Priest=Aura

priest=aura
Studio album by The Church
Released	March 10, 1992
Recorded	1991, 301 Studios, Sydney
Genre	Alternative rock, dream pop
Length	64:52
Label	Arista
Producer	The Church and Gavin MacKillop
The Church chronology
Gold Afternoon Fix (1990) Priest=Aura (1992) Sometime Anywhere (1994)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Rolling Stone	link

Priest=Aura is the eighth studio album by The Church.

After the Gold Afternoon Fix release and subsequent tour, The Church returned to Sydney's EMI Studio 301 to commence work on their next album. With lowered commercial expectations from Arista, the atmosphere was more relaxed. Bringing in Scottish producer Gavin MacKillop (Barenaked Ladies, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Straitjacket Fits) to supervise the sessions, the band began to improvise the framework for the next set of songs. Whereas prevous albums had been credited to, for example, "Produced by Bob Clearmountain and the Church", or " Produced by Waddy Wachtel and the Church", the credit for this album reads "Produced by The Church and Gavin McKillop," reflecting the band's increasing role in their own production. From fragments and chord changes, songs crystallised and were elaborated upon. The relatively stress-free environment and free flow of ideas (as well as drugs - allegedly opium was a favourite mind-enhancer during the recordings)[citation needed] saw the material take on a far more expansive and surreal quality. New influences took effect: Daugherty's jazz-like approach on drums brought a fresh change, with his contributions extending to keyboards and other instruments. Willson-Piper, having recently worked with All About Eve, had expanded his own sound with his guitars now soaring in crescendos from his new volume pedal.

Priest=Aura, titled from Kilbey's misreading of a Spanish fan's English vocabulary notes ('priest' = 'cura'), contains fourteen songs, many over six minutes long, its length surpassing all previous releases. With song concepts derived from cryptic, one-word working titles (an idea originally proposed by Willson-Piper), the lyrics leaned towards the abstract and esoteric. Emphasising free association and undirected coincidence between music and motif, Kilbey declined to define their meanings. Sonically, the music had numerous layers, courtesy of guitar overdubs and MacKillop's rich production. The interplay between Koppes and Willson-Piper dominated throughout, especially on tracks such as "Ripple," "Kings," and the epic, aptly titled "Chaos". Chaos lyrics were a reflection of Steve Kilbey's rocky lifestyle at the time.

Upon its release on 10 March 1992 (the album was released in America slightly before the Australian release) , however, Priest=Aura was given a mixed reception and had little commercial impact. It peaked in the ARIA Top 30. Reviews were varied, some critical, with many uncertain how to react. High profile reviews from publications such as Rolling Stone called the album "rich in texture" but with an "arid atmosphere". The band went on only a limited tour, confined to Australia (the "Jokes-Magic-Souvenirs" tour), as Kilbey prepared for the birth of his twin daughters. Adding to the decline in The Church's outlook was the announcement by Koppes of his departure. Despite a completely sold-out tour, increasing personality conflicts within the band especially with Willson-Piper and frustration over the band's drop in commercial success since Starfish and Gold Afternoon Fix made the situation intolerable. Left largely without any promotion by Arista, the album's success was limited mostly to modern rock charts.

Despite its muted reception at the time of release, Priest=Aura is considered by both the band and fan base to be an artistic high-water mark in The Church's career.^{[citation needed]} - one of the main reasons why in 2011 the album, along with Untitled #23 and Starfish, was played in its entirety on the band's 30th Anniversary, "Future, Past, Perfect Tour."

Originally released as a single album, a 2CD version with the bonus disc A Quick Smoke at Spot's: Archives 1986-1990 was released later.

In 2010, Second Motion records released a digital only 30th Anniversary remaster edition with lyrics. (The title is a complete misnomer since only 18 years passed between the original release in 1992 and the 2010 re-release; however the title probably derives from the fact that the band itself celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2010).

Track listing

All songs (Daugherty/Kilbey/Koppes/Willson-Piper), except “Mistress” (Kilbey/Koppes/Willson-Piper)

1. Aura
2. Ripple
3. Paradox
4. Lustre
5. Swan Lake
6. Feel
7. Mistress
8. Kings
9. Dome
10. Witch Hunt
11. The Disillusionist
12. Old Flame
13. Chaos
14. Film

The 2CD release of Priest=Aura included a rarities disc titled A Quick Smoke at Spot's: Archives 1986-1990

1. Texas Moon
2. Perfect Child
3. Much Too Much
4. Take It Back
5. Desert
6. We Both Know Why We're Here
7. Frozen and Distant
8. Forgotten Reign
9. Anna Miranda
10. Hunter
11. Dream
12. Ride Into the Sunset
13. You Got Off Light
14. Nose Dive
15. The Feast
16. Afterlife

Personnel

• Steve Kilbey: Lead Vocals, Bass, Guitars
• Marty Willson-Piper: Guitars
• Peter Koppes: Guitars, Keyboards
• Jay Dee Daugherty: Drums, Percussion