Rant

Ian Hunter

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 24, 2001)
• Original Release Date: April 24, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B00005B7FL
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,526 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 2001
As the mastermind behind Mott the Hoople and as a solo performer, Ian Hunter influenced bands as diverse as the Clash, Queen, Oasis, and R.E.M. An American resident since the mid-'70s, Hunter's native England weighs heavy on his mind. The elegiac Dylan-esque ballad "Death of a Nation" delivers a poignant but scathing reflection on today's Britain, but the caustic images of "Purgatory" suggest American life is also far from perfect. Hunter still combines plainspoken lyrics with theatricality, autobiographical candor ("American Spy"), and sharp historical perspectives ("Morons"). The celebratory closer "Still Love Rock & Roll" shows where his faith remains; the rewards are here for all to hear. --Gavin Martin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let the RANTS & RAVES come pouring in for Mr. Hunter!, July 20, 2001

By	28-year old wallflower "Eric N Andrews" (West Lafayette, IN) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

It took me a long time to ever hear of Mott The Hoople. I knew of songs like "All The Young Dudes", but because it sounded so much like David Bowie (a huge fan of Mott who wrote and produced it for them), I thought it was by Ziggy himself. Then I realized that Mott was one of the most underheralded bands in rock history. They were one of '70s hard rock's most original and fresh bands, yet their success with "Young Dudes" came when the band was nearing its end. When they did break up, their leader Ian Hunter went solo, having the same response as he did with Mott: more critical success than commercial. However, songs like "Once Bitten Twice Shy", "Ships," and "Cleveland Rocks" would become rock classics courtesy of versions by Great White, Barry Manilow (no lie!), and THE DREW CAREY show (by the Presidents Of The U.S.A.) respectively. Still the man behind those gems remained an unknown, and hopefully with RANT, his first American album release in several years, the now-55-year-old Hunter will get the attention he so richly deserves. Right from the opening celebration of "Still Love Rock & Roll", it's clear that Hunter is letting it be known that he's still alive and kicking after all these years. A song like that should have people wholeheartedly agreeing with him. For a golden oldie, Hunter still has plenty of rocks left in him as evidenced by "Ripoff" (a scathing criticism of his homeland of England), "Knees Of My Heart" (which displays the influence R.E.M. has had on Mr. Hunter, go ahead and scoff), "Morons" (another biting tale of the ignorance of youth), "Purgatory" (even though Ian now claims America as his home, he still finds it far from perfect), "Wash Us Away" (exactly the kind of worldly wisdom that should be coming from a rock sage like Ian Hunter) and "American Spy", which is just a good old-fashioned rock song that Mott could have done 30 years earlier. But when the ballsy rock factor isn't turned up to its highest, Hunter can slow down and be thought-provoking too. "Death Of A Nation" is a much more melancholy lament of Hunter's opinion about his old home; "Good Samaritan" is a dark rocker that Michael Stipe could have easily conjured up; "Dead Man Walking" will leave you with a heavy heart after its 6 minutes; "Soap & Water" and "No One" have Hunter sounding uncannily like John Lennon, which is no surprise, seeing as these songs could easily sound like outtakes from the IMAGINE era. The reviews for RANT have been overwhelmingly positive, and for good reason. Ian Hunter is truly one of the most intelligent and original personalities rock has ever had, and more than 30 years after he burst on the scene with Mott The Hoople, that talent hasn't flagged one iota. While you may not hear any of this music on the radio, that's actually a refreshing thought, because RANT is just simply too good to be blasted on FM radio once an hour. So while the youth of today overdose on the youth-oriented vibe that is emanating from the radio these days, those musicgoers who want a little more roughage into their musical diet will find Ian Hunter's RANT pleasing to their appetite and then some.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE ORIGINAL PUNK ROCKER STRIKES AGAIN!, June 8, 2001

By	Patrick Earley (Edmond, Oklahoma USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ian Hunter makes me feel young again! What a great comeback album by this 55 year old rocker, who proves he's still got the magic touch. This cd contains his usual formula of pub style rockers and ballads. But this time the songwriting is razor sharp and his backing band is extra hot. The album starts out with that familiar Ian Hunter piano intro that goes into "STILL LOVE ROCK AND ROLL". I like when he sings "It ain't my fault that I never grew up. I got bit by the bug. I still love rock and roll". Oh yeah! Then comes another good rocker "WASH US AWAY", where Hunter displays a voice a little worn by the years, but to my ears, even more fun to listen to. Then comes the ballad "DEATH OF A NATION". This is a great little tune, but it's also a sad one where Hunter sings about the downfall of his native England. On "MORONS", Hunter does a top rate smokin' punk rocker that reminds me a lot of the music Ian Dury and the Blockheads put out in the late 70's. If you remember the song "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll" you'll know who I'm talking about. "AMERICAN SPY" has got the trademark Hunter sound and reminds me a little of his old song "Just Another Night", which was another great rocker of it's day. Another nice ballad here is "DEAD MAN WALKING". I liked the George Harrison type guitar work by Andy York on this song. He serves as a very adequate replacement for the late Mick Ronson. My favorite song off of here is "RIPOFF". A great rocker that rivals anything that his old band Mott The Hoople has ever done. It's also got some of the most biting lyrics on the album, where Hunter sings again about his native England being a "luxury not many can afford". Evidently, Hunter isn't too happy with England. But I'm happy he put out this impressive new cd. I think it's the best he's ever done, and the best rock album I've heard this year yet. It definitly gives this old grey-haired rocker something to RANT about.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock and Roll Validated, September 29, 2001

By	George B. Sears (Cedar City, UT USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It's hard to sort through RnR. It started out as something fairly simple. Sometimes technical skills have mattered more than being 'musical'. The 'worst' Rock (to me) is over-embellished stuff. But there have been a lot of rockers with little or nothing to say.

Hunter has always had an artists personality. He takes himself rather seriously. He writes about what he feels. Some of his songs are like emotional quicksand. What's impressive is that he has been writing and performing for 30 plus years. It's the same man. If you have followed along, it's hard not to respect that.

So, yes. He grows old, and somewhat bitterly so. But he grows, as person, and as artist. What is most pleasing about this album is that his musical skills have caught up with his emotional output. The most emotionally charged songs, especially "Dead Man Walkin'", are so haunting and skillful as pieces of music that they transcend him. So, well, I feel for him, but it isn't about him, so much. Really, he's connecting, whereas before the 'pose' was one of detachment.

Some of his darker, early solo, songs are a little too obscure. His songs are much closer to the surface now. He doesn't need to balance a 'down' with an unbridled 'up'. Going from "Whiz Kid" and "Honaloochie Boogie" to "I Wish I Was Your Mother" was covering a lot of miles.

Anyone who would give an album a title like "You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic" probably has some sense that he walks something of an emotional tightrope. When he sang about hiding in the 'back room' (behind the dark glasses), you could feel a raw edge. He's probably not living on the rear deck, now, waving at the neighbors. But maybe he's spending some time in the foyer. There may be old rockers, and bold rockers, but no old bold rockers. He's a survivor. He's still writin' rock. Not a big group, at least for serious lyricists. Neil Innes (Bonzo) is still writing. There must be others?

Why should Rock be different from any other form of music? Shouldn't 'Rockers' continue to do what they do? If it's a theatrical package, like a 'Boy Band', then no. There's no reason for Rock to be that, unless you are a record company exec. Music holds up, over time. I can listen to Mott or Hunter. His songs are his songs. So many Rock musicians died young. What did we lose? If Hunter is a rare survivor, probably a lot.

The advantage of being an old rocker is that you can write music with a lot of nuances and depth. And he still has something to say.