In a group show later this week, Holly Throsby and Paul Dempsey will join fellow musicians Sarah Blasko, Clare Bowditch, Sally Seltmann, Alexander Gow (Oh Mercy) and Lior to showcase homage material from 2005's She Will Have Her Way and 2010's He Will Have His Way, two records that have sold in excess of 400,000 copies in Australia and New Zealand.

With Throsby performing her version of Not the Girl You Think You Are and Dempsey taking care of Addicted, both admit that there are several revelations in store for the audience, individual interpretations, duets and an ensemble performance.

“As quite an untrained musician and playing more by ear I was always attracted to the Finn’s simple sounding songs,” says Throsby. “That classic kind of sound.” Dempsey recalls his eldest sister bringing home the first Crowded House album in 1986 and “just flogging the hell out of it,” he laughs.

“They were a part of the family and always on high rotation at family get-togethers…just so part of the fabric.”

No matter what your opinion of the Finns might well be, one can’t deny that their musical aesthetic is one of masterful ease and layering, where melody is king. “There’s simplicity there yet it’s so complex in chord structures and progressions and lyrically there are so many threads, too,” says Throsby.

They Will Have Their Way plays the Palais Theatre on Saturday November 5 and Sunday November 6.

stopstartmusic.blogspot.com