Narcosis+
by Steve Kilbey
REVIEWS and COMMENTS
Steve Kilbey
"Narcosis Plus"
(Australia/Vicious Sloth Collectables '97) 9 trax $$$
Back in 1992, Church frontman Steve Kilbey released his last solo record bearing his name, a five song EP titled Narcosis. Almost immediately, it became one of the hottest collectable pieces among Church-related discography. In response, Narcosis EP has been re-released with an additional four songs and new cover art as Narcosis Plus. This project defines what an adventurous solo outing is all about. Kilbey doesn't try to duplicate the sound of The Church. Rather, he branches out in an entirely new direction with lush keyboards at the heart of the mix. In fact, Narcosis has more in common with Hex (Kilbey's collaboration with ex-Game Theory vocalist, Donnette Thayer) than it does with his previous solo album, 1990's Remindlessness. Nevertheless, the result is engaging. The first five songs are from the original Narcosis. "Somna" stands out with bass, drums and stunning, minimalistic guitar, layered piece-by-piece over a keyboard foundation. The song slowly builds to a crescendo, then retreats, only to return once again like the ebb and flow of the tide. Of the four songs which make up the plus portion of the disc, "The Egyptian" comes the closest to sounding like a song from The Church's catalog, with the help of acoustic warmth. The remaining three are more in line with the original Narcosis style. Is Narcosis Plus for die-hard fans only? If your familiarity with Kilbey starts and ends with "Under The Milky Way," then steer clear. However, if your musical taste embraces creativity as well as admiration for Kilbey's musical contributions over the years, then Narcosis Plus is for you!