Hunter, Ian: Defiance Part 2: Fiction

Last year’s Defiance Part 1 totally knocked me sideways, a true rock n roll album from a genuine legend, surrounded by guest stars and released to much acclaim. Overshadowing all of that was a set of songs that simply didn’t have a weak spot among them. All of the stars played their part - without trying to steal the limelight and in truth, while you heard signature sounds and styles, often, had you not known that Ian Hunter has surrounded himself with rock royalty as regal as himself, you’d just have presumed that the one-time Mott The Hoople man had thrown together a band of troubadours and got to work. In short, it was for me the stand out album of 2023.

The danger of it being announced as the first instalment of two was that we already had all the good stuff and that what would follow would simply pale by comparison. Thankfully, nothing could be further from the truth, yes, we also still get everyone from Tom Petersson, Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen (all from Cheap Trick and on the same two songs), Morgan Fisher, the late Jeff Beck, Johnny Depp, Phil Collen, Joe Elliott (the Leps pair not on the same song), Brian May, the late Taylor Hawkins and Benmont Tench. However, just like the first album in this series, those facts are all incidental once you hear the songs and realise that they are the stars, not the musicians.

Again, Hunter is railing against, well, pretty much everything, from politicians and authorities, to modern society and culture, but his targets aren’t just the rambling of an out of touch older gentleman, instead being insightful, interesting and most importantly, honest. From the almost honky-tonk of “This Ain’t Rock And Roll� through to the lament that is “Weed�, which in style harks back to Hunter’s early days of laid back anthems, the effect is irresistible. “Everybody’s Crazy But Me� - one of those songs that feels like a look back over Hunter’s journey - is a cracking piece of rock that rolls and roll that rocks, but without ever over playing its hand, while “Precious�, with its unmistakable Brian May guitar solo, is forceful, but in the most beguiling of ways, proving the album’s most catchy moment in the process.

In truth I could have highlighted any of the songs on this album for praise (the record store day version comes with a further two bonus cuts that I haven’t heard yet) - yes that’s how strong it is - but instead just live safe in the knowledge that Ian Hunter has only gone and done it again. Hopefully he’s this defiant for many more years to come.

Track Listing
1. People
2. Fiction
3. The 3rd Rail
4. This Ain’t Rock And Roll
5. Precious
6. Weed
7. Kettle Of Fish
8. What Would I Do Without You
9. Everybody’s Crazy But Me
10. Hope

Added: April 18th 2024
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Ian Hunter online
Hits: 1597
Language: english

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