Conflicting Emotions

{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

{{More citations needed|date=May 2010}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Conflicting Emotions

| type = Album

| artist = Split Enz

| cover = Conflicting Emotions.jpg

| alt =

| released = November 1983

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio = Paradise Studios, Sydney

| genre = New wave

| length = 42:15

| label = Mushroom

| producer = Hugh Padgham, Eddie Rayner

| prev_title = Enz of an Era

| prev_year = 1982

| next_title = See Ya 'Round

| next_year = 1984

}}

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r18687|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]

}}

Conflicting Emotions is the ninth album by New Zealand band Split Enz.

As recording began, Tim Finn had just released a successful solo album, Escapade, and was focused on promoting it. As a result, six of the ten songs on the album are written and sung by Neil Finn.

The rumored resentment over Tim Finn's successful solo career was worsened by his desire to include drummer Ricky Fataar in recording sessions, and using a drum machine on most other tracks. Hence, although Noel Crombie is credited as drummer/percussionist on the album liner notes, he actually contributed very little drumming. Neil Finn said at the time of recording, "These drum machine things that are going around at the moment. We thought it was high time we utilised one and we've been very careful with it."{{cite magazine| magazine= Countdown Magazine | title=Allz Well that Enz Well|author=Stuart Metchett | volume=2|issue=3|date=November 1983}}

Eddie Rayner at this point started to use the Yamaha DX7 synthesizer which can heard on many tracks.

The band advertised for a new drummer before taking to the road for the Conflicting Emotions tour, hoping an injection of new blood would revitalize them. Paul Hester answered the call, joining Split Enz in time to feature in the video clip for "Message to My Girl".

The album cover art was created by former Split Enz frontman Phil Judd, while the back cover was painted by Noel Crombie.

Track listing

{{Track listing

| collapsed =

| headline =

| extra_column =

| total_length =

| title1 = Strait Old Line

| length1 = 4:03

| writer1 = Neil Finn

| title2 = Bullet Brain and Cactus Head

| length2 = 3:59

| writer2 = Neil Finn

| title3 = Message to My Girl

| length3 = 4:04

| writer3 = Neil Finn

| title4 = Working Up an Appetite

| length4 = 4:08

| writer4 = Tim Finn

| title5 = Our Day

| length5 = 4:57

| writer5 = Neil Finn

| title6 = No Mischief

| length6 = 4:15

| writer6 = Neil Finn

| title7 = The Devil You Know

| length7 = 3:35

| writer7 = Neil Finn

| title8 = I Wake Up Every Night

| length8 = 4:46

| writer8 = Tim Finn

| title9 = Conflicting Emotions

| length9 = 4:30

| writer9 = Tim Finn

| title10 = Bon Voyage

| length10 = 4:06

| writer10 = Tim Finn

}}

Personnel

Split Enz

Additional musician

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col"| Chart (1983–84)

!scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{cite book|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, NSW|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=288}} NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.

| style="text-align:center;"| 13

scope="row"{{album chart|Netherlands|18|artist=Split Enz|album=Conflicting Emotions|accessdate=15 November 2020|refname="ND"}}
scope="row"{{album chart|New Zealand|3|artist=Split Enz|album=Conflicting Emotions|accessdate=15 November 2020|refname="RMNZ"}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|137|artist=Split Enz|rowheader=true|access-date=January 5, 2022}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col" | Chart (1984)

! scope="col" | Position

scope="row" | New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1984-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 1984 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart|publisher=Recorded Music New Zealand|access-date=February 2, 2022}}

| 42

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|title=Conflicting Emotions|type=album|artist=Split Enz|relyear=1983|certyear=1984|award=Gold|certref={{cite web|url=https://www.frontiertouring.com/past-tours/2006/split-enz-australian-tour|title=Split Enz to Tour in 2006|access-date=16 February 2025}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|title=Conflicting Emotions|type=album|artist=Split Enz|relyear=1983|certyear=1984|award=Platinum|certref={{cite web|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/42563/gold-and-platinum-new-zealand-albums-to-2013|title=Gold and platinum New Zealand albums to 2013|website=teara.govt.nz|access-date=7 December 2021}}}}

{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

References