Tuesday, June 16, 2020

The 1980 Listening Post - Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band - Against the Wind

Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band - Against the Wind



#62
Reviewed by Jon Rosenberg
February 25 1980
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
Against the Wind

Allen’s Rating: 4 out of 5
Jon’s Rating: 2 out of 5

Allen’s Highlights:
You’ll Accomp’ny Me
Against the Wind
Betty Lou’s Gettin’ Out Tonight


Jon’s Highlights:
her Strut


Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
Against the Wind
Highlight: Her Strut
My rating: 2
Genre: “Heartland Rock” according to Wikipedia

Review:
I am NOT a Bob Seger fan.  Yes, despite growing up in the 70’s and 80’s and hearing Seger’s ubiquitous singles played incessantly on the radio (hey, remember radio?) I never so much as picked up a cassette of his Greatest Hits.  And listening to this album has not changed my opinion.

It’s not a BAD album.  Everything is competently played and produced.  Don Henley, Glen Frey, and Timothy B. Schmidt of Eagles make appearances, as do Bill Payne and Sam Clayton from Little Feat and the late, great Dr. John.  But it all adds up to a big pile of “meh” for me.

I guess some of the songs have a sort of “Midwestern grandeur” like "You'll Accomp'ny Me" “Fire Lake,” and the title track.  But the only tune that has any real balls is, ironically, “Her Strut,” which I was surprised to learn was inspired by Jane Fonda and the Women’s Movement!

Apparently, this was Seger’s eleventh studio album – ELEVENTH!  And it was an immediate hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard 200 for six weeks and winning a Grammy for Best Rock Performance.  So clearly there’s a lot of Seger love out there, but I won’t be listening to this one again any time soon.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2Go2GZ8qMznHdAoLO1cG4W?si=yhn4zCKPTA6R80IrXylY5Q

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