Pajama Club (album)

Last updated

Pajama Club
Pajama club album.jpg
Studio album by
Released9 September 2011 (2011-09-09)
Recorded2011
StudioRoundhead (Auckland)
Genre Indie rock
Length43:29
Label Lester
Producer

Pajama Club is the 2011 debut album by Pajama Club, the band formed by Crowded House songwriter Neil Finn, his wife Sharon Finn, and keyboard player Sean Donnelly. The album was released in Australia and New Zealand on 9 September 2011, 13 September in North America and 19 September in Europe.

Contents

The album is change in style from the material Finn performs with Crowded House, with a more groove oriented feel. Finn has stated that the Post-punk funk band ESG were a key inspiration on the album. [1] Guitarist Johnny Marr plays on two tracks, Can't Put It Down Until It Ends and Go Kart.

Chart performance and critical response

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 70/100 [2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
PopMatters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]

The album was generally well received, and holds a 70% rating on Metacritic. [2] Positive reviews included Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian, who called it a "welcome surprise" and praised its low-fi restraint, [4] and Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic, who described it as Finn's most loose and fun work since the Finn Brothers Finn album. [3] More critical reviews included Andy McGill of The Independent, who suggested that some tracks "lacked focus" but that the album overall "was a pleasant enough distraction"., [5] and John Bergstrom of Popmatters, who felt the album "has very little to offer other than to prove that Finn can do edgy indie/garage if he wants to." [6]

Track listing

All songs were written by Neil Finn and Sharon Finn, except where noted.

  1. "Tell Me What You Want" (N. Finn, S. Finn, Sean Donnelly) – 3:35
  2. "Can't Put It Down Until It Ends" – 3:51
  3. "These Are Conditions" – 2:38
  4. "From a Friend to a Friend" – 5:15
  5. "Golden Child" – 3:18
  6. "Daylight" (N. Finn, S. Finn, Donnelly) – 3:53
  7. "Go Kart" – 3:46
  8. "Dead Leg" (N. Finn, S. Finn, Donnelly) – 3:37
  9. "TNT for 2" – 4:33
  10. "The Game We Love to Play" (N. Finn, Donnelly) – 3:42
  11. "Diamonds in Her Eyes" – 5:16

References

  1. Chick, Stevie (25 August 2011). "No more Crowded House:Neil Finn's new band, Pajama club". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Pajama Club - Pajama Club". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  3. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Pajama Club". Allmusic. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  4. 1 2 Sullivan, Caroline (15 September 2011). "Pajama Club: Pajama Club – review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  5. 1 2 Gill, Andy (16 September 2011). "Album: Pajama Club, Pajama Club". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 15 August 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  6. 1 2 Bergstrom, John (19 October 2011). "Pajama Club: Pajama Club". Popmatters. Retrieved 14 October 2012.