Music review: Rod Stewart – 鈥榊ou鈥檙e in My Heart: Rod Stewart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra鈥�
Rhodes
As he celebrates 50 years as a solo artist, Rod Stewart gets the royal treatment on his latest album.
Enjoying the sophisticated accompaniment of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee adds his raspy, well-seasoned voice to a 15-track set delivered from an older and wiser perspective.
The lush orchestration gracefully breathes new life into a cornucopia of Stewart classics from the singer鈥檚 exceptional career.
My oldest brother was a huge Stewart fan back in the day. As a result, I grew up on early Stewart releases like 鈥淕asoline Alley,鈥� 鈥淓very Picture Tells a Story,鈥� 鈥淣ever a Dull Moment鈥� and 鈥淎tlantic Crossing.鈥�
After hearing 鈥淢aggie May鈥� tenderly open the album, I knew I was in for a sentimental journey. On the album opener, the youthful confidence first delivered by Stewart back in 1971 is now replaced with a softer tone, signifying a self-reflective maturity that carries the song to a deeper emotional level.
One of my favorite arrangements on the album is a touching version of 鈥淚 Was Only Joking,鈥� originally released on 1977鈥檚 鈥淔oot Loose & Fancy Free.鈥� The melancholy number tugs at the heartstrings with its nostalgic look back at regrets and lost opportunities.
Other highlights include smashing renditions of 鈥淩eason to Believe鈥� and 鈥淗andbags and Gladrags,鈥� a heartfelt cover of Van Morrison鈥檚 鈥淗ave I Told You Lately鈥� and a dreamy version offered on 鈥淪ailing.鈥�
The set also contains a duet with Robbie Williams on a charming reworking of 鈥淚t Takes Two鈥� and a brand new track, 鈥淪top Loving Her Today,鈥� that brings things to an emotional close.
True fans will want to pick up the deluxe edition that contains seven additional tracks, including a spirited offering of 鈥淪tay with Me鈥� from Stewart鈥檚 days with the Faces.
The 74-year-old singer-songwriter still sounds terrific and demonstrates why he鈥檚 one of the best-selling music artists of all time on this perfect Christmas gift for the die-hard Stewart fan.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.