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***Like Lazarus rising from the tombs, Honey Bear Records inundates the indie rock, emo-core, contemplating-a-Masters-degree punk masses with a release destined to make no one totally happy (because total happiness is both an illusion and synonymous with oblivion, right Cosmo?). Label house band J Church returns with their latest collection of songs-- previously available only on compilations and seven-inch singles. Over the course of 20 songs, J Church reaffirms the often-mumbled belief that they are truly a singles band, saving their best songs for random Third World DIY releases and obscure, vinyl-only B-sides. With singles collections historically being the band's most successful releases (despite spreading records throughout the landscape of punk powerhouses such as Honest Don's, Jade Tree and Vagrant), J-Church's latest record, unlike others, boasts at least 85 percent material recorded in real studios. Guest musicians include jazz singer and British trip hop artist Harriet Scott, Manda Rin from Bis, Johnny Takeaway from Hard Skin, and Kelly Green, formerly of Pee and Cockpit. There are also loads of cover songs ranging from the Jesus And Mary Chain to Bitch Magnet to the Electric Light Orchestra to the Grease soundtrack. In the meantime, the band is back in action and on the road (already having done tours of the States with Propagandhi and Avail, as well as a headlining tour of Europe this year) and has busied itself doing more interviews in the past 365 days than in the previous eight years combined. |
