Although victimized by the darker side of record deals, Hokus Pick has continued to be one of the hardest working bands in Christian music. The Canadian foursome maintains its nonstop touring; its live show has wowed fans all over, as the band has toured with Steve Taylor, Guardian and dc Talk, among others. And, with The B-Sides, we see they haven't stopped recording, either. Newly signed to Freedom, their first all-new record comes out later this year; however, to those who need a new Pick, The B-Sides sports a variety of unreleased material, including lost tracks, live tracks and even some new songs. The band's fun brand of guitar pop shines in a variety of ways: The unreleased, live gem "Learn to Laugh" (deemed "too funny" by the producer to appear on Brothers From Different Mothers), about keeping your cool in the face of adversity, draws examples from life, Dennis the Menace and R.E.M. Pick's remakes of Petra's "Adonai" and The Clash's "Train in Vain" (a different version appeared on Bookaboom) bring a fresh perspective to two classics. The studio nonsense of "Felize Navidad" is fun, too, before it disintegrates (and then the real fun begins). Of the newer songs (post-Bookaboom), "Super Hero" sports a dark-edged guitar riff as Pick contrasts life in the comic books with the parameters of reality; "Waiting" is a dark and brooding discussion of how we're stranded without the Lord. By its very nature, The B-Sides is directed towards fans; newcomers might find it hard to sit through the uneven collection. However, those who know and love the band need this record. They'll be (sorry) "b-sides" themselves.
Other coverage for this album
The Lighthouse Unsorted 1998Reviewed by Roger AppelinskiThe best way I can describe The B-Sides is to call it "raw Hokus Pick." By "raw," I mean that this is the first time the Hokus foursome has had a real chance to "be themselves" on an album. Included are some live tracks, remakes of previously released material, and several songs that never would have made it on a "more serious" album. These guys are goofy, zany, and generally out of control. This…Similar sounding releases
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