Customer Reviews

The Most Of Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I admit that I am giving this 5 stars just because of the fantastic sound quality. This is not Dan Hicks best album musically, but it sounds the best. It does contain early versions of many of his most popular songs.

Dan Hicks recorded one album for Epic records, called Original Recordings. It had 11 tracks. He also recorded a number of songs for a second album that was never released. This CD contains 9 of the 11 tracks from Original Recordings, plus 7 tracks that were meant to be released on the second album. The CD is 65 minutes long. I don't know why 2 tracks from Original Recordings were left off of this CD. I have never heard the LP version of Original Recordings, so I don't know what those 2 missing songs are like.

Original Recordings did not sell well, and Dan Hicks moved from Epic Records to Blue Thumb Records. He released a number of albums for Blue Thumb. Through the years, he redid most of the best songs on Original Recordings and put them on his new Blue Thumb albums (like Strikin' It Rich and Where's The Money).

The problem is that most of Dan Hick's CD re-issues have horrible sound. MCA bought out Blue Thumb. MCA has done very cheap CD releases of classic albums from their catalog. The sound quality is very poor. It is flat, muddled and has no dynamic range. Also, the packaging is very cheap. Only the front side of the album cover would be reproduced. The production details would be typed on the backside. I admit, that I bought my CD's (Striking It Rich, Where's the Money, Last Train to Hicksville) when they first came out. There is a possibility that MCA has improved the sound since then.

On this CD, The Most of Dan Hicks, the sound quality is excellent on the first 9 songs. It is crystal clear, with a high dynamic range. It just resonates. On the last 7 tracks, the sound quality is also very good, but there is a high end buzz that can be heard when cymbals are played or during the female vocals. But even with the buzz, the sound quality is still better than the MCA CD's.

On the first 9 tracks, Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, have an even more stripped down and accoustic sound than usual. Some parts are just vocals and a guitar or violin, with no bass or drums. It still sounds great.

This album contains early versions of many of the Dan Hick's classics, such as I Scare Myself, Canned Music and News From Up The Street. I prefer the later versions of these songs, where they are a bit more amplified and more rock oriented. But, since the CD's of the later verisons of the songs have such bad sound, overall, I like this album better.

This album does contain some goofy songs in the middle, but overall, I really enjoy.

I once saw Dan Hicks play in a bar in Tucson. He had broken up the Hot Licks and was now playing in a band called Dan Hick's Accoustic Warrior, which had no female back up singers. His popularity was down. He was scheduled for 2 shows, but the second show did not sell well. They gave free tickets to those who attended the first show. I only saw the second show. Dan Hicks was so drunk that he forgot the words to a song and had to start it over. All in all, it wasn't a very good concert. But, I have seen him at verious reunions of the Hot Licks, and he has been very good.

Interesting note: David LaFlamme, from It's A Beautiful Day, was the original violin player in the Hot Licks, but left before an album was recorded. He was replaced by Sid Page, who also appeared on many other people's albums (including It's A Beautiful Day) and did the soundtracks for tons of movies.

Yes, great to have the Epic recordings on CD along with the unissued stuff from the great lost second album, however unfinished. No, the reordering and absence of songs from the first album is inexcusable. We liked it just the way it was, y'know? Strange minds out there. It's bad grammar, baby....

A friend had several vinyl LPs of Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks that he would break out at the apex of our partying days in the 70s & 80s. Then I heard excerpts from "Beatin' the Heat" which came out very recently after a long hiatus from recording. I thought, "hey, maybe they're releasing their old stuff on cds" & went searching. This is a wonderful introduction to Dan for the uninitiated, but try to lay your hands on "Strikin' It Rich" and "Beatin' the Heat"...you'll thank yourself for the effort.

Many reviews here lament the loss of two "Original Recordings" tracks ("Shorty Falls In Love" and "It's Bad Grammar, Baby"), but grudgingly compromise for the improved sound and bonus material.

However, that concession is no longer necessary. In 2007, Sony Japan released a DSD-remaster of "Original Recordings" in a limited edition LP-replica-mini-sleeve, with all eleven original tracks intact.

The DSD-processed audio on the Sony disc is definitely different, and often superior, than on "Most". For instance, the opening dual-guitars of "I Scare Myself" have surprisingly deep, robust tone on the Sony; on the Most disc, the guitars sound downright tinny by comparison. However, when the vocals commence, the Most CD has more clarity, but there's noticable distortion (absent from the Sony), obviously inherent in the original recording and exposed by a artificial boost in the mid-to-higher frequencies. Yet, by 3:30 into the song, the acoustic bass on the Sony is far more defined and upfront, and the vocals are smoother than the Most version. Between the two, I find the Sony a more enjoyable listen on this track.

I suspect that different people will establish preferences on a track-by-track basis. Also, having a restored, remastered "Shorty Falls In Love" is worth the price of the disc, IMHO (I could always give or take "Grammar").

So, if you truly love "Original Recordings", I highly recommend acquiring the Sony disc and giving it a listen for yourself.

WHAT IS A JAPAN "MINI-LP-SLEEVE" CD?

Have you ever lamented the loss of one of the 20th Century's great art forms, the 12" vinyl LP jacket? Then "mini-LP-sleeve" CD's may be for you.

Mini-sleeve CDs are manufactured in Japan under license. The disc is packaged inside a 135MM X 135MM cardboard precision-miniature replica of the original classic vinyl-LP album. Also, anything contained in the original LP, such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed LP sleeves, stickers, embosses, special LP cover paper/inks/textures and/or die cuts, are precisely replicated and included. An English-language lyric sheet is always included, even if the original LP did not have printed lyrics.

Then, there's the sonic quality: Often (but not always), mini-sleeves have dedicated remastering (20-Bit, 24-Bit, DSD, K2/K2HD, and/or HDCD), and can often (but not always) be superior to the audio on the same title anywhere else in the world. There also may be bonus tracks unavailable elsewhere.

Each Japan mini-sleeve has an "obi" ("oh-bee"), a removable Japan-language promotional strip. The obi lists the Japan street date of that particular release, the catalog number, the mastering info, and often the original album's release date. Bonus tracks are only listed on the obi, maintaining the integrity of the original LP artwork. The obi's are collectable, and should not be discarded.

All mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, but re-pressings/re-issues are becoming more common (again, not always). The enthusiasm of mini-sleeve collecting must be tempered, however, with avoiding fake mini-sleeves manufactured in Russia and distributed throughout the world, primarily on eBay. They are inferior in quality, worthless in collectable value, a total waste of money, and should be avoided at all costs.

If you don't know and love Dan by now, what can I say?

This cd is tons o' fun.

The old material here is slightly different from the other recordings you may already have and you will like them, trust me.

A great intro to give someone who doesn't already know these guys.

The master of swing with great backup singers and brilliant musicians.

If you like Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks and have the albums "Striking It Rich", "Where's The Money" and "Last Train To Hicksville" then you need to get this album to complete your collection. Make no mistake with this album you will have just about the entire recordings Dan Hicks and his group ever did. It includes 9 of the 11 songs from their first album "Original Recordings" along with seven demos they made when they were first starting out and working on developing their classic sound. The reason for two of the songs missing on "The Most Of" CD that were on the "Original Recordings" album is explained in the booklet notes that comes with the CD. Back around 1991 the A side mixdown of "Original Recordings were damaged. They were then copied to a safety reel and then the whole process was scrapped. The substandard sound quality caused the tracks to have to be remixed. In the process two of the songs, "Shorty Falls In Love" and "It's Bad Grammar, Baby", for whatever reason didn't work out during the remixing. Thus these two songs were left off "The Most Of" disc. While it is a shame that Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks time together was very short we can still enjoy the great, if small, body of work they created together. Their sound was unique and all their own. That for me was what made the Hot Licks stand out from so much of the same old same old music that was going on at the time. Dan Hicks' music was, and still is for that fact, fresh and refreshing even all these decades later. For that reason I highly recommend this album to anyone.

The entire "Most of" album is here with extra bonus cuts and it's from 1969. The production is so good it sounds as fresh as if it were recorded today. This is underground Texas swing. It was shot by both sides concervative country fans and pop fans alike. You either loved it or hated it, so a wonderful new cult base was formed,Alternative Country. Other AC artist to check out:Buffalo Springfield,the eternal head or headless Gram Parsons,Flying Burrito Brothers,Sweetheart of the Rodeo era Byrds,Poco(such a little name for a big and influential group),Firefall,the Eagles,Linda Ronstadt,Emmy Lou Harris,Dwight Twilley,and New Riders of the Purple Sage. All are very satisfying. Late 80's saw the return of California Honky Tonk with Dwight Yoakum's Hillbilly Deluxe, and Guitars and Cadillacs. Then there is the wonderful K D Lang Shadowland & Torch and Twang. K T Oslin made jaws drop with her Janis Joplin vocalizings. Americana it is called now by some. Newer artist include Ryan Adams and there is the fantastic Lucinda Williams Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. Dixie Chicks! Have fun exploring! I know you will!

Yes, great to have the Epic recordings on CD along with the unissued stuff from the great lost second album, however unfinished. No, the reordering and absence of songs from the first album is inexcusable. We liked it just the way it was, y'know? Strange minds out there.

I scare myself just thinking about how happy I am that I am getting this CD after all these years! This is still my favorite Dan Hicks album, although I do love "Strikin' It Rich" also. This music is so much fun. Of course it brings back early seventies "cooler than thou" memories....frye boots an'all but really it remains fresh and funny and acoustic and just damned wonderful. Reward yourself!

OK the remastering gave a bit of a sparkle to the CD - but my advice to a potential purchaser (esp. vintage fans) of this CD is - don't bother. Seek out the CDs with the original track listings. I found the bonus tracks pretty lame reworkings of the original. To me, they sound like out-takes that thankfully didn't make it onto the original recordings.
I've been a big fan of Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks since first hearing them back in 1976. I have all the vinyl - and later, most of the CDs.

One star for the remastering.