Rod Stewart Human CD

Produktinformation

Audio CD (5. März 2001)
Anzahl Disks/Tonträger: 1
Label: Atlantic
Tonträger CD
Jahr 2001
Zeit 45:25
Plattenfirma Atlantic
Herstellungsland  
Musikrichtung Rock
EAN-Nr. 075678341120
Katalog-Nr. 7567-83411-02

      Tracks

1. Human 3:48    
2. Smitten 5:00    
3. Don't Come Around Here (With Helicopter Girl) 3:49    
4. Soul On Soul 4:31    
5. Loveless 4:00    
6. If I Had You 4:18    
7. Charlie Parker Loves Me 4:41    
8. It Was Love That We Needed 4:12    
9. To Be With You 3:56    
10. Run Back Into Yours Arms 3:26    
11. I Can't Deny It 3:44

Produktbeschreibungen

Hoppla, der raubauzige Rod Stewart wird mitten im sechsten Lebensjahrzehnt doch nicht mild und weise geworden sein? Unüberhörbar ist jedenfalls, dass er quasi Kreide gefressen hat: So konsequent soft und sensibel hat man ihn noch nie gehört! Allein an seiner Schilddrüsen-Operation, die auch Stimmprobleme nach sich zog, kann's nicht gelegen haben, denn immerhin die Hälfte von Human war da schon im Kasten. Und noch zwei Dinge fallen auf: Rod hat vor den Aufnahmen offensichtlich höchst aufmerksam auf neuere musikalische Trends gelauscht. Und er ist, abgesehen vom einen oder anderen kleinen stilistischen Sidestep, ganz und gar Soul Man, zwischen Motown und Moderne, nicht nur in der stilvollen Coverversion von Curtis Mayfields "It Was Love That We Needed".
Das Zeug zu definitiven Stewart-Klassikern haben auf Human mindestens zwei Stücke. "Loveless" ist sicherlich eine der stärksten Uptempo-Balladen, die er je dargeboten hat. Da stimmt einfach alles: die an der Seele kratzende Stimme, die seidige Soul-Aura, die dezent modernen Sound-Effekte. Und geradezu sensationell (und hip) ist das brüchig-gefühlvolle Duett mit Helicopter Girl, "Don't Come Around Here", das Mark Taylor (Cher) unspektakulär, doch effektvoll auf aktuellen Sound-Kurs steuerte.

Ähnliches gilt für das von Karl K-Gee Gor-don (All Saints) produzierte Titelstück "Human", mit schwelgerisch-dichtem Arrangement, frickeligen Effekten im Untergrund und Saiten-Beigaben von Ex-Guns'n'Roses-Gitarrero Slash. Mit anschmiegsamem Reggae-Puls nimmt "If I Had You" ein, angereichert durch Backing Vocals à la Fugees und ein Mini-Solo von Ex-Dire Straits-Boss Mark Knopfler. Auch hübsch ist die von Macy Gray zugelieferte, leicht angekatzte Ballade "Smitten". Doch das Album als Ganzes hält diese hohen Standards nicht durchgängig, und so kann man sich immer mal wieder beim Tippen auf die Skip-Taste ertappen. --Claus Böhm

Reviewby Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Throughout his career, Rod Stewart has been remarkably skillful at adopting current musical trends, whether it was disco, new wave, adult contemporary, or even Brit-pop. Still, his records started to slip off the radar screen toward the end of the '90s, so he parted ways with Warner Bros. and signed to Atlantic, where he released Human in early 2001. Again, he tried to change with the times, which, theoretically, may have been a wise move, since his thoroughly credible trad rock When We Were the New Boys was largely ignored. Since he tried contemporary rock, it made sense that the pendulum would swing back and he would take a stab at contemporary soul. Seems logical, but as the neo-TLC title track starts, it's hard not to think "what the hell happened?" Cher's neo-electro move on "Believe" made some sense, since she had always indulged in trashy modern dance, but Stewart never played that game -- even when at the height of superstardom, he never pretended to be hip, which is what he's trying to do here. Surrounded by skittering drum machines and En Vogue-styled harmonies, crooning Babyface-styled ballads, it sounds like he's auditioning for the La Face roster. Rarely does Human try to be outright modern dance music, instead blatantly stealing these production techniques for a set of mid-tempo tunes and ballads that are firmly adult contemporary territory in content -- they're just delivered as if they had a chance of sitting at the top of the charts, alongside Pink. In general, the slow ballads wind up being a bit better, since Stewart has gravitated toward that style during the '90s, while the livelier numbers, such as "Don't Come Around Here" (the Mary J. Blige duet) also work at times. Still, it's bizarre to hear Stewart in this setting, since he not only doesn't mesh with the sound, but he also has a really awkward batch of songs, typified by the clumsy "Smitten," the bewildering love song "Charlie Parker Loves Me," or the cut-time "love's merry-go-round" refrain of "It Was Love That We Needed." Consider this: the most effective songs are "To Be With You," "Run Back Into Your Arms," and "I Can't Deny It," three fairly conventional Rod Stewart numbers tucked away toward the end of the album. Apart from that, Human is the sound of an artist painfully trying to sound modern but -- by trying to sound fresh -- sounding older than he ever has.

Condition: E:  EXCELLENT  

"Item Condition" notes:

SS / OVP:       CD & LP is factory sealed in shrink-wrap or cellophane.

NEU / NEW:      CD & LP is open and not yet played.(Achtung: = Nicht alle neuen CDs werden vom Hersteller eingeschweißt!)

NM: NEAR MINT   CD & LP Just about in perfect condition.

E:  EXCELLENT   CD & LP Near perfect, may show very light signs of use & maybe one very light scratch.

VG: VERY GOOD   CD & LP  CD has some very minor wear (several very light scratches or marks). If insert, may have dimple marks or very light wrinkles/folds,

G:  GOOD        CD & LP  Some to very heavier wear or tear (some to very scratches throughout the CD), still plays perfectly. If insert, may have some wrinkles, folds, ripples, tears or multiple case. If  case has cracked or is broken.

Demo-Copy:      CD & LP = Promo - not for sale - particularly rare!!