It's harmony I say (The Church) #150 - 151

The Church  A Different Man; Ancient History/ The Night Is Very Soft; In This Room; I Am A Rock (Stunn 12", ABS 100, 1982)

The Church  Constant In Opal; Volumes/ No Explanation; Violet Town; Shadow Cabinet (Parlophone 12", GOOD 506, 1984)

Australia's The Church were a favourite of mine in the eighties. 

They had harmonies and guitars and paisley shirts when all you could hear at the time were heavily processed drums and horrible synths.

I stayed with them during the decade for their early albums and singles until the nineties when they lost the plot.

The Constant In Opal 12" was titled Persia for some reason and the A Different Man 12" was titled Sing Songs for some other reason. In both cases the A sides are pretty but they don't linger long in the memory.

Sing Songs is the most collectable of The Church's vinyl as it was released in fairly limited vinyl pressings initially, was soon deleted. So it's pretty collectable (in relative terms - we're not talking Penny Black here).

Hidden gems: For me the real deals are on the B sides. The Night Is Very Soft is a lovely song with some beautiful harmonies. No Explanation has a nice jingly jangly quality and is the best track for me on Persia. I Am A Rock is, of course, the Paul Simon song. Here it's given a hurdy gurdy Church arrangement which suits it sir!