Even though he’s been musically active for the past two decades,Rod’s activity during the new millennium so far has been as purely an interpretive singer. During this time,interestingly enough I began to become more interested in who Rod Stewart was in the earliest days of his solo career. It was then my privilege to be presented with an artist who was both vocally and songwriting wise up to the challenge to bridge any gaps that may have existed between soul,blues,folk,country and rock n roll during the early/mid 1970’s. His instrumental and vocal sound was not only unique and distinct but was also quite a storyteller as well. He walked the line between rock star and singer/songwriter troubadour to perfection. Over the years,he became exactly the opposite of that,and seemed to contentedly slip into near has been status:churning out one standards/covers album after the other. Apparently he was content with his status: he was merely filling in time because his songwriting muse had temporarily abandoned him. Well after writing his autobiography,everything changed for him and hiss muse returned. And this album is an expression of that.
“She Makes Me Happy”,”Can’t Stop Me Now” and “Beautiful Morning” are all melodically powerful uptempo numbers,with a strong dance/rock rhythm and that collision of fiddle and acoustic guitar that typified his signature instrumental sound. “It’s Over” finds him in the same instrumental frame of mind of a beautifully romantic ballad. “Brighten Beach” is musically in the middle ground,but is a lyrically beautiful and touching tale of reflection on teenage romance with age and is filled with allusions to Martin Luther King Jr,Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and others who personally influenced Rod in the past. “Live The Life” is a pop/rock song with a stronger,slower groove to it,with Rod advising his collage age son not to neglect living it up with a loved one over pure academia. The title song is actually my favorite on the album-a beautiful combination of folk/soul and gospel based harmony and a poetic reflection on lost love. “Picture In A Frame” is a similarly beautiful organ fueled soul ballad as well that Rod sings as…well only he can sing it. “Sexual Religion” is a modern day variation of his funky dance/rock sound of the late 70’s with a treatise on modern day women in the intimately dominant roles once stereotypically male. “Make Love To Me Tonight” and “Pure Love” lead off the album on two epic yet swooning romantic notes.
After all this time away from the songwriting game,one might think Rod Stewart’s ability to craft songs that possessed the musical and emotional wallop of his early solo career might not be possible. The interesting thing about this album is that production wise it owes its attitude to the productions of his late 80’s/early 90’s albums to a certain degree. Yet in terms of instrumentation and the writing itself this album actually blasts right back to his peak years of Gasoline Alley and Every Picture Tells a Story-almost as if some of the unevenness that dogged some of his later albums never happened at all. As Rod Stewart enters elderhood, there are more than a few indications here that he is coming to reconcile his past-both personally and musically. Not only does this make good fodder for a songwriter returning from a long period of writers block,but provides an important flavor to the lyrical quality about this album. These songs are full of little words of wisdom,and nostalgia that somehow never comes across as cheap and insincere. It’s the man behind “Maggie May” and “Tonight’s The Night”,only with more miles on him and looking at life closer to the final round of the marathon of living. On everyone of these levels: musically,lyrically and thematically this album is an all time winner for him. And a superb comeback as a songwriter.