Feeling" is a weak track, but the atmosphere of the album elevates it for me. I don't think the album would have suffered if "Skin Feeling" had been left off, but I'm mostly OK with it being there.
I agree that the verse of Skin Feeling is a little weak but the sheer joyful exuberance of the chorus lifts my mood every time I hear it. I couldn't lose it. (It's worth it's place just to hear Mark's stream of conscience ad libs at the end )
stuartjb posted:I've never understood the love in for Catherine Wheels - it just meanders on and never really goes anywhere...
Mariola posted:sorry to hear that someone dont enjoy Catherine Wheels - to me its just perfect song, one of the best Neils voice and singing ever, one of the best turns ever in Neils songs, made from emerging two songs into one, apparently..just beautifull to my ears...
I'll go in to bat for Catherine Wheels too. It's a gloriously delicate song that doesn't need to crunch through different gears at great speed. I'm more than content to hear Neil's vocals meander about.
Catherine Wheels is not the usual tightly-structured song we're used to from Neil. It's more rhapsodic, 2 or 3 half-songs cooked into one. I think the atmosphere is amazing at times, but I do find the lyrics frustratingly (rather than intriguingly) vague. The climax section (with the big upward-sliding guitar) is really lovely and satisfying though.
A lot to like in that song but I can see why some wouldn't connect with it.
I don't hate Catherine wheels! i like all ch songs. I just think better songs were left off..
Ta has to be at the end!
Still one of my favourite albums.
Two years ago, I edited many mini-audio documentaries about Together Alone for publishing on Crowded House Facebook, but only a few went online. As with the other album docos, they feature Neil and Nick talking about the songs, the sessions and art work, along with audio from the recording sessions.
On the album’s 25th anniversary two days ago, I remembered I still had these unpublished episodes on hold, so am sharing them one by one at http://www.neilfinn.com/together-alone throughout the next few weeks.
Track 1: Finding the album’s producer, Youth, and moving into Karekare for the recording of the album.
Lovely snippet about a lovely song. (It still sounds beauitfully fresh).
well done.
it gives me something to add to my bucket list - a trip to kare kare to listen to the album as per neil’s suggestion.
i do love hearing all these snippets of the boys interacting so many years later.
nice.
Thanks Jaffaman. I’m very much looking forward to hearing the rest of the episodes.
I can’t imagine I will ever hear an album that moves me as much as this one.
Thanks for this Jeremy. The "Crowded House" and "Woodface" documentaries were essential listening in 2016 and 2017. Was there ever one for TOLM? We've just had the 30th Anniversary for that.
Didn’t make a full length radio documentary for Temple Of Low Men because I didn’t have enough strong interview material for it. But there are mini-docos of the album on Crowded House Facebook and the Crowded House YouTube TOLM video album playlist.
More death-defying stories behind Together Alone have been added to http://www.neilfinn.com/together-alone in the last few days.
Who knew arlo went on to work for ... fleetwood mac?
silent stream posted:it gives me something to add to my bucket list - a trip to kare kare to listen to the album as per neil’s suggestion..
Been there, done that. And you should too. A genuinely moving experience that is well worth the hike.
Fascinating to listen to these. Thanks for sharing, Jaffaman.
"Track 7: The Fingers of Love writing demo" has been added.
(I think this is a more recent addition than the last batch, but I might be wrong, in which case ignore this post.)
The rest of the documentary is up. Really good.
Though the little bit about the demos they recorded is too intriguing. I want to know more. I should be satisfied but I still want more.
Some of those band demos were recorded in Sammy Davis Jr’s poolhouse, where The Band recorded their second album.
For real? if that was widely known 20 years ago the legend of "the Poolhouse Demos" would be huge by now, that snippet of Private Universe sounds very cool.
Neil's solo demos for Crowded House weren't done in the Poolhouse though.
Pool House = new album from Crowded House