Most other bands would kill for a track record this good: the four star "Woodface" and their three masterpieces, of which "Together Alone" is the final one. I remember how this CD didn't even make a blip on the radar screen in 1993, other than for those people who truly know good music. Like many of you, I feel that Neil Finn could sing the ingredients from a box of cookies and make it sound tuneful. All Crowded House albums have many samples of why Neil is a songwriting god, and this one is no exception: "Nails in My Feet," "Fingers of Love," and the positively captivating "Walking on the Spot." If you ever see this in a used CD store, you owe it to your soul to pick it up; heaven awaits!!!!

At the time of the release of Together Alone, U2 and R.E.M. were enjoying huge commercial and critical success with their albums Achtung Baby and Automatic For The People respectively. Despite gaining deservedly similar critical success and being generally regarding as one of the main rock bands at the time, Together Alone became for some reason a commercial failure, especially in light of the album being the follow-up to the massively popular Woodface. Lousy choices of singles most have been a significant factor.

Together Alone is in many ways contradictory. The melodies are fantastic; very few albums have such abundance of catchy pop tunes. The lyrics, however, are reflective, sinister and even harrowing (Catherine Wheels). Neil Finn was obviously at the top of his game during that period. The production of the songs meanders from being soft and slick as in the opening track, Kare Kare, to becoming raw in instrumentation and singing as in the next track, In My Command. The production is still constantly experimental. The number of instruments used is not still that many, with most tracks driven by the routine guitar/bass/drums. Various sound effects and subtle use of other instruments are, however, created, adding texture to the sound. Case in point is Private Universe, a haunting song with many drum effects creating an atmospheric sonic experience.

Together Alone is in many ways not unlike the Beatles' White Album. All kinds of variances are taking place in all manners but the end result is yet as complete as pop albums are able to achieve.

From my standpoint, Together Alone is among the era's best albums and beats other Crowded House releases hands down. Neil Finn has not come close since going solo in producing anything of the same quality. Together Alone is Finn's career peak and a must have for all Crowded House fans.

It figures. There's a second coming of the Beatles, at least in songwriting, and we can't hear the music above the metal and rap and grunge. To make matters worse, the more significant the Crowded House masterpiece, the more they are ignored. Thus it is fitting that the final CH album is their true desert island opus. The label execs clearly placed their promotion strategems Alone on an uninhabited atoll, but NO ONE should be without Together Alone. Such a combination of beauty, melodic phrasing, tight harmonies, imaginative production, visceral power, and poetry has been rarely if ever put on vinyl or acetate. The album could be a greatest hits of powerful tunes, yet as superb as each song is, the total is still greater than the sum of the parts

1. Kare Kare - the influx of native Maori rhythms and harmonies adds tension to a dreamy production.
2. In My Command - like a powerful injection of Beethoven and punk into I Got You
3. Nails In My Feet - it left me gasping. What a combination of ear candy and emotion!
4. Black and White Boy - Neil Finn saves the big hooks for the chorus and bridge
5. Fingers of Love - gorgeous pop classic
6. Pineapple Head - hypnotizing pop clarity
7. Locked Out - great rocker with another clever Neil Finn bridge
8. Private Universe - so insular, so beautiful
9. Walking on the Spot - play the accordion, go to heaven - best use since The Rascal's "How Can I Be Sure?"
10. Distant Sun - Should have been a No. 1 hit
11. Catherine Wheels - more hooks than the backside of Abbey Road
12. Skin Feeling - Neil's vocals make the most of this interesting song
13. Together Alone - a rousing almost Biko (Peter Gabriel) - like finale

Crowded House is my 2nd favorite band of all time after The Beatles. "Together Alone" is my favorite CH album. It was a big hit in the U.K. but did nothing here in the U.S. which is such a shame.

This is a beautiful album of songs that showcase once again Neil Finn's masterful songwriting. All these songs here are great.

KARE KARE: Which opens the CD is my all time favorite (the last time I'll use that word...promise!) CH track. Love it! It has a real eerie/floaty feeling to it. Just brilliant. The ending drum flurry by Paul Hester puts a sastisfying capper on the end.
For me, it's one of those 'sit back in your chair and go "Wow" songs'

IN MY COMMAND: Comes out loud and bold and stays that way 'til the end. Great chorus.

NAILS IN MY FEET: When I first heard this song I pictured the "Don't Dream It's Over" video but in reverse with Neil going trough the house right to left. Don't know why. Love the song.

BLACK AND WHITE BOY: Incredible song.

FINGERS OF LOVE: Lovely, dreamy.

PINEAPPLE HEAD: Always caught me as a very strange song with a strange title. Love it.

LOCKED OUT: I always loved this song and only recently saw the video which made me love the song even more. Manic and crazy.

PRIVATE UNIVERSE: Beautiful

WALKING ON THE SPOT: Sad

DISTANT SUN: One of the greatest songs of all time ever! The bridge shouts out "I don't pretend to know what you want/ But I offer love."

CATHERINE WHEELS: Love it!

SKIN FEELING: Good Rocker with a nice chorus. One of the few songs written by drummer Paul Hester.

TOGETHER ALONE: The closer and a wonderful one at that. Sad now in reflection as it was the last song on the last CH studio album.

I hope Capitol will continue to re-release the CH catalog. The fact that this CD is out of print is a shame. If you are a fan of Neil Finn it is a must.

It's horrid to think that an album of this magnitude came out in my lifetime (one of very few to do so)and is already out of print! Then again, the know-nothings are at the helm now. That being said, let's talk about TOGETHER ALONE. This is the Crowded House masterpiece. The whole disc moves along in sort of a dreamscape or a "private universe" as Neil sings. The effects on the guitars and the overall sound of the instruments is golden. You couldn't get a better sound out of them (though I could swear that a bouzouki was playing the lead part on "Pineapple Head"). The strange marriage of Maori voices and log drums and rock music works on "Private Universe" as the electric guitars serve more to set the mood than jar the listener. The Maori chorus on the title track is almost tear-jerking, especially if you ever find a translation for what it means. In my mind the best song on the whole disc is "Distant Sun". Listen to that bass lick as it goes into verse no. 2!
My advice, if you can't find this album here, look SOMEWHERE for it. You will need to look no further for a better album.