- Violettown.Church
- Jul 28, 2017
Australia's Kilbey Kennedy is a collaboration between the Church lead singer Steve Kilbey and All India Radio's instrumentalist Martin Kennedy. Formed in 2009, the duo make atmospheric, electronic-tinged pop/rock influenced by their shared love of '70s sci-fi, '60s psychedelia, and '70s Krautrock and prog rock. Originally, the idea for the collaboration came in 2005 on the heels of Kennedy releasing his solo album Big Spaceship on the Karmic Hit label, which was run by Kilbey's brother, John.The Church frontman heard the album and floated the idea of working on a project. With Kennedy handling most of the instrumental duties and Kilbey supplying lyrics and melodies, they debuted with 2009's Unseen Music Unheard Words. (Allmusic bio)
REVIEWS:
AllMusic: - Read review - "Musically, it's also a deftly arranged production that finds the two weaving in bubbly keyboard electronics and classical acoustic guitars alongside David Gilmour-esque electric guitar swells and drums that mutate from jazzy ride and snare patterns to driving, orgasmic Georgio Moroder club beats. And while the overall vibe is half-lidded and psychedelic, cuts like the languid, delicately orchestral ballad "They Know" and the romantic, Saint Etienne sounding duet between Kilbey and vocalist Selena Cross on "We Are Still Waiting" are indelible, tactile songs full of melody and poignant lyrics."
Louder Sound: - Read review - "The title track locates the common ground between ambient techno and shoegaze, with a somnolent drift that recalls The Beatles’ Across The Universe and the Floyd’s Us And Them. The Game Never Changes is a 16-minute neo-prog epic that unfolds with all the beauty of time-lapse photography and evokes the cosmic and fantastical, with meteorological shifts from stormy to spacey."
Smells Like Infinite Sadness: - Read review - "Glow and Fade will certainly burn bright, but don’t expect it to fade from view anytime soon–it will keep your ears and mind occupied for hours on end, with one foot in 70’s prog-rock heaven (as the wonderful album cover attests), and the other in some far-flung future only accessible through their singular sound."
Mind Noise Network: - Read review - "The album opens with the title track Glow and Fade, which eases the listener into the record. With soft synth strings and a progressive bass and drum beat, this is the ultimate chill, rock track. Each time the bass is played it rings out strong enough to cause the entire room to reverberate, and mixed in with the soft vocals these make a perfect combination. The track sounds like a dream which drags the listener through space and multiple galaxies, it is a perfect opening track."