Dizrythmia has long been my favorite Enz album. It captures a wonderful moment in the band's history, when Tim finally stepped forward and took control of the band's direction (after years of feeling perhaps a bit in Phil's shadow?). Neil was aboard for moral support, but wasn't really contributing at the level he would come to contribute. It was just a masterful, weird, totally confident platter of Tim's vision, equal parts class and sass, served up with panache by a band just coming into the peak of its musical powers with the additions of Green and, crucially, Griggs.

The argument could be made that Dizrythmia was really just the hangover from the Judd years, that it was less Tim's vision than Tim's version of Phil's vision, that subsequent discs proved Tim's heart lay further towards his sleeve, rather than with the quirky and subversive turf originally staked out by the Finn/Judd writing combo (and still quite quirkily in evidence on Dizrythmia). Yes the argument could be made. And alternately, the person making that argument could be slapped.

Best Beginning of the Enz
Worst Conflicting Emotions

Best: Time & Tide
Worst: Have to do a toss up between Conflicting Emotions and See Ya Round.......Conflicting Emotions wins.

Best - Dizrhythmia
Worst - Conflicting Emotions/See Ya Round

Best: Toss up between True Colours and Time and Tide.

Worst: probably See Ya Round.

Apart from a couple of really good songs on that album, I found it lacklustre.

I agree with a sentiment that someone made quite a while ago; when Tim left the band it should have folded. No reflection on Neil at all but to illustrate, I don't think that Crowded House would work without Neil.

I love Dizrythmia! It's such an awesome album, It has most of my favourite Enz songs on it :].

Best album- Waiata

Worst Album- Frenzy

My best - Corroboree

My worst - See Ya Round

Best: Time and Tide/Dizrythmia

Worst: Frenzy, or maybe True Colours.

Best = Time and tide
Worst = Frenzy (original) / Conflicting emotions

Well I've been a CH and Finn fan since about 1990 and only had 'best of' Split Enz albums in various guises . I was thinking of getting the whole of the enz albums one by one and was wondering where to start. I was looking to you guys for guidance here and I just thought well darn it i'll get the enz to enz box set. It's due to be delivered soon. Trouble is I still don't know where to start....

I highly recommend you listen to each album in order of release. That way you can really get a full appreciation for the evolution of the band. I would also recommend augmenting your listening experience by first listening to the Enzology podcast before hearing the corresponding album.

The Enzology can be downloaded here for free: http://www.radionz.co.nz/podcasts/enzology.rss

Thank you Painaporo!
Not got through them all but so far i LOVE Dyzrythmia and True Colours.

Wow - I'm blown away. I think that I could like the Enz better than CH...

I really couldn't come up with a worst. After much consideration I think Time and Tide might be my "best", though.
linzimoor, when you get your Enz to Enz box you'll see that it comes in chronological order.

I have a hard time dissing Conflicting Emotions, because even though it totally fails as an album, it's got Message to My Girl on it, which I think is one of the best songs Neil did in Split Enz. But it also includes Bullet Brain and Cactus Head not to mention a lot of other truly awful filler. It's the classic case of the old music business model where one would buy an album for one song and find out everything else on it was ****e.

The album I love the most is True Colours, but probably because that was my first Enz purchase and I Got You was a defining moment in my teenage years. I think Second Thoughts is pretty good though, doesn't sound a bit like the later Enz, and it's musically very interesting to me even now. I can see why Phil Manzanera wanted to produce them. I'm a big Roxy Music fan, and that album reminds me a lot of Roxy, but not in a derivative way at all.

quote:

It's the classic case of the old music business model where one would buy an album for one song and find out everything else on it was ****e.

Even Strait Old Line and Devil You Know? I must admit Bullet Brain and Cactus Head is a guilty pleasure for me.

quote:

Originally posted by Camus:

quote:

It's the classic case of the old music business model where one would buy an album for one song and find out everything else on it was ****e.

Even Strait Old Line and Devil You Know? I must admit Bullet Brain and Cactus Head is a guilty pleasure for me.

I agree, Camus. How can you not LOVE Strait Old Line?!?!

Best album - TRUE COLOURS!

It has I Got You on it for a start and has that perfect 80's FM Radio sound like The Cars, Blondie etc. When the Enz did their 2006 Australian tour they played almost every track off the album with the exception of "Choral Sea" and maybe one other.

Least Favourite album - SEE YA ROUND

It was a nice idea to have a final album after Time left but it just doesn't feel like an album firing on all cylinders. I like "This Is Massive" though.

all the albums i mention below i have.

my favourite Split Enz albums:

Second Thoughts

Dizrythmia: it's one of 2 Split Enz albums (the other being Second Thoughts) where i like all the tracks.

True Colours

Corroboree (1981 & 2006 mixes)

Time and Tide

See Ya 'Round

Oddz and Enz/Rear Enz: love listening to B-sides, demos and rarities.

Rootin Tootin Luton Tapes: there are some versions of songs that i prefer to listen to over the Frenzy versions (except "Hermit McDermitt: i listen to the version on "Spellbound".

the albums i don't particularly like to listen to:

Mental Notes

Frenzy (1979 mix): it's poorly mixed (thanks to Mallory Earl!), and parts of it sound like that it was recorded in a toilet (i.e. Stuff and Nonsense). i haven't heard the 2006 mixes.

Conflicting Emotions: a major flop on the back of the three previous albums. contains some beautiful song, but is weighed down by "sub-standard" tracks (i can't find the right word - sub-standard will do).

The Living Enz: Eddie, please re-master it! the sound quality is "sub-standard". it's like someone has ripped it straight from the vinyl version, then put it onto CD. prefer to listen to "Charlie" on 1989 version of History Never Repeats: The Best of Split Enz.

Anniversary: even though i have it, i've never listened to the whole album (to be honest!). the canned audience loop puts me off, big time. i'm getting Extravagenza soon.

My 'current' faves (they seem to change every 2 weeks).

In no order

Luton (2 cd set)
Dizrythmia
Beginning of the Enz
Mental Notes
See Ya Round


The only one I never really play is The Living Enz.....

Gryph