Jack Frost

Jack Frost

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 29, 1991)
• Original Release Date: 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B000008GX1
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #180,321 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
In 1991 Steve Kilbey (the Church) and Grant McLennan (Go- Betweens) two of Australia's foremost singer, songwriting, bass-players, got together to make this extraordinary album. It was a collaboration which dazzles - the word play, songwriting and melodies are actually as good as one might hope from such a pairing - it ranks amongst both of their best work. This re-release collects bonus tracks and features a new cover and liner notes by Steve Kilbey. It is a stand alone classic album, unavailable for fifteen years! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Go Between the Churches, April 27, 2003

By	Randall E. Adams (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One of the benefits of the sporadic release schedules enjoyed by a lot of the better artists over the past decade or so is the freedom it gives them to explore alternative paths without having to make the experiment a permanent commitment. Most good musicians have more going on in their heads than what they restrict themselves to in their mainstream releases.

"Jack Frost" was released in 1991, the year after the demise of the first run of the Go-Betweens. The Church, of course, were still in business. My guess is that Grant McLennan jumped at the chance to explore more electric and more psychedelic approaches than Robert Forster (or the fans for that matter) would have countenanced in the Go-Bees. And perhaps Steve Kilbey just jumped at the chance to work with a famously prolific songwriter.

A few tracks sound amazingly like something from Howard Devoto's band Luxuria, particularly "Every Hour God Sends" and "Geneva 4 a.m.." It can't be a coincidence--Kilbey must really like Devoto; even his vocal stylings ape him. Classic McLennan surfaces on "Civil War Lament," "Thought that I was Over You," "Providence" and "Trapeze Boy" where Grant introduces us to Mrs. Morgan for the first time. Perhaps the most seamless melding of the musical approaches of Kilbey & McLennan occurs on "Threshold." But surely the most astonishing track is the gorgeously psychedelic "Everything Takes Forever." What a magnificent creation! It makes a fine closer to a really fine album.

Amazon reports this release to be out of print. If you enjoy either Grant McLennan or the Church, this album is an absolute must have. I also recommend it to anyone with a taste for atmospheric jangly pop. Buy it used or find it somehow.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars classic, August 18, 2007

By	Cornell E. Dykstra "Beachcomber" (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Jack Frost (Audio CD)

This is one of those albums that you can always go back to. It has that certain something that most music lacks.... Once very hard to find is now available again in this new re-issue, re-packaged ect... These are, in my mind, two of the past few decades great songwriters/lyricists at the top of their game. Both had just had their greatest success with their main band. It listens like a release, a place where both songwriters could write much more freely than they were used to with either The Go-betweens or The Church. This is highly recomended for those who want something different, strong lyrics, and music that sounds strange at first, but becomes revered with repeated listens.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Collaboration between members of The Church and The Go-Betweens, June 3, 2007

By	Wayne Klein "If at first the idea is not absu... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Jack Frost (Audio CD)

Out of print for a number of years, the debut album that the late Grant MacLennan (The Go-Betweens) and Steve Kilbey (The Church)recorded has finally arrived on CD again courtesy of Kilbey's label Karmic Hit. It's a terrific album. From the dark opening trains of "Every Hour God Sends" with Kilbey on lead vocals alternating with MacLennon to the mournful closing track "Everything Takes Forever" the duo mesh well.

The songs fall somewhere between Kilbey's cryptic but poetic approach in The Church and the character studies that MacLennan adopted in his band The Go-Betweens. It makes for a nice, thoughtful occasionally rocking collaboration (although I prefer the follow up "Snow Job" to their first album as they used an actual drummer and Russell Kibley on second guitar and I'm not a huge fan of drum machines). Although it isn't as memorable as the best albums either man has made with their respective bands, it is a fascinating occasionally moving collaboration.


We don't get any previously unreleased tracks (although for those who purchased this on vinyl, the CD does have the original CD only track "Even As We Speak" which didn't appear on vinyl or tape). A pity we don't get any demos as that would have been kind of neat to listen on the creation of the album. The reissue sounds pretty good. I honestly can't tell if this has been remastered but the packaging is slightly different (the old woman that was on the cover of the original CD has been replaced by a painting done of a photo of MacLennan and Kilbey that was originally on the inside of the package. The duo's first album is well worth picking up featuring the influence of Middle Eastern music along with sublime melodies and great performances by the duo

MacLennan will be missed he was a great underrated musical talent. A pity that we'll be denied more Frost, MacLennon and Go-Between recordings.