A Spanner in the Works

by Stewart

Overview

Following the success of Unplugged...and Seated, Rod Stewart had shrewdly repositioned himself as a mature, middle-aged man who still had a slight streak of his wilder days in him. Unsurprisingly, the music both recalled his past glories in instrumentation, yet the attack was different -- the acoustics rocked, but it wasn't bracing; it was like a back-porch jam session. Stewart expanded that approach on A Spanner in the Works, his first album since Unplugged. The acoustics are still there, but they're strummed a little more gently and set in a bed of unobtrusive synths. More importantly, Stewart tackles his most ambitious and varied set of material since A Night on the Town. From the pop/rock of Tom Petty's "Leave Virginia Alone" and the reflective take on Dylan's "Sweetheart Like You" through the R&B tribute of "Muddy, Sam and Otis" and the rocking "Delicious" to the British folk of "Purple Heather," the songs recall his classic early albums in ambition and musical diversity. A Spanner in the Works isn't quite as successful as Gasoline Alley or Every Picture Tells a Story -- it's a content album, not a probing one, which is appropriate for a middle-aged singer -- yet it is the most inspired and ambitious record Stewart released in nearly 20 years. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	03/21/2011
Label:	Warner Bros.
UPC:	0093624586722
Rank:	101961

Tracks

1. Windy Town
2. The Downtown Lights
3. Leave Virginia Alone
4. Sweetheart Like You
5. This
6. Lady Luck
7. You're the Star
8. Muddy, Sam and Otis
9. Hang on St. Christopher
10. Delicious
11. Soothe Me
12. Purple Heather

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rod Stewart   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Tim Pierce   Guest Artist,Guitar
Jeff Golub   Guest Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Trevor Horn   Guest Artist,Bass,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Bernard Edwards   Guest Artist,Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Billy Preston   Guest Artist,Organ
David Lindley   Guest Artist,Bouzouki
Andy Taylor   Guest Artist,Guitar
Lol Creme   Guest Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Nollaig Ni Chathasaigh   Fiddle
Gavin Wright   Conductor
David Palmer   Drums
Bobby Page   Choir/Chorus
Simon Clarke   Horn
Davey Johnstone   Guitar,Mandolin
Luana Jackman   Choir/Chorus
Guy Pratt   Bass,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Acoustic)
Mike Higham   Bass,Keyboards,Guitar (Bass)
Terry Young   Vocals (Background)
Suzie Katayama   Conductor
Lamont Van Hook   Vocals (Background)
James Newton Howard   Keyboards
Frank Ricotti   Drums,Drums (Bass)
Fred White   Vocals (Background)
Jamie Muhoberac   Piano,Keyboards,Percussion
Lenny Pickett   Horn,Saxophone
Leslie Butler   Harmonica
Simon Clark   Horn,Saxophone
Oren Waters   Vocals (Background)
Neil Sidwell   Horn,Trombone
Martin O'Conner   Accordion
Joe Turano   Vocals (Background)
Jose Powell   Vocals (Background)
Robin LeMesurier   Guitar
Paul Robinson   Drums,Drums
Kenneth Thompson   Choir/Chorus
Aleisha Irving   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Josef Powell   Vocals (Background)
J. Neil Sidwell   Horn
Glasgow Gaelic Musical Association   Choir/Chorus
Carmine Rojas   Bass,Guitar,Guitar (Bass)
Donal Lunny   Bouzouki
John McSherry   Pipe,Bagpipes
Mairtin O'Connor   Accordion
Maire Ni Chathasaigh   Fiddle
Joey Diggs   Vocals (Background)
Dee Palmer   Drums
Leland Sklar   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Joseph Powell   Vocals (Background)
Jim Cregan   Guitar
Rick Braun   Horn,Trumpet
Nick Lane   Horn,Trombone
Michael Landau   Guitar
Don Teschner   Fiddle,Mandolin
Tim Sanders   Horn,Saxophone
Anne Dudley   Piano,Strings,Conductor
Stephen Lipson   Bass,Guitar,Guitar (Bass)
Paulinho Da Costa   Percussion
Kenny Aronoff   Drums
Kevin Savigar   Bass,Strings,Conductor,Keyboards,Concertina,Guitar (Bass)
Roddy Lorimer   Horn,Trumpet
David Woodford   Horn,Saxophone

Technical Credits

Robin Le Mesurier   Composer
Rich Lowe   Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Pat   Mixing Engineer
Tom Waits   Composer
Simon Clarke   Arranger
Mike Higham   Engineer,Pro-Tools
Marc Jordan   Composer
Paul Buchanan   Composer
James Newton Howard   Producer
Lenny Pickett   Arranger,Horn Arrangements
Smokey Robinson   Composer
Simon Clark   Arranger,Horn Arrangements
Tim Weidner   Recording
Neil Sidwell   Arranger,Horn Arrangements
Michael Ostin   Producer,Executive Producer
Frankie Miller   Composer
Mike Baumgartner   Assistant Engineer
Robin LeMesurier   Composer
F. Miller & J. Barry   Composer
J. Neil Sidwell   Arranger
Rob Dickins   Producer,Executive Producer
Eric Johnston   Assistant Engineer
Carmine Rojas   Arranger,Composer
John Capek   Composer
Jeff Golub   Arranger,Composer
Ronald White   Composer
Sam Cooke   Composer
Lenny Picket   Arranger
Lenny Waronker   Producer
Livsey   Composer
Rod Stewart   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Rail Jon Rogut   Mixing Engineer
Rick Braun   Arranger,Horn Arrangements
Nick Lane   Arranger,Horn Arrangements
Tim Sanders   Arranger,Horn Arrangements
Anne Dudley   Arranger
Tom Petty   Composer
Trevor Horn   Engineer,Producer,Pro-Tools
Stephen Marcussen   Engineer,Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Andy Taylor   Composer,Producer
Steve MacMillan   Mixing,Engineer,Recording,Mixing Engineer
Bernard Edwards   Producer
Bob Dylan   Composer
Kevin Savigar   Arranger,Composer
Billy Livsey   Composer
Chris Rea   Composer
Roddy Lorimer   Arranger,Horn Arrangements
David Woodford   Arranger,Horn Arrangements
Charlie Bouis   Engineer
Graham Lyle   Composer