Talk about leaving your end run late. By now most people had put Tim Finn on the retirement bench, and then he comes bursting across the Tasman with what may be the album of his career. Brash, full guitars build a wall of shimmering riffs against power pop drumming and Finn's exuberant singing. Feeding The Gods is a record with a lust for life, a belief in pop and a refreshing "I don't give a fuck" attitude.

Wasn't Tim supposed to be the morbid/grouchy one of the Finn brothers? Once Neil started having hits and Tim started having fits of depression it did seem like the joy was unbalanced. Most of Tim Finn's solo albums were portentous, melancholy and introspective affairs. This is partly a function of the fact that he has a beautiful voice for a ballad. Give him a minor key and he'll certainly pull out your heart.

Yet some of us have seen him roll around the stage like a cockroach with a cold singing "I see Sudafed!" - and that's more what you get on this album. Expect some insight, some witty points of view, but mostly the pure joy of power pop for now people.

The opening track "Songlines" is just awesome; the closing track "California" will stay in your head for the rest of the day. Who would have thought?

9/10