Genre: Pop/Rock
Members: Joel Hanson (vocals, guitar), Patrick Andrew (vocals, bass), Mark Nash (drums)
For fans of: The Beatles, Crowded House, Jellyfish, Oasis, Keane, The Vines

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Retro and progressive. Serious—yet slightly mischievous.

That's PFR, then as a distinguished pop-rock band of the '90s, and that's PFR now, as they return for their first studio album in three years. The Bookhouse Recordings finds PFR creating new interpretations of their most popular hits while adding three original songs to a renowned catalog. It's a trophy heralding PFR as one of Christian music's most enduring bands.

A self-produced project, The Bookhouse Recordings emerges as a unique creative opportunity for members Patrick Andrew (bass), Joel Hanson (guitar) and Mark Nash (drums). After 2001's studio reunion for Disappear, the band never completely went their separate ways. Each member enjoys a thriving music career, yet the trio still performs together four or five times a year, including AtlantaFest 2004 and a recent date with Jars of Clay.

"We all love making music together," Joel says. "We're all very different people, and I think that's what makes the cool symmetry between us, whether it's in the studio or playing live."

For the new album, the band re-imagined seven of its classic radio hits and most popular songs, gems like "Wonder Why," "That Kind of Love," "Great Lengths" and of course, "Pray For Rain."

"This was mostly about stripping everything away to its most raw form and putting a different light on the song or presenting it from a different angle," Patrick explains. "The point was to concentrate on the songs themselves, updating them and giving them new life."

"Working with these songs again was like a flashlight you pull out 10 years later and the light still turns on," Joel says. "You're almost surprised there's still juice in those batteries. The old songs still had that energy to them. 'Re-juicing' them gave us the opportunity to continue to create honest music."

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