I hate their band name, their cover art, and the fact that they're on a sort of Christian label, too. Okay, so "hate" is a bit strong. How about "it makes me really uneasy." Well, except for their cover art; I do hate that. Of course, you're probably a lot more sophisticated and mature than I am. You own Jeremy Enigk records. His born-again-ness doesn't faze you a bit. Good for you. I, however, came at this band with a fair amount of prejudice and cynicism. I was expecting Stryper meets Amy Grant, only alternafied. So, it's to Jason Martin's credit that the better material on these two discs was able to win me over thoroughly. In fact, I like it so much that right now I'm dancing the Pentecostal version of the "running man" with a rattlesnake between around my neck while speaking in tongues and listening to the octogenarian rock gospel quartet from Tulsa that I've hired for the occasion.

Sorry, just joking. These guys aren't overt bible thumpers. They're apparently just ordinary California guys that have mastered a few Britpop tricks and made some great music out of it. This two-disc release attempts to compile the best of Starflyer 59's career, with the added bonus of b-sides, rarities, and live recordings. What ordinarily would be thought of as the afterthought, the second disc is a viable album in and of itself, not just a mess of odds and ends.

So, okay, we've established that Easy Come Easy Go isn't the modern equivalent of To Hell with the Devil. But what do they sound like? Well, they're slow and dreamy, and they really dig reverb, phaser and delay. Martin sounds like he's nodding off in that breathy, super-sensitive way and the drumming is understated but more than adequate. Sound familiar? It should. Starflyer don't exactly have Our Lady of Divine Innovation on their side, unless she's providing just enough originality to keep this Christian band from sucking.

Basically, Starflyer 59 play shoegazery, Britpoppy, atmospheric wimp-rock in the sensitivo vein. You wouldn't know it from the first few tracks on disc one, though. The mysteriously much-beloved "Blue Collar Love" sounds like slightly less terrible Alice in Chains. "Monterey," another of the band's early "hits," is likewise heavily derivative while offering little in the way of sing-along-ability.

It's not until the fifth track, the dark yet delicate "Duel Overhead Cam," that things stabilize. The My Bloody Valentine infused pop of "You're Mean" follows, showering layers of jangle and hissy vocals through which Martin's crooning and melodic guitar shine. "The Voyager" is the most egregious radio oversight of all the best-of tracks, though, due largely to the fantastic bluesy guitar riff in the chorus. "The Hearttaker" adds a touch of spaced-out dreaminess to the mix with a Moog synth bit. So, great. Martin proves he's a versatile songwriter, and his soul is saved. Which is more than you can say for most musicians.

Things generally follow at an even keel until "We're the Ordinary." Here, an already much-better-than-solid collection of songs gets a shot of vitamin B12 in the ass, and things get downright cash-worthy. The dancy, criminally hummable second-to-last track, "No New Kinda Story," features some beautiful keyboard details. Think New Order meets James.

Disc two, as I stated before, consists of rarities, b-sides, and live versions of fan favorites. It's just as, if not more cohesive than the first disc, and packed tight with brain-thistle melodies. You could dig through their five studio albums-- Silver, Gold, Americana, The Fashion Focus, and Everybody Makes Mistakes-- or you could just hit Easy Come Easy Go. For those of you already in possession of the Starflyer 59 back catalog, this could make a worthy addendum, with almost an entire album's worth of rare material included. Take it from this reluctant proselyte. Don't make me start leaving Gideon's bibles on your nightstand.

-Camilo Arturo Leslie