Plotting the history of the Chills is a task that requires a conspiracy theorist’s level of obsession and attention to detail. Since its formation in 1980, dozens of musicians have joined and departed the ranks of this New Zealand pop group, including Luna bassist Justin Harwood, former XTC guitarist Dave Gregory, and Martin Kean, who also spent a brief spell in Stereolab. What makes this remarkable is how consistent the Chills have been during this nearly four-decade stretch. That has everything to do with Martin Phillipps, the singer/songwriter who is the only permanent member of the band. All the while, he has maintained a clear vision for this project, one that draws from the jangling looseness of the Byrds and the seamy force of the Velvet Underground. The last few years have been good to Phillipps and the Chills—good enough to embark on a US tour that includes their first Northwest dates in nearly two decades. Heavenly, indeed.

by Robert Ham