Don't be deceived. Sampler Pak isn't a greatest hits album. Sure, the hits are here ("Islands, Buildings, & Freeways," "Psalm 151" and "There Goes My Heart Again," just to name a few), but this new Jacob's Trouble compilation would be better described as a collection of out-takes, oddities, and live recordings.
Sampler Pak contains eighteen tracks of the band's unique brand of sixties-tinged rock, eight of which have never been heard before. There's even a spectacular new studio recording: "Step By Step." The remaining songs range from the catchy ("Little Red Words") to the sublime (a live cover of The Monkees' theme song) to the plain-out weird ("Jacob's Trouble vs. The Monster Trucks"). A few of the tracks, such as the aforementioned "Monster Trucks" and "Had This Been an Actual Emergency..." are just sound clips. The live tracks are considerably different from the earlier studio versions. "Walls of Doubt," for example, includes snippets from "Jesus Loves Me" and "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus." (It doesn't sound like it would work, but believe me, it does.) Their overall Beatlesque sound and lyrics could easily be compared to Rich Young Ruler: openly Christian, but still on the artsy side.
Unfortunately, some misinformed fans will wrongly dismiss this CD as "just another greatest hits album," like 1994's Diggin' Up Bones. Rest assured, this album is well worth your money, and fans of sixties sounds will be especially rewarded. Sampler Pak serves both as a fine introduction to Jacob's Trouble and a wonderful trip down memory lane for longtime fans.
4 tocks
