an Autumn Afternoon

The Church - Gold Afternoon Fix (1990) {Mushroom Records TVD 93321}
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© 1990 Mushroom Records | TVD 93321
Rock / Neo-Psychedelia / Alternative / Indie

Gold Afternoon Fix should have been a consolidation of the band's increased commercial profile and cachet after "Under the Milky Way," heightened by the welcome reissue of the band's first five albums. Unfortunately, the Church's original choice for producer – John Paul Jones, who likely would have helped oversee a total masterpiece – was rejected, leading to another session with Wachtel. This time the balance between accessibility and art didn't succeed as planned. The end result is an album that's sometimes fantastic, sometimes merely there.

Jon Mark uses his electronic keyboards to produce a CD filled with incredibly evocative music. The melancholy and reflection that flow through every song on this recording are indicative of the time of year when trees go bare, the air grows cold, and winter begins to appear. Some of the songs are tinged with bittersweet memories, others are more minor-key and somber.

Before becoming a solo act, Linda Ronstadt was the lead singer of the Stone Poneys, an L.A.-based trio with an acoustic folkish sound and strong original material. The band's focal point and greatest asset was Ronstadt's clear, powerful singing. Originally recording in a coffeehouse folk style not far removed from Peter, Paul and Mary, the group rocked up its sound slightly and scored a Top 20 hit with "Different Drum," written by Mike Nesmith of the Monkees, in 1967.