Quiffed Kiwi recruits Tchad blake, Wendy & Lisa. Writes lovely songs about wife.

The 2 years that folowed Neil finns 1996 dissolution of Crowded House bred a surprisingly angsty and defiant solo album , Try Whistling This. 3 years further down the line he's feeling more genial, not to mention uxorious. His wife Sharon is lauded as "the true companion at your side" on Wherever You Are, monogamous shagging is unembarrassingly essayed on Dont Ask Why, while inventive tweaking of the template culminates in Secret God where Wendy & Lisa assault a Joni Michell-ish jazz-folk canvas with grimy guitars, ravishing harmonies and a barking Bitches Brew outro. Elastic Heart has something of the soul about it, Anytime is a jolly song about popping your clogs and everywhere there are shafts of melody like sunshine in a wood. How fine it would be if he were as big as Sting. 4/5