Magician Among the Spirits

Magician among the Spirits
Studio album by The Church
Released	19 August 1996
Recorded	1996
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	76:50
Label	Mushroom
Producer	The Church
The Church chronology
Sometime Anywhere (1994) Magician among the Spirits (1996) Hologram of Baal (1998)

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Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Magician Among the Spirits is the ninth album by Australian alternative rock group, The Church, which was issued on 19 August 1996.^[2] The album title was inspired by a book written by Harry Houdini co-authored with C. M. Eddy, Jr. (uncredited) in 1924 and published by Harper & Brothers in which the famed magician discussed his investigations of spirit mediums. A photographic negative of Houdini is incorporated as the centrepiece of the album artwork. The album was reissued with a revised track listing as Magician Among the Spirits Plus Some (1999).

Without a recording deal after Sometime Anywhere, the band's future looked bleak. Kilbey and Willson-Piper began work on new recordings in 1995. Although under the concept of a two-man project, the new material saw input from drummer Tim Powles and hired violinist Linda Neil. Renewed contact between Kilbey and Koppes led to the latter agreeing to guest on several songs - a welcome surprise for fans. Simon Polinski (Yothu Yindi) was drafted in to produce the sessions, leading to a sound more akin to an ambient project. The music saw a return to guitar-based material, this time infused with definite krautrock and art rock influences. A 15-minute atmospheric piece called "Magician Among the Spirits" dominated the sessions, featuring split Kilbey and Willson-Piper vocals (as previously on "Two Places at Once"). Additional contributions by Utungun Percussion added a new, primal aspect to several songs.

The album was released on the band's own Deep Karma label as Magician Among the Spirits (inspired by the 15-minute, epic title track). Due to financial constraints, the band had to arrange outside distribution for markets in North America and Europe. This limitation almost doomed the album from the beginning, but worse events were to come. Within a short time, the U.S. distributor went bankrupt, leaving the band stripped of its earnings from North American sales. Although exact figures remain unknown due to disputes, up to A$250,000 worth of merchandise (some 25,000 discs) was lost. For a band already on shaky foundations, this was nearly the death knell. Comments by Kilbey in May of that year summed up the situation: "There's no immediate future for The Church.....Our management, the whole thing is broken down.....We don't really have a label. We're owed lots and lots of money and we're broke. We're trying to pursue lawyers to get our money back. Marty and I aren't having any communication. There's no one really managing us so.....that could have been the last record."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Kilbey later went on to disown Magician Among the Spirits as "a load of tripe." Though now viewed largely as a transitional album, it received mixed reviews by the fanbase, despite the guitar rock hook of its single, "Comedown." The album also showed a re-emerging band, with Powles now adopted more as a full-time member and Koppes dabbling with the group again. Nevertheless, the circumstances following the album's release unfortunately led to perhaps the lowest point of the band's career.

Original 1996 track listing

1. "Welcome"
2. "Comedown"
3. "Ritz"
4. "Grandiose"
5. "Ladyboy"
6. "It Could Be Anyone"
7. "The Further Adventures of the Time Being"
8. "Romany Caravan"
9. "Magician among The Spirits"
10. "Afterimage"

Magician Among the Spirits Plus Some

Magician Among the Spirits Plus Some
Studio album by The Church
Released	February 16, 1999
Genre	Rock
Length	??:??
Label	Thirsty Ear
Producer	The Church
The Church chronology
Hologram of Baal (1998) Magician Among the Spirits Plus Some (1999) A Box of Birds (1999)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]

Magician Among the Spirits Plus Some is a 1999 expanded reissue of The Church's 1996 album, Magician Among the Spirits. It replaces the cover track "Ritz" with four of The Church's own tracks. Interestingly, depending on the country of purchase, the expanded album either bears the title "...and Some" or "...Plus Some".

1999 version track listing

1. "Welcome"
2. "Comedown"
3. "Man"
4. "Won't Let You Sleep"
5. "SADS"
6. "Grandiose"
7. "Ladyboy"
8. "Why Don't You Love Me"
9. "It Could Be Anyone"
10. "The Further Adventures of the Time Being"
11. "Romany Caravan"
12. "Magician Among the Spirits"
13. "Afterimage"

Notes