Fatally Flawed was alternately restrained, then explosive, and driven by distorted and soulful guitar, while acidic lyrics assaulted the senses with tales of addictive personalities and departed pop stars such as Whitney Houston and Amy Whitehouse. In fact, Hunter appeared alongside Amy in 2004, on Jools Holland's BBC TV show.
The deeply reflective Ian has said this is about the scales of life which is an image first depicted in the 2nd Century Christian book the Testament of Abraham. With only two chords the trick is to be profound lyrically about addictive personalities which Hunter pulls off and is similar to how blues songs are constructed: simple but deep. Ian also noted how well Mark Bosch played on this track which helps contribute to making this lyrically and musically one of Ian's best songs ever.
There are clever insights since the addictive flaws hide in a sacred heart biding its time until emerging. And, these flaws hide anywhere both in your head or a more physically obvious place such as your "between your thighs." These personalities don't know when the flaws will hit them as a twist in their DNA. The flaws can cut you and they never fade away. This is one of the deepest and most profound of Hunter tracks about the doctrine of humanity, who we are, sin, and the elusiveness of salvation.
Ian Hunter On Track for Sonicbond Publishing, TheDoctorOfDigital@pm.me
The weighing of souls (Ancient Greek: psychostasia)[1] is a religious motif in which a person's life is assessed by weighing their soul (or some other part of them) immediately before or after death in order to judge their fate.[2]This motif is most commonly seen in medieval Christianity.[3] The first known depiction of literal weighing of souls in Christianity is from the 2nd century Testament of Abraham.[10]
Fatally Flawed
(Ian Hunter)
The flaw was always in your sacred heart
Biding its time till you played the wrong card
Ain't no hurry - it can wait
To take you out on a last date
There's so many places that a flaw can hide
In the back of your head or in between your thighs
And you don't know where
And you don't know when
But sooner or later they're gonna rise again
No more innocence, no more guilt
No more crying over that milk you spilt
Scales of justice out of whack
Take a look at that train wreck - purrin' like a Cadillac
You're clutching at straws - what can the matter be - you're fatally flawed
When you've exhausted every avenue
And no one knows what else they can do
There must've been a twist in your DNA
It's those fatal flaws, they never fade away
Oooo they never fade away
Oooo they don't fade away
Oooo they don't fade away
Oooo they don't fade away
Fatal flaws like to breed inside addictive personalities
By her bed she opens up the drawer
And there's bottles full of them fatal flaws
Razor sharp, babe, razor sharp
They can turn your lights out baby
Leave you in the dark,
They can make you crazy
They can make you mean
They got all the power
They cut like guillotines
'N there ain't no cure - what can the matter be, it's those fatal flaws
Oooo they don't fade away
Oooo they never leave you alone
Oooo those fatal flaws
Oooo gonna carry you home
Oooo they never fade away
Oooo they don't fade away
Oooo they never fade away
Oooo they never fade away
You lost your makeup, you were scramblin' on the floor
Lookin' for somethin' you ain't got any more
Ian Hunter and The Rant Band CD: "When I'm President"
Sleeve and track listing
Proper Records PRPCD104
- Comfortable (Flyin' Scotsman)
- Fatally Flawed
- When I'm President
- What For
- Black Tears
- Saint
- Just The Way You Look Tonight
- Wild Bunch
- Ta Shunka Witco (Crazy Horse)
- I Don't Know What You Want
- Life
Review
Now this is more like it. Ian's new album is a welcome return to form. The good news is this album is chock full of rockers. The bad news is... well, there isn't any. In the fullness of time this album could well turn out to be his best in many years.
The run of good albums that started with Rant and continued with Shrunken Heads continues here. Guitars are to the full, with strong solos from both James Mastro and Mark Bosch. Ian's singing is strong without ever sounding strained and the rhythm section is as tight as a duck's whatsit.
What helps of course is that the songs are top-notch. Comfortable (Flyin' Scotsman) sets the tone, being a powerful full-paced rocker with guitars and subtle use of saxes. The title track is also strong, a mid-paced rocker with a repeated keyboard refrain reminiscent of The Who's Won't Get Fooled Again.
What For is another rocker with strong guitars and piano reminiscent of early Mott The Hoople. Ian hasn't rocked like this for years, and it sounds like he's having fun. Black Tears is slower but powerful and moody with a guitar solo that reminds me of the much-missed Mick Ronson. Saint is another up-tempo rocker, this time it reminds me at times of Twisted Steel. Wild Bunch meanwhile is a rocker that reminds me of The Faces.
There are so many good songs on this album it is hard to pick out highlights. What's interesting is that this album is credited to Ian Hunter And The Rant Band. This is much more of a band album than most of Ian's recent albums, and it is much the better for it.
What more can I say? It's brilliant... 'nuff said,
| Fatally Flawed | 5:03 | Originally issued on When I'm President. |