Altres...
Your use of the word 'extension' got me thinking to what (if I
remember correctly) I had posted on the old board.
Commercially, I'm sure, Arista was hoping to 'extend' the band's success.
Hard to think the boys would have objected to the concept!

When the band played Montreal in '89 MWP was in studio
before the show and I distinctively remember his answer to
"what was it like to work with Waddy Wachtel and Greg Landanyi?" (co-producers).
He answered, 'Push, pull, push, pull'.

I think there was a lot of Arista 'push' in how 'GAF' was made.
'Push' to make it in LA. 'Push' to make it when they did. And,
no doubt, 'push' to make it a commercial success.
I sense little 'pull' from the band and, perhaps that's understandable
with all that was going on with Ploog and the other issues.

It would be hard for me to agree that 'GAF' is an extension
of 'Starfish' (which IMO, is close to 'Church' perfection) while
I refer to 'GAF' as 'drivel'. But I do think Arista tried to
'manufacture' such an extension and what resulted was more
record company creativity than the band's.

While I'm here, I'd also like to throw in my two cents' worth on
the idea that the boys 'went commercial' or 'sold out' slightly
with 'Starfish'. Too many people IMO label music 'commercial'
just because it does reasonably well commercially. Who would
have honestly predicted the success 'Starfish' had.
'GAF' on the other hand, is a different matter. I think it is somewhat
commercial musically- but I don't blame the band for that.
That's what resulted from Arista's 'push, push, push' and the
band's seemingly not caring enough to 'pull' back.
Of all the band's releases, 'GAF' is as close as you get to a 'canned' Church album. Tuna though, not lobster.

Fraulein.
Bliss comes first as a jangling flood ...