Not Live, Not Memorex, Either

For whatever reason, this summer I've soured on the concept of reunion concerts. Am I really interested in seeing all of these acts 20 years down the road as middle aged rockers? Is the nostalgia pulling me hard enough? Do I want to hear the worst sentence in the English language, "We'd like to play something from our new album"?

I think The Police reunion tour was the spark of it all. I was lucky enough to see them in 1983 at Foxboro Stadium on the Synchronicity Tour. And while the reviews were for the most part positive, I wasn't sad that I didn't see them at Fenway. Saved a boatload of money, too.

There was one reunion tour I did want to see. Tonight at Harborlights, Crowded House will be live in concert. I never saw them first time around (one plus for seeing them this time) and I still listen to and like most of their music. So why are Lisa and I staying home tonight? Because I bought their new album. And while it's good, it's quite mellow. Like recent R.E.M. level mellow. And to me, Crowded House is jaunty and peppy. (At least musically; certainly some of their lyrics don't qualify).

I understand that the new CD is has the suicide of original drummer Paul Hester hanging over it. But its shadow looms too large. Which is too bad. But I will continue to buy Crowded House CDs should they release any more. So today's song a day is the first new song I've selected. The first single from the recent Crowded House album, one of perhaps two uptempo numbers. And after listening to this tune and having me call it uptempo, you'll know what I mean about the CD being mellow.