John Waite – ‘Rough & Tumble’
The latest solo album from John Waite, the flamboyant ex-frontman of the Babys, finds the English rocker still in possession of an incredible set of pipes. I purchased “Broken Heart” by the Babys back in 1977, not knowing what to expect from the brash bunch of Brits. They blew me away with an original blend of elegant orchestration, gutsy guitars and Waite’s passionate singing, making for classic AOR (album-oriented rock). The band called it quits in 1981, and I was consoled with Waite’s solo efforts, specifically 1984’s “No Brakes” with classic arrangements like “Saturday Night” and “Tears.”
Twenty-seven years later, Waite has again captured my attention with new material that easily equals the best musical output over his successful career. From the opening guitar riff of the rousing title track to the reflectively softer feel of the closer, “Hanging Tree,” Waite is rejuvenated and relevant once again. The arrangements are a palpable byproduct from a fruitful collaboration with Matchbox Twenty’s Kyle Cook. Waite and Cook revisit Waite’s fertile musical history by delivering an array of songs that both rock and sweetly serenade. The first single, “Shadows of Love,” is vintage Waite and stands up to earlier Waite gems like “For Your Love,” “Head First” and “Midnight Rendezvous.” “If You Ever Get Lonely” is a carefully crafted ballad cut from the same mold as the unforgettable classics “Missing You” and “Isn’t It Time.” “We can make it through some how if we hold tight and stay true,” sings Waite on the title track as if describing the road to his return.
With “Rough & Tumble,” Waite has certainly held tight and stayed true to a sound that is better than ever.
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