George Carlin: Back In Town

Everyone on the planet is getting a major-label comedy album these days, from TV's Ellen DeGeneres to a whole bunch of untalented people you've never heard of. So with that in mind, it's nice to see the venerable George Carlin continuing to bang 'em out, firing off more profanity-laced rants covering topics ranging from abortion and capital punishment to farting. And Carlin fans should be warned of two things: One, Back In Town is just a CD recording of a show that saw wide release on HBO. And two, while his socio-political stuff is pretty damn funny, a cumbersome barrage of fart jokes won't appeal to many people over 13. But "Free-Floating Hostility"—with its 25 swift and brutal attacks on phenomena ranging from Mickey Mouse to cologne to backwards baseball caps—is fast-paced, dark and hard-hitting. But those with HBO and VCRs probably don't need it.