Neil Finn must be having a rough time, as his lyrics for Crowded House's latest album, Together Alone, tell tales of broken hearts and loneliness. Song after song, the album's a far cry from the light-hearted enthusiasm of days gone by.

The melancholy tone doesn't stop with his words as Finn and company keep a mellow and subdued tone throughout the bulk of the album.

Maybe Neil just misses his brother, Tim, who teamed up with the House for its third LP, Woodface, when it almost seemed that Split Enz was reborn. But alas, Tim struck out solo again, and Neil picked up a new band member in keyboardist Mark Hart.

Crowded House manages to mix intelligent storytelling with thoughtful instrumental backing, combining for a rich sound that doesn't quite escape pop appeal. In 1986, "Don't Dream It's Over" may have put the House (and New Zealand, for that matter) on the musical map.

But Together Alone's first single, "Locked Out," has the potential for heavy rotation on both rock 'n' roll and Top 40 formats, not to mention its appearance on the Reality Bites motion picture soundtrack.

Unfortunately, the catchy energy of "Locked Out," with its messy guitar licks and high-impact vocal delivery, leaves the rest of Together Alone a slight disappointment. Slow, depressing tunes such as "Fingers of Love" and "Private Universe" take precedence over the album's only other energized track, the almost industrial "Skin Feeling."

The album's mix of '80s retro-folk and Enya-esque vibes results in pleasure for the ear and fulfillment for the soul, but it doesn't exactly get your rump shaking.