Australian favorites the Church have released more than 20 albums over their course of their sprawling career. Their most prominent members have each recorded a minimum of six solo records, and all of the members have been involved in numerous compilations and side projects. Peter Koppes once said that one thing he'd like to be remembered for, is the largesse of his discography. And who says size doesn't matter?

Koppes' latest release is for the newly- launched Immersion Records, which Koppes founded in hopes of increasing international exposure for Australian bands. Love Era/ Irony is Koppes' contribution to the "variations on a theme" approach to music making, illustrated by the similarity of Immersion Records releases to the once- upon- a- time best works of the Church.

The last song on the record "Esoterica" recalls the early works of former 4AD artists Xymox-- it's both subtly electronic and guitar- driven. "Apex Farmer" is a slow and pensive piece, featuring light- as- air female backing vocals. Current Church drummer Tim Powles gets mixing credits on most tracks on Love Era/ Irony and injects his own natural instincts into the final product. All the lessons Koppes learned on his winding musical journey are applied on this record, and the end result is a very solid record.

Not that there's anything horrible about pop music or straight rock and roll (some of my best friends are rock stars...). But there's something nice and comfortable about listening to more mature music-- songs that reflect the complicated road that "alternative music" has taken in the past couple of decades. Who better to illustrate this journey than a musician who's managed to make contributions every step of the way?

-Aparna Mohan