When a New Zealander rises to the very top, and does it with style, Australians have a tendency to claim them. It’s a sign of warmth, affection and respect, or a damn nuisance, depending on which side of the ditch you live.
Neil Finn and Crowded House is one towering example.
Finn, a proud Kiwi, formed Crowded House out of the ashes of Spilt Enz, the great early-‘80s Kiwi act that signed with the late Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom Records and might have been global superstars were it not for the tyranny of distance.
Today, Crowded House drops Gravity Stairs, their eighth studio album and first through a new deal with BMG.
Gravity Stairs is produced with Steven Schram (Paul Kelly, San Cisco) and the band, currently featuring Finn and his sons Elroy and Liam; founding, Australia-born bass player Nick Seymour; and U.S.-born keyboardist Mitchell Froom, and is inspired by a heavy stone staircase near where the band leader vacations.
“The Gravity Stairs are symbolic of the struggle to ascend,” says Auckland-based Finn, “acknowledging the opposing forces of weight on the mechanics of living. It’s an act of will every day.”
Since emerging fully-formed in 1986 as a trio of Finn (singer, songwriter, guitar), Seymour and the late, Australian drummer Paul Hester, the group has sold over 15 million records worldwide, and achieved induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame, 13 ARIA Awards, an MTV VMA, a BRIT Award and a U.K. No. 1 album (with 1996’s Recurring Dream – The Very Best Of). Finn was on hand at the 2024 Rolling Stone Australia Awards in Sydney this April to collect the second-ever “icon” honor.
That first self-titled album housed the hits “’Something So Strong” and “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Don’t Dream It’s Over” made a mighty comeback last year. Thanks to a sync to an episode of the rebooted detective classic Magnum P.I., the song powered to No. 1 on Billboard’s Top TV Songs chart.
Featuring the previously released tracks “Teenage Summer” (which was changed from “Life’s Imitation”) and “The Howl,” Gravity Stairs is the followup to Dreamers Are Waiting, which peaked at No. 2 in Australia, No. 6 on the Official U.K. Chart, and won best adult contemporary album at the 2021 ARIA Awards.
Crowded House will support the new LP with a trans-Tasman tour, kicking off Nov. 9 at TSB Arena in the NZ capital, Wellington, with Australia dates starting Nov. 29 at Perth’s Kings Park & Botanical Gardens. Live Nation is producing the swing Down Under.
Stream Gravity Stairs in full below.
