Mott The Hoople and Ian Hunter

Ian Hunter and The Rant Band CD: "Fingers Crossed"

Sleeve and track listing

Proper Records PRPCD137(5 stars!)

  1. That's When The Trouble Starts
  2. Dandy
  3. Ghosts
  4. Fingers Crossed
  5. White House
  6. Bow Street Runners
  7. Morpheus
  8. Stranded In Reality
  9. You Can't Live In The Past
  10. Long Time
  11. Seein' Red1, 2
  12. Have A Nice Day2

1 'Incentive' download-only track available to initial purchasers

2 Bonus track on the Japanese CD

Review

Ian's 2016 album Fingers Crossed shows that he's as sharp an observer and incisive commentator as ever. The run of form that started with 2001's Rant shows no sign of abating, with this album being up there with his very best.

Ian hasn't been this good since the 70's, with killer album after killer album. No, I'm not an "I praise everything" type of reviewer - this is the honest truth. At 77 years of age (oh, yes!) Ian shows no sign of slowing down.

Dandy is the standout track, his homage to David Bowie who passed away back in January 2016. See how many Bowie tracks he manages to weave into the lyrics! Clever, very clever.

Mid-tempo rockers such as White House, Bow Street Runners and Stranded In Reality sit alongside slower, more thoughtful songs such as Morpheus and the title track Fingers Crossed.

Ian has always had his feet planted firmly in reality, as on You Can't Live In The Past he notes "You can never go back, those days are gone". On the closing track, the rockabilly Long Time he offers advice to younger wannabes "Be careful what you wish for" as he notes "Take a chance on destiny, you'll never know what you find".

Sheers class. And as essential as ever.