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4 STARS Ever since Air’s Moon Safari came out in 1998, the term ‘chillout’ seemed to be forever hijacked by Ibiza compilations. Fortunately Martin Kennedy, the man in charge of All India Radio’s downtempo instrumentals since 1999, knows that while cheese and fine wine complement each other, their respective musical equivalents don’t. So does The Church supremo Steve Kilbey (who would have a couple of trademark snipes ready if anyone described his latest effort as ‘easy listening’); firm adherents to the quality aesthetic, the two share a similar approach to music-making. Nearly four years in the works, Unseen Music Unheard Words is a calm, slow-paced record tailor-made for Sunday mornings, its twelve tracks sung by Kilbey in his inimitable half-hushed manner (with periodic high harmonies from brother John). Stately opener Eyes Ahead is followed by the similarly unhurried, yet more melancholic My Will Be Yours, its lazily-picked minor pattern chiming over warm synth whirr. Built over a textbook acoustic guitar progression, Maybe Soon nevertheless possesses a solid dose of charm and would be perfectly at home on The Church’s latest opus Untitled 23, as would Thought Of Leaving, Kilbey revisiting his own You Took’s opening bass harmonics to gorgeous effect. The sombre double of Naked As A Star and Friends Are Gone comes as a deft finishing brush, and while Steve might wince at the dreaded ‘C-word’, I doubt anyone else is going to disagree about UMUW’s essence: excellent chillout music. - Denis Semchenko, Rave Magazine Tuesday, 30 June 2009

4.5 STARS. Occasionally side projects can be something really spectacular. Steve Kilbey (The Church) and Martin Kennedy (All India Radio) have been working individually in separate cities on a series of songs that bury you in lavish dreamscapes. There's a sense of nostalgia, like flipping through an old photo album or late night dreams full of fleeting images. Kennedy's landscapes are soft, warm and grainy as Kilbey's lyrics conjure visions of times gone by; he whispers phrases as though telling us intimate secrets whilst trumpet players blow slinky lines under beds of electronica, strings and tapping Morse code messages. At times it's like sitting in at a spooky jazz club at 4am where "angels play Dixie on their horns". This isn't an album where you pick favourite songs - you simply immerse yourself in the whole lush experience. The good news is they're recording a follow up. - Reverb, Mark Moldre 4.5/5

As a lyricist, Steve Kilbey has a gift for enhancing musical moods with intriguing narratives that meander between myth, dream and nonsense. This blind collaboration with Melbourne soundscape artist Martin Kennedy (All India Radio) happened by mail over the course of a year: a match made in some intangible corner of unified cosmic consciousness. Kilbey’s melodies whisper and croak of epic farewells, biblical battles, shades of starlight and lovers from other worlds. Kennedy meets him more than halfway on a magic carpet of soporific washes and rhythms, echoing strings and sighing choral beds. - Michael Dwyer, The Age 13 June 2009

Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy Present Unseen Music Unheard Words (Inevitable) These two Australian fellows have only recently first spoken on telephone, but they are already at work on a follow-up to this fine first collaboration. Martin Kennedy of All India Radio and Pray TV created the music and mailed it to Steve Kilbey of The Church who wrote words and sang them over Martin’s melodies. If you were aware of the best work by The Church; this will certainly ring a bell. Kilbey’s silky evocative voice seductively narrates his suitably dreamy lyrics over Kennedy’s cooly opiated atmospheric song structures, recalling nothing so much as The Church at their most stately, subdued and grand. - George Parsons Dream Magazine 10

It would be hard to review a Steve Kilbey CD without referring to his iconic status as the voice of The Church. That out of the way in line one, it is fair to say Kilbey takes second billing to instrumental collaborator Martin Kennedy (All India Radio). The record was created in unconventional circumstances with Kennedy producing a collection of warm, soporific soundscapes in Melbourne before handing over to Sydneysider Kilbey to overlay rich, emotive vocals and trademark poetic, often absurd, lyrics.

The result is successful, if not life changing. The album’s moody pulse occasionally hints at, but never fully delivers, more definite interjections. It is less a collection of tracks and more a total-immersion soundtrack to an overcast, Lynchian dream-sequence. Listeners familiar with the low-fi mystical approach of artists like David Bridie will be pleased, as occasionally will followers of Portishead and other artists with suitably downbeat motifs. The CD reminds how glorious Kilbey’s voice can be, even when kept on such a tight leash as it is here. The highlights (including The Other Place and Maybe Soon) are when Kilbey cedes lyrical dominance and relaxes into Kennedy’s musical scenery. Unfortunately, there are numerous occasions where Kilbey’s challenging poetry obstructs the fluid, psychedelic sounds from flowing freely – the opening Eyes Ahead an early casualty.

The album reveals an instrumentalist mastering his craft and the ability of a supreme vocalist to radiate warmth. The combination is an ethereal, wistful daydream of an album worthy of consideration. Unexpectedly, however, Unseen Music Unheard Words made me want to discover more of All India Radio than revisit The Church classics. - Jonathan Howcroft, Onya Magazine Tuesday, June 23, 2009

It is an enchanting album in the vein of the best work of The Church. The songs effortlessly blend into one another creating an atmosphere reminiscent of The Church’s Under The Milky Way and titles like Naked As A Star, Stretch Into The Stars and Friends Are Gone give an indication of the ambience of the excellent music on the pair’s debut album together – Bunbury Mail

From the Blogosphere

I did purchase the Kilbey Kennedy project "Unseen Music, Unheard Words" and had an opportunity to listen to it for a good part of the day on our return trip to the homeland. I believe it to be among the finest things you've ever done or been involved with, and it may be my favorite of all of your projects, Church or otherwise. Etheral, floating, melodic, elagic, melancholic, and ineffably beautiful. Thank you. - Mike - The Time Being

I just received my CD, correction, my ART in musical form, yesterday, I cannot express in words about the art that has been given, I can honestly say from my heart, of all the music collection I have, THIS is and always will be my favorite!!!! Thank You so very much for blessing me with this!!!! - myspace

This languid and hypnotic album closer with its enigmatic lyrics shimmers and sparkles gently, culminating in a two-minute extended coda which evokes a long closing zoom out from a 70s art movie. Quite wonderful stuff, with shades of Royksopp, Durutti Column and especially Sigur Ros. - Amie Street

“Another Place” on Unseen Music Unheard Words by Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy Present - This track was love at first listen - a warm bath of a piece, featuring some exquisite chord changes and fronted by Kilbey's silky voice. - Amie Street

“Another Place” on Unseen Music Unheard Words by Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy Present - This track was love at first listen - a warm bath of a piece, featuring some exquisite chord changes and fronted by Kilbey's silky voice. - Amie Street

The Church's Steve Kilbey and guest star Martin Kennedy have composed and released a CD of incredibly alluring, mystifying and soothing music that accompanies Kilbey's dreamy, hypnotic and stark vocals. Since this CD is relatively unknown I can only compare it to some of Pink Floyd's most refined, austere and mellow songs featuring David Gilmour and Richard Wright's vocals and lush keyboards. Allan Parsons would love "Unseen Music Unheard Words". This is a CD that floats, lingers and gradually permeates into the listener's psyche. It audibly transports the listener to another world that is part dream and reality. A very unique and spellbinding CD. The evocative and spiritual "All IS ONE" is a paramount song. – BC, amazon.co.uk

Steve Kilbey, front man of legendary atmospheric popsters The Church and writer of the worldwide hit Under The Milky Way (featured on the Donnie Darko soundtrack) joins forces with Martin Kennedy from Aussie ARIA-nominated instrumentalists All India Radio to create an album of rare depth and beauty. Three years in the making Unseen Music Unheard Words combines All India Radio’s gentle melodic pop with Kilbey’s silken voice and lyrical mastery. It is a deep album, full of unexpected surprises on every listen. AVAILABLE NOW on INEVITABLE through MGM DISTRIBUTION and CDBaby in the USA / World