My personal history with The Church is limited to a few hits that made it to America. Songs like “Under the Milky Way,” which seemed to be everywhere. So, Gold Afternoon Fix was my first full dive into an album by The Church.

There’s a distinctly late-80s feel to the record, with chiming guitars, layered textures, and Steve Kilbey’s cool, slightly distant vocal delivery. It’s thoughtful without being overly dramatic, creating an atmospheric sound.

The album has an impressive collection of lush arrangements and melodies, although the hooks aren’t always the kind that jump out immediately. Some songs grabbed me right away, while others took a few listens to reveal what they had to offer. There’s more catchy material here than I initially realized.

“Metropolis” is an immediate highlight, with an irresistible college-radio hook and a guitar melody that practically sings. Kilbey’s understated vocal makes the chorus shine even brighter. “Pharoah” takes a slower approach, building confidently with an almost U2-like drive and a touch of late-80s post-punk cool.

“Russian Autumn Heart” has an anthemic quality that feels very much of its era, while “Essence” plays with the contrast between harsher guitar edges and a dreamy atmosphere.

The guitar work is a big part of what gives the album its character. Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper weave together chiming, sometimes interlocking guitar lines that add layers to the arrangements without overwhelming the melodies. There’s a richness to the sound that gives the album a lot of warmth.

The album title kept pulling me toward a metaphor of addiction, with “fix” suggesting longing, escape, or obsession. Whether that’s literal or symbolic, I found myself hearing the record through that lens.

There’s a sense of drift, disintegration, transcendence, and aftermath running through songs like “Monday Morning,” “Laughing,” and “Fading Away.” They carry something of an emotional hangover, as though the listener is slowly slipping out of orbit.

That interpretation gave the album a thematic thread that made it more compelling, even if I’m not certain it was the band’s intention.

Gold Afternoon Fix is a record that showcases The Church’s ability to create lush, atmospheric arrangements while still finding memorable melodies and hooks. It took a little time for some of the songs to connect, but repeated listening revealed more than I initially expected. There are some terrific moments here, even if the album remains understated through most of its runtime.

Verdict: Worth a Spin

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