Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Reissued on CD - At Last!, January 13, 2002
Between their initial chart successes (the albums "Of Skins and Heart" (1981) and "The Blurred Crusade" (1982)) and their emergence as a truly international music act in 1987 with the album "Starfish" and single "Under The Milky-Way," the Church released two experimental albums: the somewhat chilly and austere "Séance" (1983) and the more florid, guitar-laden "Heyday" (1985). All of the aforementioned albums were subsequently released on CD (although Séance is currently out-of-print) and are available here at Amazon.However, in addition to their LP work, the Church also released three EP's in Australia and New Zealand between 1982 and 1984. In 1985, Arista Records did release an LP called "Remote Luxury" which reproduced the "Remote Luxury" and "Persia" EP's in full, although the resulting album had a completely different running order, and like Séance, the Arista pressing of Remote Luxury eventually went out of print. So, that's the discography taken care of. But what about the EP's themselves? The first of the EP's, "Sing-Songs" (released in late 1982) sounds very different to the two EP's that follow, so it would not be appropriate to consider all three together. "Sing-Songs" followed a hard year of touring by the Church in support of "The Blurred Crusade." "Sing-Songs" was rehearsed and recorded very quickly (in only two nights) and it was the band's way of thanking their following in Australia and New Zealand for all their support. (Their first two albums were commercial successes in our part of the world.) The soundscape of "Sing-Songs," as typified by "In This Room" was a harbinger of the cool, dry sound that was to follow on their next album, "Séance." "The Night is Very Soft" and a spirited run-through of Paul Simon's "I Am A Rock" are the highlights of this EP, but the rest of "Sing-Songs" is fairly standard, unremarkable new-wave rock. The next two EP's, "Remote Luxury" and "Persia" were recorded between late 1983 and mid 1984. In recent interviews, Steve Kilbey has often been scathing of these two releases, regarding them as something of a lost opportunity. It's a real pity if that is so, because these two EP's document Kilbey's rapid growth as a songwriter, and both releases still contain some of the finest songs he's ever written. Marty Willson-Piper was also growing in confidence as a songwriter in this period, and his two contributions to these EP's "Volumes" and "10,000 Miles" were the best songs he'd written up to that point in his career. The band's new-found songwriting muscle was further enhanced by the band's growing awareness of what they could accomplish in the studio. On these last two EP's, the Church expand their sound to include prominent keyboards, sound effects and exotic instruments. If you've always thought of the Church in terms of jangling Rickenbackers, then the big brassy stomp of "Maybe These Boys," the stark, mechanical "Constant in Opal" and the moody depths of "No Explanation" will come as something of a surprise to you. But there is also the excellent "A Month of Sundays", the classic "Shadow Cabinet" and the pop-friendly "Into My Hands". The band's new-found freedom is matched by more powerful and inventive playing. But the highlight of this compilation is within the "Persia" EP, which contains the great, overlooked classic Church song: "Violet Town". One of Kilbey's finest moments, the musical tug-of-war that takes place in the verses is suddenly resolved by a brilliant chorus, while the lyrics themselves perfectly convey the sense of hopelessness and desperation pervading a decaying rural community. "Violet Town" has not (yet) attained the recognition it deserves. This compilation is digitally remastered and comes complete with liner notes and photos of the band. The CD deserves a place in the collection of every Church devotee.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
All 3 of the Early 1980s Church EPs on CD!, January 16, 2002
Remember vinyl? Remember the early 1980s? It was a popular thing then to put out vinyl EPs (extended play records) between 1982 and 1984. They were basically a single with four or five different songs total on a 33 RPM record or cassette. The Alarm, Dire Straits, and Thomas Dolby put out some of the better known ones. If you are a fan of a band that put one out, they are usually the hardest thing to find available on CD due to their lasting only about 20 minutes. The Church put out three between December 1982 and September 1984 entitled "Sing-Songs", "Remote Luxury", and "Persia". The last two were combined onto one of the earliest digitally remastered CDs made around 1985 that Rolling Stone gave rave reviews to. It has been out of print for at least the last decade and a hot (i.e. expensive) item on EBay when one is available. Finally, EMI Music had made all three complete EPs available completely digitally remastered in 2001 on one 57 minute CD! Enough of the background! Are they any good? If this is the first Church CD you are buying, I would recommend picking one of the "Best of..." CDs or "Hindsight" first to get you hooked on the Church sound. It takes a few listens for their sound to permeate your inner being but, once they get in your blood, you tend to become addicted as I have happily been for 18 years! This CD is a perfect sampling of the Church developing their sound that would result in their 1987 smash hit "Under the Milky Way". Steve Kilbey's writing and vocals matched seamlessly by Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper's guitars backed by Richard Ploog's hypnotic drumming will put you in a trance-like state of being somewhat akin the Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" or "Meddle". This is no New Wave `be-bop' music at all. It is great writing matched with brilliant musicianship that has lasted for twenty years now (their new album is due out very soon). The band was very prolific in the early 1980s as "The Blurred Crusade" album was released in early 1982, the "Sing-Songs" EP in late 1982, the also out of print album "Seance" in 1983, the "Remote Luxury" and "Persia" EPs in 1984, followed by the "Heyday" album in 1985. If "Starfish" is the only Church album you have ever known, I do recommend this CD. If the Church's 1990s material is your bag, you will find the material to be less ethereal and epic in length but, still quite satisfying. My favorites on this CD are "Ancient History", "Maybe These Boys...", "Into My Hands", and "Violet Town". The bottom line: this is not mindless pop-music despite the goofy New Wave hairdos. It takes a few listens to get used to but, once you acquire the taste, it will satisfy like a glass of 18 year old fine scotch!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a road less travelled by the church, October 28, 2001
one thing that's immediately likeable about this compilation is the great job of remastering. these songs never sounded so good. finally i can listen to sing songs in my car. there's plenty to like and to dislike on this one. i think what it comes down to is either you're a church fan or you're not, and, if you're not, then you're really missing something. a unique period in the evolution of the church produced some of their most precious melodies and most jarring aberrations. listen to all the songs in the order they were meant to be heard.
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by The Church 
