IN the pop world nowadays, a two-year gap between records counts as a comeback.

So the ten-year hiatus between Christians albums must constitute a resurrection. A quick recap for those who missed the first half of the show: The Christians rode a modest wave of success inspired by singles Ideal World and Harvest For The World in the late 1980s. They didn't kick down doors with cries of moral outrage, they didn't revolutionise the pop world. Instead, they conjured up smooth melodies and cool professional artistry - slick but not demanding. Matters are pretty much the same now, with Prodigal Son and No Pain sharing the anthemic feel of the band's best moments. Elsewhere, however, there's too much filler and easy listening. "In the ideal world, we'd be free to choose" the band opined on their most memorable single. Well, you've got the choice. Bet this won't be the album most of you choose to buy.

Updated: 08:59 Thursday, October 23, 2003