This is the Church album I stick on when I know I want some Church but don't know what. It continues to surprise me. I bought this when it came out and was deeply depressed about it; for one thing it didn't sound like the Church. It sounds very sketchbook like and is full of half realised idea's.

"Day of the Dead" is the best Church first track of all time, especially after P=A and the cringe inducing "Aura". Very transporting.

"Lost My Touch" is squidgy but effective and is the first signpost of where the album is heading i.e. "Somewhere Else".

"Loveblind" is perfunctory Kilbey but lacks the lyrical adeptness to pull it through (why did he think we require to hear the line "A close shave"? Does he think we are thick?). "

"My Little Problem" only really displays its full fragile beauty on "Acoustic and Intimate" and to be honest I never really thought much about this track although it is now a favourite.

"The Maven" I hated at the time although it has grown on me slightly (in the way gangrene does!). Again very clumsy lyrically.

"Angelica" I absolutely love. One of those tracks like "Travel by Thought" that shows how deeply experimentalism has touched them. The album deserves another mark for this alone.

"Lullaby" is pretty and this section of the CD "works". "Eastern" brings this to a close however.

"Two Places at Once". I have only really listened to this track a couple of times. Far too contrived and drawn out. Also far too much forced "Floydian" in parts.

"Business Woman". Let's write a single! Candy but fun (I take someone shagged a power dresser?). Should have been on the second disk.

"Authority". I adore this track and will do an acoustic version myself if asked to sing ever. Lyrics are dead easy to remember and it is a five-chord classic and not exactly taxing. It also reminds me of a friends ex lover! God was she a control freak. "She says it's OK, The rent just went on entertainment
But who's gonna say".

"Fly Home". Fl (o) y (d) Hom (ag) e and very poor.

"Dead Mans Dream". I can never remember this track.

"Somewhere Else"

"Drought" and "Freeze to burn are great but in general average apart from "Macabre Tavern" which is awful.

Definitely a worthwhile CD to own if not a classic. Amanda said she felt it was the Church coming back to life. I feel it is more like the time they spent in purgatory awaiting new life and direction. I do however quite like it and yes, the cover is perfect, particularly the vinyl version.

Brian