El Momento Descuidado

The Church | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 26, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Cooking Vinyl
• ASIN: B0009KIY5Y
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #108,295 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

After 17 albums, Australia's premier purveyors of neopsychedelic dream pop have finally come unplugged. The Liberation Blue Acoustic Series finds the veteran fourpiece laying down 14 cuts - including five new tracks - over the span of a weekend. Beginning with "The Unguarded Moment" from 1981's Of Skins and Heart, they gently burn through classics like "Metropolis" and "Under the Milky Way" with an intimacy and intensity that feel more natural than any studio album that they've released in the last ten years. Though billed as acoustic, the Church are far too experimental to just sit in front of the mikes and see what happens; rather, they paint flange on key cymbal crashes, insert the occasional vocal effect, and rearrange the songs to fit the new format with mesmerizing results. Steve Kilbey's long cadences, Tim Powles' spooky percussion and vibes, Peter Koppes' mandolin and harmonica, and Marty Willson-Piper's intricate guitar work have never sounded better - one wishes that they would have applied this aesthetic earlier in their career, as it complements their sound far better than the overly atmospheric production that's marred them in the past. el momento descuidado is both intimate and far-reaching. The Church have made a career out of dreamy, reverb-drenched landscapes of murkiness and beauty. Here they've reduced their songs to the point of clarity, which is both triumphant and long overdue.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent, October 4, 2005

By 

Patrick J. Boulay Jr. (The Woodlands, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: El Momento Descuidado (Audio CD)

Look, if you're a fan you should absolutely love this album. If you're not a fan, this is, ironically, a really good place to get some exposure to the world's greatest active rock band, The Church. No, that's not hyperbole. Yes, I said "world's greatest". Someday, the world will understand. Look at the longevity. Look at the catalog. *Listen* to the music. They are giants. But I digress. This album is a re-interpretation of some Church classics as well as some new tunes. Two of the new tunes are just tremendous, 0408 and ALL I KNOW. Words can't describe their "truth-seeking" beauty. The re-cooked classics are great too, esp. the lesser-known CHROMIUM, A NEW SEASON and INVISIBLE. Production is sparse and it brings out the best. This is just an essential disc. Buy it and get clued in.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Old songs in a new light, and new songs too, December 13, 2004

By 

Derek Timbrell (London, England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Momento Descuidado (Audio CD)

El Momento Descuidado sees The Church take a slightly unexpected turn. Over twenty years and many albums into their career, they've sprung upon the unsuspecting world an acoustic album of such splendour that it's hard to believe it was recorded live in just a few days.

What we have here is an album that sees the band re-visiting and re-working some of the gems from their back catalogue; and throwing in some new songs that sit more than comfortably with the old ones.

All I Know stands out among the new songs as a Church classic. The re-working of The Unguarded Moment will surprise. A New Season brings a whole new life to the song. Invisible shines. The acoustic arrangements let Steve Kilbey's voice shine through - except on the tracks where other band members take over the vocal duties!- and in all the albums they've made he's rarely sounded this good.

If you like anything that The Church have ever done then this CD is an essential purchase.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cd that now lives in my car stereo, July 28, 2005

By 

T. Lewis (FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: El Momento Descuidado (Audio CD)

How to decribe this gem of a CD.
There is such a gentle warm feeling to the songs. It appears that Steve Kilbey's voice is aging like a fine wine. Great selection of songs with a sprinkling of five new ones. I have always tried to get friends and coworkers to like the Church and this one is getting the warmest response.
Any fan of the Church will enjoy and it is a great place to start for the curious.