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License To Chill Review
RECORD REVIEW:
"License
To Chill"
by Jimmy Buffett
16-song CD released July 13, 2004
RCA Nashville
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here for more information.
 Parrotheads
generally fall into one of three
camps: there are those who haven’t
liked anything Jimmy has done since
A1A and wish he would get back to
his roots, those who think the recent
albums are just okay but wish Jimmy
would take more chances artistically
and those who don’t really
care what it sounds like as long
as its a Buffett record.
In that respect, Jimmy Buffett’s
latest studio album “License
To Chill” has enough diversity
on it to both satisfy and infuriate
Parrotheads everywhere. The 16 songs
run the gamut from twangy to typical
Buffett and include a who's who
of country music guest stars performing
with a downsized Coral Reefer backing
band supplemented by some of the
best session players in Nashville.
It is simultaneously familiar and
different – a broad record
that can be considered experimental
for Buffett but well within the
mainstream comfort zone.
Most upsetting to a great number
of the Parrotheads is that this
has been portrayed as Jimmy’s
country album. Non-country loving
fans are obviously concerned that
the CD will sound like Jimmy’s
first record, a Buck Owens album
or both. Certainly songs like “Trip
Around The Sun” (with Martina
McBride), “Sea of Heartbreak”
(with George Strait) and “Piece
of Work” (with Toby Keith)
- as well as the title track (with
Kenny Chesney) - have enough twang
in them to give the critics something
to squawk about but to call this
record “country” would
be like calling “Barometer
Soup” Caribbean. Sure, there
are more country leanings in this
record than previous efforts but
in the end it still sounds like
Jimmy, just with a little more Doyle
in the mix.
Of concern to those satisfied with
almost any Buffett record is the
sheer number of duets on this album.
Out of 16 tracks Jimmy sings solo
on only 7 of them. And yet where
often modern duets come across as
forced affairs, two singers mixed
together simply for commercial gain,
the collaborations on License To
Chill are, for the most part, genuinely
comfortable. The choice of guest
vocalist and material make the majority
of the duets sound perfectly natural
and artistically interesting. “Someone
I Used To Love” with Nanci
Griffith stands out as one of the
best collaborations musically and
lyrically - the song is beautifully
written and the introduction of
Nancy’s weathered voice in
the second verse is truly a magic
moment.
Another highlight is Toby Keith
joining Jimmy on the Will Kimbrough
penned tune “Piece of Work”.
Love him or hate him, Keith is the
perfect companion to join Buffett
in singing lines like “I'm
a piece of work, I'm iron and lace
/ I'm shy, I'm right up in your
face / I'm all dumbfounded, stubborn
as an ass / Sharp as an arrow in
a pile of glass.” The song
is a dysfunctional romp, an anthem
to anti-establishment, and just
plain fun.
Some of the best moments however
are on the songs that Jimmy sings
solo. “Coast of Carolina,”
a song written by Mac Macanally
and Buffett easily stands out as
the strongest on the record. Simultaneously
a eulogy to the old friend who introduced
him to his wife and a thoughtful
reflection and reaffirmation of
his marriage, the song is both lyrically
poetic and emotionally honest, evoking
the kind of imagery and philosophical
perspective that caused most folks
to fall in love with Buffett in
the first place. In a subtle reference
to just how much time has passed
since Jimmy and Jane first got together
the pedal steel solo in “Coast
of Carolina” echoes the pedal
steel solo in “Come Monday”,
a song written near the beginning
of their relationship. The reference
provides a real sense of the passage
of time.
And for something more whimsical,
“Simply Complicated”
is a fun philosophic tune full of
pop culture references and armchair
psychotherapy. In it Jimmy expresses
his sense of irony with the wry,
witty, tongue humor that “Math
Sux” strived for but never
quite achieved. This time however
the social commentary is dead on,
thanks in part to co-writer Bill
Withers craft as a songsmith and,
no doubt, in keeping Jimmy from
straying over the line between humorous
and cheesy.
It should be a relief to those
not fond of Jimmy’s artistic
adventure through Nashville that
the album ends with the song “Back
To The Islands”, Jimmy’s
cover of the Leon Russell tune.
Sounding more like a “typical”
Buffett song than any of the other
tunes on the record, one can only
assume that it’s placement
at the end of the album and telling
lyric “Well I hope you understand
I just had to go back to the island”
would seem to foreshadow that the
foray into country is merely a one-record
jaunt.
So how will License To Chill eventually
rank in the pantheon of Jimmy Buffett
records? That will depend on who
you ask. Certainly between the perceived
twang, the guest stars and the lack
of songs written by Buffett there’s
plenty of reasons for Parrotheads
in all three camps to dismiss this
record without giving it a chance.
But for those willing to trust in
the artist and take the journey
with him they will be rewarded with
enough classic Buffett-esque moments
to make it worthwhile. In the end
it is a well-crafted, well-written
and wonderfully performed record
that, while certainly introducing
a lot of new influences to the mix,
ultimately never strays that far
from home.
- Key Lime Lee
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