Crowded House Concert

For more than four decades, Crowded House leader Neil Finn has been on an evolving, winding journey. Crowded House’s mid-‘80s hits like “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and “Something So Strong,” combined with albums like Woodface and Together Alone, set the standard for the period’s erudite jangle-pop while always pushing the band’s art forward. That creative spirit brings Finn and his Crowded House bandmates to Gravity Stairs, their first new release since 2021’s Dreamers Are Waiting and eighth overall.

Produced by the band with Steven Schram, the album shows Crowded House in its current incarnation — Finn, Nick Seymour, Mitchell Froom, and Finn’s sons, Elroy and Liam — as sharp as ever, feeling musically adventurous and still capable of reaching the staggering highs that have made them an international favorite.

Finn’s resume bears that out. From joining his brother Tim in the 80s artful pop band, Split Enz, to leading Crowded House to his numerous solo efforts, Finn’s varied body of work is connected by his knack for penning meticulous, indelible melodies and impressionistic lyrics that demand multiple listens. It’s earned him devoted fans all over the globe, an Order of the British Empire honor, and induction into the Australian Recording Industry Association’s Hall of Fame.