Myrrh

The previous albums of the Church, Seance and Remote Luxury, were good albums but there was something little missing in them. It was as if the band wasn´t firing on all cylinders. This could be understandable if the bassplayer dictates what guitarplayers should play and doesn´t let them do what comes naturally. That approach lacked spontaneity and improvisation. Both of those qualities are definitely found in Heyday and the band sounds like they are energized and on top of their game.

Shadow Cabinet from Remote Luxury was the first real collaboration of the band and here they continue seamlessly from that point and what that song promised. Myrrh is cut from the same tree as Shadow Cabinet as it evokes that same levitating feeling of flying through the air without much restrictions. I can´t describe that but luckily it´s been done before here. The aerodynamic chromium machine is well oiled and glows in the psychedelic sun on it´s way to undiscovered territories. This is something that nobody else has done before.

From the chiming opening riff and the buildup it´s obvious that this stuff is busting at it´s seams. There is so much directions and ideas that the song can hardly contain them all. It´s as if every part of the song tries to be better and better. The guitarists duel for the attention and try to gest the best out of each other. It´s going forward all the time. By the time the super hypnotic guitar behind the chorus kicks in I´m always sold. This is a song that I seldom grow tired of. "How can you be so invisible?" I always hear that in my mind in the form of "How can we be so invincible?" Is there some teeny weeny thing I could criticize? Hmm, maybe the singing could be mixed a little bit louder? Is that highlighting keyboard really necessary? Naah, that´s nitpicking and I should shut up.

What is the secret ingredient that makes this fly so easily and be so irresistible? I like to think it´s Peter Koppes who is the secret magic ingredient here. Marty can do the other flashy parts but the real magician behind the ethereal architecture and structure has to be Peter. They are both given free reigns and immediately they make the most out of it. In one word: inspired.

Like the music is rich and inventive so are the lyrics. They go from Jericho city to Apache gunmen to cruising down the highway. From big to small, from history to present and beyond. This is the blockbuster of my head. It´s a lot bigger event than SCHWARZENEGGER IS TERMINATOR written with bold font on the biggest billboard you can ever imagine. The Church has had many good moments and they will have numerous more but this is as close as it gets to what they can achieve if I think of mega super Blockbuster for the MIND.

"You would have thought I´d had enough" by now? I´ve had this album for 20 years now. It always surfaces in some form or other. Scratchy vinyl, hissing cassette in the car, CD-r, MP3 from the phone, played on computer or whatever and it still keeps me entertained and thinking. I might think I´m over it but then it pulls me back like a magnet. I´m going all fanboy now but why not? This song should do it if there ever was one.