If the cover of
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Vol. 3 is any indication,
Rod Stewart is getting a little tired of the classy act he's put on over the last two years, as a crooner of
pop standards. Gone are the straightforward portrait shots, and in their place is a jokey picture of
Rod with a pair of hot legs. It unwittingly looks like a grown-up variation of the
Blondes Have More Fun cover from 26 years ago (
Rod still has the same basic hairdo, bless his heart), and it's a welcome glimpse of the roguish charm and laddish sense of humor that used to be
Stewart's calling card. As for the music, for all intents and purposes it's pretty much the same as it was on the first two installments of
The Great American Songbook. But to
Stewart's credit, he's sounding a bit more comfortable on this third go-round -- he doesn't sound as uptight, nor as mannered, as he did before. Part of this may be due to a shift in producers.
Phil Ramone, who co-produced the first two, has left and has been replaced by
Steve Tyrell, who releases albums in a similar vein himself. Under his watch,
Stewart doesn't sound quite so studious and tentative, and the arrangements aren't quite so fussy, which ultimately makes for a better record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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