Search - Ian Hunter :: You're Never Alone With a Schizophrenic

The magic is still there

Geoff Whitehouse | Wellington, New Zealand | 11/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having owned the vinyl in 1979, I approached this purchase with some trepidation - sometimes distant memories are best left that way.

However, I needn't have worried. this album is as good as it ever was. 25+ years has not diminished the quality of this recording.



Great vocals by Ian Hunter backed by the stunning guitar of Mick Ronson make for memorable listening. "Bastard" was, and still is my favourite, followed closely by "Life after Death".



If you are a fan, this remains a "must have".



"

And I thought it was just me....

R. Goss | Seoul Korea (South) | 12/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first stumbled on to this "album" way, way back in 1979, when I heard a local music store guy whose taste I really respected cranking it out. I knew Mott the Hoople a bit, but I was still pretty young at the time and could hardly call myself an expert.



Anyway, I loved what I heard and immediately bought it....and wow! It blew me away! It blew my friends away! It even appealed to men and women equally, which was quite rare for a lot of the rock that was out those days. I can remember clearly putting it on at parties and having everyone turn around and say, "Wow, who is that?"



Like so much of the music from that time, this one got away from me for awhile. I did manage to stumble across a reissued CD version about 14 years ago--thank you, Razor & Tie--and it was a real find. My album had long disappeared, and it wasn't just popular enough for me to think that I'd ever manage to get a CD version. But they did issue one, and the moment I saw it, there was no question as to whether or not I was buying it. And taking it home again that day in 1992, reliving that whole love affair once more, was a real joy.



Not long ago, I pulled out that same CD. Like other reviewers here, I wondered as well if it would stand the test of time.



It did, and more. The first two tracks, "Just Another Night" and "Wild East," kicks as hard as they ever have, with that classic Hunter piano swagger and the late Mick Ronson's tasty guitar fills rounding the first track out wonderfully. "Cleveland Rocks" still rocks, and "Standing In My Light"--my personal fave on this album--is as hauntingly beautiful as ever.



This is an exceptional CD, truly. To me, "Ships" is the only mediocre track, and even that one ain't half bad. Everything else is pure dynamite.



It's nice to see some things can stand the test of time. It's also nice to know there are others out there who appreciate this as much as I do. I hope in another 25 years or so, we will all still have the same enthusiasm for it. (I'm betting we will!!)"