The Church – Of Skins And Heart (White vinyl)

The Church’s debut already has so much of what would make the band special, even if it arrives in a leaner, more direct form than the dreamier records that followed. Of Skins And Heart sits in that great early-’80s zone where post-punk sharpness, jangling 12-string guitars and a faint psychedelic haze all meet, with Steve Kilbey’s voice giving the whole thing a cool, slightly distant mood. “The Unguarded Moment” is the obvious centerpiece, but what makes the album hold up is how often the band sounds like it is discovering its identity in real time, pushing beyond simple new wave into something more romantic, mysterious and atmospheric.

What makes it especially rewarding is that it still feels hungry. The songs have more attack than later Church albums, and the guitar interplay between Marty Willson-Piper and Peter Koppes is already distinctive, giving even the straighter pop moments a shimmering, searching quality. It is not quite the finished article, and some of the arrangements are stiffer than what the band would later achieve, but that sense of a major sound taking shape is part of the appeal. For anyone who likes jangly guitar pop, early neo-psychedelia and Australian post-punk with real melodic instinct, this is an excellent debut and much more than just a historical precursor to Starfish.

Reviews

“The Church’s Of Skins and Heart carved out a unique place in popular music from an unlikely location” – PopMatters

“Of Skins and Heart is a curious record. It plays lip service to the prevailing winds of new wave but still manages to contain the ringing Rickenbacker jangle of 1966.” – PopMatters

“A reassessment of the Australian quartet’s early LPs is especially useful considering how well it displays the band finding its way toward its signature sound, a swirl of psychedelic rock that contains familiar elements but that sounds like no one but the Church.” – The Big Takeover

“The gorgeous guitar soundscapes and occasionally evocative verbal imagery seemed to promise bright things to come.” – Trouser Press

“Their wash of ringing guitars neatly complements the moody intensity of Steve Kilbey’s songs.” – Shadow Cabinet