Customer Reviews

Barometer Soup

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Picking up a new Jimmy Buffett album is like going to a favorite restaurant or hitting a nice vacation spot. Though the quality may vary, you're pretty sure what to expect. And when you find a good one it's something you remember and return to for a while. This time Jimmy and friends also decided to turn to some of their favorite authors for inspiration; in among the usual sun-and-surf lines there are shades of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mark Twain and Carl Hiaasen among others.

Musically Barometer Soup won't be a huge surprise to.. well, anyone. You've heard this stuff before. Steel drums, tropical melodies, motifs that conjure pictures of beaches, boats and fruity drinks with those annoyingly cute little umbrellas in them. Read any of the other Buffett reviews on the site and you'll see all the same things. So then, no big changes.. and of course there are some silly moments. The seven-deadly-sins bridge in "Bank of Bad Habits." The chorus of "Don-Chu Know." "Jimmy Dreams" can't help seeming a little self-indulgent, but it can be charming in its own way. Ah, but there are some great highlights as well: the wistful "Barefoot Children," the singalong title track, and especially the kicking cover of "Mexico" (check the reworked intro, which is simply marvelous). It's these moments that raise this album a little above the level of, say, Fruitcakes. For a consistently strong album you can try one of the live releases (if you don't mind still more versons of "Volcano" and "Margaritaville.") Among Jimmy's 'regular' albums, close to 40 strong by now, there are a few that stand out from the others: Changes in Latitudes, One Particular Harbour.. and make sure not to miss Barometer Soup.

I'll add my voice to the chorus of praise here for this album -- "Barometer Soup" is the best of modern Buffett, hands down.

But the reason why, in my opinion, hasn't been stated yet: This time around, Jimmy is writing and recording songs inspired by the works of artists inspired by Key West. We get a bit of Mark Twain, a bit of Ernest Hemingway, a bit of Carl Hiassen, and a sprinkling of others. "Barometer Soup" marks a return to Jimmy's storytelling songs, which have dwindled in recent years. His cover of "Mexico" may be what got (some) radio airplay, but it's songs like "Remittance Man" and "Ballad of Skip Wiley" that will stick with you.

("Ballad of Skip Wiley," incidentally, got me to check out the books of Carl Hiassen, whom I learned about from the liner notes. No Buffett fan should pass up checking out Hiassen's work, which is sharp, funny and very in tune with Parrothead thinking. Great stuff.)

The songs, while almost all stories, range in tone from wistful and romantic to high-spirited fun. You'll find yourself singing along with the album and, as I did, cracking a book or two to see what inspired the men who inspired the man who inspired the Parrotheads.

"Barometer Soup" is one of Jimmy's best.

In the harbor of Avalon, in the early evening, you can hear the faint music of Jimmy Buffett floating through and around the boats. In most cases, the music tends to come from this CD. Barometer Soup, Lage Nom Ai, Don't Chu-Know, and Mexico are popular dancing tunes here. Thank you Jimmy, for so adequately portraying the island life in your music.

I have long ago given up wondering why I like Jimmy Buffett's music so much..I just do.It was Changes in Attitudes Changes In Latitudes that hooked me,and I have sailed with Jimmy ever since.This would possibly be one of the handful of CDs he has released that I would recommend that you start your journey with.It is a combination of the pre and post Parrot Head mania with a relaxed and mature combination of that trademark storytelling and that confidence that comes with experience and that Peter Pan rebellious nature that critics and the music industry can't and will never fathom and the fans and the devotees love.It has a warm and friendly feel,inviting and always humourous.From the opening strains of *Barometer Soup* the music is immediately accessible and familiar.I personally consider *Remittance Man* as one of Jimmy's greatest,but that may be a futile suggestion as everybody has their own.It has that haunting flavour of loss and longing and the harmonica of Greg *Fingers* Taylor is exquiste.It made me go out and read *Following The Equator* by Mark Twain..it is the magic of Jimmy that any fan will attest to,he has you living life to the fullest with every CD and thinking the *Weather is Here I wish you Were Beautiful*.

It is hard to review to the uninitiated because the state of mind that Jimmy creates makes a normal review impossible.You have to feel for this music.If you are 60 you will love it for certain reasons,if you are 15 you will love it for completely different reasons..if you love lyric melody imagery and fun this is the artist for you.

I recommend that you have a Corona by your side,and adventure in your heart when listening to this one.I recommend Blue heaven Rendezvous,for all of us *experienced with lifers* and then you enjoy the sheer joy of Lage Nom Ai and Dont Chu-Know and Mexico,and unashamedly tap your feet.

The appeal of Jimmy has flowed from me to my children,who count *The Night I Painted The Sky* as one of their favourites,and so do I for that matter.What is a great song?Who is a great artist?..the questions of life..I will have no hesitation in recommending this CD to the uninitiated as a must have to start your Jimmy Buffett journey,...read the cover notes,expand your appreciation of life and then head back down A1A and collect some of the gems that were produced by Jimmy over the last 30 years or so......enjoy and Find your own One Particular Harbour. As if it really matters...5 stars and lick sip suck...cheers.

Picked up this CD just recently. I actually prefer it to both his box set and his greatest hits album. The whole album just feels like it flows better than his earlier works (and I love his older stuff too!). If you're just starting your Buffett collection, start here. You won't regret it.

This is definitely the best single album by Jimmy! Barometer Soup, the title cut has one of the finest steel drum band instrumentals interlacing Jimmy's fine vocal that I have ever heard! I wish Jimmy would do more tunes like this one and set the Coral Reefers (his band for those who are not parrot heads) free to play those steel drums and carribean sounds. This song is his greatest! Follow that up with the lovely Barefoot Children In the Sand, and the album is already fantastic. The rest is just pure Gravy. Crank Up the start of Barometer Soup and people will ask you who that is! It is that good! The only albums that come close to this one is Changes in Attitudes, Changes In Lattitudes, One Particular Harbor and Fruitcakes! Jimmy is great, but I love his carribean ballads pumped full of steel drum and carefree music that rockets you to Paradise. I swear you will almost feel the sun on your back, the smell of soft salt air breezes, and sand in your toes. You'll be mentally sippng your Pina Coloda under a palm tree near crystal clear blue waters before you know it!

This album is fantastic! If you are looking for a first album by JB buy this one. You will Not be disappointed. I adore this album. There is not one song I skip over like I do some of his other albums. Buy it!

Never having heard a Jimmy Buffett CD before, I was trueley smitten! His music is so easy to listen to, it gets inside your soul! I could never tire of listening to his CD's. Went out immediately and bought Feeding Frenzy, and Beach House on the Moon. Thanks Jimmy for many hours of pleasant listening!

Like many young Buffet fans, I was weaned on "Songs You Know By Heart" and his older material. Unfortunately, Buffet hasn't had as much success with his newer albums. Many of the songs are largely forgettable, and just don't have that same relaxed feeling of his past hits. There maybe one or two good songs, a decent cover, and the rest just don't cut it. "Barometer Soup" however, brings back that familiar Buffet sound with several great songs.

Some noteworthy songs:

Barometer Soup
Barefoot Children
Bank of Bad Habits
Diamond as Big as the Ritz
Lage Nom Ai
Mexico

"Lage Noma Ai" really stands out on the album as a fast tempo song with a familiar island theme, as many of the songs are. This album contains a heavy use of bongo drums and keys. The James Taylor cover, "Mexico" is one of the best covers I've heard Buffet do, and works prticularly well since he has the same first name as James Taylor.

As I mentioned, the best thing about this album in comparison with others, is that it has so many great songs on it rather than just a couple. Hopefully, Buffett will come back to this formula on his other discs.

Barometer Soup is the best album Jimmy Buffett has released since 1980's Coconut Telegraph and worthy of being ranked up near top of all his albums. Inspired by the writers, artists, musicians and the melting pot culture of his adopted home, Key West, Mr. Buffett has fashioned an exquisite album. Much like the cover art, you can picture Mr. Buffett lounging on a hammock with his acoustic guitar, drinking cool drinks and spinning yarns. This marks a return to the storytelling music he made in his salad days of the 1970's. The title track , "Jimmy Dreams", "Bank Of Bad Habits", "Ballad Of Skip Wiley" & "Barefoot Children" are all sharply writing and sung in the conversational style that Mr. Buffett is most comfortable in. Barometer Soup justifiably debuted in at number six on the Top 200 and is an excellent effort.