1. "Still Love Rock 'n' Roll" - 4:34
2. "Wash Us Away" - 3:57
3. "Death of a Nation" - 5:35
4. "Morons" - 5:32
5. "Purgatory" - 4:46
6. "American Spy" - 4:30
7. "Dead Man Walkin' (Eastenders)" - 6:20
8. "Good Samaritan" - 4:07
9. "Soap & Water" - 5:18
10. "Ripoff" - 4:50
11. "Knees of My Heart" - 3:35
12. "No One" - 3:37
Ian Hunter is best remembered in time for his days fronting Mott The Hoople some nearly 40 years ago but he was making music before Mott and has continued to do so afterwords. While his solo work is best known for being covered by Great White and for being played as Drew Carey danced around the streets of Cleveland for over half a decade, much of Ian's less known work has been critically beloved, especially in the last decade.
Upon it's release in 2001, "Rant" was completely unnoticed commercially but was held high by any critic who reviewed it, many of which were bold enough to say that it belonged with or even trumped his work with Mott The Hoople. Because of this acclaim Ian would even win Classic Rock Magazine's "Songwriter of the Year" award in 2005, four years after the release of "Rant", his most recent album at the time.
With "Rant" Ian set out onto a few seas he'd never sailed before. First of all this was his first album in four years and more importantly his first album to start on since the death of his longtime partner Mick Ronson who had work with Ian on most of his solo records. This was also the first album he released where he had wrote all of the music himself and (aside from "Words (Big Mouth)" from the following album "Shrunken Heads") all albums since as well.
The album was named "Rant" because that is exactly what Ian does on it, he rants. He talks about politics, his life, music, the world, and so many other things that are all executed with such tact and raw feeling that Ian Hunter could and should be placed among the likes of Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and anyone else who could be considered the greatest lyricists of all time.
Musically "Rant" is a unique blend of various forms of classic 60's and 70's rock and roll, more modern styles of music, as well as pieces of pre-rock genres all played with a menagerie of different instruments incorporated into each and every song. Aside from the staples of guitar, bass, drums, and piano other instruments include the groovebox, organ, harp, mandolin, harmonica, bongos, steel lap guitar, zither, a full string section, and more all layered beneath Ian voice. Now while his voice isn't pretty and is something of an acquired taste anyone who listens can hear and absolutely feel the emotion that Ian puts into his singing and it rips my heart out each and every time like no one else could ever do.
All I can really say is that "Rant" is an absolutely fantastic album. Not only do I feel it is one of the best albums of the last decade but I think it could very well be the most overlooked albums in recent memory. Actually, I don't even know if it could be called "overlooked". So very few people even know of it's existence so how could they overlook it? Either way though I simply cannot speak well enough of this album. I highly recommend "Rant" and if you do actually listen to it and it doesn't hit you right away (it seems like Ian always wants to challenge listeners) I pinkie promise you that if you really soak it in over a few days then it will hit you like a freight train right to your chest.
Unfortunately since this album is so unknown these are the only two songs on Youtube but I think they will serve as an adequate sample, especially since "Dead Man Walkin' (Eastenders)" is my favorite song on the album.
I've never really listened much to Ian Hunter, but a few of his tunes have been popping up lately on some of my Pandora stations, and I must say I've really been digging them. I plan on picking up one of his cds soon...sounds like RANT might be a good one to start with.
Great review as always Cosmic!! Rant is a great album, I also thought Shrunken Heads from a couple of years ago was a good album. I'd like to hear the album he did with Mick Ronson in the late 80's again because I had bought it on cassette when it first came out & at the time I didn't care for it. I guess I was expecting it to revisit their old days together so I was disappointed in it. I lost the tape over the years but no doubt I'd probably listen to it now & think it was fantastic
Yes Cosmic, That's the one! As I said, I'd like to hear it again because at the time I was disappointed in it & probably only listened to it twice. At the time when it was released I was heavy into all of the metal & hair bands of the 80's & at that time I was also really into all of the NY Punk bands that happened a decade earlier in the 70's so it's possible I was overwhelmed with the other stuff that was happening & my ears weren't on right for that album
Ah, well it's actually a pretty decent album. It's not my favorite by Ian at all but there are some very solid songs on it like "Cool", "The Loner", and probably my favorite from the album "American Music".
Rant is definitely one of Hunter's best albums in many, many years. It's a stunning effort in songwriting prowess and tasteful arrangements. My favorite song off of here is "Wash Us Away".
"Wash Us Away" is one of my favorite song off of it too, guitar dude. I think it was actually the first song I'd heard from this album before I'd bought it.
Ian Hunter - Rant (2001) 
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