Bill Hicks – Salvation

Salvation is proof again stand-up comic Bill Hicks is the 2Pac of the comedy world. He has released almost as many stand-up comedy CDs since his death than he did when he was alive.

Even weirder is that Hicks is funnier dead than when he was alive. Salvation is a newer and longer version of Shock And Awe and Live At The Oxford Playhouse 11.11. 1992.

Salvation shows Bill Hicks in fine form taking on his usual hobbyhorses including the Kennedy assassination and religion. What makes this stand-up comedy CD superior to what Hicks released when he was alive is the sound.

Hicks believed a CD should sound exactly like a live performance and so should include the many moments when the volume is too loud or too low. This stand-up comic also thought adding musical segues was an interesting idea and he was dead wrong about that. Fans of Bill Hicks will probably recognize some of the Salvation, Oxford, November 11, 1992 material on his Arizona Bay CD in a slightly different form.

The reason many comedy fans and stand-up comics swear by Bill Hicks was his ability to go out there without a precise set list. Yes, there were bits that were planned but more often than not Hicks would do stream of consciousness and often scream of consciousness comedy where whatever popped into his head segued to whatever else he had planned or something else that popped into his head. Salvation features many such moments, especially on the last track of CD 2.

It is absolutely impossible to pick a favorite track on this 2 funny CD set from Rykodisc. It’s really a mood thing much like when listening to jazz.

Salvation is an absolutely solid comedy CD even if the sound level does tend to fluctuate a bit. Hardcore fans of Bill Hicks will get this CD and compare variances. If you want to introduce someone to this stand-up comic, Salvation is your salvation.

 

Bill Hicks Salvation
Oxford, November 11, 1992
2 Cds
Rykodisc 2005
Distributed by EMI Canada
114 minutes

Track list:

CD 1

Ding Dong

Puppet People

Kennedy & The Warren Commission

Smoking

Polls

Dick Jokes

News / Movies / Religion

CD 2

Religion / Drugs

Film

Kids

Fries

Backed Up

Sleep & The Message

 

Related Posts