The Church: A Psychedelic Symphony

The bad news is that A Psychedelic Symphony is not really all that psychedelic. If you are expecting distorted, surreal interpretations of the Church's discography, you'll likely be disappointed. The good news is that it is lush, serene, and gorgeous. So, misleading title aside, here are the positives... This double CD (also released as a 2DVD-set) is a recording of a 2011 performance by The Church at the Sydney Opera House. The band played to a sold-out crowd, and were backed by George Ellis and his orchestra. It would be easy to imagine that a full orchestra backing a rock band could be over-the-top, but this performance was definitely pulled off. The orchestra chime in at ideal moments, building songs to shimmering crescendos and filling out the sound. Steve Kilby's vocals are pitch-perfect, and the rest of the band are in fine form. The recording is high-quality and nothing is lost in translation. The songs that are collected on this two disc set are basically all killer, no filler, but highlights include hits 'Reptile' and 'Under the Milky Way'. 'Two Places at Once' is song by both Kilby and Marty Willson-Piper, which a nice treat for fans. The enthusiasm from the crowd is palpable, and while the performance is polished to a sheen, Kilby engages in some mid-song banter, and some songs are extended and tweaked to suit the set. This album captures a band who are familiar to the point of perfection with their discography, but are no worse for it. It is a sublime performance captured for those who couldn't make it. -Kathy Pollock