Bill Hicks - Arizona Bay

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Music reviews of Arizona Bay

Music Review: Weak Matter from a Strong Comic
Rating: 3 Stars

The biggest drawback is the inclusion of music between the comedy segments. It's supposed to instill a sense of dread and building fear. Instead, it breaks up the flow of Hicks' narrative. As the music doesn't much build from one piece to the next, and indeed tends to repeat itself, it only serves to slow the album down and keep the laughs from popping.

There is also a small audience, or one that isn't very well miked, or something. Their laughs come through very feebly. We as listeners fear we've perhaps stumbled in on a night when the star is off his game.

The material is largely good. It's more political and social commentary than pure stand-up, as is Hicks' style. His "Elephant is Dead" routine, about the Bush loss in 1992, seems a little naive in light of the Republican sweep in 1994 and the return of the Bush dynasty in 2000; one wonders what Hicks would have thought had he lived to see all that.

Hicks also liked to position himself as a religious gadfly, but there are hints--particularly in the bits "Dinosaurs in the Bible," "Clam Lappers and Sonic the Hedgehog," and "Living God"--that he was actually a very spiritual person. Plainly he rejected mindless religious orthodoxy as he did all other orthodoxies; but speaking as a Christian, I think Hicks hit on issues Christians need to spend more time thinking about.

There is also good current-events material, particularly on the Rodney King trial, L.A. Riots, and the first Gulf War, which were still fresh in people's minds when this was recorded. His opinions sometimes run to stock liberalism, but that's not a bad thing, as I, a recent liberal convert will attest.

But for all the quality of the material, it's hobbled severely by the presentation. This album will appeal to Hicks fans, comedy devotees, and people who like to think. It will not, however, win many new fans to Hicks himself. Start with another album and come to this one later.

Description of Arizona Bay

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