What Steve Kilbey soloalbum you pick up first? What to buy first?
Heres my order. Technical finesse is not that interesting to me and I have no nostalgia value for any of these. I was once so disappointed with Earthed that I decided not to investigate further, thats everything.
1. The Slow Crack (reissue)
2. Unearthed (reissue)
3. Acoustic and Intimate
4. Narcosis + more (reissue)
5. Freaky Conclusions
6. Earthed (reissue)
7. Dabble
8. Remindlessness (reissue)
1. The Slow Crack (1989 / reissue 2004) - Originally 8-track mini-Lp. First side with 4 songs is just brilliant poppy singer/songwriter stuff. Best start to any churchy-soloalbum. "Favourite Pack of Lies" is the best of these. Second side (tracks 5-8 ) slower and with a different mood. Drags a bit but ends with 2 beautiful piano-ballads.
Extras (tracks 9-15): "Transaction"-single (1990) is more Remindlessness-era and isnt as good as previous stuff. "Like a Ghost" is the best of these songs. This Asphalt Eden-single (1985) is SKs first solosingle and should have been in Unearthed-remaster, but apparently there was more space here. A poppy Cure-esque affair with dated synthpop. "Shell" is the durable song here.
2. Unearthed (1986 / reissue 2005) - First 5 songs excellent, except "Swampdrone"-instrumental, which is okay if you like swampy drone. Mid-album drags but picks up the pace from "My Birthday, the Moon Festival". "Nothing Inside" and "Othertime" are both brilliant, simple songs that are just irresistible for anybody who likes acoustic singer/songwriter- stuff.
Extras (tracks 17-20): 4 previously unreleased songs that are quite good and fit nicely into the end. "You once told me" the best one here.
3. Acoustic and Intimate (2000) - Warm and lovable record. If you liked El Momentos youll like this. Good blend of different stuff: 2 sideproject songs, 4 solosongs, 3 childhood excerpts, 7 church-songs. Interaction with audience is funny. Note if downloading: get the 3 short excerpts too, you wont regret it.
4. Narcosis + more (1991 / reissue 2004) - Original 5-track ep didnt do much to me. "Somna" and "Limbo" essential.
Extras (tracks 6-11): Heres the deal. Lot better than tracks 1-5. "Midnite in America" and "Linda Wong" highlights. Note if downloading: Track 11 "Over" contains the song Over (3:30), silence (4 min.) and a hidden track, reading of a poem "Night in Hell" (6 min.)
5. Freaky Conclusions (2003) - Enhanced demos from 1978 to 1983. Interesting and surprisingly even album with shades of early dreamy Church.They could have lifted songs here to make Remote Luxury-ep a full album, and a good one too. Beautiful stuff, nothing much freaky here unless you count "Fingers in the Skull", and the titlesong sounding like ELO. "Again", "Mechanism" and "She Me We" highlights. I almost want to put this over Narcosis.
6. Earthed (1987 / reissue 2005) - Many good songs here, but its instrumental. "The Dawn Poems" is good, but when vocals are added and its name is "Favourite pack of Lies" its brilliant. Most songs are too short: 20 songs and half of them under 2 minutes.
Extras (tracks 21-28 ) : readings from Earthed-book without music. Mostly curiosity / completist value, I would rather get the whole book somewhere.
7. Dabble (2001) - After first 2 songs you know if you like this or not. Doesnt move me much and songwriting isnt that great. Done in 2 weeks and that tells a lot. Drums are good and overall sound more modern than in other albums but that doesnt save this.
8. Remindlessness (1990 / reissue 2002) - Im never in the mood for this. Single songs like "Lifes Little Luxuries" and "Random Pan" are good but listening to it all the way is usually too much. When it was a double vinyl there was at least some pauses between songs when side was changed!
Note if downloading: there is 18 tracks, but tracklist shows only 16. "Music from commercial for eternity inc." is merged into beginning of " No Such Thing" (1:16 + 3:56 = 5:12). "Soul Sample" with Robert Palmer-guitars is merged into beginning of "Celebration of the Birthday of the Elephant God" (5:11 + 9:34 = 14:39) Two for the price of one there. Some sites may have wrong track info for tracks 12-16 but most seem okay.
Im interested to hear other opinions.
Heres my order. Technical finesse is not that interesting to me and I have no nostalgia value for any of these. I was once so disappointed with Earthed that I decided not to investigate further, thats everything.
1. The Slow Crack (reissue)
2. Unearthed (reissue)
3. Acoustic and Intimate
4. Narcosis + more (reissue)
5. Freaky Conclusions
6. Earthed (reissue)
7. Dabble
8. Remindlessness (reissue)
1. The Slow Crack (1989 / reissue 2004) - Originally 8-track mini-Lp. First side with 4 songs is just brilliant poppy singer/songwriter stuff. Best start to any churchy-soloalbum. "Favourite Pack of Lies" is the best of these. Second side (tracks 5-8 ) slower and with a different mood. Drags a bit but ends with 2 beautiful piano-ballads.
Extras (tracks 9-15): "Transaction"-single (1990) is more Remindlessness-era and isnt as good as previous stuff. "Like a Ghost" is the best of these songs. This Asphalt Eden-single (1985) is SKs first solosingle and should have been in Unearthed-remaster, but apparently there was more space here. A poppy Cure-esque affair with dated synthpop. "Shell" is the durable song here.
2. Unearthed (1986 / reissue 2005) - First 5 songs excellent, except "Swampdrone"-instrumental, which is okay if you like swampy drone. Mid-album drags but picks up the pace from "My Birthday, the Moon Festival". "Nothing Inside" and "Othertime" are both brilliant, simple songs that are just irresistible for anybody who likes acoustic singer/songwriter- stuff.
Extras (tracks 17-20): 4 previously unreleased songs that are quite good and fit nicely into the end. "You once told me" the best one here.
3. Acoustic and Intimate (2000) - Warm and lovable record. If you liked El Momentos youll like this. Good blend of different stuff: 2 sideproject songs, 4 solosongs, 3 childhood excerpts, 7 church-songs. Interaction with audience is funny. Note if downloading: get the 3 short excerpts too, you wont regret it.
4. Narcosis + more (1991 / reissue 2004) - Original 5-track ep didnt do much to me. "Somna" and "Limbo" essential.
Extras (tracks 6-11): Heres the deal. Lot better than tracks 1-5. "Midnite in America" and "Linda Wong" highlights. Note if downloading: Track 11 "Over" contains the song Over (3:30), silence (4 min.) and a hidden track, reading of a poem "Night in Hell" (6 min.)
5. Freaky Conclusions (2003) - Enhanced demos from 1978 to 1983. Interesting and surprisingly even album with shades of early dreamy Church.They could have lifted songs here to make Remote Luxury-ep a full album, and a good one too. Beautiful stuff, nothing much freaky here unless you count "Fingers in the Skull", and the titlesong sounding like ELO. "Again", "Mechanism" and "She Me We" highlights. I almost want to put this over Narcosis.
6. Earthed (1987 / reissue 2005) - Many good songs here, but its instrumental. "The Dawn Poems" is good, but when vocals are added and its name is "Favourite pack of Lies" its brilliant. Most songs are too short: 20 songs and half of them under 2 minutes.
Extras (tracks 21-28 ) : readings from Earthed-book without music. Mostly curiosity / completist value, I would rather get the whole book somewhere.
7. Dabble (2001) - After first 2 songs you know if you like this or not. Doesnt move me much and songwriting isnt that great. Done in 2 weeks and that tells a lot. Drums are good and overall sound more modern than in other albums but that doesnt save this.
8. Remindlessness (1990 / reissue 2002) - Im never in the mood for this. Single songs like "Lifes Little Luxuries" and "Random Pan" are good but listening to it all the way is usually too much. When it was a double vinyl there was at least some pauses between songs when side was changed!
Note if downloading: there is 18 tracks, but tracklist shows only 16. "Music from commercial for eternity inc." is merged into beginning of " No Such Thing" (1:16 + 3:56 = 5:12). "Soul Sample" with Robert Palmer-guitars is merged into beginning of "Celebration of the Birthday of the Elephant God" (5:11 + 9:34 = 14:39) Two for the price of one there. Some sites may have wrong track info for tracks 12-16 but most seem okay.
Im interested to hear other opinions.
