Rod Stewart
made a ballyhooed returned to songwriting in 2013 when he released
Time
, a collection of songs inspired by his 2012 memoir Rod: The Autobiography.
Stewart
's reinvigorated muse wasn't a fleeting thing.
Blood Red Roses
is the second sequel to
(the fine
Another Country
appeared in 2015) and, like its progenitor, it's billed as a "personal" project. "Personal" is usually code for introspection, but that's an adjective that simply doesn't describe
, even if it is undeniably a record that's personal, reflecting precisely where
is in 2018, right down to how he dedicates a song to a city he's worked in for several years. That would be "Vegas Shuffle," a bright and garish rocker devoted to the pleasures of Sin City which
sings with an evident smile. His grin never wanes on
, nor does the bright, garish blare -- a digital sheen masterminded by his co-producer and frequent co-writer
Kevin Savigar
. The pair collaborated long distance on
and the transatlantic gap can be heard in how the rhythms are all tightly sequenced and the polish is so bright, it gleams. Such high-end digital sensibilities can sometimes not suit
's musical inclinations, particularly when he dives into high-energy folk ("Blood Red Roses") or blues (a spangly cover of "Rollin' & Tumblin'," a standard popularized by
Muddy Waters
), yet that shine is also the appeal of
, as it feels like an authentic reflection of a 73-year-old man who spends time reminiscing about the past as he does putting on lavish modern shows. These two sides of
co-exist on
: he salutes a dear departed friend on "Farewell," acts the concerned parent on "Didn't I," and smiles warmly about an old groupie on "Honey Gold," then he revives disco on "Give Me Love" and indulges in a
Tamla
/
Motown
bounce on "Rest of My Life," but he also makes sure that his two opening tracks -- "Look in Her Eyes" and "Hole in My Heart" -- pulse to an EDM beat.
's adoption of modern trends may not be especially graceful but it's oddly endearing, and underscores how, tackiness and all,
is indeed a personal record, capturing the snazzy life of an aging old sap who to this day has never seen a dull moment. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine