If you have ever gone to a beach in your life you have heard Jimmy Buffett. If it's his laid-back "Margaritaville or Cheeseburger In Paradise" or his boat confessions in "Come Monday", Jimmy Buffett has become quite a southern legend.
A legend that has repeated his ideas. On first listen Buffett has become practically a genius his catchy lines in every chorus, his band "The Corral Reefers" perfectely going with the beach music he sings. But your never going to hear Jimmy do anything outside this style and for a long term listen it just doesn't work. And that's what's the matter with this CD because after a while it's ideas get repeated.
The Good [The First Half Of The CD Track By Track ]:
Cheeseburger In Paradise is a sheer classic. It's sing along style makes it a fun sing-along about Buffett craving a burger while stuck on a boat. The chorus is memorable as Buffett gives us some rhythms having to do with Burgers sang to a higher beat as the supporting lines with the "Coral Reefers", doing a great job of playing the instruments.
"He Went To Paris", is a story about well going to Paris, it's a soft laid-back song with some keyboard and bells in the background adding to how beautiful the song is. The song is not as good as "Come Monday", but it still worth a listen.
"Fins", is a live favorite by Buffett as he always put on a great show. The fans cooperate with there putting there hands as fins to go along with the music, but the song itself is pretty good. It sounds like just about everything you've heard from Buffett except a little bit more catchy, aggressive, and fun. Overall it's a pretty good song.
"Son Of A Son Of A Sailor", has the inspiration and emotion of "Come Monday", while it has the catchiness of "Cheeseburger In Paradise". The song leads toward a country side of Buffett as the song tends to be telling a story about Buffett life at sea. If you love "Come Monday" you'll love this one, it's in it's own right a timeless Buffett song.
"A Pirate Looks At Forty", is the best song title Jimmy has and one of the most aggressive song writing he has written. The song is soft and a little bit harder than usual [by Buffett's standards], it is still very catchy like all of Jimmy's songs but it displays a deadly amount of seriousness for Jimmy's folk style. "The Coral Reefers", do a great job of creating a successful atmosphere that goes along with the songs style.
"Margritaville", is a Jimmy Buffett classic. It has one of the most remarkable choruses I have ever seen in country folk. And it's happy-go-lucky beat somehow goes along with Buffett's song writing, and isn't repetitive of his other hits. The song even has an instrumental solo, it makes for a weird but classic folk experience.
"Come Monday", in my opinion is Jimmy Buffett's best song he has written. Even though it is depressing by Buffett's standards, the beat gives the song kind of an uplifting out at sea in my boat feel. The lyrics in this song are equally great to those in Margaritaville, but sang with just the right emotion, as just about every song is on the first half of the CD.
Overall the first half of the CD introduces you to Jimmy Buffett's laid-back take it as it comes lifestyle, while adding a deep amount of emotion in the lyrics. The beats by "The Coral Reefers", are done perfectly and match Jimmy's vocals. A nice collection of songs in the first half of the CD.
1. Cheeseburger In Paradise 5/5
2. He Went To Paris 4/5
3. Fins 4/5
4. Son Of A Son Of A Sailor 4.5/5
5. A Pirate Looks At Forty 5/5
6. Margaritaville 5/5
7. Come Monday 5/5
OVERALL FIRST HALF RATING: 5/5
The Bad [The Second Half Of The CD Overall]:
Basically if Jimmy Buffett did a remix of all his hits from the first half of the CD, he would get the second half of the CD. If you come expecting something completely different in the second half you aren't going to get it. All the beats in the second half sound like beats from the first half, and though the songs are still pretty catchy they could be replaced with choruses from the first half of the album.
Buffett emotion in his lyrics also seems to get a bit lower, as if he is saying that he has already sang these songs and he really doesn't care anymore. The only place that this is allowed in tracks such as "Why Don't We Get Drunk", were the beat is soft and if Buffett put any emotion into his lyrics he be over-doing it. But he still does this for the hard tracks and after a while it gets annoying that the "Coral Reefers", aren't busting out into a big jam session were Jimmy is hitting high-notes but it just never happens.
Though the second half of the CD is worst it still is a great CD if you like the repetitiveness that the second half offers. If you can listen to "Cheeseburger In Paradise" without emotion for six tracks go head and enjoy this, but if you don't just download the first half of this CD.
8. Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes 3.5/5
9. Why Don't we Get Drunk 5/5
10. Pencil Thin Mustache 2.5/5
11. Grapefruit-Juicy Fruit 3/5
12. Boat Drinks 3/5
13. Volcano 3.5/5
OVERALL GRADE: 3/5
The Whole CD [Conclusion]:
Overall, Buffett puts together quite a collection of songs in the first half this CD and then repeats these ideas that made the first half great in the second half a little to much. Don't get me wrong Buffett is one of the most influential Folk/Country singers of all time, but this CD was to repetitive to be considered his greatest hits.
OVERALL GRADE [Whole CD]: 4/5
Pros:
Buffett's combines emotion with country and folk music
"Margaritaville, Cheeseburger In Paradise, Why Don't We Get Drunk And Screw" all on one CD
Cons:
Second half is repetitive and dull
Buffett needs to try something new
What I would download:
Come Monday
Why Don't We Get Drunk And Screw?
Margaritaville
