During the 1980’s Shakin’ Stevens was one of the leading revival rockabilly artists. Always more popular in his native England and Europe, he released a series of some of the best modern day rockabilly albums. I always took the time to order his non-U.S. releases and they received extensive play on my stereo system for years.
His latest release is titled Re-Set and the title describes a new direction for his music. Gone is the loud and aggressive rock sound, replaced by mostly acoustic and soft rock music. It is not a bad album, just very different from what has preceded it.
Stevens is now well past the normal retirement age, and his voice shows the wear of the years; it’s not as low and vibrant as it was in his prime. Again, there needs to be an adjustment on the part of his long-time fans. He now sings in a higher octave, and at times seems to be reaching for the note.
The title song sets the tone. There is the realization he has now gone in a different direction, the beat is different, and the lyrics have a political, and at times preachy tone. They are more reflective than anything he produced in the past.
The socially conscious songs continue with “All You Need Is Greed,” which is a banger, and “Tick Tock,” another lower-key look at the world. The album is dominated by more of the same. “Hard Lesson Learned,” “Dirty Water,” and “Beyond The Illusion” fall into the light pop category, with at-times thoughtful lyrics; at other times it is just his philosophy.
At the age of 75, Shakin’ Stevens has re-invented his career. He may not be shakin’ very much, but Re-set is an attempt at a new musical direction.