The casual observer might be surprised that 2004's
The Best of Gary Hoey does not consist of a bunch of Christmas music culled from his Ho! Ho! Hoey albums, but as this 18-track collection proves, there's more to the high-riding guitar virtuoso than chop-laden versions of seasonal classics. There are also covers of classic oldies like "Low Rider," "Wipeout," "Linus and Lucy,"
Pink Floyd's "Money," "Misirlou," and "Frankenstein," along with a bunch of original material that functions as a vessel for
Hoey's relentless playing. All of his albums, save the Christmas records, are well represented here, and there's a pair of previously unreleased cuts, too, including a version of "Rocky Mountain Way," which makes this a good summary of his work to date, and a good introduction to his style, which you will either find to be a good soundtrack to the summer or simply ho-ho-horrid. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine