Growing up, my brother loved this Disney sci-fi movie called the Black Hole. In the movie, the best character was a rickety beat up robot called "Old Bob" that looked like a trashcan hung on strings. The robot was meant to represent the aged, down and out gunslinger who had one last good shot in him. Now, with both Bobs Dylan and Seger releasing new albums I am reminded of that character again. Dylan scored with an excellent album filled with wry irony and compassion. But how did the other Bob do?
Bob Seger is doing just fine, thank you. It's been over ten years since his last album, the misguided It's A Mystery (1995) where the only mystery was how the super consistent Seger make such a crap album. After a strong tour (which my wife and I saw) Seger disappeared. Now he's back, older and...well, just plain older! It's been so long since he's been gone he stopped dyeing his hair and got dentures! But unlike that other patron saint of heartland rock, Bruce Springsteen, Seger felt no need for reinvention and is all the better for it. On Face The Promise (2006) Seger delivers exactly what he is known for: a little country rock, a little fist pumping anthems and a whole lotta perspective on living life with two feet on the ground.
Face The Promise offers a smorgasboard of Seger's trademark sounds. There's wistful angst in the Against-The-Windish first single "Wait For Me". Bar Band rave ups on "No Matter Who You Are". 80's style workingman anthems with "Wreck This Heart" and "Simplicity" (the latter inadvertently steals the verse melody from Michael Jackson's "Bad"). Bluesy acoustic guitar on "No More" and "Won't Stop". And the list goes on, almost all of the tracks are well produced with a warm, earthy sound and the songwriting of a true craftsman.
There are only a few weak spots on the disc, mainly in the predicable heavy rocker "Are You". It provides nothing he hasn't done better on earlier albums. While not bad, the CMT-baiting generic new country of "Real Mean Bottle" written by country star Vince Gill and duetted with Kid Rock sounds stiff next to his regular material.
So, the other Bob passes the test of time, I give this disc a 7.5 out of 10. Now Face The Promise, damn you!!!
If you don't, you'll have to face Number 68:
AC / DC - Back In Black (1980)
This album has been praised and analyzed up and down for so long it seems pointless to write much about it. The most interesting thing I can say is that I got into AC/DC a little late, around 2000-2001. My wife bought Stiff Upper Lip (2000) and I enjoyed that disc a bit. We went to see them on tour that year and I was blown away by the best concert I had ever seen ever. Instead of seeing a band of old has beens, AC/DC rocked out full throttle as if their life depended on it for two and a half hours. They had flame breathing statues, cannons, giant bells and elevators. It was the most amazing live show I had ever seen in my life and I've seen over 60 concerts.
So I picked up AC/DC's back catalog after that including the legendary Back In Black album. Back In Black lived up to its hype with outstanding songwriting and a brutally raw performance polished up by producer "Mutt" Lange. It comes across like a greatest hits album, their best known track "You Shook Me All Night Long" debuts on this album (it would appear later on Who Made Who (1986) and other soundtracks) and features all that is great about this band. Screaming, sleazy vocals backed by a crunching guitar riff and a pounding rhythm section. AC / DC attack every song like a blunt instrument in the hands of a crazed lunatic.
The strutting, heavy riff of the title song "Back In Black" (currently used in Gap commercials) is here as well. The fast paced grinding guitars of "Shoot To Thrill" (from the XXX part 2 commercials) kicks the album into high gear. Elsewhere, they build their mystique in their most overt salute to deceased singer Bon Scott on "Hells Bells". The steady anthem of "Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" (featured in Tom Cruise's Jerry Maguire) closes the album with a bonding battle cry for headbangers everywhere.
Even the filler tracks are memorable on Back In Black, particularly the mega sleazy "Let Me Put My Love Into You" (love that line "Let me cut your cake/with my knife/Ow!") and the raunchy "Given The Dog A Bone".
While their is an AC/DC album that rates higher on this list, Back In Black is a true classic that is even better than what people say it is. If you don't own this album, buy it now!
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