“Hope I die before I get old”, it's the ageless anthem of rock and Pete Townshend’s immortal but apparently disregarded advice to all rockers (including himself it seems, with the Who set for a North American Tour).
Count Bob Seger among those that chose to take a pass on the suggestion, not only living to a fine old age, but still rocking as he crosses over into his sixties, he’s still kicking out the Jams.
This past week saw the release of his first new album in eleven years, with Face the Promise, a return to the straight ahead mid west rock and rol,l that defined his brand of the Detroit City sound through the seventies and eighties.
The Hair is significantly shorter and greyer than in those halcyon days of Stranger in Town and Night Moves, but the beat is still strong, the chords furious and the lyrics still poetic, as Seger sings the song of the middle class. Perhaps with the benefit of time he brings a better understanding to his songs through the years gone by.
The voice isn’t quite as strong as the Katmandu days and we’re pretty sure he probably isn’t moving around quite as fast as the legendary days of the Live Bullet shows, but still for a dose of some good old Heartland Rock and Roll, the CD is worth checking out.
With contemporaries like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Neil Young still going strong with current and vital music to be made, why should one of the biggest acts of the height of the rock era sit on the sidelines.
Seger is still singing and with tunes like Face the Promise, Wait for Me and No More, there will be an audience out there waiting to give him a listen. In an industry full of one hit wonders and celebrity rockers with nothing to sing, it's kind of nice to have someone come back with some music that makes you think for a bit.
As long as a troubadour has a song, he’ll be found singing it somewhere, maybe even on your iPod!.
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