Temple of Low Men
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2013}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Temple of Low Men
| type = studio
| artist = Crowded House
| cover = CH-TOLM.jpg
| alt =
| released = 5 July 1988
| recorded = 1987−1988
| studio = Platinum Studio (Melbourne)
Sunset Sound (Los Angeles)
| genre = Pop rock, alternative rock, jangle pop
| length = {{Duration|m=38|s=04}}
| label = Capitol
| producer = Mitchell Froom
| prev_title = Crowded House
| prev_year = 1986
| next_title = Woodface
| next_year = 1991
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Temple of Low Men
| type = studio
| single1 = Better Be Home Soon
| single1date = 12 June 1988
| single2 = When You Come
| single2date = August 1988
| single3 = Into Temptation
| single3date = December 1988
| single4 = Sister Madly
| single4date = 1989
| single5 = I Feel Possessed
| single5date = 29 January 1990
}}
}}
Temple of Low Men is the second studio album by New Zealand-Australian rock band Crowded House, released by Capitol Records on 5 July 1988. The three band members, Neil Finn, Nick Seymour and Paul Hester, recorded the album in Melbourne and Los Angeles with Mitchell Froom as producer. Finn had written all ten tracks during the two years since their self-titled debut. Temple of Low Men peaked at number one in Australia, number two in New Zealand, number ten in Canada and number 40 on the US Billboard 200.
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1989 the group won four categories: Album of the Year and Best Group for Temple of Low Men; Best Cover Art for Seymour's work; and Song of the Year for "Better Be Home Soon".
Background
File:Ch-montreux.jpg Pop Festival, May 1988. L to R: Nick Seymour, Neil Finn, Paul Hester. Two months later they released their second album, Temple of Low Men.]]
Crowded House and Neil Finn, as their main songwriter, were under pressure to create a second album to match their self-titled debut from June 1986; the band joked that one potential title for the new release was Mediocre Follow-Up.{{Cite book|title=Crowded House: Something So Strong|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kJCfAAAAMAAJ|last=Bourke|first=Chris|publisher=Macmillan Publishers|location=South Melbourne, Victoria|year=1997|isbn=0-7329-0886-8}} Eventually titled Temple of Low Men, their second album was released in July 1988 with strong promotion by Capitol Records.
Crowded House undertook a short tour of Australia and Canada to promote the album, with Eddie Rayner (former Split Enz bandmate of Hester and Finn) as a touring member on keyboards. Multi-instrumentalist Mark Hart (ex-Supertramp) replaced Rayner in January 1989. After the tour, Finn fired Seymour from the band.{{cite web | url = http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1979899.htm | title = Neil Finn and Nick Seymour | last = Denton | first = Andrew | author-link = Andrew Denton | work = Enough Rope with Andrew Denton | publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) | date = 16 July 2007 | access-date = 11 December 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110817105338/http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1979899.htm | archive-date = 17 August 2011 | url-status = dead }} Music journalist Ed Nimmervoll claimed that Seymour's temporary departure was because Finn blamed him for causing his writer's block,{{cite web | url = http://www.howlspace.com.au/en/crowdedhouse/crowdedhouse.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20010221221629/http://www.howlspace.com.au/en/crowdedhouse/crowdedhouse.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 21 February 2001 | title = Crowded House | publisher = Howlspace. White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd | last = Nimmervoll | first = Ed | author-link = Ed Nimmervoll | access-date = 11 December 2013}} however Finn cited "artistic differences" as the reason. Seymour said that after a month he contacted Finn and they agreed that he would return to the band.
Composition and recording
Neil Finn wrote all ten tracks for Temple of Low Men during the two years since their first album. It was produced by Mitchell Froom, recorded by Tchad Blake and mixed by Bob Clearmountain. The cover was created by Seymour. The lyric 'Tongue in the Mail' from the track "Love This Life" gave its name to the band's official mailing list. Richard Thompson performed the solo on "Sister Madly".
Reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/temple-of-low-men-mw0000196453 |title=Temple of Low Men – Crowded House |website=AllMusic |access-date=11 December 2013 |last=Woodstra |first=Chris}}
| rev2 = Chicago Sun-Times
| rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}{{cite news |url=https://chicagosuntimes.newsbank.com/doc/news/0EB36DE9E457B25C |title=Crowded House, 'Temple of Low Men' (Capitol) |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |issn=1553-8478 |date=18 July 1988 |access-date=11 March 2017 |last=McLeese |first=Don |url-access=subscription}}
| rev3 = Classic Rock
| rev3score = 6/10{{cite web |url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/crowded-house-30th-anniversary-reissues-album-review |title=Crowded House – 30th Anniversary Reissues album review |website=Classic Rock |date=25 October 2016 |access-date=21 January 2023 |last=Staunton |first=Terry}}
| rev4 = Los Angeles Times
| rev4score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-17-ca-9657-story.html |title=Crowded House—Hooky, Introspective Pop |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |issn=0458-3035 |date=17 July 1988 |access-date=9 November 2015 |last=Hochman |first=Steve}}
| rev5 = Mojo
| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Home Comforts |magazine=Mojo |issn=1351-0193 |issue=333 |date=August 2021 |last=Fyfe |first=Andy |page=36}}
| rev6 = NME
| rev6score = 9/10{{cite magazine |title=Crowded House: Temple of the Low Men |magazine=NME |issn=0028-6362 |date=30 July 1988 |last=Donegan |first=Lawrence |author-link=Lawrence Donegan |page=29}}
| rev7 = Record Mirror
| rev7score = {{Fraction|3|1|2}}/5{{cite magazine |title=Crowded House: Temple of Low Men |magazine=Record Mirror |issn=0144-5804 |date=6 August 1988 |last=Giles |first=David |page=31}}
| rev8 = Rolling Stone
| rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/crowdedhouse/albums/album/109938/rid/5941478/ |title=Crowded House: Temple Of Low Men |magazine=Rolling Stone |issn=0035-791X |date=14–28 July 1988 |access-date=9 November 2015 |last=DeCurtis |first=Anthony |author-link=Anthony DeCurtis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060508212112/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/crowdedhouse/albums/album/109938/rid/5941478/ |archive-date=8 May 2006 |url-status=dead}}
| rev9 = Uncut
| rev9score = 6/10{{cite magazine |title=Crowded House |magazine=Uncut |issn=1368-0722 |issue=235 |date=December 2016 |last=Pinnock |first=Tom |page=52}}
| rev10 = The Village Voice
| rev10score = C{{cite news |url=https://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgvts88-88.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Turkey Shoot |newspaper=The Village Voice |issn=0042-6180 |date=29 November 1988 |access-date=9 November 2015 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}
}}
AllMusic praised Temple of Low Men, but noted a change of tone from the previous album, saying, "The material on Temple of Low Men demonstrates great leaps in quality over its predecessor, it is a darkly difficult album ... Finn digs into the depths of his emotional psyche with obsessive detail, crafting a set of intense, personal songs ... Through all of this introspective soul-searching, Finn reveals most of all his true mastery of melody. Robert Christgau of The Village Voice panned the album as being buried in sanctimonious self-pity, and commented that "Finn has neglected the only thing he has to offer the world: perky hooks."
In October 2010, Temple of Low Men was listed at number 71 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums, with the band's next album, Woodface at No. 3.{{Cite book | title = 100 Best Australian Albums | last1 = O'Donnell | first1 = John | author-link1 = John O'Donnell (music journalist) | last2 = Creswell | first2=Toby | author-link2 = Toby Creswell | last3 = Mathieson | first3 = Craig | author-link3 = Craig Mathieson | publisher = Hardie Grant Books | date = October 2010 | location = Prahran, Vic | isbn = 978-1-74066-955-9 }}
Track listing
{{tracklisting
| all_writing = Neil Finn, unless otherwise noted
| total_length = 38:04
| title1 = I Feel Possessed
| length1 = 3:48
| title2 = Kill Eye
| length2 = 3:14
| title3 = Into Temptation
| length3 = 4:33
| title4 = Mansion in the Slums
| length4 = 3:45
| title5 = When You Come
| length5 = 4:45
| title6 = Never Be the Same
| length6 = 4:28
| title7 = Love This Life
| length7 = 3:36
| title8 = Sister Madly
| length8 = 2:52
| title9 = In the Lowlands
| length9 = 3:56
| title10 = Better Be Home Soon
| length10 = 3:07
}}
{{Tracklist
| headline = 2016 reissue adds a 2nd disc: Unreleased and rare material
| title1 = Whispers and Moans (Home Demo)
| length1 = 2:03
| title2 = Never be the Same (Home Demo)
| length2 = 1:19
| title3 = Dream On (Home Demo)
| length3 = 1:31
| title4 = Never Been Born (Rehearsal Excerpt)
| length4 = 1:01
| title5 = Think I'm Gonna Change (Home Demo)
| length5 = 1:43
| title6 = Into Temptation (Home Demo)
| length6 = 2:17
| title7 = Fire Will Keep Me Warm (In the Lowlands Home Demo)
| length7 = 1:25
| title8 = Love This Life (Home Demo)
| length8 = 2:25
| title9 = Sister Madly (Studio Outtake)
| length9 = 3:30
| title10 = Mansion in the Slums (Live)
| length10 = 4:47
| title11 = This is Massive (Live)
| writer11 = Paul Hester
| length11 = 4:02
| title12 = Love This Life (Live)
| length12 = 3:41
| title13 = In the Lowlands (Live)
| length13 = 6:21
| title14 = I Feel Possessed (Live)
| length14 = 6:11
| title15 = Burnt Out Tree (Live)
| length15 = 1:27
| title16 = Mr. Tambourine Man (Live)
| writer16 = Bob Dylan
| length16 = 2:35
| title17 = Eight Miles High (Live)
| writer17 = Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, David Crosby
| length17 = 4:50
| title18 = So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star (Live)
| writer18 = Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn
| length18 = 2:49
| title19 = When You Come (live)
| length19 = 7:06
| title20 = Sister Madly (Live)
| length20 = 4:59
| title21 = Better Be Home Soon (Live)
| length21 = 5:11
|total_length = 71:13
}}
Personnel
= Crowded House =
- Neil Finn – lead vocals, guitar
- Nick Seymour – bass, backing vocals
- Paul Hester – drums, backing vocals
= Additional musicians =
- Tim Finn – backing vocals
- Mitchell Froom – keyboards
- Richard Thompson – guitar solo "Sister Madly"
- Alex Acuña – percussion
- Heart Attack Horns – horns
Charts
=Weekly charts=
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1988) !Position |
| Australia (ARIA Charts)
| align="center"|14 |
Certifications
{{certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|title=Temple of Low Men|artist=Crowded House|type=album|relyear=1988|certyear=1988|award=Platinum|number=3|certref={{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/news/crowded-house-at-the-arias|title= Crowded House at ARIAs|website=ARIA Charts|date=26 May 2020|access-date=21 August 2022}}}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|title=Temple of Low Men|artist=Crowded House|type=album|relyear=1988|certyear=1988|award=Platinum}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|title=Temple of Low Men|artist=Crowded House|type=album|relyear=1988|certyear=1988|id=1988-10-14|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|award=Platinum}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Temple Of Low Men|artist=Crowded House|type=album|relyear=2016|certyear=2024|award=Silver|id=20043-1869-2|access-date=June 1, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190407172603/https://www.crowdedhouse.com/ Official Crowded House website]
{{Crowded House}}
{{ARIA Award for Album of the Year}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:ARIA Award–winning albums
Category:Albums produced by Mitchell Froom