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What you expect and what you get are often two different things. One might be tempted to look at Ian Hunter’s latest solo release called “Man Overboard” as a comeback, but the truth is, he never left. Even at 70 years old, Hunter still delivers his snarling wit with a smirk and still refuses to play it safe.
Just like 2007’s critically acclaimed “Shrunken Heads,” much of “Man Overboard” bears just a passing resemblance to his rollicking days with Mott the Hoople. Hunter has settled in to become more of a storyteller than a barroom rocker. It’s a long way from “All The Young Dudes,” but without a doubt, it works.
Hunter’s 13th solo CD can’t simply be written off as an old man’s grasp at a twilight career. One listen to “Up and Running” proves that Hunter still has all the piss and vinegar of artists 40 years his junior, and apparently, nostalgia just isn’t in his vocabulary. The basis for Hunter’s new music is rooted in the acoustic guitar, as evidenced with tracks like “Win It All” and “Babylon Blues.” Even the closing “River of Tears” could easily pass for a John Mellencamp outtake if it weren’t for Hunter’s sandblasted vocals.
“Girl From The Office” and “The Great Escape” are given the cinematic treatment with vivid descriptions delivered by Hunter’s raspy vocals. Both songs are written through a much younger man’s eyes, but the artist’s cantankerous manner is still front and center At this point, a certain wisdom comes from age, and by stepping away from the usual cynical tone, several of the CD’s 11 tracks are taken down a completely different path. “Arms and Legs” is nothing but a simple love song, but it obviously benefits from the artist’s maturity.
Mott the Hoople may be reuniting in October for a series of U.K. gigs, but Hunter could stand on the quality of work like “Man Overboard” alone. With his perpetually curly locks and ever-present shades, Ian Hunter is the real deal, and he sums it up with just one line from “Babylon Blues”: “Don’t try pulling me down to your level / There ain’t nothin’ worse than a phony-ass rebel.”
Rating: W W W W 1/2