Untitled #23

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KittenSkullfuck		#81	[-]
Maven Posts: 34 (05/12/2009 14:05) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I just heard the previews on Amazon. It's a lot better than I expected. My findings of the last 5 or so albums is that they've generally sounded pretty similar, whereas in U23 you can hear more different moods and stuff, which is interesting. The first 3 or 4 tracks made me think of the early days of the Church being drowned in water. If you'll excuse a pun, I think that this production value contributes quite a lot to the phlegmatic theme! Cold Megan Cold Megan are one of the UK's top obscure garage rock groups. And they do a cover of 'The Unguarded Moment' www.myspace.com/coldmegan
Lepus		#82	[-]
Maven Posts: 18 (05/12/2009 21:54) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I managed to get my copy replaced with no troubles. I think that's the first time I've ever had to return a CD due to defects. I'm terribly careful with my CD's and if I'd scratched it myself I'd just suck it up and buy another, but something either went wrong in the factory or during shipping. Anyways, all is well! The album is completely lovely. I was driving along and nearly started crying at the end of Operetta, and I'm rarely moved in such a way by any music. Early in the morning when I'm in a delirious and fragile state, nearly any pretty melody'll make me weepy, otherwise it never happens. I've got to give this a listen through headphones, but so far I'm at ease with these wonderful sounds.
strangefruit1	too much complaining	#83	[-]
Maven Posts: 41 (05/13/2009 20:50) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	So many listeners have become tabloid critics and armchair mixers, not that all post are negative but so much is pointed at , I thought it would sound this way, or it started out wrong, whats, the deal, its The Church. Yes, we don't want tripe for music, but a lot gos into this, open your ears like you did so many years ago, this is a great album and what I hope a sign of what is more to come. Just drop the pretense, open your ears. The Church is a live and well, bang em out boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KittenSkullfuck		#84	[-]
Maven Posts: 34 (05/14/2009 07:38) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I love the new banner. And U23 got 5/5 in Rolling Stone? Good job. I have a friend in New Hampshire who is going to see the tour with a load of friends, so with any luck it may be a sucessful year for the church! Cold Megan Cold Megan are one of the UK's top obscure garage rock groups. And they do a cover of 'The Unguarded Moment' www.myspace.com/coldmegan
churchjunkie	here kitty kitty...	#85	[-]
Maven Posts: 38 (05/14/2009 10:12) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	here kitty, kitty... ...i'm a NH bloke... ...can u pass my e-mail to your friends... paradoxicalblues@gmail.com MEM
churchjunkie	Notes of a Junkie	#86	[-]
Maven Posts: 38 (05/14/2009 10:14) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	How fortunate this addiction. I rarely write of it. I'm always reminded of it. There's always a place for it. Addiction is a word we hardly understand. There are more words for it in other languages I am told. It's odd. I've never admired it in other ways or in other people. Its not something I fully understand and even in speaking of it, I still only allude to it. It's not glorification, or denial. It's only a problem if I allow it to be. It's like a drug but not grown, synthesized or processed. It is created, listened to, painted, photographed, contemplated, and enjoyed. It is newly discovered; it's an old welcomed friend. It's something of my own, but much greater. It is an honor to know, I know. Last Edited By: churchjunkie 05/19/2009 21:39. Edited 2 times.
Tar Heel		#87	[-]
Maven Posts: 20 (05/14/2009 13:51) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	OK, I must admit that I can no longer claim that 23 sucks - so, I"m moving in the right direction. But, I still don't think it is anywhere near great, nor anywhere near their capabilities. Thanks to a friend in this group, I re-listened to Anchorage and think it's one of the better ones. I even think Cobalt and Pangea are better than I had originally thought, but there is still too much on this album that I actively avoid listening to. One is Angel Threat, another is Sunken Sun. I guess the main problem I have with 23, Univited, and the "should never have been released" Parallel is that since Forget Yourself, none of their songs have captivated me, with the exception of Block and perhaps Deadman. I know everyone thinks I'm wrong, but 23 reminds me more of the 2 songs on AENT that I do not listen to: Reprieve and Invisible I do, however, like them largely going back to 1 word song titles!! But, couldn't they have come up with a better Album Title? Something, anything, but more than "untitled". Maybe they were thinking of Elton John's "This song has no title" on GYBR. Make no mistake: I want to like this album. I would much listen to songs I like than listen songs I don't like.
Ege Bamyasi		#88	[-]
Maven Posts: 59 (05/14/2009 15:37) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	So I needed to wait a good long while before forming an opinion. And now after a few listens I have to say I like this better than any of the previous Powles-era recordings. I mean I REALLY like this one. I've been in a love/hate relationship with their more recent outings but this one just has something fresh about it. Whereas many past reviews of the more recent Church recordings would typically mention lush, aural soundscapes ala Pink Floyd - I'd hear what they were saying, but the music never really drew me in that way personally. With Untitled #23, I'm actually feeling the draw - it's taking me to stormy days, beautiful blue skies, spring days, opium dens, riversides and ocean sides, etc., etc. As a matter fact this album reminds me of the days I used to sit in a field on a spring day, looking up at the sky listening to Pink Floyd's Atom Heat Mother (If, Fat Old Sun , Summer '68) through the speaker on a cheap little Channel Master tape recorder. Not because of sound quality mind you, but just that feeling. I know this all sounds so cosmic - I'm really quite grounded for a dreamer, thank you - but this one has really moved me. And as a side, I'm much more happy with the sound quality on this one than any of the previous Powles-era recordings. Much better sound - still a little bit off but a vast improvement IMO. "Anything too stupid to be said is sung" - Voltaire
churchjunkie		#89	[-]
Maven Posts: 38 (05/14/2009 16:44) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Atom heart - yea, i'm always comparing that to everything... as far as this one goes, its like trying a new skin on... com'on man... we've all done that hundreds of times....
churchjunkie		#90	[-]
Maven Posts: 38 (05/14/2009 16:51) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tar Heel - why should we think your wrong? after all isn't good, just good enough? i say, love what u like... like what u love... and then let some blue god in a grey sky sort the rest...
source	untitled 23	#91	[-]
Transient Posts: 1 (05/15/2009 05:28) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	So, I finally got Untitled 23. Was only able to get it via itunes, but alas, I got it. Still forming an opinion. It really is different. I think ULTC was rather safe territory for The Church. It was good, but not daring. This album is both good and daring. Or better to say its great. There are a few "classic" Church sounding tracks, but others definitely took me by surprise. Cobalt Blue. Good song, not sure the right track to open the album. Awfully hard to following such stellar openers as Block, Sealine, Numbers, and Anesthesia.. Cobalt Blue is a different approach. I like it more each time I hear it. Deadman Hand. Sounds a bit radiohead-ish to me. Stays in my head. I like it, but not one of my favorites thus far. Pangaea - Gorgeous. Such a warm, beautiful, and comforting mood. Yes, easy to love. Happenstance - Great song, would be better if only Sk sing on it. Why always the shared lyrics always with MWP, and not PK? hmm....maybe on the next album. Space Savior. Spiritualized reference is obvious. This song grabbed me right away, and still does. One of my favorites....Better then anything JPiece has done in a long while. Angel - Still thinking. One of those more "challenging"songs. Very good lyrics, great storytelling. still not sure about the music yet. Ssun - Maybe my favorite thus far. Simply, I love it, and keeping going back to it. One for the ages... Anchorage - Seems to me Sk sings much like GrantM on much of this song, and track has that intelligent rock tenderness (almost bordering on corny, but not..) that Grant did so well. Very surprised at first, but liking it more and more. Lunar. Seems too short. Midway starts to sound very Arcade Fire to me (i love them, so not a criticism). But song seems to end too soon. Have not formed clear opinion about this one yet. Operetta - Darn impossible not to love. Makes me want to play the piano. Also puts a big smile on my face. Perfect album closer. Much, much better closer then song to go Impossible to rank the album thus far, or compare too closely to others, as I have lived with those others for years, and this one only for days. I definitely sense I will like it more then ULTC (sadly I dont go back to that album often), but less sure how it will compare to FY (brilliant), AENT (almost as brilliant), and HOB (would probably be my favorite Church album, if not for "this is it"). Thats one of the only songs I have ever deleted from my church ipod collection. Overall, best album I have heard since Painkiller. My only serious gripe, no tour stop in Atlanta. thats where i live nowadays, at least for a few more months. Atlanta has always been so good to the church....band could do at least two shows there, and I am sure both would very well attended. But OK, I dont wanna complain about it. Better to enjoy the brilliant new album, and plan my trip to wash dc area. kevinN
KittenSkullfuck		#92	[-]
Maven Posts: 34 (05/15/2009 09:37) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	churchjunkie wrote: here kitty, kitty... ...i'm a NH bloke... ...can u pass my e-mail to your friends... paradoxicalblues@gmail.com MEM Done and done, time to go back to playing with a ball of red string indefinitely. Btw, you should probably not post your email address publically, because sh*tloads of bots trawl through the internet looking for them to add to spam/phishing email lists. Cold Megan Cold Megan are one of the UK's top obscure garage rock groups. And they do a cover of 'The Unguarded Moment' www.myspace.com/coldmegan
CrocodileTears		#93	[-]
Transient Posts: 2 (05/15/2009 11:24) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Hello, I'm French and I've been a Church fan since 1988, and it's still one of my favorite bands. Unfortunately The Church is not very famous here... Just got the new album today. I think it's a good one, but not a masterpiece. My favorite songs: 1) Deadman's Hands 2) Happenstance 3) Pangea 4) Operetta Last Edited By: CrocodileTears 05/15/2009 11:31. Edited 1 times.
Kieran		#94	[-]
Glow Worm Posts: 326 (05/16/2009 04:39) Glow Worm Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I have now spent plenty time with this album. I have been playing it about twice a day for the past 3-4 weeks. At first I wasn't sure what to think. Nothing really grab me right away. However, this seems to happen to me with new Church releases. I know that if I am patient with their stuff it is only a matter of time before the lightbulb comes on. This album is no different, but this time, it seems like the appreciation and enjoyment of the music is more intense than before. The surprising thing for me is I really like when the Church drift more towards pop and this doesn't really have anything like that on the whole album, yet this album has grabbed my attention and then some. As others have mentioned the lineup on this album flows together very well and there is melodies galore on this album. They are subtle though so they kind of sneak up on you over time and now I have U23 songs popping in my head all day long. Is this the best or favorite Church album for me? As of right now, yes it is a favorite and it is their best from start to finish, but also keep in mind I am in the honeymoon period still and only time will tell if it has staying power as my favorite Church album. There has been some discussion on the production or recording of this album. I think it is well done. This is not a compressed, veiled, or muddy recording like others have said. I think the issue is not recording quality, but rather how the Church chose to do the mix. The Church maybe do not utilize one of their strengths, which is excellent guitars lines and guitar interplay between MWP and PK. The excellent guitar work is on this album,it is just a lot of this is not as prevalent in the overall mix, so it is kind of faint back ground music instead of more up front presentation with the guitars. I personally think they got it right for the type of music and the overall feel or mood album creates. This album is amazing and I can't wait to here some of this live.
neverness		#95	[-]
Glow Worm Posts: 100 (05/16/2009 22:34) Maven Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	my first impression of #23, I've had it for 2 days and listened to it about 12 times. Cobalt Blue - Excellent track. Just when you think it's not right for an opening church track, the guitar kicks in and you know it's right. It's not dark and brooding like sealine, block, destination etc. but its not jangle pop either. A sealine/Block icy-type brooder would have been great with Cobalt being track 2 but this way is great too. Dead Mans Hand - Might be my favorite on the record. Just pure Church perfection. Pangaea - Perfect, warm, dreamy tune. Perfect church. Happenstance - Again, just perfect Church. The guitars are sublime and the lyrics are beautiful. Space Savior - In My opinion, the worst song on the record. Does nothing for me. The last 3 albums (plus beside yourself) have had a track with "space" in the title. I don't like any of them. On Angel Street- I usually don't like these types from the band. However, this one has an "ache" to it that is just so desperate, so longing. Wonderful mood piece and quite sad. Sunken Sun- Incredible song. The guitars just make me want to cry. Tar heel said it's no good but I just can't understand his take. This is a beautiful song. Anchorage - I don't like it much. I think for the same reason I dont like "Overview" on the last album. Too much formula on this song and the chorus is rather lame in my opinion. Lunar - This is the only song on the record that I would call "filler". It's not bad but it doesn't grab me. Somewhat drab and the chorus at the end doesn't sound too inspired. Operetta- Reminds me of "Summer". The harmonizing is nice. The whole song is a delight. Perfect closer. I would have to say that this is their best since HOB or perhaps even P=A, the best album ever written (by anyone). Kilbeys voice is amazing as always. Time will sort out the reality of it. We shall see where this one ranks for me in another year or so. Last Edited By: neverness 05/16/2009 23:41. Edited 6 times.
neverness	my new mix	#96	[-]
Glow Worm Posts: 100 (05/17/2009 00:17) Maven Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I find this mix of songs to flow perfectly. All I did was remove the 3 songs from #23 that I didn't care for (anchorage, Space Savior, Lunar) and added a few to round it out. Dead Mans hand follows sealine very nicely, I was surprised. 1. Sealine 2. Dead Mans Hand 3. Pangaea 4. Happenstance 5. Cobalt Blue 6. Celestial 7. Snowfaller 8. Ionian Blues 9. A Tale for You 10. A tragi-comic family story 11. War of the Houses 12. On Angel Street 13. Sunken Sun 14. Operetta overall I find #23 to have 7 great songs 2 very average songs and 1 clunker. To me, that is just fine. Awesome album!
b	Where you are is where it's at?	#97	[-]
Glow Worm Posts: 424 (05/17/2009 06:04) Glow Worm Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	It drives me nuts reading these reviews. Everytime I come here - I go back to 23 and try again. Only a couple songs work at all for me. Operetta has become my favorite, just barely, over Deadman's Hand. Make no mistake - I love the Coffee Song, Pangaea, and So Love May Find Us. The latter just gets better and better as it goes along across its 20 minutes. Painkiller was killer, only parts of a couple tracks that bugged me a little. Outbound is great to go jogging to. Celestial is an all time favorite. So I was on point to be set thrilled with U-23, but instead... I've enjoyed SK's recent expansion of range and styles, and that continues on 23, but the songs just don't find my ticklish spots. I can't relate to the imagery. It's almost like I haven't gotten to where I need to be, a point in time or whatever, for 23. For now I'll just stick with my church playlist and lurk over your reviews with jelousy. b
neverness		#98	[-]
Glow Worm Posts: 100 (05/18/2009 18:45) Maven Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I am starting to warm up to the Anchorage tune. Still not my fave on the album by any stretch, but I think I was a bit harsh in my short review the other day. Tracks 5 and 9 still haven't grown on me yet, especially #5. The first 4 are incredible. #6 is great #7 is real nice #10 is beautiful
steppenwolfinjapan		#99	[-]
Glow Worm Posts: 113 (05/18/2009 21:44) Maven Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I must be missing something. This is the album that critics are giving 5 stars? They talk about a return to form in some reviews? My god, I couldn't be more underwhelmed by this album. For the record: I think AENT is their masterpiece of the past decade. I think BWTB is a close second. ULTC and FY have great moments, but are too long and hit and miss. Deadman's Hand, Cobalt Blue and especially Happenstance do nothing for me. The only keepers (songs that will probably make it to a Church cd compilation in the future) are Pangaea, Sunken Sun and Operetta. The melodies and hooks on this disc are so understated there isn't anything to sink your teeth into. Nothing as sublime and dreamy as Ionion Blues, Snowfaller, or the divine, Pearls. Numbers, Invisible, Seen It Coming, After Everything, Awful Ache. Where are the songs of this caliber on Untitled #23? Cobalt Blue will not be remembered in the same league as Numbers, Block, Anesthesia, or Snowfaller. I love the fact the album is generating a buzz and hopefully some healthy revenue for the boys, but this album is about on par with ULTC. The only great thing I can say about the album is that it is short and flows better than most other Church records. Maybe I was spoiled by Painkiller, but Outbound and Crystalline Rush are better than anything on Untitled #23. I HATE being this negative, but after a dozen listens it just doesn't do it for me.
Tar Heel		#100	[-]
Maven Posts: 20 (05/19/2009 09:58) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Glad to hear from some of the other reviewers. You all see, I'm not a complete and isolated freak after all! Another listen tonight while cleaning my apartment, a few hits, and a few beers, and I'm still not nearly impressed as most of the people reading this. I haven't given up: HOB took a few listenings, but I eventually came to love Anaesthesia, Ricochet, and Tranquility. Another song that I have grown to love is Decadence. But, none of those songs took this long to like. I hope I find a few personal gems in 23, but what I continue to hear is the sound of skipping to the next track. I do like Pangea more now, but Cobalt continues to be a disappointing opening, which to me anyway, sets the stage for the rest of the album.

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