"Under the Milky Way"
EMI dropped the Church just before 'Starfish.' I suppose there was repenting and head rolling at HQ, but the label wasted no time riding the wave of enthusiasm, releasing the compilation 'Hindsight 1980-1987' one month after the meteoric rise of "Under the Milky Way." If you have that one or any of the early albums, then you know the sound of 'Starfish' is a bit of an outlier. Anyway, the follow-up single, "Reptile," ended the momentum, but I really liked it, especially the biting lyrics. The song was written while the band was living and recording the album in Los Angeles. This and a couple of others on 'Starfish' document how much they hated it there and missed being in Australia. L.A. has been known to have that effect on people.
"Reptile"
5 comments:
Reptile's B-Side, 'Texas Moon' is such a FABULOUS song, in fact I prefer it to 'Reptile' and 'Milky Way' 24 hours a day!!!
I never really warmed to The Church. They got played with regularity before and after Under The Milky Way on NY's New Wave/Alternative/Modern Rock station (s) but I think they always felt a bit lost for a place to land musically. Aussie/Kiwi bands can have a uphill battle "competing" with Brit and American bands, and the ones that are the most successful, ie. INXS, Split Enz, Icehouse, take a specific direction that finds appeal among listeners outside their homeland. The Church could sound American and psychedelic or British and post-punk, but then never really fit. Maybe doing things their way is why they have such a long history, but it may also be why they never really sustained any breakthrough.
Got a great acoustic compilation by them but never really warmed to the LPs always seemed to have a couple of great tracks but a lot that passed me by . However Steve kilby did a couple of LPs with grant mc of the gobetweens as jack frost . The first on especially is a great LP.
There were no hits in the UK for The Church as far as I remember and I definitely don't recognise 'Under the Milky Way'. I did, however, have a couple of hardcore fans as customers, for whom I had to ensure I ordered every release on every format. I do own the excellent first Jack Frost album - I've no idea why I don't have the second.
I had no idea the Church weren't big in the UK. Based on these comments, I feel like those that do know them are lukewarm on them, and I'm the same. Echorich nailed it, as usual. I do like hearing about Jack Frost though... Don't have that one but sounds wonderful. Thanks for participating.
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