Customer Reviews

Acoustic & Intimate

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I find it hard to believe that anyone reading this has arrived here unexplained, but if you have, then you should know that this humble recording is a gem you shouldn't pass up. This is a no frills acoustic recording, the way acoustic should be. Steve's emotive sing/speak style comes across as powerfully as ever. The songs on this cd come from several sources: Steve's solo output on wonderful albums like Narcosis + and Unearthed; The Church's many releases from over their amazing 20+ year career; Jack Frost, Steve's collaboration with Grant McLennan of Go-Betweens fame; Hex, Steve's collaboration w/Donnette Thayer of Game Theory fame; a song Steve wrote for Steven Cummings on his Falling Swinger CD; !*plus*! some songs from Steve's adolescence. In Steve's words, "All of this, and more, [has he] served...up. I mean C'mon..." buy them all. And don't forget about the Acoustic and Intimate video where Steve gives a personal intro for every song, something we thought we'd never get, knowing his reluctance to limit our own imaginations. This and the video. A must.

This is a very unique CD in that it offers a glimpse behind the structure of many of The Church's, Steve Kilbey's, and Jack Frost's unique songs. The simplicity of the single guitar player/ singer sounds beautiful and is a hard feat to pull off when faced with such lush melodies. The CD sounds great turned up loud and all Church fans will appretiate the difference between this type of delivery and the studio versions. I also highly recommend the Video of this performance because SK explains the story behind every song and is shown in the studio adding lead vocals to a new Chruch song from the upcoming 2001 release.

Nothing gets you closer to the heart of a song than when the writer plays it and sings it alone. It's just you and Steve and his guitar. Wow! What's really wonderful about this album is the feeling that Steve performs it with. Not a trace of polish, and yet beautiful. If you love The Church, then you will not be forgiven if you let this one pass you by. Buy it, open it, put it into your cd player and enjoy it. Come on, just do it. Even if you've got all the songs, even if you've got all of their acoustic versions, you don't have Acoustic and Intimate. You need it more than that other cd you were going to buy, so don't even think about it.

Like others have stated, this CD will not convert the masses to the wonders of Steve Kilbey, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Kilbey's music, apart from his music with The Church, has never been terribly accessible, but this CD will please the many who are already familiar with him. He takes a very casual approach on this live recording, sometimes off-key, missing notes or taking liberties with the rhythm. This criticism, however, spoils the joy of hearing Kilbey work his way through a unique body of work with that crags-in-velvet voice and a simple acoustic guitar. It's also fun to hear him banter with the onlookers without attitude but with a sense of humor, especially when introducing and playing the first song he ever composed as a child. Steve Kilbey will forever remain on the periphery of pop music, doing his own thing - and so what? He likes it that way and so do his fans.

Ahh, what can one say about one of the best songwriters out there? This is a wonderful collection of classic Chuch, solo and other side projects. I have never liked "live" albums: they always lack in audio quality and lose something in the translation..the beauty of live concerts is the party, not just the music. So although I have followed the Church & their solo projects for almost 20 (!!) years, I hesitated to buy this. Fear not, this is worth every penny. Close your eyes, and you'd swear that SK was in your home playing just for you. Good sound quality and good music- two thumbs up! ;] Now all I need is the video of the show...

A definate must have for the collector who brags about having all things related to The Church. However, this is not for anyone outside that realm. I don't think you could just buy this cd without being a fan of Kilbey or The Church and say "wow what a great cd." The recording quality is excellent and it is very well produced, but Kilbey's performance is shotty and even weak in parts. Poor guitar playing and sketchy vox in some songs. It kind of seems like they put this cd and video together to get Kilbey's Karmic Hit Records off the ground and make a few bucks. I love The Church and Kilbey is a brilliant song writer and for that reason I give it 4 stars, but for a casual fan or discriminating consumer I would not recommend buying this cd.

For the record S.K. is still lead singer and bassist with The Church who should be releasing new material soon. This CD caught me by surprise here on Amazon and I know for a fact it was independently produced and distributed. SK is in my opinion one of the greatest singer/songwriters and I have always suggested any great song can be broken down to simple lyrics and chords. One wish would be to hear A Month of Sundays, maybe next time on Volume #2.

This is a great indroduction to the works of Steve Kilbey solo. For those of us who don't know his work without The Church, we may find buying a Steve Kilby album intimidating. Not so here. He mixes in a blend of solo work and songs done by his group, The Church. This album is great for listening to while at work or on a midday drive with the top down.

Aside from being busted by an undercover cop during the last Church US tour, we haven't heard much from Steve Kilbey until now. This intimate, low key live album captures the charm and power of both Kilbey's songs. The surprise is Under the Milky Way. This version is almost like a deconstruction of the original song (although not too far removed from the acoustic demo released on the Arista single in 1988). The other surprise is the fact that Kilbey actually performs it as it would seem the most obivious track (along with The Unguarded Moment)to avoid.

Clearly Kilbey is in a crowd pleasing mood here and he does so in spades. One of his strongest albums (along with the hard to find Unearthed, Slow Craw and Jack Frost CDs) Kilbey has made in recent years and equalled only by the recently released Marty Willson-Piper CD. Now if the band would get their stuff together and release that live Church album they've been promising, I'd be a happy fan.

SWEET...

The guitar sounds mighty fine

He has a recent live dvd as well - not sure of theres overlap between the 2. Seems to be from different gigs

Very strange to hear some of these songs unplugged ("My little problem" I'm talking to you!)

songs:
Providence
Mistress
Buffalo
My little problem
Nonapology
Limbo
Hotel Womb
Othertime
Under the milky way
September 13
Almost with you
Tristesse
An arrangement
SK's First song
Dont rely on your friends
Skyscraper carnivore

All together now:
"A gunfight in Dodge City, a murder in Bombay"

YEAAH!!