For the first time in the 3 1/2 years of this blog, I get to directly reference one of my favorite all-time bands. Most of you think of them as a one-hit wonder while I have twenty-four total albums by the band, their solo projects and direct collaborations (not including guest contributions). Believe me, that's not as large a number as it sounds in light of the approximately ninety projects out there!
It was early 1982 when I was in Pompano Beach, Florida, living two blocks inland from the beach in an efficiency apartment with a rent that took two jobs to pay. Needless to say, disposable income was damned near non-existent (thank goodness for a part-time job at a resort on said beach that comped my dining...and an adult beverage or two), but when I had some to spare it went towards weed and vinyl. One rainy evening, I drove to the record store with nothing particular in mind to buy, just wanted to kill an hour or two. The clerk kept trying to sell me on a new band that he declared would be a hit...something like "A Swarm of Waterfowl" doing a song called "Iraq" (NOW let's talk one-hit wonders). Well, he was right about the hit, but I settled on an Australian band with this album cover:
No sampling back then, bought it unheard. Got back to the apt., smoked up a smidge and dropped the needle. Wasn't enthralled with the first track or two and then click, click, click, click...damn thing was scratched. Tried returning it for a different selection but nope, had to get another copy. This one played through and before I realized it, I was hooked! By God, I had an Australian R.E.M.! It was five albums later before America found "Under The Milky Way," but I had another favorite band from Down Under. Saw them live twice, first in the 80's at The Cannery in Nashville (backstage passes, met the band) and then a few years ago here at HOB when they were on an acoustic tour. I can't say that everything they've done as a group or individually has worked but most of it has.
Kilbey is the bassist, lead vocalist and primary songwriter for The Church. The band was inducted into the Aussie Hall of Fame in 2010 and he was added to the Songwriters HOF a year later. I hadn't the slightest idea who Martin Kennedy was, much less his band All India Radio, which I've learned has nine albums of ambient pop music, so on paper it had potential. I guess it works for them since "You Are Everything" is their third recording together and I've read that a fourth album of commissioned songs was scheduled for release about three weeks ago. That's right, commissioned songs. My supposition is they've specialized in music for TV/Films/Commercials and apparently signed a North American deal this past September. Now that I've done some research, even YOU, dear reader, can have these guys write YOUR song with YOUR directives for $1000 Australian! Well, why not? For the music biz model as it currently exists (or doesn't, as some old farts will tell you) that's quite genius.
So coming into this record (which had been available for five months before I stumbled across it) with the brief history I've given you, I was hopeful...yea, though, it falls one track short of a full-fledged keeper. This was the first single/opening song and definitely most Church-like tune...
The next two tracks were good, too, including this one, which must reflect Kennedy's background...
Unfortunately, even after indulging a party favour for the third trip through the album, the next seven tracks yielded just one keeper until the finale, called "Finale," put a smile across my face.
I admit to not paying much attention to The Church and its members since that acoustic tour some six or so years ago. It struck me as "cashing in." I didn't even attempt to find their last album in 2009, but now I am curious again after learning of these collaborations and I see from the band's Facebook page that a new album is in the offing, but apparently, long-time guitarist Marty Willson-Piper has opted out of the proceedings and has been replaced by the guitarist from the recently retired Powderfinger.
Hmmmmm, that may just work...
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