Tim Finn teamed up with playwright Jeremy Brock for his second solo outing,
Big Canoe. Although the collaboration is predictably ambitious -- probably
Finn's most ambitious since the early days of
Split Enz -- beneath all the overblown arrangements and slightly dated production lie some terrific songs. Material like "No Thunder No Fire No Rain," "Hyacinth," and "Carve You in Marble" deserves a better setting, but the album is still able to shine, and some minor flaws are forgivable, especially to diehard fans.
Big Canoe also marks a welcome reunion between
Finn and ex-
Enz collaborator
Phil Judd, who contributes sitar and rhythm guitar to a couple of tracks. ~ Chris Woodstra