The Church: Starfish - Expanded Edition (180g) Vinyl 2LP

Australian indie rockers's breakthrough album in the US! Leading up to this 1988 release, The Church were at a low point in their career. Their label dropped them after poor reception to their previous album, Heyday, guitarist Marty Willson-Piper had quit the band due to growing tension, and the band was stuck in Los Angeles, where they felt out of place and homesick for Sydney. Miraculously, the band was able to make the best out of a bad situation and channel these frustrations back into the music. Whereas Heyday was littered in overproduced orchestral arrangements, Starfish is much more stripped back, leaving more room in the mix for their reverberant, jangle-y guitars and haunting lyricism. The album features their biggest hit, "Under the Milky Way" alongside the psychedelic earworm “Reptile,” both of which became popular in the US. Their newfound success led to an extensive North American tour with Peter Murphy of Bauhaus and Tom Verlaine of Television supporting. 10 tracks on 180g black vinyl.

• 180g black double vinyl pressing
• includes 8 bonus tracks
• housed in glossy gatefold sleeve
• all-analog remaster from the original tapes
• printed lyric insert
• music label: Intervention Records 2021

reviewed by SHH! 10/2021

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