Dizrythmia (1977)

Third album, and the lineup looks different. Phil Judd, the wild card I spent two reviews trying to pin down, is gone along with a few others, and Neil Finn (Tim’s younger brother, and yes, the future Crowded House guy) is in. The result is the most conventional Split Enz record so far, an art-pop-rock turn that trades the prog experimentation for tighter songs. The quirks and the whimsy survive the move. So does the streak: third album, third No Skip entry.

Bold as Brass kicks it off with a quirky guitar hook, a driving rhythm, and Tim Finn sounding like he’s having the time of his life. It keeps a clean pop structure without fully sanding off the artsy edge, which is the whole balancing act of this record in one song. My Mistake goes somewhere stranger, a carnival bounce with a near-reggae lilt and a brass solo that pulls the mood darker and more inward than the groove lets on.

Parrot Fashion Love is the quirky-pop-rock thesis statement: whimsical lyrics, grooves that stick, great saxophone, and piano poking through the mix. Sugar and Spice plays it straighter, all catchy hooks and momentum, and it’s the first real place you hear Tim and Neil Finn harmonizing together, which turns out to be a sound the band leans on for years.

Crosswords is the deep-cut weirdo, carnival imagery and nursery-rhyme logic welded to melodic pop and some sharp guitar work. Charley, Nice to Know, and Jamboree bring it home, the band showing off range without overreaching.

Dizrythmia is a strong, versatile third record that’s clearly reaching for a wider audience. The spread of moods is the point, from the catchy stuff to the more introspective corners. If I’m being straight, the move toward accessibility costs a little of the gleeful strangeness that made the first two so much fun, which is why it lands a notch below them for me. However, it is still a record I keep coming back to.

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Highlight Songs:

• Sugar and Spice

• My Mistake

• Parrot Fashion Love

• Bold as Brass

Own it, Stream it, Forget about it?

Different call than the first two. Dizrythmia is far more accessible, and I’m confident the average listener finds more to grab onto here. Stream it first, and if it clicks, it’s worth owning. If you stream it and it doesn’t land, don’t write the band off. There’s a lot more evolution coming.

Overall Rating:

3.5 Stars