Unknown, But Maybe Not For Long

The Future is Unknown (Capitol)

Unknown Hinson

By Kevin Gibson

At last, Unknown Hinson's first major-label album is on music store shelves. Not unexpectedly, several of tunes from the King of Country-Western Troubadours' first two releases have been recycled for this disc and they were mostly well chosen.

Hinson favorites like "Hippie Girl," "Venus Bound," "Man to Man" and "Foggy Windows" are here, as well as a surprise or two ("Pregnant Again" and "I Ain't Afraid of Your Husband" from his out-of-print first album). "The Trunk of My Cadillac Car" didn't make the cut, unfortunately, but overall most of the memorable Hinson tunes are here.

Best of all is that the six new tunes show that The King hasn't lost his songwriting creativity or his exceptional guitar chops, nor has his sense of humor dried up. "Polly Urethane," a ballad for a blow-up doll and "Your Man ..." - in which he breaks the news to a woman that her husband doesn't pay attention to her any longer because he's "a flaming arrow" - are instant classics. And "I Cleaned Out a Room (In My Trailer For You)" is a worthy addition if only for the title.

As a Hinson fan, I still think this stuff borders on psychotic brilliance. My feeling, however, is that disc jockeys won't quite know what to do with this album; it is probably too much for the average country music listener. Nevertheless, this disc will certainly strengthen Hinson's ever-growing fan base. It could very well open up some new doors as well, given the right breaks.