A Night on the Town: Rod Stewart

This latest album from Rod Stewart is, like his previous releases, a collection of both artists material and his own original compositions. Side one is appropriately labelled the 'slow' side and comprises two love songs: "Tonight's the Night" and "Fool for You" an old Cat Stevens [unclear: song;g;] 'The First Cut is the Deepest" and finishes with 'The Killing of Georgie" a ballad describing the misfortunes a young gay encounters when he goes to New York city.

Side two opens with 'The Ball Trap" which is fairly lewd in comparison with "Pretty Flamingo" which follows it. The next two tracks, "Big Bayou" and "The Wild Side of Life" are both new versions of old country-rock songs and the album ends with "Trade Winds", a slow moan about what are now fairly standard problems.

Competent backing is provided throughout by the Garage Band which makes good use of a strings and brass section to complement the vocals.

In general it is a good album, which although lacking the brilliance of some of his past successes provides good value all the same. If internally assessed it would get a B1.

Boris