Far Side of the World

1	Blue Guitar 4:28
2	Mademoiselle (Voulez-Vous Danser) 4:07
3	Autour du Rocher 8:05
4	Savannah Fare You Well 4:28
5	All the Ways I Want You 4:17
6	Last Man Standing 3:45
7	What if the Hokey-Pokey Is All It Really Is About? 4:24
8	Altered Boy 7:18
9	USS Zydecoldsmobile 4:54
10	Someday I Will 3:14
11	Far Side of the World 5:48
12	Tonight I Just Need My Guitar 2:53

Barnes & Noble

Jimmy Buffett has always been prone to setting his own course through the often choppy waters of the rock world, and with this album -- the first he's recorded for his self-administered label -- he sets sail for territories that, while familiar to longtime fans, have gone unexplored for quite a spell. Far Side of This World finds him reflecting more often than scanning the horizon for the next wacky adventure. To that end, Buffett harks back to his earliest days (circa "Come Monday") in order to create the melancholy yet optimistic ambience of "Tonight I Just Need My Guitar." He brings a similarly wistful tone to a cover of Bruce Cockburn's "All the Ways I Want You" -- one of the few love songs that don't sound out of place coming from a man in his late 50s. But as a legion of Parrotheads is well aware, Buffett can only stay mellow for so long, and Far Side of This World has its share of party fodder, the best of which is deeply marinated in Cajun spice. The spirit of New Orleans asserts itself on several songs, most notably a cover of Sonny Landreth's "U.S.S. Zydecoldsmobile" and a Caribbean-Cajun hybrid, "Autour de Rocher." On a similarly celebratory note, "What if the Hokey Pokey Is All It Really Is About" might well offer another bit of audience participation for future Buffett concerts. Far Side of This World takes listeners on a fantastic voyage, while offering plenty of creature comforts to enjoy along the way. David Sprague

All Music Guide

It's easy to compare any singer to their best work, though not always very helpful. In fact, comparing Far Side of the World to A-1-A or A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean is a little like comparing steak to seafood. They're simply two different entrées, and while someone may like steak and dislike seafood, a number of discerning individuals like both. Critics and certain fans may prefer Jimmy Buffett's 1970s output, but the head parrot has long ago sailed on to smoother waters. It's probably more helpful to compare Far Side of the World to albums like Banana Wind and Fruitcakes, where Buffett settled into his role as elder statesman of sun, surf, and sand fantasies. First of all, the arrangements and production on Far Side of the World vary quite a bit from these earlier 1990s efforts. The rich vocal harmony in "Blue Guitar" evokes Paul Simon's Graceland, while the dirty slide guitar of "Last Man Standing" casts a glance back at Little Feat. Still, the basic approach remains the same. Funny songs like "What if the Hokey-Pokey Is All It Really Is About?" remind one of "Vampires, Mummies and the Holy Ghost" (Fruitcakes), while self-referential pieces like "Altered Boy" recall "Only Time Will Tell" and "Cultural Infidel" (Banana Wind). Buffett talks his way through much of the eight-minute "Autour du Rocher," just as he talks his way through much of "Overkill" (Banana Wind) and "Fruitcakes" (Fruitcakes). There are tender moments and outrageous ones, all signifying that only one person could've made this album. Far Side of the World holds up well to Fruitcakes and Banana Wind, and more important still, parrotheads will love it. Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.