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| Ha Segah |
In the mid and late 1970s, Bob Seger was on a hot streak.
After years of struggling to find national success, he had hit the big time
with Live Bullet and Night Moves. Both were huge commercial triumphs, and with
his straightforward unflinching style, Seger was being mentioned in the same
breath as Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty when it came to traditional American
rock and roll.
In 1978, Seger released Stranger in Town, and it is a
consistently pleasing album that has not lost any of its punch through the
years. Coming sandwiched between Night Moves and Against the Wind, I have
always felt it has been a little lost in the shuffle when considering his
work. However, there is not a weak track
on it, and all of Seger's trademark styles are represented here.
It opens with the thunderous 'Hollywood Nights' and it is
highly reminiscent of other Seger rockers such as 'Rock and Roll Never Forgets' from Night Moves and 'Even Now' from The Distance. His masterful acoustic style is represented
on 'Still the Same' and it fits nicely with other similar songs in his
catalogue like 'Against the Wind.'
Still, there are other songs that make the album stand
out. For anybody who has ever felt
unappreciated by their employer, there is the working man's anthem 'Feel Like a
Number.' For those who were chafing
under the popularity of disco in the late 70s, 'Old Time Rock and Roll' felt
like a life preserver back then, and it still holds up today. 'We've Got Tonight' and 'The Famous Final
Scene' are tremendous ballads that exude warmth in a way that is rare on a
mainstream rock and roll album.
Seger brings fire and fury on this album, and if it is not
in your collection, it should be.
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