In his seventies, Rod Stewart experiences a remarkable resurgence. For a while it seemed as if this British singer would linger in the rehashing of American Songbook repertoire throughout his late career. But after writing his book Rod: The Autobiography (2012), he also felt like writing his own songs. So Rod the Mod is back with albums full of music and especially his own lyrics. Blood Red Roses
… is already the third in this series and shows that he is still not short of inspiration. With his smooth and husky voice, he sings about lost friends, his love for life and of course the women he loved dearly throughout his life. Melancholy and zest for life go hand in hand on Blood Red Roses. A nice next step would be to form a real band behind them again, because this album is mainly marred by a meaningless, instant production. The resurrected Rod Stewart deserves better. (MR)more
