James Hunter Six – Off The Fence
Easy Eye Sound
12 songs – 40 minutes
Every James Hunter release is a cause for celebration, and Off The Fence, his first on Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound label, is no exception. The quality of British singer/songwriter/guitarist Hunter’s releases over the last 40 years (Off The Fence is his eleventh studio album) has been consistently high and Off The Fence continues to mine the apparently limitless vein of blue-eyed soul-blues that has fuelled his previous releases.
The 12 self-penned tracks on Off The Fence all reflect Hunter’s love of language and dry sense of humour, as well as his knack for penning memorable melodies, kicking off with “Two Birds One Stone”, a jaunty lament about how “with just word one, I broke her heart, as well as my own.” Hunter’s voice remains a thing of rare beauty, conveying warmth, wit and the deepest of emotions. There is a raw intimacy in his phrasing that is quite magnetic.
Hunter’s band, comprising Myles Weeks on double bass, Rudy Albin Petschauer on drums, Andrew Kingslow on keyboards and percussion, Michael Buckley on baritone saxophone and Drew Vanderwinckel on tenor saxophone provide top drawer support to their leader, adding a jazz sensibility to the title track, an irresistible push to “Gun Shy” and a toe-tapping swing to the blues shuffle of “Ain’t That A Trip.” The latter track also features a guest appearance from Van Morrison, one of Hunter’s earliest supporters and collaborators, as well as one of Hunter’s ace guitar solos. Subtle highlights abound, from Kingslow’s descending piano rolls on “Trouble Comes Calling” (a tip of the hat also for his beautiful playing on “Particular”), to the horn jabs on tracks like “Believe It When I See It” to Vanderwinckel’s nailed-on solo on the title track.
Hunter himself is a hugely under-rated guitar player – his playing on “Here And Now” perfectly reflects delicate fragility of his vocal delivery (and kudos to Petschauer for his slightly bonkers tom tom contributions, which really add to the track).
Off The Fence was produced by Bosco Mann and recorded at Penrose Recorders at Daptone West, Riverside CA, with engineering by Anthony Masino, mixing by Dan Auerbach, M. Allen Parker and Jonny Ullman and mastering by Ryan Smith.
Standing boldly with one foot in the modern world and the other firmly planted in the soul and r’n’b of the 1960s, every James Hunter album is worth checking out. If you’re already a fan, Off The Fence is an essential purchase. If you have had the pleasure of hearing him previously, this album is a fine place to start.
