Bob Seger
Against The Wind

Bob Seger's career is a strange one. Appreciated by many, he never managed to break through on a global level, remaining a cult figure only in his homeland.

Having achieved success after years of rock prep work where he paved the way for American "working class" rock figures like Springsteen, Petty, or Mellencamp, just to name the most famous three, he lived the second half of the seventies as an absolute protagonist of the scene, only to see his disciples steal the scene from him in the eighties. Perhaps because he was satisfied with the good response from the public and critics, he saw his career return to its beginnings interrupted by few and bland sporadic albums.

Having found the right sound and the right musicians in the early seventies, the man from Michigan produced "Back in '72", "Seven" (1974), and "Beautiful Losers" (1975) in which he found the perfect blend of Southern rock, soul and rock 'n' roll mixed with sweeter melodies that especially live enhance the great energy of Seger and his SILVER BULLET BAND. A rock 'n' roll machine at that time second only to Springsteen's E-Street Band. Seger's shows are energetic, and he has the charisma to impose himself as a new protagonist of American rock 'n' roll, and the 1976 album "Live Bullet" stands there to testify and serve as a launching pad for the trio of albums that will follow, leading him into the pantheon of American songwriters.

This "Against the Wind" released in 1980, follows "Night Moves" (1976) and the very successful "Stranger in Town" (1978), his best-seller, albums that perfectly combined the power of rock with splendid ballads. Albums less raw and more refined in the drafting phase than the early works of his career, therefore more appealing to the general public. With "Against the Wind", considered by Seger himself as his best work, he shifts the focus even more towards melody creating songs with strong romantic appeal that nevertheless never fall into the sentimental but continue to have that rock trademark that prevents them from falling into pop.

Represented by a splendid cover, the album opens with a beautiful southern boogie rock’n’roll "The Horizontal Bop" with the band formed by Drew Abbott (guitars), Alto Reed (sax), Chris Campbell (bass), and David Teegarden (drums) firing on all cylinders. As in previous albums, some songs are played by another band parallel to the Silver Bullet Band (whose name accompanies Seger on the cover), namely The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, which plays on three tracks of the album. Of the same mold are "Long Twin Silver Line" and "Betty Lou's Gettin' out Tonight", proud and powerful with that southern and '50s rock 'n' roll aftertaste that makes them captivating.

While "You'll Accomp'ny Me" and the closing "Shinin' Brightly" are soulful with female backing vocals, "Her Strut" is a rock song almost martial in its progression.

But the ballads are what define the album. If the beautiful No Man's Land, owes a bit too much to the wonderful Simple Man by LYNYRD SKYNYRD, the title track "Against the Wind" is a piano ballad that leaves a mark, becoming one of Seger's best compositions, "Fire Lake" is more country and is marked by west coast influences thanks to guest Eagles on backing vocals. "Good for Me" features a great vocal performance from Seger, bluesy and emotive.

With this album, Seger seems to almost bid farewell to his audience; in the rest of his career, there are few other highlights, perhaps only "The Distance" in 1982 and the last album released last year "Face the Promise" which seems to have brought him back to good levels also live, where he still manages to engage the audience with proud and entertaining concerts. Sure, the long black mane of hair has given way to a white mop; his moves are no longer what they once were, but he remains a credible and spontaneous rocker.