Chris Church - Obsolete Path

 

I think many of you know what a fan that I am of Chris Church. Ever taking different roads, yet always hitting the spot. A new album is to be rejoiced and we have one here, released today. Parts of it are what you might expect, but as with all his albums, there are big surprised.

I suppose you might call him Indie Rock, but that is nowhere near the story. He can riff, jangle and rock out and yet come up with something dark and moody. He does take you on quite a trip. His nerve shows, opening with the Acoustic Troubadour short title track. It is surprising to open with such from such an electric focussed.

However, compare that to She Looks Good In Black which is wonderfully commercial, a rocky jangle in the mode of Matthew Sweet that will delight long time listeners here. Instrumentally, Life On A Trampoline could be The Police and Running Right Back To You almost sounds Garage Rock in parts.

Then there is Vice Versa, a co-write with Bill Lloyd, who plays mandolin which is incredibly Indie sounding, moving at a frantic pace with a much moodier darker production. Tell Me What You Really Are is stripped down, sounding more like an 80s Pop Rock sounding.

Like A Sucker is a splendid sprawling 6 minute plus epic. A little Southern Rock, but maybe more West Coast. It is a song that reminds us what a great guitarist the man is. It gets a little Crazy Horse instrumentally. A cracking listen, 

What Are We Talking About gets a little Country, a side of Church that gets forgotten about, the vocal is perfect. I'm A Machine gets all 80s soundtrack, Electric Dreams maybe, yet also has hints of Modern Prog instrumentally.

Fear not, there are great moments showing the more commercial side of Church, both Sit Down and the aforementioned She Looks Good In Black are great singalong joys. Plus, The Great Divide may be the most all encompassing song that Church has ever done, certainly Guitar wise.

Gretchen's Wheel's Lindsay Murray adds voice of an angel Backing Vocals on 9 of the 12 songs and the joint production by Church and Lori Franklin is possibly his biggest yet. A major talent releases a fine album isn't a surprise, but the sound on Obsolete Path is one of all inclusive joy.

You can listen to and buy the album here.

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