When I'm President

Inspired by a brief Mott the Hoople reunion and by the fact that, at 72, he's a celebrated rock 'n' roll veteran, Ian Hunter plays the music of his youth with the same determination and sonic power that made him a top-shelf rocker in the '70s. He doesn't try to do too much; he just assembled a crack band and lets it loose. "What For" is a commanding vintage rocker that sways with Stones-like guitars and a raucous all-hands-on-deck vocal ensemble. "Saint" works similarly, with a compact punch that's pure roots-rock. The fury of "Black Tears" blazes like it came off a stage in the '70s. "Life" rolls along with a hard-edged wisdom that shares a vocal likeness to latter-day Dylan, with a similar feeling of staring down a legacy. The Rant Band provides just the right organic chemistry, keeping the dialogue open between the singer and the band. The musicians here never play like robots, but like a living, breathing band, taking their cues from the lyrics and each other.