After breaking into the mainstream with his hit "Margaritaville" two years earlier,
Jimmy Buffett stuck to his formula of mixing fun, up-tempo songs with slower, reflective ones. Although the album contains concert favorites including the playful "Fins" and the Caribbean-flavored title track, it seems as if
Buffett doesn't have as many deep insights to share on this release. The vocal help from
James Taylor on "Treat Her Like a Lady" adds to the singalong chorus, but overall the ballads are uninteresting. As a result, this album marks a low point for
Jimmy Buffett in a decade in which he delivered one solid album after another. However,
Volcano is notable for its inclusion of a wonderful children's song ("Chanson Por les Petits Enfantes"), complete with nursery rhyme lyrics. This album is for Parrotheads only, as most of the popular tracks are available on compilations like
Songs You Know By Heart. ~ Vik Iyengar