When We Were The New Boys

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Rod Stewart hadn’t been much of a rocker for some time, since at least the late ‘70s. He’d gravitated towards synth-laden dance pop, easy grooves, and plush productions that smoothed his voice and made for easy listening and adult contemporary radio play. 1998’s <i>When We Were the New Boys</i> is not a hard rock album, or anything approaching the raw thrust of his work with the Faces, but it is an energetic, often powerful, collection of tunes that show his expansive range and expert touch as an interpretative artist. He revisits the Faces classic “Ooh La La” with great spirit. Oasis’ "Cigarettes and Alcohol,” Primal Scream’s “Rocks,” and Graham Parker’s “Hotel Chambermaid” are given a good Stones-like push with guitars snarling and Stewart swaggering with professional grace. But it’s his slow purr on Ron Sexsmith’s masterful “Secret Heart” that reveals his enduring strengths. His voice practically defines heartbreak while the title track embraces the inevitable nostalgia that comes with looking back. Despite all the years of touring and debauchery, Stewart still had the voice to knock out the competition.

via Apple Music