Well, good to see someone speak their mind! I`ve been an avid Church fan since 1983. A band that has made some of the best music ever, unique songs, unique lyrics, music that has been a great inspiration in many, many ways. No other artist has been close in communicating a similar mixture of music and lyrics that, as someone said in another post, "takes me places where no other music goes". All in all a truly talented bunch of people!
All the more sorry I am to say that I heartily agree with Boriah`s comments. Been wondering if I should even bother to comment, but the fact that there are such strong opinions voiced against the album made me want to join the chorus (well, maybe that`s a too strong word!). Anyway, this album is a huge disappointment! There have been ups and downs through the years, but this one certainly takes the cake when it comes to downs!! Yes, the impression is of a band presenting "half-cooked" songs, sketches of songs that deserved to be worked more upon or simply discarded!
No wonder this band never reaches beyond their congregation. As Frank Zappa once said, these songs lack "commercial appeal". And no! There is nothing wrong with commercial appeal! Listen to Starfish, Heyday, Priest = Aura and lots of other songs on their later albums, that`s commercial in a positive sense!!
In fact, two of my favourite Church songs ever came from "Parallell Universe" - "Espionage" and "Reward" - sublime, sophisticated music.
In my ears there is one very good song on the new album, namely "Anchorage". The Church at its rocking best! The rest of the songs? Well, I`ve played them over and over again, at home, in the car, on my iPod, but sorry folks, they leave me cold. Okey, "Happenstance" and "Pangaea" have something going for them, but not enough.....The songs sound oddly uninspiring and uninspired. Maybe the Church and I have drifted apart after 26 years? Gone our different ways? Really hope not but one more album like this and that`s it, I`m out of here (and most of you will probably yell:"Good riddance"!! ) Fair enough! That`s what excommunication feels like I guess!