The Church

This is pretty much a straight-ahead pop record; very easy to listen to, not overly fast or aggressive, yet not excessively sappy or slow moving. After recording and touring for over two decades, this Aussie band can still produce a set of tunes that will leave a fine taste on anyone’s palate. From the psychedelic "Reprieve” to many Pink Floyd-inspired moments, variety reigns. Even shoegazer enthusiasts will be charmed with the odd effects-laden washes of sound and layers upon layers of guitars. Steven Kilbey’s vocals give an overall mellow edge to the disc, while the odd bar or two of the Cure creeps in for good measure. Beautifully catchy, and touchingly poignant, the slower tunes, such as "The Awful Ache,” round out the disc perfectly. The more you listen to this one, the better it becomes.