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Source: Record Collector Magazine (London, England)
Issue: 187 Date: Mar, 1995
Subject: Review - Almost Yesterday
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Almost Yesterday 1981-1990

They're always pitched as Australian, but their two songwriters, Steve Kilbey and Marty Willson-Pipper, are English: in fact, Marty had only just arrived from Liverpool when the Church were formed. Their constant presence in psych/garage fanzines like "Bucketfull of Brains" in the early 80s is somewhat misleading as well: musically, they've always kept closer to the Cure than R.E.M. or the Rain Parade, and there are consistent hints of Bowie, Lloyd Cole and Smiths influences on this "best of" collection.

Their intial hit, "Unguarded Momemts" from 1981, still boasted a faint punk edge, notably in the chard barrage towards the end; but thereafter there was much Beatles as Buzzcocks in their songwriting. The chiming guitars appealed to those who relished Johnny Marr's playing, while their faintly gloomy lyrical preoccupations fitted in neatly alongside Robert Smith's less quirky excursions. By the end of the 80s, their polished "alternative" rock was ideally suited for the American audience, who took to them in a way that the British never really did.

"Almost Yesterday" begins with the first hit, and then swaps neatly back and forth between later 45s and LP tracks. Any potential rarites are already available on the "Hindsight" and "A Quick Smoke Of Spots" albums, leaving this set very much as a bignner's guide to the band.

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