New Zealand's favorite sons, the Finn Brothers, have certainly come a long way. During the '70s, Tim and his fellow Split Enz bandmates were hard to take seriously in their clown costumes and parrot wigs. Even with the addition of little brother Neil, who was only 17 at the time, the band achieved only a negligible amount of commercial success in America. In 1985, Neil scored a gig of his own, Crowded House, but before older brother Tim could hop on board, the band released a self-titled album which spawned 1987 Billboard singles "Something So Strong," and "Don't Dream It's Over," which reached No. 7 and No. 2 on the charts, respectively. Worldwide acclaim didn't last long, and the band imploded by the mid-'90s. In following years, solo efforts by the pair have been rather lackluster. They teamed up again nearly a decade ago for a collaborative effort, yet that album pales in comparison to 2004's "Everyone is Here," released on Aug. 24.

Finally, at the ages of 46 and 52, the veteran Brothers Finn appear to have come into their own. "Everyone is Here" is a highly infectious collection of skillfully crafted songs that may never see MTV, but are noteworthy primarily on the basis of their pure artistry. A perfect example of the brothers' originality is found on the track, "Disembodied Voices." The natural harmony of the siblings' vocals have been intoxicating to listeners since the Everlys and the Beach Boys, yet these brothers take their delectable similarities to new levels as they celebrate the relationship they obviously cherish, "Talking with my brother when the lights went out/Down the hallway 40 years ago/Talking with each other as we wait for sleep/The angel in the detail soon arrives/Spreading her wings over every memory/Keeping all our hopes alive." Tim and Neil deftly supply the track with expert acoustic guitar riffs with a homespun hint of banjo, while the cut is further propelled by Tony Visconti on

mandolin, cello and double bass.

The opening track, "Won't Give In," is a piano-laced percussive, mid-tempo ballad that appears to be a reference to the recent death of their mother, Mary, who the album is dedicated to. Not overtly somber, yet deeply introspective, the Finns turn what could be a melancholy edict into a proclamation of hope: "It means I won't give in/Won't give in/Won't give in/Everyone I love is here." The Finns make their indelible marks on posterity flawlessly clear with these poignant vocals, "When you're born with a name/You carry it on."

A nice change of pace is the upbeat love song "Luckiest Man Alive." The angst of previous tracks is alleviated by this celebration of a forty-something man realizing that, "She has cut right through his foolish pride" and by the strength of her love, she has made him the "Luckiest man alive." Acquiescing to Cupid's arrows has never seemed so painless; Neil's guitar riffs are playfully met by Tim's tambourine on a cut that will make even the jaded-by-love set rethink their aversion to trying again. The song could easily become the next Billboard single to adorn the Finn mantle. Then again, after years of struggling with bands that saw their 15 minutes of fame pass all too quickly, the brothers may be content to just light the fire and enjoy the glow of the moment.

Vicki St. James is the mid-day on-air personality on Mix 96.1 FM.

BREAKOUT

listening booth

The Finn Brothers

"Everyone is Here"

Nettwerk Records

****1/2 (out of *****)