THE CHURCH - BLURRED CRUSADE 12" Vinyl LP Album

- A Lush Psychedelic Journey from Australia's New Wave Pioneers

The front cover of The Church's 1982 album 'The Blurred Crusade' shows four medieval knights in metallic blue-purple armor standing in close formation, with a vibrantly colored red-orange bird perched in the center, offering a surreal contrast against the dark background. The band name 'THE CHURCH' appears at the top in a classic serif font, and the album title 'THE BLURRED CRUSADE' is written in spaced capital letters below the knights.

"The Blurred Crusade" is the second album by Australian group The Church which was released in March 1982 by EMI / Parlophone. It shows a change of direction from the new-wave leanings of the band's debut. The album peaked at No. 10 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and "Almost with You" reached No. 21 on the related Singles Chart. It was produced and mixed by Bob Clearmountain . While still dominated primarily by Steve Kilbey's song writing, the music shows more of a resurgent 1960s psychedelia and the beginnings of guitarists Peter Koppes' and Marty Willson-Piper's trademark interplay. The album's first single, "Almost with You," is considered one of the group's most characteristic songs. Two band compositions, "An Interlude" and "You Took", have been frequently included in set lists throughout their career. Both the band and a large section of the fan-base cite the album as one of their finest.

"The Blurred Crusade" Album Description

In 1982, the jangly guitars and ethereal soundscapes of The Church's second album "The Blurred Crusade" found their way to French shores. Released on the Carrere label (catalog number 67907), this edition offered a gateway for European listeners to experience one of Australia's most compelling alternative rock acts.

"The Blurred Crusade" itself marked a sonic evolution for The Church. Moving away from the new-wave leanings of their debut, the album dived into a more atmospheric, psychedelic territory. Songs like the yearning "Almost With You" and the sprawling "Field of Mars" showcased a band expanding their musical horizons, painting with swirling guitars and Steve Kilbey's poetic, dream-like lyrics.

The album's production, handled by the legendary Bob Clearmountain, added another layer of intrigue. Clearmountain, known for his work with artists like Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie, infused the tracks with a polished, spacious shimmer that perfectly complemented the band's burgeoning sound.

While the core tracklist likely remained consistent with worldwide releases of "The Blurred Crusade," the French pressing on Carrere almost certainly featured its own unique elements.

These nuances make the Carrere release of "The Blurred Crusade" a fascinating addition to any dedicated fan's collection. It represents a moment in time when The Church's distinctive sound began to resonate internationally, building a bridge between the Australian underground and a wider European audience..

"Almost With You": A Dreamy Anthem of Longing: Opinion

The Church's 1982 song "Almost With You" remains a beloved classic for its wistful beauty. Its jangly guitars, shimmering atmosphere, and bittersweet melody perfectly express a timeless feeling of longing and the nearness of something just out of reach.

The song's brilliance lies in the way it blends the tangible and the ethereal. Steve Kilbey's dreamy vocals and evocative lyrics ("The day is almost gone, I can see your window") create a sense of hazy yearning, yet the object of desire remains elusive. This tension is universally relatable, a feeling of reaching for something that slips away as you think you have it.

Musically, "Almost With You" showcases The Church's shift towards a more atmospheric sound. Jangling guitars blend with spacious keyboards, creating a feeling of both vastness and intimacy. The song's enduring appeal speaks to the power of music to evoke complex emotions with a deceptive simplicity, making "Almost With You" a touchstone that lingers long after the last note fades.

Watch Almost With You:

Music Genre:

New Wave Rock 

Album Production Information:

The album: "THE CHURCH The Blurred Crusade" was produced by: Bob Clearmountain , Chris Gilbey

Record Label & Catalog-nr:

Carrere ATV Northern Productions 67907 

Media Format:

12" Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record

Year & Country:

1982 Made in France
Personnel/Band Members and Musicians on: THE CHURCH The Blurred Crusade
    Band-members, Musicians and Performers
  • Steve Kilbey - lead vocals, bass guitar, keyboards, slide guitar
  • Peter Koppes - lead guitar, backing vocals, percussion, tubular bells, piano ( You Took )
  • Richard Ploog - drums, percussion
  • Marty Willson-Piper - electric & acoustic 12 & 6 string guitars, lead vocal ( Field of Mars )
Complete Track-listing of the album "THE CHURCH The Blurred Crusade"

The detailed tracklist of this record "THE CHURCH The Blurred Crusade" is:

  1. Almost With You (Steve Kilbey)
  2. When You Were Mine (Kilbey)
  3. Field of Mars (Kilbey, Marty Willson-Piper)
  4. An Interlude (Kilbey, Peter Koppes, Willson-Piper, Richard Ploog)
  5. Secret Corners (Kilbey)
  6. Just for You (Kilbey)
  7. A Fire Burns (Kilbey)
  8. To Be in Your Eyes (Kilbey)
  9. You Took (Kilbey, Koppes, Willson-Piper, Ploog)
  10. Don't Look Back (Kilbey)

THE CHURCH - Blurred Crusade 12" Vinyl LP Album High Resolution & Quality Photos

Front Cover Photo Of THE CHURCH - Blurred Crusade 12" Vinyl LP Album
The front cover of The Church's 1982 album 'The Blurred Crusade' shows four medieval knights in metallic blue-purple armor standing in close formation, with a vibrantly colored red-orange bird perched in the center, offering a surreal contrast against the dark background. The band name 'THE CHURCH' appears at the top in a classic serif font, and the album title 'THE BLURRED CRUSADE' is written in spaced capital letters below the knights.

The Church – The Blurred Crusade front cover is a hauntingly surreal artwork that blends medieval imagery with psychedelic color contrasts. Four armored knights, rendered in shimmering shades of indigo, violet, and blue, stand shoulder to shoulder. Their helmets are closed, featureless, and eerily uniform, lending a solemn, almost ghostly presence.

In stark, almost jarring contrast, a small, vividly painted bird—its feathers in radiant hues of red, orange, and gold—perches delicately on one knight’s armored hand at the center of the composition. The bird's natural softness and bright warmth visually disrupt the cold, hard symmetry of the armor, symbolizing perhaps fragility amidst rigidity or life amidst silence.

The top of the cover features the band’s name THE CHURCH in bold, evenly spaced white capital letters. At the bottom, the album’s title THE BLURRED CRUSADE is presented in a similar font style, providing a balanced and formal typographic frame to this compelling visual composition. The background is deep black, enhancing the metallic glow of the knights and the luminous quality of the bird.

Photo Of The Back Cover THE CHURCH - Blurred Crusade 12" Vinyl LP Album
Back cover of The Church's 1982 album 'The Blurred Crusade' showing the tracklist in two columns, detailed band member roles, production credits, and a Carrere logo on a black background. A worn texture and subtle lighting gradients are visible on the sleeve.

The back cover of The Church – The Blurred Crusade is a minimal yet striking composition set against a matte black background with visible light reflections and sleeve wear, emphasizing its vintage nature.

At the top, the album title THE BLURRED CRUSADE is printed in a clean serif typeface. Just beneath, the complete 10-song track list is displayed in two neat columns. Titles like "Almost With You," "Field of Mars," and "You Took" are evenly spaced in capital letters, creating a sense of balance and formality.

Below the track list, the band's name THE CHURCH is centered, followed by detailed credits for each member: Steve Kilbey (vocals, bass, keyboards, slide guitar) is highlighted in red; Peter Koppes, Marty Willson-Piper, and Richard Ploog are listed with their instrumental roles in a light blue tone.

The lower section includes production and management credits. Bob Clearmountain is noted as the producer, with Chris Gilbey as executive producer. Design and photography credits go to Paul Field and Ian Eames, respectively.

A small Carrere logo and catalog number "67.907" appear in the bottom right corner, reinforcing this pressing's French origin. The overall layout is centered, clear, and text-focused, giving a professional and archival quality to the back sleeve design.

Photo One Of The Original Custom Inner Sleeve THE CHURCH - Blurred Crusade 12" Vinyl LP Album
Custom inner sleeve of The Church's 1982 album 'The Blurred Crusade' featuring a black and white collage of four candid and live photos of the band members playing instruments. Includes individual shots of guitarist, bassist, drummer, and a close-up portrait, arranged in a grid layout with subtle labeling of member names.

This image shows the custom inner sleeve of The Church – The Blurred Crusade, featuring a black and white photographic collage of the band members in a mix of candid and performance settings. The layout is divided into four quadrants, each showcasing a different member of the band in an expressive and personal moment.

The upper left quadrant shows a seated guitarist, likely Marty Willson-Piper, holding a semi-hollow body Rickenbacker guitar with a pensive gaze, his shirt adorned with a frilly patterned design and a large ring on his right hand. The setting appears relaxed and offstage.

The upper right quadrant captures another guitarist mid-performance, with sharp contrast and focus on a white Fender Stratocaster. The musician’s dark attire and determined facial expression stand out against the dim stage backdrop.

The lower left image features the drummer, backlit by intense stage lighting that creates a dramatic starburst silhouette around his head. The drum kit is prominently visible, amplifying the energy of a live setting.

The lower right panel offers a moody, close-up portrait of a band member, with a slight smirk and a hoodie or heavy coat creating a feeling of introspection or mystery.

Subtle vertical text in the center identifies the band members as Marty, Peter, Steve, and Richard, helping viewers link names to faces. The collage captures the essence of the band’s creative persona—moody, atmospheric, and introspective—mirroring the themes of the album itself.

Close up of record's label THE CHURCH - Blurred Crusade 12" Vinyl LP Album Side One:
Close-up of Side One label of The Church's 1982 album 'The Blurred Crusade' on pink Carrere vinyl. It includes track listings with durations, production credits, and catalog numbers (67907/1), marked as Made in France and labeled STEREO/MONO with the SACEM logo.

This close-up image shows the Side One record label of The Church – The Blurred Crusade, from the 1982 French pressing issued by Carrere. The label is printed in bold pink with contrasting white text, offering a clean and legible presentation.

At the top, the band name THE CHURCH and album title THE BLURRED CRUSADE are centered in all caps. Just below, the track list for Side One is displayed in two clusters. It begins with “Almost With You” (4:13) and “When You Were Mine” (5:40), both credited solely to Steve Kilbey.

The second group includes “Field of Mars” (4:55), a collaboration between Kilbey and Marty Willson-Piper; “An Interlude” (4:30), credited to all four band members; and “Secret Corners” (1:45), again penned by Kilbey.

Around the center hole is printed “STEREO/MONO – Made in France,” accompanied by the SACEM logo and catalog numbers 67907 and 67907/1. At the bottom, production details are listed: produced by Bob Clearmountain, executive produced by Chris Gilbey, and arranged/co-produced by the band. Publishing credit goes to ATV Music Ltd.

The label's left side reads vertically “CARRERE” in bold white capital letters. Along the edge of the label, legal disclaimers in French outline usage rights. The color, typography, and content layout are all consistent with Carrere’s 1980s European vinyl releases, marking this pressing as a unique and collectible edition.