Talk of Hokus Pick's sense of humor reached my ears before their music ever did. This album sees the band enlisting the help of Steve Taylor in the lyric-writing department, and his influence is apparent in the more satirical songs present. A number of the songs would rate fairly highly on the "cheesy lyrics" scale if it wasn't so obvious that these guys aren't taking themselves too seriously. One example of this is the "Comfort Song:"
Give it up, let it go Step out of your comfort zone God is great, we are lame Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, really lame
It should be noted that amongst the fun and craziness, there are some powerfully direct lyrics that make the listener stop and think.
Musically the band has taken elements of pop, ska, and surf-rock to create some quirky, fun pop. The sleeve bears the note, "The Hokus Pick Horns wish to remain anonymous," and I guess I can't be the only fan to wonder whether Steve Taylor has a hand in this section. The instrumental duties are handled competently and show imagination, but the arrangements sound to me like they could be stronger.
The playing is slightly too loose in places, but with a band like this one, it is difficult to tell whether this might be deliberate. If you're looking for something more lighthearted, or you're a Steve Taylor fan who can't cope with the wait for his next album, this is worth checking out.
Similar sounding releases
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