Church With No Magic - CD

From the start, there was an urgency to secure the sound that would become 'Church with No Magic'. Just one month after they handed over the master of 'O Soundtrack My Heart' to the label boss, the three members of PVT were in the studio in Sydney with engineer Burke Reid. Their efforts would take the form of 'Church with No Magic', an album that builds upon the anthemic synth-driven instrumental movements for which PVT is renowned, along with the power of their visceral live shows. The sound has been brilliantly tempered and expanded by the trio into brooding, melancholic experimental pop - an amalgam of rock synthesis, propulsive rhythms and huge melodic strength. It's a dark and expansive sound that PVT has made substantial movements on this record to make their own. The most notable development on 'Church with No Magic' are the vocals of multi-instrumentalist Richard Pike. While the band have often used vocals in the past, particularly live, this album sees them taking on a more central role within the songs, as layers of Richard's voice build amongst the music, adding an intense melodic focus to the contorting rhythms and bewildering space generated by the band.