The End at the Beginning

If I say the name Split Enz, you probably think about the song Six Months In A Leaky Boat, and a bunch of New Zealanders in a band. So if you then got their album entitled The Beginning of the Enz and had a listen, you might get a bit confused. And not without reason.

The album features some more folk music sort of sounds, including instruments like flute and violin, and a particularly folk-sounding vocal to go with it. Which isn't exactly what you'd expect if you're used to Six Months In A Leaky Boat. It can certainly take a few listens to get used to it, and you may not recognise it as the Split Enz that you know. But after you've played it through a few time...it does grow on you a little. It's certainly different, but I don't think it's straight for the scrap pile with this one. Maybe a bit of hesitation with it, but I think it's a decent album.

Certainly nothing I'd call exceptional, maybe not worth buying (though we got it for $5 at some second-hand shop or something like that), but not too bad.