Classic Kiwi Albums - Dave Dobbyn

Dave Dobbyn - Twist - WEA Records LP - 1994

I've wondered often on that title. This was pre-God, and here with Neil Finn producing, there's a kink. A shimmer. A twist. This is Dave deep in his blues making the best and most radical music of his rich life.

The (weary) wise Lap of The Gods leading; a synthesis of Dave and Neil's sounds. Naked Flame a clipped hummer. Effortless Kiwi rock. PC ("tiptoeing in a minefield") acute humorous observation. Braying Dobbyn vocal. Maraca shaking rhythm.

I saw Dobbyn do It Dawned On Me in the Auckland domain at the Symphony Under The Stars Christmas concert. It sounded like God's only true song that day. My experience of Dobbyn until then had consisted of only snatches, which included a spot after Crowded House at their 1993 show at Auckland's Powerstation. Dave and Neil home at last.

Twist shared a lot with Crowded House's Together Alone. The eerie sea mist psychedelia of the most spaced tracks. The feeling home was pulling them in rather than pushing them out.

Side two opener Gifted is a skewed and engaging guitar mantra. Betrayal is Beatles' psych at its most dissonant - the stuff where they've been listening to the John Cage and Phillip Glass. Sweet droning feedback, and dischord with perfect harmony vocals.

Language snaps back. The album's big hit. One of those songs where just when you think it can't get any better it steps up.

I heard I Can't Change My Name - "Change the locks on the doors, and while you're at it change your circle of friends" - when my faith was low. It wasn't where I'd normally look for solace, and I learned from that. Even then it'd be a few more years before this song really came home - that the hard part of giving up an addiction is leaving behind that world and those who inhabit it.

Dave Dobbyn - Twist - WEA Records LP - 1994
Lap Of The Gods/ Naked Flame/ PC/ It Dawned On Me/ Protection/ What Do You Really Want?/ Gifted/ Betrayal/ Language/ Umm/ Rain On Fire/ I Can't Change My Name

Producer - Neil Finn

Recorded and Mixed by Tchad Blake

Musicians - Dave Dobbyn/ Neil Finn/ Alan Gregg/ Ross Burge/ Tim Finn/ Miguel Fuentes/ Nathan Haines/ Emma Paki/ Don McGlashan/ Liam & Elroy Finn

Album Chart
Twist - number 8. In chart 32 weeks. Platinum Plus. Released - 2 December 1994.

Singles Chart
Language/ Whaling (live)/ Belltower/ Language (potmix) - number 4. In charts 17 weeks. Released - 16 September 1994.

Lap Of The Gods/Lap Of The Gods (album version)/ Twisted - number 13. In chart 8 weeks. Released - 20 January 1995.

Naked Flame/What Do You Really Want?/ Naked Flame (alt mix) - number 20. In chart 5 weeks. Released - 28 July 1995.