THE CHURCH

Highlights include the start of "After Everything" which sounds amazing, very dreamy, but then the vocals come in and change that mood. Still this is a top three track for me. Some great lyrics on this one too. "Chronium" is my favourite because it is fuller and more urgent sounding.They come to life on this one. "Radiance" is a beautiful track. "Reprieve" has some rare energy around 2 minutes but it's brief. I like the guitar before 5 minutes. A top three. The longest track "Invisible" has these mono-toned vocals and an electronic vibe. Not a fan.

I'll stick with "Starfish" and "Priest = Aura" for my THE CHURCH fix.

"Aura" is a top five tune for me. I love the sound when it kicks in with vocals before a minute. Nice bass here too.The beat stops 6 1/2 minutes in as the atmosphere takes over and sounds cry out. "Ripple" is another top five. Jangly guitars as vocals join in then it kicks in just before a minute. Guitar only before 4 1/2 minutes then it kicks back in instrumentally to the end. A powerful sound here. "Paradox" gets fuller with vocals quickly. Some backing vocals in this one. "Lustre" opens with bass and atmosphere as the guitar and drums join in, then vocals and a fuller sound follows. Atmosphere ends it. Nice. "Swan Lake" is a short tune with a relaxing beat and vocals. "Feel" sounds really good especially the bass and drums. "Mistress" is a top five.There's an emotion I feel while listening to this amazing tune.The focus is on the vocals. "Kings" opens with jangly guitars as reserved vocals come in. Atmosphere 2 1/2 minutes in then back to the vocals and earlier sound. Excellent track.

"Dome" has a beat with guitar as the vocals join in. Catchy stuff. "Witch Hunt" is all about the rhythm and lyrics. "The Disillusionist" builds quickly as vocals arrive. Dual vocals on the chorus and this has a catchy beat as well. "Old Flame" is dreamy with vocals. "Chaos" is a top five too.The longest track at 9 1/2 minutes. Atmosphere as chunky bass joins in.The guitar comes in as it builds.Vocals join in as the guitar cries out. Amazing sound that erupts 4 1/2 minutes in then rebuilds. A calm with atmosphere 7 1/2 minutes in to end it. "Film" is the final top five for me. Such a rich sound here and it turns heavier after 1 1/2 minutes then settles back as contrasts continue. A calm with atmosphere after 3 minutes to end it.

There is a spiritual componet to this album that can't be ignored. Not surprising perhaps considering the band's name and the title of this record. If going to church was as much of an experience as listening to this album I might actually go.

They do add some guest horns and strings at times.This works well with the instrumental "Happy Hunting Ground" where we get some atmosphere as well. "Myrrh" the opening track is a top three for me.The sound builds until the vocals arrive then it settles back. "Columbus" is another top three and my favourite. It's uptempo but also uplifting. "Disenchanted" is the other top three. A dreamy track that hits the spot. I like "Youth Worshipper" quite a bit as well.

I really like how this band sounds but this particular album seems to be lacking something.

Most of the songs are on an atmospheric and uniform mood. Some tracks though do speak more to me than other ones like "Space Saviour" for instance. But globally, I can't really highlight lots of songs from this offering. It is a combo of pleasant tracks but some flaws are also available. The long and monotonous "On Angel Street" is probably the weakest featured on this work.

Again, to listen to this album doesn't do any harm, with several song on the melodic side ("Sunken Sun") but I am still circumspect about their ability to generate passion and enthusiasm. Not mine that's for sure.

I can't see a major change in their musical direction throughout the years. Definitely not with this last album to date. Some fifty minutes of good melancholia.

Three stars.

By now, it sounds rather repetitive to say the least. Over twenty five years and a good chunk of releases to propose a new, yet old album is quite a disappointment. One could almost played their albums randomly without being able to determine which is the one played ? because they almost sound alike.

Not bad though, but so little creative by mow. Some good pop-rock items ("Unified Field") and a very thin relation to prog are the ingredients you can taste from "Uninvited?.". Same sort of inspiration, same sort of basic rock items ("Space Needle"), same sort of atmosphere, same of ? everything to be honest.

But after twenty five years, this sounds a bit too much and I can't be passionate about such a predictable album. Of course, this band is not the most sought on PA (only five reviews per album on average) and lots of readers might well ask themselves: "Who are these guys"?

Well, these guys were once quite creative but repeated the same recipe for ever and ever. Grab a lot of new wave sounds, mix them with some melancholic rock and duplicate. As much as you can. It worked for a while, including this album which is not bad at all to tell the truth.

Nothing revolutionary, nothing new. Same meal repeated. Still good but don't expect any outstanding track either. This is a good rock album. No more.

Nothing wrong, but nothing passionate either. The band also feels obliged to release quite long albums (over an hour for this one). It is fine when the music sounds fresh and inventive, but when it is repetitive, with little emotion, average song writing as well as sub-par melodies it IS very, very long indeed.

I won't describe a track by track review since this would be a carbon copy of preview reviews, always mentioning the same sort of influences or genre, absence of feeling and an overall (too) melancholic impression.

In all, this album is not a bad one; only inoffensive (although "Appalatia" is quite weak) and I rate it with three stars. This is an album to listen to while having a good glass of wine in front of your chimney during a quite autumn evening? Nothing wrong, but nothing passionate as I told you already.

There is nothing too wrong here, but the melancholic music, passionless and uniform vocals, same sort of music through this almost an hour of music are ingredients which I can't find too exciting.

There is even one track recorded live. I have always wonder why the band who has been active for about twenty years by the release of "After Everything Now This" never recorded a live album. Still, they are touring. But when I see the type of events they organize (dinner + show at around 100 AUD $ for a seat) I wonder what are going through their minds. Some sort of "Night Of The Proms" affair maybe; for rich and famous?

To cut a long story short, I prefer to listen to this album (and some other ones from "The Church",) when I don't need to concentrate on their music (while reading, driving?). It is really too much of the same even if their new wave link is again very much present here ("The Cure" and the inevitable Bunnymen).

There are some nice vocal harmonies ("Chromium") but there are hardly any great song featured on this work nor delectable instrumental sections. A long, dark, languishing and soft implication. To listen to one ("Reprieve" is one of my faves) or two pieces is OK, but to have the whole bunch of tracks in a row is quite an exercise.

IMHHO, the best track from this offering is the longer "Night Friends": the melody is catchier and there is somewhat more feeling in here. The mood remains on the soft side (nice piano and ambient passages). The proggiest song of this whole for sure. Some "Lou Reed" tonality for "Seen It Coming" is not too bad either.

This album is average. Five out of ten. I could have rounded up to three stars, would the closing track be some more attractive which is not the case, unfortunately.

Several songs from this work do belong to my youth. From the glam / new wave era (but not only).

The opening one is "Faith Healer": one of the best songs from "The Sensational Alex Harvey Band". It is less rocking than the original (the spacey intro is quite original) but OK. I met this song in 1974 with the "Next" album (which I recommend by the way).

Actually, most of these songs will be alright; but the problem resides more in the choice of songs.

I have already outlined in some reviews from their earlier work, that some "Ultravox!" feel could be found. They pay here a tribute to them with a rendition of "Hiroshima Mon Amour" from their second album "Ha! Ha! Ha! It is not my fave track from the band (whom I like VERY much) and this version is somewhat accelerated (hence much shorter).

Another fave band of mine was "Television". A US band from the great CBGB scene and close friends with the sublime Patti Smith. Their debut album was really incredible even if "Friction" was probably one of the least appealing track. A curious choice (why not the mythical "Marquee Moon" or "See No Evil")?

I can't evoke this album without talking about "All The Young Dudes" of course. A formidable song offered by Bowie to "Mott The Hoople" who were desperate in getting a hit and about to call it quit! This song hit number three in the UK chart and launched their career. But this cover is not the best one from the album, I'm afraid.

There is also a "Beatles" cover: a confidential Harrison song featured on the poor "Yellow Submarine" album. I guess that in terms of royalty, it might be affordable and probably therefore it made its entry here.

The Iggy Pop one ("The Endless Sea") has been fully "Churcharized" (as some others ones like "The Porpoise Song"). Nothing too exciting.

One of my fave out here is the old "Silver Machine" from "Hawkwind": it almost sounds punkish here. Not bad at all: wild guitar, crazy drumming and cool vocals. Very good indeed.

The last song I know from "A Box Of Birds" is the guitar hymn "Cortez The Killer" from Neil Young ("Juma" album in 1975). The original was indeed a great moment of electric guitar (but my all time favourite from the man - together with his C, S and N - is the formidable "Southern Man" version available on "Four Way Street"). This extended version also offers some great guitar moment and probably my fave from this cover album.

It is not only a guitar hymn, but also a wonderful homage to the native Mexicans who were exterminated by Cortez, the killer?A poignant song, especially for me (I'm half Mexican by marriage). Vocals from Steve Kilbey fit perfectly well and provide some gloomy and tenebrous feel. A great song for sure. Maybe my fave from the entire discography from "The Church".

In all, this is a good cover album. Only some of the songs are not truly representative of the original band's repertoire and some others are quite sounding too much like plain "The Church" songs.

Three stars.

I haven't yet found their relation with prog so far to tell the truth. But I have no problem with their new wave oriented music. Only that the new wave was quite sounding as old wave in the middle eighties or nineties.

This album is no different. A feeling of déjà vu. "Louisiana" is one example to highlight this. A borrowed romantic ballad (I can't find the name right now from the original which reminds me that song).

There are little passionate songs held on this album; it sounds pretty much the same from start to finish (but no song is weak either). At the end of the day, it is a fine rock album to listen to. Maybe too much formatted probably. The well named "Tranquility" is another fine ballad; but this album holds too many mellowish affairs to tell the truth ("Buffalo" or "This Is It" are some other ones).

The pop "Another Earth" has some more upbeat rhythm (but it wasn't difficult) and the catchy melody makes it one of the best song available together with the opener "Anaesthesia". The longer closing "Glow Worm" is also a very good song, but so much borrowed to "Doctors Of Madness".

"Hologram of Baal" is a good album; in line with most of their releases (except three or four lesser ones so far). No major changes (if any). Business as usual. But since it reminds good, there is no harm, right?

The highlight from this album is the superb "Ritz". As I was closely lined with the new wave scene at the end of the seventies, this song automatically reminds me of the great "Doctors Of Madness". An incredible band who would deserve to fit on PA thanks to its admirable violin play which can be found here. The haunting vocal part from Steve is not alien to the "Kid" Strange ones, and the superb Urban Blitz finds a great counterpart here with Linda Neil.

I was quite reluctant when I heard the opening track, but the next trilogy of songs is just brilliant. When you have listened to "Grandiose"; only one word comes to mind: "Grandiose" my friends. Powerful, heavy, hypnotic: magic in one word. A superb instrumental track and another highlight.

There is of course the unavoidable Bunnymen-oriented track ("Ladyboy"); or is it some Lou Reed reminiscence? In any case, this true rock-based tune is quite effective: splendid guitar and sustained rhythmic.

Some songs though could have been avoided and would have brought the length of this album into decent territories. The long complaint of "It Could Be Anyone" is one of these. But the magic is back again with "The Further Adventures?". Same feel as I have outlined already: new wave sounds to the bones (with some added keys), andt I like it.

This album features some excellent songs, but other ones are clearly attracting it to lower territories ("Romany") and the epic and hypnotic title track is too much of the same to be fully attractive.

Three stars for this work which would have gained to be shorter and somewhat more dynamic at times.