Steve Kilbey admitted this the record he would be making if The Church were still producing albums and also believes it’s the best one he’s ever made. But that high praise is not always lived up to on his latest collaboration with All India Radio’s Martin Kennedy.
The 11 tracks on the final part of their musical trilogy are a series of epics that sound like postcards from a futuristic space vacuum.
There are also additional nods towards the atmospheric music synonymous with Brian Eno’s work and David Bowie’s Low, but the mood is generally stuck in the slow to mid-tempo range.
“East Side West Side” is the only exception to this rule. This one sees some New Order-inspired synthesisers fluttering between a beat-driven wonderland and absolute stillness. It’s a stark contrast to “All The World” where Kilbey sounds like a choirboy delivering a pure folk hymn.
You Are Everything is a slow-burning album layered to the nines like Van Dyke Parks’ work. These mini, indie-folk orchestras can be overbearing and boast motorik percussion, glistening synths and Kilbey’s silken croon. It’s an abstract work where lightness and shadows collide to make something rather mysterious.
This is ultimately one ambitious undertaking that won’t register in the minds of the masses. But for the fans that enjoy their adult contemporary music with more than just three chords and the truth, there is a whole lot wrapped up in the history, spirituality, melody and classic prose here.
