There are a lot of ways that I feel tempted to make a copy-paste entry for Split Enz’s “True Colours.” On almost every song, I was tempted to just call it a pastiche of somebody else. At times I was saying Elvis Costello, Oingo Boingo, David Bowie, or even Genesis. There’s even a single that sounds like a predecessor to Smash Mouth. To me, every song sounds like a B-Side to somebody else and it often comes across as distracting. I’m left wondering what is authentic about this band because their story is one I’ve covered a ton on Make It New. What separates them from other short-lived phenomena like The Vapors or Pylon?
At the same time, I have to wholeheartedly admit that when thinking about a sound that defines New Wave, “True Colours” is pretty close to what I’d envision as the cliché answer. I think for me, the genre needs to be defined by something obtuse. It needs to stand against the Top 40 with some creative rock sound that can be defined as weird. At a certain point, I even thought Split Enz was trying to be like The Buggles and produce something more conceptual. I don’t know exactly what makes them special. However, they’re jittery and provide an esoteric spin on rock music that’s still catchy. It’s easy to put this on and dance to. In fact, for all the criticisms of authenticity, I would argue this is one of my favorites just because of how well it distills the era into three-minute ditties.
What is probably the biggest relief of covering Split Enz is that they’re the first group to take us out of North America and Europe. For the first time, we’re moving all the way down to Australasia to cover the first band in history to have any musical success outside their homeland. In that regard, their story is very impressive. It may have the same trajectory as most bands I’ve covered but knowing that they were able to make an impression that mattered is significant. It feels reminiscent of the New Wave musical Starstruck (1982), which itself feels indebted to Split Enz in part because of its Australasian roots and how aesthetically similar they are. If nothing else, it makes me curious to know what other significant New Wave bands came from “down under” as they’d say because it does feel like there are some hidden gems.
Despite their short run, they were strangely prolific in several ways. By the time of “True Colours,” they had released six albums in five years (there would be 10 total). Their line-up changes include 16 musicians over 12 years. Due to different colorations, even their 1980 album can be seen as excessive. Due to them using a technique called “laser-etching” that was meant to fight counterfeiting, they were able to produce covers in several different color patterns. There were four originally but would come to have 11 versions with the rarest being a black and white one that was issued 100 copies to the press. If nothing else, they’re winning the numbers game in some unexpected fields.
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But before they can get to their significant crossover, there needs to be some context. Because of the endless line-up changes, I will not cover each individual group. The most significant line-ups center around Tim Finn. In 1972, he formed a band with Phil Judd under the name Split Ends. Finn was a student at the University of Aukland where he was going for a Bachelor of Arts degree. When he became more interested in music, he dropped out to focus on making a sound that would be more art rock than their later work. In 1974, they changed their name to Split Enz to reflect their New Zealand roots.
Throughout their early career, they would release a handful of singles that would be compiled as “The Beginning of the Enz” in 1979. Their debut album “Mental Notes” was considered closer to progressive rock. It would be a significant hit in New Zealand at No. 7, which would lead to production work with Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera. In 1977, Tim Finn’s brother Neil Finn would join and Phil Judd would leave. Neil would soon become a prominent songwriter, helping to pen songs with Tim through writing sessions. While they would have no agent, manager, or record contract, by 1978, they earned a grant from the New Zealand Arts Council that produced a big enough hit to keep the band going.
One thing was becoming clear as they were approaching the end of the 70s. They were interested in shifting their sound. As a result, there was a desire to produce something poppier. It proved to be extremely dissonant from their earlier work in part because of Neil Finn’s involvement in directing sound. Vocalist and percussionist Noel Crombie also contributed directing duties to their music videos, including their breakout song “I Got You.” While they were skeptical of the song being considered not single worthy, it would become their biggest hit and helped them chart in other countries.
Another interesting thing about “True Colours” is that the track listing changed based on the success of “I Got You.” Whereas the original pressing opens with “Shark Attack,” later prints would switch it with the second song “I Got You” as the lead in. It was clear that they wanted to open it with the biggest song and attract the listener almost immediately.
I cannot speak for which ultimately was the right call. Without being aware of the lead single, my instinct is to say that “Shark Attack” is the more enjoyable song. It captures something that is unabashedly new wave and finds a chorus that turns a problematic lover trying to attack the singer like a shark attack. The pacing is infectious as if wading through the water and waiting to pop up. The intensity grows until suddenly you’re helplessly being consumed whole. Comparatively, I like “I Got You” but it’s more selective in how it uses its structure. The chorus booms with angst and pain. The dissonance with the verse actually helps it to feel like a grand reveal as if contemplating difficult emotions in private.
As the album continues, I think it’s interesting that this has two instrumental tracks. “Double Happy” and “The Choral Sea” are incredible mixes of New Wave with more of a surf rock sound. If there’s one thing that Split Enz deserves credit for, it’s having a tight instrumentation. They can play infectious hooks without losing the driving force. For those three minutes, you’re in awe of how many surprise turns each takes. The choice to end with “The Choral Sea” also has a strange way of making the album end on a decompression. Despite all of the intensity, it manages to build back to a calmness that makes it feel bookended by an “I Got You” opener. With that said, “Shark Attack” is more thematically prevalent.
Everything else is a perfect embodiment of what New Wave was like in 1980. While I do think their lack of a focused sound makes them feel less interesting than a lot of bands I’ve covered, it helps to make me wonder why they weren’t more of a sensation. One of the songs that I’m especially amused by is “Nobody Takes Me Seriously,” which is one of the more comical tracks on the album. It takes the perspective of a boss who is looking at his employees and joking about how irrelevant he is. I think it’s the song that most make me want to believe that this is a piece of world building and there’s a hidden universe in these tracks. It’s maybe not as dense as Gary Numan, but I want to believe that in between the love songs is a character trying to thrive in their day-to-day.
I think there’s room to think that, especially as there are songs like “Missing Person” where somebody wanders away. It’s a bit more melancholic, but it provides some ominous impressions towards the back half of the album. The remorseful nature of this area of the album feels like a plot revelation that I’m not fully sure is there. It’s evident even as tracks slow down and become more yearning. With that said, they’re at best sketches of a world that may be accidental. I want to believe that because they started as more of an art rock band there’s something there, but I don’t have a clear answer.
Which is the thing. Maybe because I can’t find the authenticity in Split Enz, I’m not able to fully appreciate what they’re doing. Outside of them being a New Zealand band who make some really catchy numbers, I am curious what they’re ultimately saying. It’s like Adam and the Ants or The Waitresses where I’m pleased by the vibes they are offering, but very little feels essential beyond it. They’re weird and pushing rock music in interesting directions. I’ll give them credit for that. With that said, being a band prolific enough to release 10 albums between 1975 and 1984 is no easy feat and actually makes them one of the most prolific bands Make It New has covered. I am definitely intrigued to listen to more. Maybe in the bigger picture, it’ll all make sense. For now, these are just songs that make me smile. It’s not the worst thing, but I think when determining who is a great New Wave band, I want something more singular in vision.
The band may not have the level of success that other bands covered had – or at least stateside – but they still ran in a similar direction as far as career. While they never had a hit as big as “I Got You,” they continued to produce an album every year. Their final release was 1984’s “See Ya ‘Round.” Neil Finn and band member Paul Hester would go on to start the more prominent Crowded House who released the hit single “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” Tim Finn would join for a brief time which resulted in their third album “Woodface.” In later years, Neil Finn would serve as a member of Fleetwood Mac. He would also produce music for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) and featured cameos on the TV series Flight of the Conchords and Bluey. Both Finn brothers would continue to produce solo music well into the modern age. Like most New Wave bands, they were known for having brief periods of revival for tours with the most recent being in 2009.
Much like their name suggests, I am split on how much I actually love this band. On the one hand, they are like the best of the obscure New Wave bands I’ve discovered and have a few moments of sheer brilliance. The fact that I came away immediately curious to listen to another album is a testament to their craft. They knew how to make music that was playful and strange while still being accessible. However, I still think that “True Colours” lacks a singular voice and it bothers me how often I was left thinking of other bands. I want to believe that their next few albums solidify a more interesting sound and give me something to chew on. Maybe even relistening to this a few times will give me something more to admire. For now, this is a compilation of great songs that are definitely worth hearing. I just don’t know what makes Split Enz special just yet.
Coming Up Next: The Go-Betweens – “Tallulah” (1987)
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