Album Review: The Church - ‘Lacuna’

Australian music veterans The Church have entered their fifth decade on the scene and mark the occasion with the release of their twenty-eighth LP, Lacuna later this week! The band is legendary not only for their staying power, but also for their innovation and excellence. Needless to say I was excited to get into this one. It’s a mammoth coming in at seventeen tracks!

Lacuna opens with “Lumbini Grove” that features crickets and the sound of nature at night before shifting into a gentle acoustic melody, accompanied by percussion which focuses on cymbal work. I picks up vocally with vocals from singer, bassist, and founder Steve Kelby. The track clocks in at just under seven minutes and by about two minutes we’re off to the races. The chorus on this one features some awesome guitar from Ian Haus, Ashley Naylor, and Jeffrey Cain. The drums from Tim Powles (who also produces) and Nicholas Meredith are simply excellent. It also features dueling solos about five minutes in.

“Winter” is another winner from the record, coming in around a quarter of the way of the album. I loved the leads on this one and how they played so well off the percussion work. Kelby’s vocals are strong here, especially when put with the movements found in the melody. It’s so crisp, daring, and bright. The Australian six-piece do so much instrumentally with their personnel. “Have You Been Here Before” is a bit more subdued tonally, at least initially. It’s another strong entry into the band’s expansive catalog. I also loved “Everytime”, as the band blended acoustic and electric guitars with the signature booming drum work they’re known for. Kelby’s vocals are the cherry on top here for this ballad of sorts.

The Church effortlessly blend elements of indie rock, post-punk, dream pop, and psychedelia in a way that is not only intriguing but catchy as well. I truly loved this album, especially how the band were able to engage the listener from start to finish on Lacuna. In short, there’s a reason why The Chuch have been doing this since 1980, they’re damned good at it. Give Lacuna a listen, you’ll be glad you did!

Rating - 8.5/10