Starfish

I don't feel the need to review this album because if you are looking into buying the vinyl you already know it is an incredible album. Been one of my absolute favorites since the mid 90's when I first bought it on Compact Disc. The vinyl is of excellent quality and is a translucent green. It is a heavier LP (180 gram most likely but nothing stating this for sure). Sound is excellent. Definitely worth buying to add to your "the church" vinyl collection.

After the realease of Starfish down the road,they released another master of Starfish,I believe in 2009, which actually contains another disc of music.I am only reviewing the original album.The liner notes are incredible on these digipack re issues, with Marty Wilson Piper writing the best and most interesting and intricate of notes,just like his guitar ruminations.I have purchased all that The Church have released so far,because first you get a better mix,and a whole bunch of extra material.The sound production and subtlety and guitar interplay are wonderful.But Steve also came into his own with that"awful ache "in his voice.It rocks a lot with great solo guitars and is easy to hear the lyrics.No one buries anyone in the mix.It went on to sell 750,000 copies and went GOLD.It is their most successful album sales wise in the USA.The songs were not long and lacked extra frills.Each song is concise.What was certain was that they had this very unique sound and could have conquered the world,but artists such as The Church would not just try to perform this way on purpose.At the time of its' release,there simply wasn't anything as smooth as this on the radio.Ever hypnotic......"Under the Milky Way" on the radio...........this was the antidote for boring American top twenty.It was like an underground new wave band in the eighties,with a little glam,ferocious guitar stylizing,and seductive vocals had suddenly climbed out of the hole.But knowing The Church and a new contract with Arista Records for four discs, I somehow thought it would change.And of course, it did.True artists can not compose formulated music ,even if they tried.They tried to get a hit with Metropolis,which was on the next album,Gold Afternoon Fix.But the album never topped the commercial success of Starfish.It will be ever etched in the American pyche.The problem with Americans likes and dislikes for music,at least as it developed out of the Eighties,people's tastes in America do not want complex songs which The Church would prove to record.The notion that they would have top ten albums every year was completely not in my mind, as an American musicologist.....So lift that manhole cover.....time to go back underground......and with each album after Starfish,they slowly did just that.But the album is still brilliant on its own merits.It is a great album for American Rock audiences.I would even go on to say that that is how they recorded it.But I heard the recording stations were frought with tension.The producer was Greg Ladanyi and from what I heard he clashed with the vision for the album.He molded the sound to fit his idea of a top selling album in the States.What is interesting if the producer was fired...the mix might have been complex and trippy and it might have never been the disc it was.As I look back,Heyday, the album which preceeded Starfish, was probably a better album and more indicative of what The Church wanted to achieve.

Most fellow listeners purchased this release solely for the hit "under the milky way", but were pleasantly surprised by the the quality of the album! I certainly was! Decades later, the guitar in this is still to be respected! Deserves a seven star rating! Thanx!

I never heard The Church before, but a friend recommended them to me. I randomly picked an album (not based on reviews, because everyone has a different preference, a different ear...so why am I writing a review???)Anyway, to ME, this album had hints of Red Rider, The Cure and U2, along with a tinge of The Waterboys. I really liked the deep and full flowing melodic theme to the album. I was able to listen to it while doing other work, yet still focus on it enough to get into it without having to dedicate my full attention to it.I can't wait to give it a few more spins - I think I'm going to be a new fan!

Of course I bought this album for the song "Under the Milky Way Tonight" after being in love with the tune since seeing Donnie Darko, but the whole album is very well done. The vinyl is a high quality press.

It's hackneyed to say this by now, but this is my favorite album by the Church. It's more lush than Heyday and not quite as far "out there" as their later work like Priest=Aura. In particular, I could listen to "Under the Milky Way" on repeat for hours. The soaring, weaving guitars on that track are at least as ethereal as anything the new-age types like Yanni ever put out, while at the same time having meaningful lyrics that you keep thinking about long after the song is over...However, as much as I like that song I find myself singing "Reptile" under my breath all the time... These songs all have staying power.

I've missed the music on this album! One of my favorites from highschool! Now, I need it to drive around in the mom mobile!

classic album. even today, this album is still relevant and still a very enjoyable listen. i just bought vinyl again and i listened to it numerous times and enjoy it every time. excellent album. timeless sound. i think that this record will still sound great in 40 years. get it.

The Church have been producing great albums now for over 30 years this one being highly thought of by long time Church fans and also the one with the highest profile. Under The Milkyway is the obvious song that people reference but this album has more than just that in its locker. The interplay between the two guitarists on songs such as Reptile and Bloodmoney is something I personally have never gotten tired of hearing. Steve Kilbey's voice is cool and controlled and suits the material perfectly which is no surprise considering he wrote the lions share of it. Nobody to my mind quite sounds like this band and this album plays to their strengths with a slightly more accessible angle than maybe later albums would. This album represented a transition into a slightly more sophisticated sound for the band with the words shimmering, psychedelic and ethereal being the favoured words to describe a sound which they have been honing ever since. This album needs more than one listen but if its for you it will get under your skin and will have you going back for more and also seeking out other albums by this original and fascinating band.

Perfect Album!I fully recommend it!The buyer is also perfect! I have bought from him many thngs without any problem.

brilliant album

Best album of the 80s

Starfish erschien im April 1988. Die Band aus Australien lernte ich durch das Doppel Album Hindsight Ende der Achtziger Jahre kennen. Der bekannteste Song auf dieser CD ist auch gleich der Schönste. Under The Milky Way wurde damals häufig bei Radio FFN gespielt und schaffte es auch auf dem zweiten Powerstation Sampler. Ein herrlich verträumter Song. Weitere musikalische Höhepunkte sind für mich die Eröffnungsnummer Destination, die Single Auskoppelung Reptile und der Schlusstrack Hotel Womb. Alle 10 Songs besitzen eine hohe musikalische und textliche Qualität. Die CD kann man sich am besten in einem Rutsch durchhören. Gut 46 Minuten lang schöne entspannte Gitarrenmusik.