Ian Hunter
The Artful Dodger

Too Much (Ian Hunter)
Now is the Time (Ian Hunter)
Something to Believe in (Ian Hunter)
Resurrection Mary (Ian Hunter)
Walk on Water (Ian Hunter & F McNasty)
23A, Swan Hill (Ian Hunter)
Michael Picasso (Ian Hunter)
Open my Eyes (Ian Hunter & Darrell Bath)
The Artful Dodger (Ian Hunter)
Skeletons (in your closet) (Ian Hunter, Darrel Bath & Honest John Plain)
Still the Same (Ian Hunter)

"I would like to thank the musicians for more than playing, to the Maddog for lending me a guitar to write the tunes on and my wife Trudi for putting up with the usual." IHP
Ian Hunter Darrel Bath Kjetil Bjerkestrand Torstein Flanke Robbie Alter/Frode Alnes Per Lindvall/Dennis Elliot Sven Lindvall/Pat Kilbride Mariann Lisland Per Oistein Sorensen Honest John Plain The Vertavo String Quartet	Lead Vocal/Acc Gtr/Harp Gtr/Acc Gtr/Vocals Keyboards Gtr/Vocals Gtr Drums Bass Vocal Vocals Vocals
Proceeds for Michael Picasso to Mick Ronson Memorial Fund, Shenley Hall, Rectory Lane, Herts. WD7 9AN England.
Recorded and mixed at Nidaros Studios, Trondheim, Norway Produced by Bjorn Nessjo Technician Rune Nordal Additional recording at The Time Machine, Vermont Ass. Engineer Steve Moseley Distributed & marketed by Total Record Co. via BMG (UK) Ltd. All songs published by Jesse John Music Photographs by Lyn Goldsmith Artwork by Barby Allen

Half Moon Bay says... Reports we had received tended to er on the cautious: telling us that there were one or two gems and one or two dodgy tracks, but that it was good to have the old dog back. I must admit to being a bit aprehensive about this record as it has been a long time coming and just maybe the best was now behind us.

My first listen was over the in-store system at the Virgin Megastore launch of the UK release, and although my feet were tapping in all the right places, it didn't dispell my aprehension. But then I played at home, in close quarters and, frankly, I haven't stopped playing it.

The first two tracks are diamonds. The shine brightly and tempt you to look closer at the rest of the album. Maybe they soften you up because, with each listen, the list of gems increases. I find myself singing "...23a, Swan Hill", followed by the harp refrain to bemused passers-by.

Ians 'ode' to Ronno "Michael Picasso" took a bit of listening to, but I can honestly say that the first eight tracks are up there with some of his best.

I remember thinking that the five year exile that Lennon forced upon himself resulted in a great comeback in the shape of "Double Fantasy". The same can be said here.

I am still having a bit of trouble with the title track, but then I guess I wasn't too enamoured with "Crash Street Kids"... Interestingly, for all its English laddishness, "Skeletons (in your closet)" are not in your cupboard!.

"Still the Same" closes in a style in keeping with most of the album.

Maybe I have played it too much, but I think that all Hunter fans will like this one. Well written, well played and well produced. Its not a throw back to the old days, but it isn't packed with chart seekng gimmicks, either. Just a good blues tinged rock record.

Review Date: 25th April 1997