The Church is an alternative rock band which formed in Sydney, Australia in… Read Full Bio ↴The Church is an alternative rock band which formed in Sydney, Australia in 1980. Initially linked in with neo-psychedelia acts of the period, their music later became largely defined by the interplay of guitarists Marty Willson-Piper and Peter Koppes coupled with the abstract lyrics of bassist/singer Steve Kilbey. Their debut album, Of Skins and Heart (1981), earned them their first radio hit "The Unguarded Moment". They were originally signed to EMI's Parlophone label, but record company dissatisfaction led to them being dropped overseas, which limited their exposure early on.

After signing to Arista in 1988, they saw their largest international success with the album Starfish and the American Top 40 hit "Under The Milky Way" which resurfaced on the soundtrack of the cult movie "Donnie Darko". Whilst the band remain feted by their peers, subsequent commercial success proved elusive: 1990s follow-up album "Gold Afternoon Fix" failed to capitalise on their success, and the band weathered several line-up changes after its release, first losing long-term drummer Richard Ploog, then Peter Koppes following 1992s "Priest = Aura". That album baffled and confused many fans upon its release as to what band The Church was considered to be, but is now considered a seminal album and one of the most revered by Church connoisseurs. The vacant drum-stool on Priest=Aura being occupied by Jay Dee Daugherty of Arista labelmate Patti Smiths group, and it was produced by Gavin MacKillop of Moose.

Reduced to a two-piece, Kilbey & Willson-Piper re-grouped with the assistance of drummer/producer Tim Powles to record 1994's "Sometime Anywhere", concluding their obligations to the Arista and Mushroom labels. The commercial decline, combined with the Church being ignored again by a music press more focused on the Nineties' music trends, could have brought about the demise of the band, had it not coincided with the breakthrough of the internet, thus enabling direct communication from the band to its passionate cult fanbase.

This brought about a new beginning for The Church, with Peter Koppes rejoining the band for recording 1996s "Magician Among The Spirits". The band (with Koppes back into the fold, and Powles now as the permanent drummer ), hit a re-newed creative surge and with regained selfconfidence, released "Hologram Of Baal" 2 years later, and toured Australia, the USA and Europe.

The first decade of the 21st century found the band releasing severeal highly critically acclaimed albums, like 2002's aptly named "After Everything Now this" and 2003's "Forget Yourself", the latter breaking new ground with bandmembers swapping instruments in the recording process. Live performances stray from high profile events like the 03 concerts at Sydney Opera House and the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, to low-profile gigs for smaller audiences, often confusing old 80s fans, surprised to find the band still playing, wrongly assuming the band just being one in the never-ending string of reunion acts.

2009's album "Untitled#23" marked yet another highlight.. its essence represented in just 10 songs, and with a strong less-is-more approach, the albums core identity being on par with Starfish, it also finds Steve Kilbey breaking new ground as a vocalist.

2010 saw their 30th anniversary, with extensive touring in the US and Australia. Their unique position and importance in the australian music scene was recognized with an ARIA award.

Their album, "Further Deeper", was released in 2014, and "man woman life death infinity" in 2017.

4. Almost With You
The Church Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

See the chains which bind the men
Can you taste their lonely arrogance
It's always too late
And your face is so cold

They struggled for this opulence
See the suns which blind the men
Burnt away so long before our time

Now their warmth is forgotten and gone

Pretty maids not far behind
Who you trying to get in touch with
I'm almost with you
I can sense it wait for me

I'm almost with you
Is this the taste of victory
I'm almost with you
See the dust which fills your sleep

Does it always feel this chill near the end

I never dreamed we'd meet here once more
This life reserved for a friend

Overall Meaning

The Church's song 4. Almost With You is a melancholic song with deep and meaningful lyrics. The song talks about the chains that bind men, indicating the loneliness and arrogance that comes with opulence. The chains being referred to in the song might symbolize things like wealth, power, and fame that often come with emptiness and loneliness. The lyrics also talk about how it's always too late, and the face is so cold, which possibly signifies the regret and the lack of feeling or emotion due to these materialistic chains.

The song also mentions the pretty maids who are not far behind, possibly representing the superficial and temporary pleasures one can get through wealth and influence. However, towards the end of the song, the singer starts talking about how they are almost with someone, indicating the yearning for a deeper connection that is not bound by materialism. The line "I never dreamed we'd meet here once more, this life reserved for a friend" could be interpreted as the reunion of two soulmates in the afterlife or a feeling of finally finding true companionship after a long and lonely journey.

Overall, the song 4. Almost With You by The Church is a powerful commentary on the trappings of material things and the potential for true connection beyond physical and temporal constraints.

Line by Line Meaning

See the chains which bind the men
Observe the limitations that imprison mankind

Can you taste their lonely arrogance
Can you sense how their pride makes them lonely?

It's always too late
Time never waits for anyone

And your face is so cold
Your countenance reflects the frigidness in your heart

They struggled for this opulence
They fought to acquire material possessions

See the suns which blind the men
Notice the blinding brightness that clouds humanity's judgment

Burnt away so long before our time
The intensity of the past is forgotten long before we are born

Now their warmth is forgotten and gone
Their love and kindness have been long forgotten

Pretty maids not far behind
There is beauty in store for us not far away

Who you trying to get in touch with
Whom are you trying to connect with?

I'm almost with you
I am about to join you