There's a faint, subtle hint of "Myrrh" in "Pleasure", a tune early on on the new album from The Church, and that hint is enough to bring a smile to the face of any long-time fan of this band. Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars is out now and it's an expansive record, though one with a bit more intimacy about it than the rather unwiedly The Hypnogogue last year.
While this is sort of a companion-piece/sequel to The Hypnogogue, things feel different. Numbers like "Amanita" are spry, even playful, and they unspool with more zest, frankly, than numbers on last year's offering. There's less wasted here, with "2054", for example, reminding again at just how strong an instrument Kilbey's voice is when paired with a lean melody. It helps that the neo-psychedelic trappings work so well on this one. Elsewhere, "Sublimated in Song" uses the same formula to great effect. With Kilbey's treated vocals and guitars floating in from the distance, the tune maintains a simple, though otherworldly mood that's more immediate and impactful than what I heard on The Hypnogogue.
For many, we come to a Church album to hear Kilbey play guitar. "The Weather" delivers on that front. A slow-burner, this is real highlight here, with flashes of Hendrix-y whine coming from Kilbey's axe becoming the cherry on top of the sundae. The album veers into lovely territory in spots. "Sleeping for Miles" is all "Going to California" vibes, with Kilbey crooning, "I've been dreaming for days!" It's an affecting moment and one of the many reasons this record works, for the most part. Fans of The Church will find moments of beauty here that reaffirm the power of Steve Kilbey as a composer and musician. Wildly ambitious, like on the epic "A Strange Past", Kilbey and The Church can hit a sweet spot unlike that of many peers from the the Eighties. That they're still doing it is impressive.
Eros Zeta and the Perfumed Guitars by The Church is out now.
[Photo: Hugh Stewart]