Dreamers Are Waiting＜Blue Bone and Black Tri-Vinyl＞

The first Crowded House album in 11 years can be seen as a homecoming of sorts. Standing alongside bassist Nick Seymour as always, Neil Finn welcomes his sons, Liam and Elroy Finn, as official members along with Mitchell Froom. The producer of the first three Crowded House albums is back to helm Dreamers Are Waiting in addition to playing keyboards in the group. This is a fairly dramatic shift from the Crowded House lineup who recorded Intriguer back in 2011, but the results wind up being richly textured and subtle, an album that finds its subdued groove quite early, then proceeds to find variations within it. The emphasis on quiet and space isnt far removed from Lightsleeper, the collaborative record Neil and Liam released in 2018, yet theres a heightened sense of songcraft here that makes the muted guitars, rounded riffs, and waves of keyboards embed tunes into the subconscious. Songwriting has long been a strength of Neil Finn, but the notable thing about Dreamers Are Waiting is how hes spread the songwriting wealth, collaborating with the full band on a couple of tracks, writing with both of his sons as well as his brother Tim, who once was in Crowded House, and also gives Liam a solo spotlight. The communal effort naturally emphasizes the groups communal voice, one that salutes and tweaks classic pop forms in equal measure. Echoes of loneliness float through Dreamers Are Waiting, but this isnt a melancholy album. The melodies are insistent, as are the dampened rhythms, giving this album a warm, palpable heartbeat that can be felt even if the record is all captured in soft focus. Its this gentle, reassuring touch that makes Dreamers Are Waiting a balm, an album that offers familiar comfort even if it doesnt precisely sound like any previous Crowded House record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine