Hey all,

I just bought Dan Hicks album Last Train to Hicksville, and I enjoy it alot, but I also hear that it is far from his best album. Anyone have any thoughts or comments on where to go next or about Hicks in general?

I also enjoy Last Train to Hicksville. My personal favorite is Original Recordings (which was reissued as Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks), closely followed by Striking It Rich . Both albums feature "Canned Music" and the great "I Scare Myself" though the former record contains the awesome classic "How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away?". I recommend any of the early 70's recordings. I know there's an excellent compilation of these early years, Return to Hicksville, though it does have maybe 3 songs from Last Train on it.

I have his solo It Happened One Bite on vinyl though I don't recall much about it except it was different than his work with the Hot Licks. Beatin' the Heat from 2001 was the group's first new album since 1978 and it was good- I'd rather have heard more from the Lickettes than the special guests (Elvis Costello, Rickie Lee Jones, etc), but it's still a good comeback. There's a few live albums, both solo by Hicks and with the Hot Licks, my favorite is Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks Live on Surfdog that comes with a very nice concert on dvd.

Thanks Crazed. Gave me some good ideas where to go next.