The Hunter

Jennifer Warnes

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 9, 1992)
• Original Release Date: June 9, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Private Music
• ASIN: B0000000KI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #44,535 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
'The Hunter' was released 5 years after her breakthru with 'Famous Blue Raincoat', which finally landed her a berth on the Private Music artist roster. It is a varied affair with several songs given by Todd Rundgren, Donald Fagen and mentor Leonard Cohen (who puts in another guest appearance) as well as self penned material. It's the voice that matters, and hers is crystalline. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Understated and Curiously Improvisational, April 20, 2000

By	dev1 (Baltimore) - See all my reviews

For almost three decades, Jennifer Warnes has been one of the most reputable composers and singers in popular music. The Hunter shows that she is just as successful with light jazz and R&B as with other musical genres. The album includes gently swaying melodic songs with hushed vocal harmonies (Rock You Gently), touches of jazz saxophone and funk guitar (Somewhere Somebody, Big Noise New York), and light-heartened melodies with playful staccato strings (The Hunter). The bass (I believe stand-up) playing is understated and curiously improvisational (Big Noise New York, True Emotion, The Hunter). Michael Landau, studio extraordinary for almost 20 years (assisting the likes of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, B.B. King, Rod Stewart and Pink Floyd) provides the savory guitar refrains.

Jennifer's voice is a fitting instrument for clarity of delivery - every phrase is clearly audible. She's also capable of pleading words to ecstasy (Pretending To Care). Hidden among nine mid-tempo tunes is a glorious and powerful surprise which raises the roof: `The Whole Of The Moon'. The driving drums, majestic choir, exalted trumpeting and Jennifer's zealous voice push this soaring tune high above all the others.

Technical note: the DDD recording uncovers each gentle touch of triangle (Somewhere, Somebody), hi-hat (True Emotion) and rattle (Way Down Deep).

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classy, classy outing, June 30, 2001

By	Sabrina "soyarra" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

Although I find this to be the premiere showcase for a supremely underrated singer-songwriter, three tracks elevate it to near-greatness. They are the Donald Fagen penned "Big Noise, New York," which sounds for all the world like a Steely Dan song sung by a female (with Fagen on backup vocals); the oft-mentioned heartfelt cover of Todd Rundgren's ultimate breakup song "Pretending To Care;" and my personal favorite, "The Hunter," which, with its string quartet accompaniment, pristine vocal and oddly playful lyrics combine to make one of the most perfect songs I've ever heard. Warnes has been unjustly maligned and relegated to "movie title song singer" status, but this album proves that she is (and always has been) an artist worthy of standing alongside greats like Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell. A wonderful, wonderful CD.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank You, Jennifer! Simply beautiful!, October 20, 1999

By	RB (Utah USA) - See all my reviews

I have waited a long time to write my "review" for "The Hunter." As a long time devoted fan of Jennifer Warnes, I wanted to do the album justice. My heart skipped several beats when I first heard that she was releasing a new album in 1992. It was a long wait after her critically acclaimed album, "Famous Blue Raincoat" in 1986 (re-released on the Private label in 1991.) I was not disappointed in the least, only that the album lasted 46 minutes. I found the album to be a wonderful collection of songs and music with that beautiful voice of hers. I could listen to Jennifer sing all day long. There is something hauntingly painful and all knowing in her voice and yet there is strength and beauty there also. Her arrangements and vocals are so beautiful and her song writing is pure and mature. I love every song on the album yet her song "I Can't Hide" does it for me. If you have ever loved and lost or if you have had any kind of pain in your life, close your eyes and listen to Jennifer sing this song. It is her song to herself. It is so powerful and so moving that it often brings tears to my eyes. At other times it fills my heart with a calm sense that everything will be ok. Thank you Jennifer. And to the critic Phil, get a life! The song "The Hunter" is not a tribute to the sport of killing animals but a fun metaphoric twist on the act of finding someone falling in love with them. Geez, must everything be intrinsically serious?