Still the Same: Great Rock Classics of Our Time (CD - 2006)

Personnel: Rod Stewart (vocals); Dean Parks, John Shanks, Tim Pierce (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar); Jamie Muhoberac (piano, Hammond b-3 organ); Patrick Warren (keyboards); David Stone (bass instrument); Leland Sklar, Paul Bushnell (bass guitar); Kenny Aronoff (drums); Lenny Castro (percussion); James Grundler, Julia Waters, Maxine Willard Waters (background vocals).

There's one great, straightfaced joke on Rod Stewart's return to classic rock following his trio of standards: ever since it was a hit in 1978, casual AM radio listeners have mistaken Bonnie Tyler's "It's A Heartache" for a Rod Stewart single, given how much the scratchy-voiced Welsh singer sounded like 1970s-vintage Rod the Mod. On STILL THE SAME: GREAT ROCK CLASSICS OF OUR TIME, Stewart does a dead-on impersonation of Tyler's impersonation of himself; it's a great giggle and a good version of a good song. The rest of the set is perhaps less inspired, but equally fine: in arrangements that recall the no-frills, pubby rock-and-roll of his best solo albums, Stewart performs tunes familiar to any fans of '70s and '80s pop, from Badfinger's "Day After Day" to the Pretenders' power ballad "I'll Stand By You." His comfortable take on Bob Seger's title track is particularly well-suited. minimize