7 Worlds Collide culls the best live renditions from a series of all-star concerts staged by
Neil Finn in Auckland in April 2001. This special lineup includes ex-
Smiths guitarist
Johnny Marr,
Radiohead guitarist
Ed O'Brien and drummer
Phil Selway,
Soul Coughing bassist
Sebastian Steinberg, and 4AD songstress
Lisa Germano on keys and violin (the last two have become part of
Finn's regular touring band). Oh yes, and
Pearl Jam's
Eddie Vedder (a devout fan of
Split Enz) even joins in on the fun. Selections include
Finn's then-current material (from
One Nil), of course, and these come off well. But the real treats here are those renditions that could only result from such a unique gathering of musicians, such as hearing
Neil Finn and
Marr cover
the Smiths' "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out," and
Vedder's heartfelt rendition of an
Enz tune, "Stuff and Nonsense" (off Frenzy), followed by
Vedder and
Tim Finn together on an aggressive "I See Red." Listeners also get to hear the
Finn brothers perform "Angel's Heap," a song off of their joint recording (Finn), a few
Crowded House tunes, and an original each by
Marr,
Germano, and
Vedder. In all, the collaborations and the resulting alternate versions are exciting to hear, especially for people who are already fans of the songs. ~ Joslyn Layne