If there’s one aging but vital rock and roll songwriter/musician who doesn’t need a list of famous names to sell an album, it’s Ian Hunter. But, according to the man himself, the roster of high-profile names contributing to Defiance Part I fell together somewhat informally rather than being assembled by design, so it both looks and sounds less contrived than the usual list of stars used for marketing purposes
There’s no question this first of two such albums is lacking the camaraderie supplied by the accompaniment of The Rant Band that distinguished Hunter’s last album, 2016’s Fingers Crossed. To be fair, it’s difficult to create an atmosphere of intimacy when so many musicians aren’t physically present but rather sending their recorded parts (as indicated by the credits in the brightly-colored eight-page booklet).
Nevertheless, in one way or another across the ten tracks (on Sun Records, no less), Hunter lifts himself above the merely prosaic in the company of his (mostly) well-known guests. Consequently, the presence of the various contributors neither distracts nor detracts from Ian Hunter’s own indomitable spirit. On this title song, for instance, while it’s impossible to ignore the crash of Slash’s guitar that opens the track, his playing recalls the lead and rhythm work of Ariel Bender a/k/a Luther Grosvenor in the post-Mick Ralphs period of Mott The Hoople, so it provides continuity with Hunter’s past work.
As is also the case with the thinly-camouflaged snarl of the frontman’s as he spits out lines like ‘I’m still flyin’ by the seat of my pants.’ He’s more restrained in his delivery of “Bed of Roses,” but then he’s accompanied by Ringo Starr on drums and Mike Campbell on guitar; both men’s playing accentuates the purposeful verse/chorus/verse structure of the song, and while the reserved nature of the musicianship is as clear as Ian’s debt to Dylan for his singing style, that hardly undermines the literacy of his narrative.
The late great Jeff Beck does threaten to steal the show on “No Hard Feelings,” but the melancholy in Ian Hunter’s singing is a complement to the guitar tones. The fairly prosaic changes of “Pavlov’s Dog” retain attention too, because the progression recalls vintage Hoople. Yet that very familiarity enlivens the author’s performance. The same is true of “Don’t Tread On Me,” but to a slightly lesser extent.
The use of the cliche in that title and an overly-busy arrangement including percussion and background singers hearkens to 1976’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink production of All American Alien Boy. It’s difficult to know exactly how much Todd Rundgren’s presence contributes to those shortcomings, but it is fair to conjecture that the reappearance(s) of the late Tom Petty’s long-time collaborator Campbell figures into the incisive recording and performance of “Guernica.”
The low-key tenor of the early segments only enhances the drama of the solo leading to the bridge. Likewise the pounding of the piano (by Ian himself) on “I Hate Hate:” This tune might not work on any level if it weren’t for that insistent, percussive backbone, but in addition there’s the ever-so-sly vocal phrasing of Hunter’s, fully conveying he knows all too well how disingenuous the sentiment sounds when expressed out loud.
Fortunately, the cut doesn’t go on inordinately long, as is likewise true with most tracks here. In contrast is “Angel,” the first of three consecutive selections featuring late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins; this is six minutes-plus of the elegiac songcraft Ian Hunter mastered some half-century ago and, as such, is arguably his most true-to-life voice.
It is to his great credit, however, that he sounds no more world-weary than his comparably long-in-the-tooth accompanists. Slash’s G&R bandmate Duff McKagan on bass and Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford on slide guitar, plus Waddy Wachtel on acoustic and electric guitars, are kindred spirits fully in sync with each other and the leader for the duration of the number. As is ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons playing both rhythm and lead during “Kiss n’ Make Up.”
Notwithstanding those intervals or the staunch support of long-time comrades of Ian’s, multi-instrumentalist Andy York (who co-produced), and guitarist James Mastro (of the Bongos), there’s little sense of genuine band unity on Defiance Part 1. But ultimately that’s no serious liability because as the focal point of the project, Ian Hunter evinces a stubborn independence that overrides this album’s slight blemishes.
Accordingly, there’s no better way to close the album than with “This Is What I’m Here For.” The once and future leader of Mott embodies the attitude behind the album title in this performance and, in flaunting his long-term devotion to rock and roll, he not only dares us to dispute its validity but also challenges any doubts about its enduring veracity.
One Response
Typical idiot rock critic review. Don’t Tread On Me is a masterpiece. “Overly Busy” in this case means “I’m not a good listener”. The pompous language throughout is further proof this review was written by an idiot blowhard.