After such a fine debut as
Of Skins & Heart, creating a follow-up might have been a burden for
the Church. And maybe it was, but the end result was well worth it, and was, perhaps, even better than
Of Skins.
Blurred Crusade captures what for many remains the classic early
Church sound, blending both the various strains of '60s inspiration and post-punk drive detected from the band's beginnings with an even more elegant melancholy.
Kilbey's singing and lyrics have been compared to
David Bowie's, but what's interesting to note here is that he doesn't sound like a knockoff on either count; he has a similarly restrained coolness, perhaps, but one that doesn't hide strong passions underneath. Musically meanwhile, both
Willson-Piper and Koppes are just fantastic, their combination of guitar playing running the range from sparkling post-
Byrds chime to sharp power. If the group doesn't fully explode here as much as they do on later albums, and especially on
Heyday, may be laid at producer Bob Clearmountain's feet. Otherwise, though, the veteran boardsman does a great job with the band after only mixing
Of Skins; little here outside of some of Ploog's drumming punch sounds dated, while the group's arrangements are exquisite. Consider the slow but steady buildup of "When You Were Mine," guitar lines and notes setting the scene before fully kicking into the main riff, and the clever but not forced production on the vocals on some of the middle verses. Add the fantastic solo about four minutes in, and this is great rock music, period, and deeply impressive coming from a sophomore album. Highlights are plentiful throughout
Blurred, but the best numbers are perhaps the opening "Almost with You," a note-perfect combination of hooks and downbeat but not morose atmosphere, and the lengthy, powerful "You Took."
Willson-Piper's lead vocal number, "Field of Mars," and the brief, concluding "Don't Look Back" are further songs of note. [The album was reissued by Second Motion in 2010 with the addition of two tracks: "Life Speeds Up" (the B-side of single "Almost with You") and "The Golden Dawn" (B-side of "When You Were Mine").] ~ Ned Raggett