The Church - El Momento Descuidado

I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'm a Church afficianado. I'm not, but I know what I like. And for the most part, I really like The Church, so when I saw a compilation by them come up for review, I was kind of excited. I thought this would be a nice little record to pick up. What I didn't know, and you may not either, is that El Momento Descuidado (The Neglected Moment) is not your normal compilation. It's actually an acoustic re-working of songs the band has already released plus five new songs. And it took me a few listens to warm up to it. Most even casual fans will recognise "Metropolis," "The Unguarded Moment" and the band's biggest US hit "Under the Milkyway" getting the unplugged treatment. The sound is bare-bones, yes, but there is depth that cannot be denied. Occasionally, the guys can't resist adding a few spooky electronic enhancements (as on the eerie and captivating "November"), but it never sounds out of place or detracts from the organic feel. Frankly, without a little dark and spooky, I'd rather they just not bother. On a personal note, I was sad to see that my favorite Church song, "Reptile," was left off. I have to wonder if it would have just been too difficult or too pointless to try and play it mostly acoustic. It would have been interesting to hear their attempt though. Perhaps they just know better than I do... While I can't really recommend this to anyone who isn't already a fan of The Church, I think that people who already appreciate the artistry and vision that these four Aussies have shown over their 20+ years should seek out a copy of El Momento Descuidado. We knew they were talented musicians before, but now we have irrefutible proof that they most certainly transcend their peak years. Beautiful music never loses its appeal. [www.thechurchband.com]