HOCUS POCUS: THE BEST OF FOCUS

IMO it is the best "Focus" compilation available on a CD format. In the year of release (1994) "Focus" has disbanded for a long time already and their last combined or dual (Akkerman & van Leer) efforts were rather poor. So, it was probably a good time for their record company to put this one on the market.

You'll get most of their great "Focus" themes. Even their best one is featured in its full lenght : the fabulous "Focus, Instrumental".

Their three best known numbers are here as well and you'll even get the short US single version of "Hocus". So far it was available on their greatest compilation released in 1975 on a double vinyl format (and unfortunately never released on CD) : "The Story Of Focus" (1975).

Unlike this great compil effort, this one is not holding any of their epic. Only "Tommy" will remind us of the very good "Eruption" available on one of their best album "Moving Waves". Since several poor albums were released between these two great compilations (lots of others were also issued but these two are really the most interesting ones), we will have to suffer some poor tracks as well : "Bennie Helder"& "Glider". Not good anough to be featured on a "Best Of" effort IMO. The wonderful "La Cathédrale De Strasbourg" would have been a better choice, for sure.

But hey ! two wrong choices out of sixteen is not a bad trade. I really recommend this CD to anyone of you who would like to have an overview of the shorter work of this important band. Four stars.