from the LP The Blurred Crusade, Arista Records, 1982Generally speaking, Aussie bands have never received the attention or acclaim of their British kin, perhaps due, in part, to their island nation’s geographic isolation; in the case of Canberra-based crew the Church, I sometimes speculate whether or not the very name they chose for themselves might have also played a part in them becoming increasingly forgotten outside of their native homeland. For example, plenty of Americans would surely recognize their biggest hit, “Under the Milky Way Tonight”, but I’d wager that only a tiny fraction of them would be able to recall the name of the group who performed it. This song was on their second album, my favorite of theirs, and aptly displays all the genres they drew influence from: the driving rhythm section of Tim Powles (drums) & Steve Kilbey (bass) taking cues from goth rock, guitarists Piper and Koppes pulling from acid rock and post-punk alike, and Kibley’s singing style, though recognizable as his own, was surely begun as an ode to Robert Smith, processed to eerie, wraithlike perfection. If you enjoy this track, by all means, dig into these guys’ discography, from their genesis to about 1989 or so, you will be amazed at what you find there!
