Search - Dan Hicks :: Shootin Straight

An outstanding "return from oblivion" release!

Denver Jazz Fan | Denver, CO USA | 05/21/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was Dan Hicks' first new release in many years. The "old" Dan Hicks (and his hot licks) did fabulously bouncy mostly acoustic music, with wry humor and witticisms in the lyrics. This CD shows that Dan's writing abilities have continued to evolve. The lyrics show more irony than ever and the humor is better. (This next tune is about the possibility of there being space ships, and maybe someday they come to earth to take somebody for a little ride. It's called "Hell I'd go!"). Every single tune is catchy and there's even a straight-ahead 12 bar blues for the blues purists.In addition to Dan on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, there's the outstanding Paul Robinson on lead guitar, Stevie Blacke on Mandolin & Fiddle, Jim Boggio on Jazz Accordian (he plays piano on one number) and Alex Baum on string bass. That would have been perfect, but somebody made the bone-headed decision to add drums in the studio after the live recording. I predict that a very sought-after recording would be a "bootleg" snuck out of the recording studio before it was ruined by the added drums (which don't even sound right, because they're missing the live acoustics).I saw Dan Hicks live with the Acoustic Warriors (no drummer - believe me, they have PLENTY of rhythm, and a drummer only gets in the way of this group) and then went out to find a CD. This was the latest release at the time, and well worth it."