Former Eurythmics member Dave Stewart is releasing his first album in over a decade and boy, has he pulled out the stops. The Blackbird Diaries boasts duets with Stevie Nicks and Martina McBride—even a song co-written by Bob Dylan. (Is there anyone out there who Dylan hasn’t worked with?)
The album was recorded over a five-day period in Nashville’s Blackbird Studios, which is owned by McBride’s husband. From the sound of things, Stewart appears to have become enamored with country music. It’s a bit strange to hear a British man attempt a twang, but Stewart gives it his best shot.
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So what has Stewart been up to since he and Annie Lennox parted ways? Well, he spent a long time producing albums for the likes of Tom Petty and Bon Jovi. He worked on Stevie Nicks’ new In Your Dreams album and he has recently joined forces with Mick Jagger, Damian Marley and Joss Stone to form a new band, SuperHeavy (you can hear their first single at the 1:45:00 mark here). The Jaggerfied supergroup sounds like the aural equivalent of a mismatched outfit. The individual pieces are fine, but together they tend to clash.
You can check out “Beast Called Fame,” the second track from The Blackbird Diaries, below. The album isn’t likely to become a summer hit, but it’s a solid effort by an accomplished musician who has been performing since today’s pop stars were in diapers. (A presale of The Blackbird Diaries is available on iTunes.)