Love the Davies' goodness! Fortunately, at least when it comes to their core studio albums (ignoring extra content on reissues), their albums were all released pre-loudness war, so decent editions exist for all of them. Of course, if you want it to sound better than decent, it can be a real struggle. None of the Church's early CDs sound as good as they possibly can; I know this because both the Arista CDs and the Hindsight compilation have pros and cons, and I think there's a middle ground that will work well. Starfish on Intervention is a great mastering of an okay mix. There's some very '80s-sounding sheen all over that album (particularly on "Lost" and "Antenna") which is just unfixable. But at least the early CDs have full dynamics, and decent EQ. I just wish "Ancient History" and "In This Room" had (somehow) ended up on compilations the same way "The Night Is Very Soft" (Hindsight), "A Different Man" (Conception), and "I Am A Rock" (Already Yesterday) did. I'm really taken by how frighteningly dynamic the original Sometime Anywhere CD is. With the exception of "The Maven" (an absurdly confrontational mix, almost comically so), this disc will give your ears a good workout. The trouble is that the EQ isn't very good. I haven't tried to fiddle around with EQ, but it's very clinical sounding, not unlike the Arista Starfish CD. There's no warmth and the top end sounds sterile. On the flip side, there's the 2005 remaster... if someone ever says they can't tell the difference between a dynamic mastering and a compressed one, or that remastered means better, play them this. This is the original Sometime Anywhere CD compared to the remaster (or, more accurately, Deep In The Shallows, which uses the same mastering as far as I know), level-matched. (Fair use notice – this is an extremely short sample used for non-profit educational purposes only, in this case educating on the effects of dynamic range compression when over-used.)
Kilbey can’t get them dreamy enough! That’s what they were going for, marurity beyond pop. Their “modern” albums are exquisite.
I got that Starfish disc a few days later. Today, my local shop showed used copies of "Seance" and "Heyday" on its Instagram. Lucky for me, still there when I arrived. "Seance" is Spanish pressing;"Heyday" is U.S.
Heyday is pretty common, I'm not even a vinyl collector and I have two copies, but Seance is a real score. That album in any format is not much more common than hen's teeth. Good find! Do not let Remote Luxury pass you – it's one of their best.
Just finished listening to the Intervention Records Starfish on vinyl. Wow. Incredible. The highlight is how great the A Quick Smoke at Spots songs on side 4 sound. I've had the CD for decades but this was so much better. Highly recommended.
Listening now! And so are the neighbors! By far the best I have heard this album. I have never had a vinyl copy, only CD and cassette.
"Texas Moon" is so great and should have made the album. It does sound more like a Gold Afternoon Fix tune, but would also work on Starfish. This is probably controversial, but I would drop "Blood Money" or "Lost" and replace with "Texas Moon" and put it as the end of side one. I love A Quick Smoke At Spots. Another great album with many tunes that could have made the proper albums.
"Texas Moon" is my favourite of that bunch, but I still think A Quick Smoke At Spot's comprises the weakest songs they'd put out to that point (and possibly ever – I still haven't given Shriek a real good listen yet). If "Texas Moon" had been on Starfish, it would probably rank #4 or #5 in my list. That said, I'm still happy to have a decent chunk of that album with great mastering now.
I think they are all pretty much demos that got used for b-sides. To put "Texas Moon" on Starfish, they would have re-recorded and likely re-arranged it.
I can't imagine Starfish without "Lost" and to a lesser degree "Blood Money." That said, I do love "Texas Moon" and have had it since the green vinyl "Reptile" 7" was available on Mushroom. Plus, I have QSAS and the RR complitation ("Perfect Child") on vinyl. The bonus tracks were nice for this release, but I much would have preferred "Unsubstantiated" to some of the others included. I think "Drought" was also Starfish-era, but the master tapes were lost for years before being found for the P=A remaster.
"Drought" was on the original Sometime Anywhere bonus disc in 1994. Why it ended up on the remastered Priest = Aura is a mystery. What is the "RR" compilation you speak of? I don't think I've ever heard of it before.
Also Used And Recommended By... (1988, Vinyl) Thanks for the reminder on Sometime Anywhere. That is the cd pressing, which I also have but haven't listened to in probably 25 years. My go-to is the original vinyl, which omits that track. I am sure "Drought" was recorded on tour during Starfish in Holland (IIRC). There is a clip of Steve's vocal take, first appearing on the 1990 VHS of Goldfish: Jokes, Magic, Souvenirs. I asked Steve about that song on the 1990 GAF tour and he told me the master tapes were lost (at that time, but subsequently discovered before SA/SE). Forward to 3:05 -
Thanks! After making that post I thought maybe you were referring to Raven Records (Almost Yesterday) but that song is not on the CD. I'm not familiar with much of the Church's history on vinyl, outside of a different mix of "The Night Is Very Soft" on an AMCO compilation.
If the Somewhere Else EP was never actually released on vinyl, that actually gives Intervention quite the advantage should Shane ever decide to tackle it. The hype sticker on the Arista LP is amusing – "13 dynamic songs". This is one of the most dynamic albums I own, so the sticker is quite accurate. Although it realistically should say "12 dynamic songs and also 'The Maven'". Earlier today, Shane revealed that the tape for "Warm Spell" is actually still extant and is in Sony's possession. I was under the assumption that it was lost because the original Arista release of it in 1988 used a needledrop, and so did the 2005 Starfish remaster. I really wish the four songs Shane cut from the Starfish reissue could be mastered to the same quality and find a release. If Shane tackled Gold Afternoon Fix, take whichever bonus tracks he cuts from that, add "Unsubstantiated" and the Gavin McKillop remixes of "Ripple" and "Feel", and make a little compilation EP called Another Time (a lyric from "Two Places At Once" and a companion title to Somewhere Else). I can basically guarantee that Shane wouldn't be able to do that with the meticulous level of quality he puts into everything, but it would be great for a boutique label to do a CD and LP (even if the latter had to be digitally sourced).
Steve posted on FB that new album is about to mixed and go thru final production. No release date given but it will be out soon!
Nice, I'm also looking forward to finally getting Jupiter 13 on vinyl. That should arrive at my doorstep in December.
last email I got from Q Rates was on August 11 and it said: “Exciting news! Jupiter 13 (Double LP) by Kilbey Kennedy has started pressing at the vinyl plant. Currently, the estimated shipping date for your pre-ordered vinyl is Nov 22 2021. We’ll let you know when it’s shipped with another email.” I have not heard anything from them since.
Got my shipping confirmation yesterday for Jupiter 13. It may take a while to come to Canada don't know the company Asendia I think it's in Swiss.