Flying Saucer Tour, Vol. 1
Love Laughter and Truth
BILL HICKS
Rykodisc
Since his death from pancreatic cancer in 1994, provocative comedian Bill Hicks has become the most oft-invoked name in substantial, socially relevant stand-up since Lenny Bruce. His confrontational, philosophical style has influenced artists from Mr. Show principal David Cross to progressive-metal weirdoes Tool (the misanthropic title track from their Aenima album name-checks Hicks' 1997 Arizona Bay disc). Hicks' fanbase is almost certainly much larger today than it was while he was alive and working.
These two new releases from Rykodisc, the Hicks Estate's label of choice, offer the first in a series of live Hicks experiences in their entirety, and a mixed bag of material ostensibly less familiar to collectors. Flying Saucer Tour chronicles a Pittsburgh show from 1991, in front of what Hicks called "the worst audience I've ever faced," and showcases all the classic bits most fans know regarding smoking ("You smoke two packs a day? Pussy. I go through two lighters a day, pal") and drugs ("The Beatles were so high, they let Ringo sing a couple of tunes"), along with his trademarked sociopolitical tirades and some one-offs we haven't heard before. What makes this one so compelling, however, is the crowd interaction, and the tangible sense of Hicks' fraying composure as he strains to come across in the face of apathy.
Love Laughter and Truth, on the other hand, culls a ton of material from various shows (and wildly varying sound qualities). The draw here is the possibility that most diehards may not have heard some of it. In truth, at least half of the tracks contain stuff with which any self-respecting Hicks fanatic will be familiar, but for fanatics, a couple of unheard bits (like his priceless, drawn out fantasy about his ex-girlfriend's unfortunate future, for instance) will be draw enough.
On the whole, either one of these releases would more than adequately serve as an introduction to this comic/preacher/mic-wielding sociologist's venomous-yet-hopeful catharsis. For the fans too cheap to spring for both, the tension and spontaneity of the first Flying Saucer installment slightly edges out the dodgy sound quality of Love Laughter and Truth, but both are highly recommended for everyone from pedestrian thinking-humor fans to Hicks completists. 
—Scott Harrel
Retrospective: 1961-1966
GRANT GREEN
Blue Note
In the first half of the 1960s, guitarist Grant Green played on nearly 20 recording dates a year for Blue Note. Besides cutting records under his own name, he sided with a roll-call of labelmates ranging from such legends as Herbie Hancock and Jimmy Smith to more obscure figures like Don Wilkerson and Horace Parlan. Through it all, Green was a paragon of swing and taste, with a strong penchant for the blues and clean, single-note lines. A consummate team player, he didn't bowl listeners over with flash but worked inside of any context in service of the music. The guitarist played in funky-butt organ combos (with John Patton, Baby Face Willette, Jack McDuff and the like), acoustic ensembles, forward-thinking trios and more. The four-disc Retrospective captures the best of his vast output. Highlights within highlights include Green's stately six-string reading of "Round Midnight" backed by just bass and drums; a slinky take on Miles Davis "So What;" a sultry, blues-infused pass at the country tune "I Can't Stop Loving You;" a lithe reinterpretation of "My Favorite Things" with Coltrane stalwarts Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner; and a series of extremely hip songs with organ pioneer Larry Young (two of which feature a then-unknown Sam Rivers on tenor sax). Grant Green may not rank with jazz's household names, but Retrospective proves why he's so revered among aficionados. —Eric Snider
The Unrequited Loves
THE UNREQUITED LOVES
Facefirst
Rooted in the frayed abandon of '60s garage, the mod-pop sensibility of British Invasion rock and the confessional tone of '80s indie, The Unrequited Loves' debut full-length is the most successful distillation to date of chief songwriter/ guitarist Mike O'Neill's vintage vision (the disc is stamped with the date "1965" if you need a clue). Throughout, the band veers from crashing rave-ups to haunted, literate pop, with bass player Keith Bartlett and drummer Ed Lowery (whose deft, musical stickwork is in short supply these days) providing O'Neill with the kind of spacious, empathetic playing and vocal backup needed for his songs to really bloom. Representative rockers are the careening "Sideswiped" — penned by Lowery and driven by the drummer's ebullient lead shout and O'Neill's destabilized, red-lining rhythm guitar — and opener "These are the Unrequited Loves," a bona fide theme song. The disc's deepest pleasures, though, come on such introspective tunes as "Chewing Gum," "Closed Up Soul," and "If You Want My Love" (penned by '60s garage-rock icon/Floridian Chuck Conlon). On these, O'Neill's tremolo-soaked guitar pulls simple, evocative melodies out of arpeggioed chords while his voice — deeply idiosyncratic yet remarkably intimate — and (seemingly) offhand phrasing bathe the listener in reminiscence and regret. —Robert Mortellaro
Busted Wings and Rusted Halos
SOMEHOW HOLLOW
Victory
Canadian quartet Somehow Hollow served as something of a farm team for well-known, idiosyncratic metalcore outfit Grade — as Grade slowly fell apart, every member of Somehow Hollow was eventually brought in to fill the holes. But after that outfit's last gasp this past summer, SH refocused on their own brand of melodic hardcore, culminating in a deal with Victory for their second release. Busted Wings shares a certain inventive, metallic type of riffage with Grade's best work (largely due to SH guitarist Brad Casarin), but overall, the band offers little to distinguish itself from any number of acts treading emo's jagged, heavier edge. "And your beauty took my breath away/ When I saw you at the show that day." Uh, huh. On the plus side, there's definitely an energy there, and the guitars are nice and gnashing; the vocals and songwriting, however, come off as little better than cookie-cutter. www.victoryrecords.com —Scott Harrelll
Upcoming releases
JIMMY AMADIE, In a Trio Setting (TP)
AMON AMARTH, Versus The World (Metal Blade)
ANDREW, Happily Every After (Vibro-Phonic)
ANTONIUS, Fury (Grapetree)
AURAH, Songs of the Alchemist (Very Music)
THE BELLES, Omerta (Lakeshore)
BELLRAYS, Raw Collection (Uppercut)
BENZINO, Redemption (Elektra)
BODIES LAY BROKEN, Bodies Lay Broken (Deathvomit)
TERRY CLARK, Pain to Kill (Mercury Nashville)
DJ ME DJ YOU, Can You See The Music? (Eenie Meenie)
KATHLEEN EDWARDS, Failer (Zoe/Rounder)
FREED UNIT, Straightjacket (Ecstatic)
GARRISON, The Model (Iodine/Simba)
NICCI GILBERT, Grown Folks Music (MCA)
GORDIAN KNOT, Emergent (Sensory)
R. KELLY, Chocolate Factory (Jive)
LUCIANO, Serve Jah (VP)
MORAL CRUX, Pop Culture Assassins (Panic Button)
OPEN HAND, The Dream (Trustkill)
RATOS DE PORAO, Onisciente Coletivo (Alternative Tentacles)
SOUNDTRACK, Biker Boyz (DreamWorks)
VARIOUS ARTISTS, Mob Action: Bay Area Anarchist Book Fair (Alternative Tentacles)
VARIOUS ARTISTS, Lookout! Freakout! Episode 3 (Lookout!)
VARIOUS ARTISTS, We're A Happy Family: A Tribute to The Ramones (DV8/Columbia)
PAUL WELLER, Illumination (Yep Roc)
GARY WILSON, Forgotten Lovers (Motel Records)
WITCHES, On Parade (Fall of Rome)
In Our Ears ERIC SNIDER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Freddie Redd: Redd's Blues (Blue Note)
Superior early 1970s session by one of Blue Note's lesser-known pianists. Three-horn front line includes Jackie McLean, Benny Bailey and Tina Brooks.
Matthew Shipp: Equilibrium (Thirsty Ear)
Avant-garde piano titan continues to expand stylistically and melodically while maintaining left-of-center aesthetic. Unclassifiable.
SCOTT HARRELL, MUSIC CRITIC
Missy Elliott: Under Construction (Elektra)
Some songs are filler, and some are WAY better than others, but Missy always brings out Timbaland's best stuff.
Dandy Warhols: Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia (Capitol)
Sure, it's too cool for its own good, but there's a reason Volkswagen wanted these tunes for their commercials. Super catchy, with scathing opinions of the clique-culture they embody.
This article appears in Jan 8-14, 2003.