Radio Transient. Chris Church

Chris Church can be found twice on this blog. Last year, with his refurbished album 'Darling Please', from 2011 released in 2022 and the single culled from Radio Transient 'Going 'Til We Go'. Parts of what I wrote then, could be copied here without having to change much to the text except for the titles. Even the assisting people are mostly the same.

On Radio Transient Chris Church has one leg in the past and one in the present. He manages to tap into a sound that is popular today, say the urgency in the pop rock of The War on Drugs and mix that with almost everything you can think of from the past. 60s Rickenbacker, 70s West Coast jazzy pop, 80s new wave, 90s and beyond punkrock and 20s rock. The result is songs that for about 80% are sparkling with good melodies, harmonies and musically fun. Yes, the album does have a dip or two but on average this is a well above the average record.

Chris Church has released numerous records. His Bandcamp page is filled with albums in his own name and others'. On his new record, as I do not know any of the ones on his Bandcamp page, he seems like a sponge. Soaking up everything in front of him and then is squeezed to come up with this beautiful music. Do not expect easy pop ditties. Far from, even. Church is able to emulate a band like Field Music's play on weird rhythms in perfect pop songs. He adds melody where The War on Drugs sticks to the same thing the whole time or plays a Roger McGuinn styled Rickenbacker melody into an altogether totally un-The Byrds kind of song. Some of the songs are easier to digest than others, most make you work for your money. And, are more interesting to begin with because of this starting point.

Press photo

Chris Church is inventive and has the creativity to play with something that already exist and turn it into something different and unique. This is a quality Chris Church has and shares with the world. You can expect a lot and it to be Chris Church music.

The range of pop music on Radio Transient is wide. The pop feel is always there making the album not one you have to work hard at to understand. What it does, is give you a good ride for your money. Interesting, good and diverse. It is more than a lot of other artists offer.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Transient Radio here:

https://bigstirrecords.bandcamp.com/album/radio-transient