Live At The St James

What Neil Finn lacks in the excitement factor, he makes up for in sheer songwriting skill.

Since the demise of Crowded House, Finn has continued to deal in unusual, original melodies, coloured by wistful lyrics and jangly acoustic guitar.

His style has won him some surprising fans – Eddie Vedder makes it onto this live album, as do assorted members of Radiohead. More obvious guests are here too, in the shape of Johnny Marr, Lisa Germano, and brother Tim Finn.

Versions of ‘She Will Have Her Way’ and ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’ shine like diamonds in the live setting, while Johnny Marr’s guitar riffs sound as glorious as ever on ‘Down On The Corner’ and The Smiths’ ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’.

It’s a shame, though, that more of the Finn classics aren’t included. Finn allows his guest stars too much room to perform their own, sometimes weak, tunes, seeming content not to showcase the dreamy, delicate tracks (such as ‘Fall At Your Feet’ and ‘Nails In My Feet’) that have ensured his reputation.

That gripe aside, these are skilled, graceful performances by quality musicians. In a pop world dominated by image, Finn once again proves that music can still triumph over marketing.