Years after the fact, Split Enz remains a New Zealand institution in the land of the Long White Cloud. Many of the tracks on this album became so well known, that it nearly represents a Greatest Hits collection in its own right.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Split Enz
ALBUM: True Colors
LABEL: Mushroom Australia
SERIAL: L37167
YEAR: 1980
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: New Zealand
LINEUP: Tim Finn – vocals, acoustic guitar * Neil Finn – vocals, guitar * Noel Crombie – vocals, percussion * Malcolm Green – drums * Nigel Griggs – bass * Eddie Rayner – keyboards
TRACK LISTING: 01 I Got You * 02 Shark Attack * 03 What’s The Matter With You * 04 Double Happy * 05 I Wouldn’t Dream Of It * 06 I Hope I Never * 07 Nobody Takes Me Seriously * 08 Missing Person * 09 Poor Boy * 10 How Can I Resist Her * 11 The Choral Sea * 12 Things * 13 Two Of A Kind
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Years after the fact, Split Enz remains a New Zealand institution in the land of the Long White Cloud. You didn’t have to go too far around the Kiwi nation in 1980 to see and hear Split Enz all over the airwaves and TV channels of the day.
In fact, many of the tracks on this album became so well known, that it nearly represents a Greatest Hits collection in its own right!
‘True Colours’ became Split Enz’s most successful and commercial offering, going to #1 on the charts in both New Zealand and Australia, and achieving a modicum of success in the U.S, Canada and the UK too.
The Songs
The band were an art-pop sensation in their earlier days. Music, imagery, costumes, stage and props unique just to them, Split Enz were in their own little carnival like bubble.
With ‘True Colours’ they had songs tailor made for radio, as their worldwide hit ‘I Got You’ demonstrated in no uncertain terms.
Other well known tunes include the frantic ‘Shark Attack’ (one of my favourite Enz tunez!), the quirky ‘What’s The Matter With You’, the dreamy ballad ‘I Hope I Never’ and the regimented pop of ‘Nobody Takes Me Seriously Anyway’. All excellent tracks when looking back.
The band also had plans for tracks such as ‘Missing Person’ and ‘Poor Boy’, the latter including that haunting lyrical intro ‘my love is alien’, which could’ve been taken from a David Bowie LP. Really, this album is full of hits, well remembered and well loved.
In Summary
I do recall playing this LP, because of the laser etching embedded on the vinyl platter. We played it at parties and the LP became like a disco mirror ball when light was shone on it, reflecting all sorts of kaleidoscopic imagery around the room. Very cool!
Split Enz released several more albums, up until 1984’s finale ‘See Ya Round’. Neil Finn would escape over to Australia and form Crowded House, which became huge stars in the late 80’s with their 1986 hit ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’.
Still, there is much to enjoy with the Split Enz discography, but if you were ever to start on a back-catalogue collection, this is the album where you would start.
Split Enz on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
If you have a look on the Discogs link, you’ll see the album cover was released with many other colour variations. I knew someone who collected all the variations for their own collection.