Jimmy Buffett Album: “Hot Water”

I've never been a fan of albums. What I mean is I've never heard an album by anyone whose songs made up a cohesive collection.

I listen to albums all the way through and then end up re-playing just the ones that made an impact on me. With Jimmy Buffett's music that could mean six or eight of the ten or twelve songs really stuck with me and I would play those songs over and over. Some songs are mere filler, and even the artist will admit to that. Having said that, let me tell you there are five songs on HOT WATER that appeal to me. They are: "Bring back the magic", L'Air De La Louisiane", "Prince of tides", "Great Heart", and "That's what living is to me". These tunes, in my opinion, are wonderful! Couple these with the five songs from OFF TO SEE THE LIZARD and you got a great Jimmy Buffett album.

HOT WATER was the first sans moustache album for Buffett and that really means nothing. I only said it because I noticed it. Oh well, who cares? Open your mind, all you "Cheeseburger in Margaritaville" fans and give this album a good listen. You, too, may find six or eight songs you like very much. The only time I've ever listened to an album all the way through (excepting, of course, the initial listening) was when I was drunk and didn't feel like getting up to skip around the album.

Jimmy Buffett....good stuff indeed.

Ok, so it's not full of the usual suspects at a JB concert. I think anyone reading the reviews can gather that! So, is it worth your money? Absolutely! At my house, we like to listen to music when we sit down to dinner. This disc gets played often. And there's no reaching for the remote to skip the stinkers...there are none! I can honestly say that I enjoy this CD from beginning to end. What more could you expect from a single CD...from any artist? Definitely recommended.

Don't know for sure if anyone was thinking too hard about the situation at the time but honestly,the mid/late 80's had to be one of the most confusing times for pop musicians in terms of commercial attention. Throughout the 60's and 70's there had been a somewhat unlevel playing field in that area in terms of the black and white audience. By the next decade,despite the lip service to integration most artists black and white were having trouble crossing over unless they had a very strong visual appeal. There were a number of artists in that spectrum who were commenting in different ways on the situation. And Jimmy Buffet ended up doing one of the best concepts on that here,both lyrically and musically. Jimmy,having come up in the multi-cultural musical mix of the 70's had never shyed away from throwing in different rhythmic elements,particulary lite calypso steel drums not only to emphasize his party hearty atmosphere but also to indicate that,while not everyone is the same music from many sources can join up very well if done properly. By this time it's 1988 and.....nothing has really changed. With the advent of the digital age Jimmy Buffet relies strongly on his strenghs with a type of modernization that would prove to age very very gracefully. And with the guest list that includes Marcus Miller,Grover Washington Jr,Anthony Jackson,Steve Winwood,Steve Cropper and the Memphis Horns you know the proceedings are going to have lots of great grooves from every end of the spectrum."Homemade Music" is one of the best songs I ever heard from Buffet.An upbeat blues/funk/soul jam with some classic satirical lyrics it has that "upbeat-but-make-you-think" kind of "people" record that,while firmly rooted in the genre of the times was definately rooted somewhere strong. "Baby's Gone Shopping" and "My Barracuda" are harder blues/rock tunes that both have a crisp little bite to them. "L'Air de la Louisiane",sung in French,the jazzy waltz "Pre-You",Prince Of Tides" and the the Mark Twain sendup "That What Living Is To Me" are the softer egded tunes on the album but even though the might seem a little easy going....there's just that hint of darkness in the vocal delivery and lyrics that makes the lightness of the song stand out with stronger colors.Another great tune here is "King Of Somewhere Hot",a nice jazzy calypso themed tune with some quirky bass playing and an unusual delivery that's both eerie and breezy all that the same time. "Great Heart" and "Smart Women" are pleasant enough pop-rock style tunes that are nice enough but don't exactly match the energy and intent of what came before it. Being only familiar with a couple hits and the

CD in terms of Jimmy Buffet music it was pleasant to find that this albu,which I purchased mainly on the strengh of the session personel involved in the musical side of things that everyone involed were very clear on this concept and were able to pull it off with plenty of energy and flair.

Not your 'normal' Buffett album, but a great one nonetheless. A diversion CAN be good! Some great tunes here - from Homemade music to Prince of Tides, this album is a treat. While not my favorite Buffett cd, it still puts a smile on your face like no other artist can. A great addition to any JB collection.

love my buffett, i can listen to his music all day long, i just shuffle it around and let it go again