Search - Church :: Uninvited Like the Clouds

Fragrant

Patrick J. Boulay Jr. | The Woodlands, TX | 04/19/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It is with considerable trepidation that I attempt to review the latest release from a band that I hold in very high regard, The Church. In fact, there is only one band EVER that I hold in higher regard: The Beatles. You heard that right...only The Beatles have accomplished great music feats to my ears. The Church is an enigmatic band whose virtues are many, but not without their missteps. Some albums frustrate me to no end (FORGET YOURSELF) while others (PRIEST=AURA) are just about flawless. Still others took considerable time to grow on me (SOMETIME ANYWHERE and AFTER EVERYTHING NOW THIS).



At the end of the day, The Church stands above most bands that ever rocked this world just for their sheer longevity, relevance, and those moments of pure sonic bliss that few others can capture so easily.



That said, and after only a few listens thus far, here is my take: the album is very good, even brilliant, but not the equal of that marvelous string of albums that began with HEYDAY and lasted through P=A. It's a second-tier Church album and I suspect, like AENT, it might grow in stature with time. I was a bit underwhelmed in 2002 with AENT but now I view it as a masterpiece of nuance and subtle beauty.



I'm definitely digging this new platter, so that four star rating is relative to the very best from the band. Any other band and my rating is definitely five stars. So, yeah, the album... Steve's vocals are coming in a bit forward in the mix which I really like. I've always felt his amazing voice has always been too far back in the mix. Marty and Peter's guitar antics, like always, are just amazing. Is there a better duo in rock? Hell no. These two have always been underrated and probably always will be. They rule. Their quiet legacy just keeps growing. Tim. Well, yeah, Tim is a great drummer. But he'll always be the new guy. I have a soft spot for Richard Ploog so he'll always be my favorite. Jay Lee Daughtery was amazing on P=A so I miss him too. But Tim is great if there's a bit of a Neil Peart-like tendency toward fussiness on this disc. Live, the guy's a monster though.



End of the day, it's another remarkable album by a band that just keeps growing and morphing and impressing. It's not their best but their best is, well, freaking great. This is nice return to form after one of my least favorite Church albums, 2004's FORGET YOURSELF.



Solid offering from the world's 2nd greatest rock band ever. Keep on keeping on guys..."

Another Winner from the "Rhodes Scholars of Rock"

DarkCloak | West Wildwood, NJ | 04/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You read the opening header correctly; The Church are a band of sonic and melodic erudition. With no peer to speak of, they manage to sustain and maintain a creative tension for over 25 years that other musical entities could only hope for (barring very few exceptions). What struck me most about this latest release, Uninvited, Like The Clouds, is the sheer dynamics and infusion of fresh inspiration.



Upon listening, parts of this recording allude back to the glory days of the band's early era. I hear bits of "Of Skins and Hearts", "Heyday", "Gold Afternoon Fix" among other notables in their back catalogue coupled with a fresh 21st century spin that only a quarter century of experience can bring.



I'm astounded (but should I be since since 1988 I've designated The Church as my *very* favorite musical entity amongst a very wide cross section of bands & artists?) at the continual prolfic output they've released over the years. Especially in this decade alone. "Unified Field" is simply awesome. This tune ensnares the listener with a hypnotic jangle of guitar orchestration second to none. "Untoward" is rife with somber acoustic laced atmospherics that captivate, bewitch, and satisfy. "Easy" continues the pristine sonic sheen only The Church seem to know how to create, as well as numerous others.



The Church are clearly a band that is both the sum and whole of its parts. I cannot remphasize enough how distinct, competent, and prodigious they are. More than residing in a league of their own, they occupy a musical dimension seemingly only accessible to those willing to attune to the higher sounds and melodies they scatter about. A willing convert and eager proselytizer of their true artistry, I'll gladly share the devotion they inspire to those who would take the time but to listen deeply.



Also, another recommend from them is the import limited release only, the spontaneous jam project from 2005 titled "Back With Two Beasts". Amazing and sublime...as usual from a band who I've come to expect nothing less."

Melodicjanglingpsuedoscifimetaphorheavypoptriprock

CrackerBarrel | Pensacola, Texas | 04/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SO,...here we are....some 26-ish odd years since Steve Kilbey, Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper began making oddly beautiful noises with electrified stringed instruments. The Church have "been around" (so-to-speak). albums came and went...., MTV exposure came and went......record labels came and went...drummers came and went................



YET,..here we are in the year 2006 and The Church have "apparently" released album number three hundred and eleven-de-leven. blah blah blah. BUT WAIT,...some people actually recognize the band from the DONNIE DARKO soundtrack and some people actually watched the Common Wealth Games opening ceremonies (in Australia) and caught themselves saying "Yeah,..I know that band....they're great!!". the rest of us KNEW The Church never really "went away". IN FACT,..we've been treated to several wonderful Church albums over the last few years. WE are just sorry that YOU'VE missed out!



AND NOW,...here we have Uninvited Like The Clouds. is it good? YES. the protagonists include the usual suspects: Steve Kilbey's

otherworldly baritone vocals/lyrics accompanied by Peter Koppes'/Marty Willson-Piper's imaginatively conjured (and effects-heavy) guitar trapeze-work along with the cohesive percussive mortar of Tim Powles. ULTC exhibits a bit more melody and "poppy-ness" (than recent albums) that occasionally harkens back to their mid-eighties days. it also includes some of the metaphor-heavy sci-fi prog-rock trips (that was ALOT of hyphens!) that they've been delving into since 1992's masterpiece Priest=Aura. while songs like "Block" (The Church has a reputation for "brooding" album openers and this one is no exception), "Space Needle" and "Real Toggle Action" pile on the otherworldly tension,..."Overview", "Easy" and especially "Unified Field" bring on the jangling sunshine that somehow sounds new and a little "familiar" all at once. "Day 5" somehow majestically combines all of the above elements to great effect. wonderful stuff! Koppes adds the dramatic epic "Never Before" and Willson-Piper slides through the slightly bluesy "She'll Come Back For You Tommorrow" (BOTH of which are wonderful "side-trips"). ALL-IN-ALL, this album exudes confidence by a band that knows EXACTLY what it is doing. it borrows a "little bit" from it's own past without sounding the LEAST bit plagerized. at first listen it might sound effortless,.......upon second listen you notice all the AMAZING subtleties and otherworldly sonics that dance around the soundscape (MOST of which are created by ambient guitar trickery),...THEN YOU REALIZE that The Church (perhaps more than ANY band on earth) can conjur up these massive and dense stereo dreamscapes MORE NATURALLY than most bands can fumble through a cliched/distorted barr-chord progression. these are epic soundscapes and sonic melodic atmospheres that sound like NO ONE ELSE. i'd say this album is QUITE remarkable. for a band that has "been around" as long as this band,..there is not ONE hint of "staleness". IN FACT,..it seems as if some new audio adventures are ONLY BEGINNING. FIVE BIG STARS.





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