1986...some of the 80's greatest albums were released and surely Heyday is one of the most sublime.

I remember buying this album and playing it endlessly - haunted by it's beautiful, yearning melodies, fascinated by those complex yet curiously pertinent lyrics.

This is an album which is inscribed in my heart and never fails to effortlessly conjure up the very essence of this most ardent period of my misspent youth. I saw The Church during the mid-80's more frequently than I had before or since, and for me they had reached a peak of live performance that was truly breathtaking. It's fair to say that with this album I turned from a mere fan into a true devotee. From this time forward, no other band would be able to inspire, excite and bewitch me quite so completely.

The world is surely full of cloth-eared Philistines, or this album would have been HUGE around the world. Still...I care not for the world's opinion ! Heyday is my secret, wistful, slightly dusty perfumed pleasure. A pleasure that bears repeating.

(Oh...and just in case you're feeling a little nauseated, I will say that I really don't like those backing vocals on Already Yesterday....but otherwise "tread softly, because you tread on my dreams "....)

Julia