Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Rod Stewart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Warner Music 2019.
This album was released just before Christmas to celebrate Rod Stewart’s 50 years as a solo artist.
Rod has joined the long list of maturing performers who have seen their songs given the full symphony orchestra treatment and, for those of us old enough to remember the wild young Rod Stewart, we’re left wondering how Rockin’ Rod became Sir Rod and so middle-of-the-road.
That’s not to say that middle-of-the-road isn’t good. In Rod Stewart’s case he does the lounge music scene very well.
Stewart’s career has taken him from working class England to the heights of Hollywood and along the way he’s sold more than 250 million records, had nine #1 albums and 26 Top Ten singles in the UK and 17 Top Ten albums and 16 Top Ten singles in the USA.
The transformation from rocker to crooner has taken some time and such are his abilities as a performer that he’s been able to take his fan base with him as he’s explored The Great American Songbook through various album releases drawing on classics from the 1930s to the present day.
This latest release presents classic Rod Stewart tracks with new arrangements performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
The pairing of Rod’s distinctive vocals with full orchestration is wonderful and presents a different side to songs that we know well.
You’re in My heart is packed with Rod Stewart’s best known songs including: Tonight’s The Night, The Killing Of Georgie (part 1 & 2), You’re In My Heart, I Was Only Joking, What Am I Gonna Do (I’m So In Love With You), Every Beat Of My Heart, Rhythm Of My Heart and two of my favourite’s – his covers of Tom Waits’Downtown Train and particularly Tom Traubert’s Blues (Waltzing Matilda).
He delves back into his Faces days among the 22 tracks with versions ofMaggie May, Young Turks, Handbags And Gladrags andStay With Me as well as crowd favourites such asSailing, I Don’t Want To Talk About It, and The First Cut Is The Deepest.
This is a really good album and well worth adding to your collection.
