Thursday, August 1, 2013

Chiming In For More China Crisis

Let's end the month the same way we started it... with a little China Crisis. This is the third (and best, in my humble opinion) single from the band's debut album, 'Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms Some People Think It's Fun to Entertain.' The Vinyl Villain called "Christian" "a lovely song" on the comments page from the earlier "Fire and Steel" post, and that's what made me pull it out the other day. I ripped this one from the 12" single, but it's the same as the album version. So, don't get too excited.

When I was rooting around the 'Net for the release date of the single (December 1982, by the way), I came across a post Friend of Rachel Worth from Cathedrals of Sound did a few years ago, He said "Christian" "includes a synth line that manages to be catchy but haunting at the same time and I'm not sure there is a mellower synth song from that era." Well said, sir. If you know much of China Crisis' work, this song is a fascinating listen. It's the first step in an evolution that continued for the entire decade.

China Crisis - Christian (mp3)

Buy 'Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms Some People Think It's Fun to Entertain.'

4 comments:

Echorich said...

I got in the car this morning and decided I had listened to enough of the current stuff I have on the playlist I put together Monday and scrolled down to my China Crisis playlist whic is titled Paradise.... First track on the Playlist - Christian! It's one of the three track I can never do without that CC made...The other two Tragedy and Mystery and You Did Cut Me.

Uncle E said...

The debut being the first CC album I ever heard it retains a special place in my collection that even WWFAS can't touch. Christian was certainly a highlight. There's a band called Phoenix Foundation whose Fandango album (2013) contains shades of the CC sound, and Destroyer's Kaputt was almost a total rip (or homage, however you want to slice it), but I don't see nearly enough mention of the influence this band had on the indie electronic acts of today nearly enough. Long live China Crisis!

Brian said...

Ah, the China Crisis fans together again. Thanks for sharing, fellas.

Uncle E said...

For the second time in as many weeks you have forced me to abandon my very well researched weekly playlist and reach for my CC discs!