Remote Luxury was the second Church album obtained in my collection. It was the Winter/Spring of 1989 and after being obsessed with Starfish for 6-8 months, I had been looking in the 'Church' bin in local stores for several months to no avail. Finally there was something other than Starfish - Remote Luxury. Looked OK by the cover - I'll take it.

Got home and put on a spin - it was awful. Nothing like Starfish. (Note: I'm always disappointed with an initial listen, no matter what the style or band or release). I was immediately hooked on Shadow Cabinet - seemed the most 'Starfish-like' to me. I kept listening and others grew on me - Into My Hands, No Explanation, Remote Luxury, etc. I wanted those shimmering, sustaining guitars, and I got a more 'acoustic' flavor instead.

I hated Maybe These Boys when I first heard it and would always skip it. It later became 'not so abrasive' and I'd listen only if I was playing the disc all the way through. I always considered it to be a generally worthless song until, for some reason, I repeatedly played it and liked it. (Must have been in the car - that seems to be where all my 'listening epiphanies' originate). I lump it in with 'Travel by Thought' off of Seance and 'London' off the Smith's Louder Then Bombs LP (you know, those songs that just stand off of an album and are absolutely horrible, until, one day, you 'get it'). Anyway, I quite like it, but usually only when listening to it exclusively and repeatedly.

I remember recording a 45 minute cassette tape of GAF, which spilled over onto side 'B' for a few songs. I filled the rest of side 'B' with Remote Luxury, but I had to leave a couple of songs off. I had left off 'A Month of Sundays' at the time, and I look back at it now as sacrilege! A Month of Sundays has got to be my favorite (or 2nd fav behind Shadow Cab) off the disc. Funny how our tastes change as we listen more and more to a disc.

I especially like Volumes and 10,000 miles. Really good Marty tracks. I remember seeing another thread about the merits of Marty tracks - I generally like 'em, only one I really don't like that I can think of off hand is 'Field of Mars' off The Blurred Crusade.

Remote Luxury still has a fond place in my heart as it's my first delving into the obsession we all know as The Church!!