The Church European dates May/June

[Johnz]

Not sure if anyone here likes them but The Church are playing Europe this May and June. They're a great live band. I have my tickets for Copenhagen. Really looking forward to this one.

https://www.thechurchband.net/shows

[Guillaume]

Not sure if anyone here likes them but The Church are playing Europe this May and June. They're a great live band. I have my tickets for Copenhagen. Really looking forward to this one.

https://www.thechurchband.net/shows

I've listened a bit some tracks from them on Youtube i quite like songs like "under the milky way" "Ripple" "Reptile" and i like less some others songs but I especially LOVE the track "Aura", it has a repetitive and kind of sensual mood i find hypnotic!:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otdxVuSFRYk

I've seen that they should have played in Paris this month but...it will be finally in May 2021, because of the damn virus!!

So which songs and albums would you recommend from this band?

[Johnz]

I've listened a bit some tracks from them on Youtube i quite like songs like "under the milky way" "Ripple" "Reptile" and i like less some others songs but I especially LOVE the track "Aura", it has a repetitive and kind of sensual mood i find hypnotic!:

So which songs and albums would you recommend from this band?

Where to start? They're a very prolific bunch with a huge back catalogue. Starfish was their biggest selling album and I think it's great. Priest = Aura is one of my favourites. Ripple and Mistress are great track of that album:

Ripple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7HJkXfXTz8

Mistress
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WCXt3N2TG0

Destination is a great track from Starfish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm4fywbN8w8

2002's After Everything Now This is one of my favourite albums. The title track is beautiful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O04K3S7rhNY

Night friends is one of my favourite Church songs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_hTP-AN9Sk

Numbers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=664rKNjdYC8

The follow up, 2003's Forget Yourself is also great but not everyone rates it.

The Theatre and its Double
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTAa716CPwc

They have released 25 studio albums plus lots of side projects and solo albums by the various memebers. It's hard to keep track of their output. I'd say After Everything Now This or Priest = Aura are good albums to start. Their music usually reveals itself slowly. Hopefully, you find something to like here.

PS. This is from one of Steve Kilbey's many side projects called Isidore:

Sanskrit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LEbXzvHQU0

Refused on Temple Street
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JujxBrmp30

[Guillaume]

Starfish was their biggest selling album and I think it's great. Priest = Aura is one of my favourites.

Thanks very much for your recommendations Johnz!

I've ordered the cd of "Priest= Aura", at least for "Aura" and "Ripple"!

What do you think of the album "Further/Deeper"? there are some really good tracks on this album, i would say that for the moment it's the album i like the most after "Priest"= "Aura".

"vanishing man":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul13hip5LOM

"love philtre":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlkW5dFlv8w

[Johnz]

I've ordered the cd of "Priest= Aura", at least for "Aura" and "Ripple"!

What do you think of the album "Further/Deeper"? there are some really good tracks on this album, i would say that for the moment it's the album i like the most after "Priest"= "Aura".

Good choice. I'm still not sure about Further/Deeper. It was the first album without long-standing guitarist Mart Wilson-Piper and his absence shows in my opinion. I have warmed a little to it recently but it's still not a favourite. The follow-up Man Woman Life Death Infinity was more my thing. Have you listened to that one?

[Guillaume]

The follow-up Man Woman Life Death Infinity was more my thing. Have you listened to that one?

just listened to it...it's ok and i quite like the song "Another century" but my favorite track from The Church is still "Aura"!

[Johnz]

just listened to it...it's ok and i quite like the song "Another century" but my favorite track from The Church is still "Aura"!

Aura is a cool song but I don't find it all that different from many of their other songs. What is it that makes it stand out for you? Maybe check out some of their other openers:

Destination: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nidAGwtYGuA

Pharaoh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_0yT2grvis

Day of the Dead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSEf-KyST4g

Block: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o29kLC5Ahpo

Numbers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGdKHr4Ci44

Welcome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1B2THHpAmY&list=OLAK5uy_m5rFiERnEJXu51yVzZsg39mmMQUVslEbI

[Guillaume]

Aura is a cool song but I don't find it all that different from many of their other songs. What is it that makes it stand out for you?

I like his voice his cool "non stop" way of singing/talking, the cool guitars, bass, intro  sounding sensual atmospheric ethereal, the way the cool rythm and melodies repeat themselves all along the length of the song so it becomes hypnotic, and finally the intriguing fine lyrics (i've translated the lyrics after listening the song a few times) . It's true these virtues are found in others songs but i don't know, in this one all "clicks"/flows perfectly!
I also like the song "Ripple" very much and the others tracks i've posted, "Paradox" is good too...i will receive the "Priest=Aura" cd in a few days i think and maybe will change the ranking of my favourite Church songs!

[Johnz]

I like his voice his cool "non stop" way of singing/talking, the cool guitars, bass, intro  sounding sensual atmospheric ethereal, the way the cool rythm and melodies repeat themselves all along the length of the song so it becomes hypnotic, and finally the intriguing fine lyrics (i've translated the lyrics after listening the song a few times) . It's true these virtues are found in others songs but i don't know, in this one all "clicks"/flows perfectly!
I also like the song "Ripple" very much and the others tracks i've posted, "Paradox" is good too...i will receive the "Priest=Aura" cd in a few days i think and maybe will change the ranking of my favourite Church songs!

Give it some time. Most of their songs seem quite unassuming at first. But they have a way of slowly growing on you. Btw, the name Priest = Aura is based on Steve Kilbey misreading a Spanish girl's English notes stating that priest means cura in Spanish.

[Guillaume]

Give it some time. Most of their songs seem quite unassuming at first. But they have a way of slowly growing on you.

Indeed! I liked on first listen some songs here and there but not the albums on the whole, aside maybe for "Priest= Aura" and to a lesser extent "Further/Deeper". They are unlike NMA in fact! you listen to NMA's songs/albums from the 80's and early 90's and it's catchy, you're addicted on first play/listen but it seems The Church is a more "demanding" band, you have to come back to their albums if you want their music grows on you.
There will be their Paris gig next year so who knows maybe i will be there!

PS. This is from one of Steve Kilbey's many side projects called Isidore:

Sanskrit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LEbXzvHQU0

I like it! this song too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx0rnrKH0Ho

So which solo albums do you like the most from Steve Kilbey?

I'm reading on amazon nice reviews for his solo albums "You are everything", "Painkiller", "Unearthed", etc
So many albums to listen to!!

[Johnz]

I like it! this song too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx0rnrKH0Ho

So which solo albums do you like the most from Steve Kilbey?

I'm reading on amazon nice reviews for his solo albums "You are everything", "Painkiller", "Unearthed", etc
So many albums to listen to!!

My favourite SK collaborations are:

Isidore (their first self-titled album. The second one is not as good.)
Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy: You are Everything (They have done A LOT of stuff together and I don't have everything).
Mimisis (Very different but I love it): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUNybvfVGG4

SK solo:
Unearthed (which includes the 'should have been a Church hit - Othertime': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVV50fVGics&t=99s
Narcosis (Not the best production but I love the songs)

All of his solo projects have got good songs on them but they can be a bit patchy. There seems to be a bit more quality control for most The Church albums.

[Guillaume]

Forty years with The Church:

https://blog.tix.co/steve-kilbey-talks-forty-years-with-the-church/