Description
Chase the Kangaroo is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band The Choir, released on Myrrh Records in April 1988, a division of Word. The album was recorded and mixed at their own Neverland Studios in Los Alamitos, California; beginning in November 1987, with band members Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong producing. Additional production by Gene Eugene of Adam Again and Steve Griffith of Vector fame. Recorded by Daugherty, Eugene, Griffith, Dave Hackbarth, and Mark Heard. Background vocals provided by Bill Batstone on both “Clouds” and “Cain”; by Gene Eugene and Riki Michele of Adam Again on “Look Out”; and by Jerry Chamberlain and Sharon McCall on “So Far Away”. (Chase the Kangaroo was recorded simultaneously with Adam Again’s sophomore album Ten Songs by Adam Again; Adam Again working by night at the studio with the Choir coming in in the morning as Adam Again were wrapping up, working through the daytime. That’s how Gene Eugene ended up also working on the Choir’s album.)
Following on the heals of the more pop and upbeat Diamonds and Rain, an album produced by Charlie Peacock, Chase the Kangaroo contained songs that were much darker, more reflective, serious and somber and reflected more depth of songwriting, both musically and lyrically, than anything the band had previously produced. Lyricist and drummer Steve Hindalong experienced a difficult time in life leading up to the release of the project and it is reflected in the lyrics. These included frustration with an industry in which an artist was unable to sustain his livelihood doing his art, the loss of an unborn child and the state of the world around him. This frustration and sadness is matched in Derri Daugherty’s atmospheric guitar sounds.
Chase the Kangaroo is the first album of what is considered The Choir’s “atmospheric trilogy” (Wide-Eyed Wonder and Circle Slide being the second and the third installments, released in 1989 and 1990 respectively). One interesting musical highlight from this album is the flow and transition between songs. It is as if there are no breaks as one song neatly flows into the next creating more of an air of wholeness and completion to the project rather than simply the latest offering from the band. There is a cohesiveness of content and completeness of thought that is represented here. Anger, doubt, loss and pain is set against hope, truth, justice and the sovereignty of a God in control of even the difficult and painful times.
This is the recording where the Choir prove themselves. Self-produced and recorded at their own Neverland Studio, Chase the Kangaroo is a work of creativity and integrity. Sparse textures and troubling lyrics mark this release, especially «Children of Time» and «Sad Face». Hindalong’s drumming really comes to the forefront on this release…and Daugherty’s guitar commands the sound of the record through subtlety and restraint. A prime example of this can be found in what is probably the strongest track on the record, «Clouds», with a strong, unusual drum pattern providing a bed for a simple chilling two-note sustain. [Mark Allender, AMG]
‘Chase the Kangaroo’, the fourth project from The Choir, is the coming-of-age album for one of the outstanding bands to arise from the Southern California Christian new music renaissance.
Even with Charlie Peacock at the helm of last year’s ‘Diamonds and Rain‘, The Choir, in spite of obvious talent and styll, fell short of defining a territory of its own as ‘Shades of Grey‘ had. ‘Kangaroo’ rises to that task.
«Consider», «Children of Time», and «Clouds» open the record by setting a tone of serious artistic and spiritual intent, only to allow some humor to slip through on the end of «Clouds». In a Terry Taylor-like move, Daugherty’s mom steps out of the Nazarene church choir to solo on the hymnic refrain. «Sad Face» follows with a timely call to facial/emotional integrity, based on Ecclesiastes.
The Choir shines through on ‘Chase the Kangaroo’, approximating some of the raw thrash of its live performance and the freedom of expression afforded by its own studio, Neverland. Hindalong’s warm acoustic drum sound resonates a depth of rhythmic excitement, only to spur on the airy, atmospheric guitar sounds of Daugherty (not to mention his most emotive, self-assured vocal performance to date). The Edge-like quality on some of the guitar tracks and traceable references to bands on the English shore in no way sullies the presence of a distinct Choir sound. This is the authentic item. [Brian Quincy Newcomb, CCM, May 1988]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/chase-the-kangaroo/1167623139)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Consider” – 4:05
A2. “Children Of Time” – 5:10
A3. “Clouds” – 7:00
A4. “Sad Face” – 7:16
Side Two
B1. “Cain” – 5:16
B2. “The Rifleman” – 3:43
B3. “Look Out (For Your Own)” – 3:27
B4. “Everybody In The Band” (ode to road manager types) – 1:25
B5. “So Far Away” – 5:06
B6. “Chase The Kangaroo” – 4:08
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Myrrh Records, each format featuring slightly different cover artwork (three different shots from the same photo session). In 2012, to celebrate the album’s 25th anniversary, Chase the Kangaroo was re-issued by the band as a 2-CD set (marked “2 CDs. CTK Band Commentary Disc Plus Original Album”), with the second CD featuring audio commentary for each song on the album from the band members; Hindalong, Daugherty, Chandler and Michaels. (Format: CD-R) Re-issued in 2024 by the band, remastered for both vinyl and CD. The vinyl edition, remastered by Nigel Palmer at Lowland Masters, pressed on Black vinyl, Oceana Blue vinyl, and Opaque Galaxy vinyl. Available at Bandcamp: https://thechoir1.bandcamp.com/album/chase-the-kangaroo-remastered
A full-page advertisement for The Choir’s Chase The Kangaroo was featured in the May 1988 issue of CCM Magazine. The three photos included in the ad were those used as cover artwork for the LP (top image), CD (middle image), and cassette (bottom image) editions, respectively.
“Sad Face” and “Clouds”, Live in Studio 2023.
CREDITS. Produced by Derri Daugherty and Steven Hindalong. Additional production by Gene Eugene and Steve Griffith. All tracks recorded and mixed at Neverland Studios, Los Alamitos, CA. Recorded by Dave Hackbarth, Mark Heard, Gene Eugene, Steve Griffith, and Derri Daugherty. Cover Concept and Design by John Joseph Flynn for OZ Graphics. Art Direction and Coordination by Tim Alderson. Photography by Stewart Ivester. Additional Graphic Assistance by Phillip Foster, Stewart Ivester, Ed, June, and Marcella at Slides and Print, Canoga Park, CA. Choir Direction: Brian Martin. Executive Producer: Tom Willett. All lyrics by Steve Hindalong. Music by Derri Daugherty (track B5 and B6), Derri with Tim Chandler and Steve Hindalong (tracks – A1, A2, A4, B2, B3), and Derri with Steve Griffith (track A3 and B1). Music and Farewell/debut performance by Steve H. on “Everybody In The Band”.
Musicians: Derri Daugherty (Lead Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards), Dan “Buck” Michaels (Saxophone, Lyricon), Tim Chandler (Bass), Steven Hindalong (Drums, Lead Vocals on track B4). Additional Musicians: Bill Batstone (Keyboards on track A3, Background Vocals on track A3 and B1), Steve Griffith (Vocals [High Ooohs] on track A3), Nancy Hindalong (Vocals on track A4), Marc Sercomb (Spoken verses on track B2), Gene Eugene and Riki Michele (Vocals on track B3), Jerry Chamberlain and Sharon McCall (Vocals on track B5).
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