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Book Review: The Best of Thai Seafood
Ian Hunter - Rant by Mott the Dog ***** 5 Star Rating. It’s always a happy thing when one of your favorite artists returns from a lengthy absence. (Ian Hunter’s last album was the slightly patchy “Artful Dodger” in 1996.) What’s even happier is when he comes storming back with the sort of record that makes you realize why you held him in such high esteem in the first place. “Rant” is such an album. It’s a triumphant return for Hunter, full of irresistibly catchy tunes and storming pop - rock. When Mott the Hoople released their first album in 1969 (with a youthful Ian Hunter as chief song writer, singer and piano player) their songs were all about girls, love, and living on the streets. There’s no big change here except the songs are indebted to thirty odd years experience of the highs and lows of life. Opening song “Still Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” says it all really. Hunter sings about his love for his profession, backed by a rock steady dance beat, barrel house piano, and some simply superb lead guitar from Andy York (borrowed from John Couger Mellencamp’s band). This song Mott is sure will soon become the anthem for any “Tahitian Queen” Friday Happy Hour. But the quality of songs doesn’t drop off after this, every one’s a gem, and with much more of a cutting edge than recent outings, both lyrically and musically. Hunter has surrounded himself with some of his best mates, who fortunately are all extremely talented musicians. Long time cohort Tommy (Moondog) Mandel should get a special mention for his atmospheric keyboards on the wonderful “Death of a Nation”. “Morons” with its Mott the Hoople “Marrionette” era sound is an undisguised swipe at the despised management of the record industry, “Morons don’t matter at all. No education, no information. Morons are ugly and small. They lower the tone. Get rid of them all”. On the other side of the coin is Hunter’s rant to his wife of thirty years, the beautiful Trudi, “Knees Of My Heart” a realistic look backwards at what makes a good marriage work. “Ripoff” is a well deserved uncontrolled rage against the hypocrisy of the British government, and Hunter’s well stated reasons for moving to live in America. The crisp production by Andy York & Ian Hunter himself still allows the beat to take you seamlessly from one song to the next, and what with a marvelous packaging job by Hunter’s new America record label “Fuel 2000” what more could you possibly want? Ian Hunter may be in his sixties now, but his heart still pumps Rock ‘n’ Roll. These songs are going to kill live; the driving building riff of songs like “Good Samaritan” are just going to be monsters once Hunter gets them on the stage. If you only buy one rock album in 2001, make sure it’s “Rant” by “Ian Hunter”. Musicians Mickey Curry - Drums Track Listing
Movie Review: Jesus Christ Superstar By Poppy In 1973, Norman Jewison brought Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s play Jesus Christ Superstar to the screen. The play and the movie focus on the last seven days of Jesus’ life. It was filmed in with a mix of contemporary and more historically ‘appropriate’ costumes and production design. Sticking fairly close to the play with the story told through song rather than dialogue, the movie collected a mixed response.
The actors are good and manage to depict the right amount of anger, peace, sadness and betrayal. Visually it can’t compare to the original, filmed on location in Israel, as the new one is a filmed play and never leaves the stage. Carter (playing Jesus) is tall and classically distinctive looking and has a great singing voice. Jerome Pradon does a great job of representing Judas Iscariot; he manages to let you into his soul and feel his pain. The movie is mostly singing (although I have to say good singing) without much dialogue. Personally, I have to say ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ will always be the 1973 version. Directed by Gale Edwards and Nick Morris Cast: Glenn Carter (III) ... Jesus of Nazareth
Updated every Friday Updated by
Chinnaporn Sungwanlek, assisted by Boonsiri Suansuk. |
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Published by Sangdad Books in Bangkok in 1998, this was the third reprint last year. It begins with an explanation of the different types of prawns and
lobsters - did you know there are white prawns, tiger prawns and spiny-clawed prawns for example - and then a section on how to prepare them. Within the first two pages I had
tripled my knowledge of the humble prawn.
Mott’s CD review:
Twenty-seven years later, stage directors Gale Edwards and Nick Morris filmed the musical again, but this is a very different version from the 1973 Jewison
film. The memorable songs are all here - ranging from “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” and “Gethsamane” to “Superstar”.