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.
Almost With You
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
The Church's song "Almost With You" is a hauntingly beautiful ballad about the struggle to connect with someone who is almost within reach. It explores the themes of loneliness, despair, and a search for connection in a world that can often feel cold and distant.
The first verse begins with an observation that there are chains that bind men, but they are arrogant in their loneliness. The singer implies that the men have brought this isolation upon themselves and that it is too late to change course. The second verse continues with another observation that suns have blinded men and their warmth is now forgotten. The imagery suggests that something precious has been lost and is irretrievable. The singer then sees pretty maids close by, but it is unclear whether they will provide a source of comfort or will succumb to the same fate as the men.
The chorus describes the singer's quest to connect with someone. He/she can sense that he/she is almost with them, but they are not yet within reach. The bridge can be interpreted in several ways, but it suggests that there is a chill that accompanies the end of things, and that the singer has come to accept that meeting his/her someone is reserved for a future life.
Overall, the song is a meditation on the human condition; the longing for connection, the inevitability of isolation, and the hope that one day we will find someone who is almost within reach.
Line by Line Meaning
See the chains which bind the men
Observe the heavy shackles that confine individuals
Can you taste their lonely arrogance
Are you able to recognize the bitter taste of their isolation and pride?
It's always too late
Regrettably, any action taken now will be too late
And your face is so cold
Your expression is distant and unfeeling
They struggled for this opulence
They fought fiercely to obtain this luxury
See the suns which blind the men
Observe the blinding and overwhelming lights that confuse the people
Burnt away so long before our time
Their radiance was gone before we ever witnessed it
Now their warmth is forgotten and gone
Their kindness and affection are no longer remembered and have disappeared
Pretty maids not far behind
Attractive women are following closely behind
Who you trying to get in touch with
With whom are you attempting to communicate?
I'm almost with you
I am approaching you slowly
I can sense it wait for me
I perceive it happening, please wait for me
Is this the taste of victory
Does this sensation signify success?
See the dust which fills your sleep
Observe the fine, dry particles that occupy your sleep
Does it always feel this chill near the end
Do you frequently sense this coldness at the conclusion?
I never dreamed we'd meet here once more
I never imagined that we would reunite in this location again
This life reserved for a friend
This existence was designated for a companion
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEPHEN KILBEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself