205) The Church - Starfish

People at work tell me that most of the bands I am into they have never heard of, and I think but how can you have not heard of them. Then I started to write reviews and asked people to make suggestions and I realised that funnily enough I don’t know a lot of artists either.

Step forward The Church, nope sorry, no idea. They have been around for forty-four years and released over twenty albums, just goes to show you I don’t know everything. Who knew?

 Starfish was their fifth album released in 1988 and was, and still is. their most successful record.

Opener Destination brings you straight in, the longest track on the album but is haunting and excellent vocals from the band, an atmospheric track with no real chorus but confidence was obviously high. Under the Milky Way was their big hit  and when the drums hit in one minute in that’s me there, you can hear why it was a hit, even with the bagpipe sounds (although it’s not bagpipes music fans)

As you would expect on a fifth album this is a band who are aware of their instruments and their sound, and strings and brass are added to enhance the music.

North, South East and West opens with a guitar solo and does not let up from start to finish, an attractive stomp along and Spark and Antenna also have interesting guitar melodies.

Reptile is clever guitar pop, and the albums final track is called Hotel Womb don’t let the title put you off it’s a song that chugs along but is a wonderful closer, ending the album on a sombre mode.

If you had told me that this band had come from the north and were one of the many UK guitar bands of the 80’s who did not get the credit they deserved I would nod my head and agree, showing I know nothing.

Give it a go.

7/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: North, South, East and West