Search - Dan Hicks & the Hot Licks :: Selected Shorts

The Walkin' One & Only Returns!

Larry D | Los Angeles, CA United States | 02/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Dan Hicks took four years between "Beatin' the Heat" and "Selected Shorts", and it's well worth the wait. Gone the too-slick production and inappropriate duet choices of "Heat": "Selected Shorts" just slightly updates the toe-tappin' western swing sound of the classic 1970's Hicks & Licks, complete with tight vocal harmonies and witty call-and-response between Dan and the girls, and the welcome return of the incomparable Sid Page on violin. The four ladies singing backup bring a smooth blend, spot-on pitch and a nice sense of swing to the proceedings, but their sound is undistinguished and lacks edge -- one misses Maryann Price and Naomi Eisenberg just a bit. The dearth of new Hicks tunes here (included are three re-done songs from 1994's live "Shootin's Straight" album, and three covers) may signal that in his senior years, Dan has hit a songwriting wall, but it matters little. The versions of "Willie", "Barstool Boogie" and "Texas Kinda Attitude" (beautifully covered by Maryann Price on her excellent "Etched in Swing") are infinitely better than the live Accoustic Warriors versions, and the covers are all tasty. The immediate standout (for me, anyway) is the totally swinging take on Rose Clooney's "C'mon-A My House", which opens with some Jon Hendricks-esque scatting from Dan, and closes with an expanded list of the "everything" he's promising to give ("a four-slice toaster, a leather recliner/record contract, contract on your mother-in-law"). The only misstep is the second version of "That Ain't Right" featuring former Butthole Surfer Gibby Haynes: whether Haynes actually "phones in" his duet vocal or it's a studio-created gimmick, it's not nearly as cute as they probably thought it was at the time. But I quibble. "Selected Shorts" makes for a perfectly respectable intro to the music of Dan Hicks for the uninitiated (I pity the fool!); and long-time Hicks fans should welcome it with open ears. It's not "Strikin' It Rich" -- but then, what is?"

Twice Is Not Enough

Stella! | Spanishtown CA | 12/20/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"To Reviewer Number One: Play it again, Rich, and I think you may change your tune.



Outstanding tunes IMHO are "Mama's Boy Blues", "That's Where I Am", "Hey Bartender", and "Cue The Violins". "Cue" is like a lost song from the Blue Thumb days, it's so sweet. "Bartender" rocks, and brings Dan up to date nicely. The lyrics are pure Hicks drollity, and the dispassionate backing vocals are a stitch.



Wonderful covers of "I'll See You In My Dreams" and "C'mon-A-My-House" do a nice job of showcasing Dan's jazzy sensibilities.



Remakes of previous tunes are there for good reason, since the album they appeared on ("Shootin' Straight") has been out of print for far too long. Besides, "Shootin'" was live, and "Selected" is studio... so there's another reason.



The duets, well, I gotta say I'm with you on this one to some degree. But that Gibby Haynes on "That Ain't Right"! Man, that's like a duet with Beavis!



Did I convince you yet? Or did you microwave the disc already?



(As to which DH discs would rate my coveted 5... those would be "Strikin' It Rich" and "Shooting Straight"."

Creative, Fun, Provocative, Intelligenct, Original,

J. Ross | Carrboro, NC United States | 11/26/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No dissrepect to the first individual who reviewed this album negatively. But to my ears this a fine, fine, fine piece of work. How is that this gem is not the best selling album in the world right now? Creativity like this is desperately in need of right now!! Dan, you should see if you can get a gig on American Idol-do it for the nation. Three cheers for Dan Hicks!!!"