Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Rockstar Sir Rod Stewart has jumped back onto the music scene with the release of his first new album in three years. “Swing Fever,” made in collaboration with composer and bandleader Jools Holland, is a sharp turn from the rock ‘n’ roll that Stewart is best known for. The album features Stewart’s covers of classic jazz and blues songs in a colorful and upbeat manner that showcases the influences both genres had on the early formation of rock ‘n’ roll as we know it today. Holland’s hand in the album gives it a unique flare with an ensemble reminiscent of the big band style popular in the 1940s. It is shocking to hear in the world of current music but adds an authentic and personal feel with a lack of autotune and electronic instruments. 

The album opens with a playful, yet out-of-place rendition of the 1935 hit “Lullaby of Broadway,” which opens the album up in an out-of-touch whirlwind of repetition and stagnant melody both lyrically and instrumentally. Stewart puts too much effort into forcing rock-like energy into such a mellow classic that the opener quickly becomes boring for its five-minute duration. The album would have easily benefitted from the song being either placed later on in the album beside less-band intense songs like “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home” and “Almost Like Being In Love” that had been featured or cut altogether. 

Woven into the covers are hints of what became the basis of rock ‘n’ roll of the ‘50s with simple eighth-note rhythmed bass lines. It is these pieces like “Sentimental Journey,” “Night Train” and “Good Rockin’ Tonight” that carried the album. While the big band element focused on all of the songs, which was entertaining, songs that included more of a rock ‘n’ roll base sounded just a bit more comfortable and natural for Stewart to sing. The 79-year-old rock star was clearly out of his powerhouse, swapping his classic gravely vocals for the smoothness of a singer in a jazz joint. Had this album been released by an artist like Michael Bublé, it likely would have been more palatable for a general audience. However, with this being such a sharp turn from the image Rod Stewart has marketed to the public for almost 60 years, it is difficult to accept this as a solid win for Stewart’s career. Although it is important to introduce classics to a younger generation, with Stewart’s age and the way music is, it will be difficult for “Swing Fever” to take off successfully. 

Overall, “Swing Fever” is a well-made album with clear and unique vocals that blend well with the big-band orchestra of Jools Holland. Stewart has given the world a unique take on classic tunes but falls short of making a connection with his audience. Artists often experiment with genres of music different from the one they started in (like Beyoncé and her latest singles “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages”), Stewart’s transition from rock to jazz was not smooth, even if his vocals were. While it is good to see Rod Stewart’s career still going strong, he should use his talent in the genre he started in: good old rock ‘n’ roll.

Image from Rod Stewart via YouTube