I got onto these guys thanks to just one track - the majestic "The Killing Moon", as played on the opening scene of the original cut of Donnie Darko.
That masterpiece of - what to call this style? I suppose "pop-folk" covers it best, but mere pigeon-holing is inadequate here - doesn't actually make an appearance on this album. But 17 other tunes do. Well, strictly speaking, there are 12 tracks, plus alternate versions of five of them. That's no excuse not to buy it though, at the measly price of £6.97 at Amazon. For a piece of pop history, that's peanuts (and while you're at it, get the remastered version of Ocean Rain, too).

Somehow, the tracks manage to be quite upbeat, yet still feel somewhat sedate. It's not so much music to dance to - it's more music to listen to. I find the music of Echo And The Bunnymen tends to encourage self reflection, and this can certainly be said of this album. There is a kind of '80s feel to it all, but it doesn't detract from it at all - and it's certainly more individual than alot of stuff that came out of that era.

I don't think it's easy to sum up this album - the best way to do it justice is to listen to it. I took a risk when I got this but, for me, it's paid off. Perhaps you should too.

First posted at my blog