An archive of reviews of ‘As Time Goes By – The Great American Songbook Volume II’…
BILLBOARD
Last year, Rod Stewart stepped back in time with ‘It Had To Be You… The Great American Songbook.’ The collection of pop standards debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200. Sure, the artist’s take on revered chestnuts is an acquired taste. But it is a flavor that has been enjoyed by millions around the world. For an encore, Stewart delivers this second volume, which finds him mining such treasures as “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” “Smile” and “Someone To Watch Over Me.” Produced by Richard Perry, Phil Ramone and others, the collection works in some places (a delicious duet with Cher, “Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered,” and “‘Till There Was You”) and falters in others (“I Only Have Eyes for You,” “I’m in the Mood for Love”). For the title track, Stewart teams with Queen Latifah, and like the Cher partnership, it works remarkably well.—MP
E! ONLINE
The best thing about Rod Stewart’s foray into standards is that we no longer have to see the 58-year-old squeeze into tight jeans and hot pink sport coats. The other good thing is the music. With a smoky club vibe and the casualness of the rumpled tux he’s sporting on the cover, Stewart strolls through another pack of greats, such as “I’m in the Mood for Love,” “I Only Have Eyes for You” and “Time After Time.” While that vibe gets a little tiresome after a bit, duets with Cher (“Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered”) and Queen Latifah (“As Time Goes By”) perk up the ears. Overall, this is better than a long night at a piano bar–and perfect for moms who find Harry Connick Jr. too daring.
USA TODAY
(* ½ out of four) I gave Stewart credit for tackling pop standards with some degree of reverence and restraint on last year’s It Had to Be You … The Great American Songbook. But restraint and nuance are two different things, and this sequel confirms that the veteran rocker lacks the intuition these gems demand and deserve. Classics such as ‘Til There Was You, Someone to Watch Over Me and Where or When are rendered with all the soulfulness and wit you would expect from a second-rate bar mitzvah band. Bill Murray’s lounge-lizard character on Saturday Night Live may have had slightly worse pitch, but at least he was funny. —Elysa Gardner