Night Moves was released six months after Live Bullet. It would propel Bob Seger into the upper echelon of rock stardom as it would sell close to eight million copies in The United States and Canada and be remembered as one of the better albums of the seventies.
By late 1976 Bob Seger was eight studio albums into his career and had learned his craft well. He was now a fully mature recording artist about to embark on a series of releases which would stand the test of time. His ability to create energetic rock ‘n’ roll and poignant ballads would be virtually unmatched during the ensuing decade.
The title track was the song that finally brought him wide spread attention. This ode of teenage love which jumps to the future has wonderful imagery and a timeless message of lost youth. The use of an acoustic sound, transitioning to electric and back again, makes this mid-tempo track memorable. The wistful ballad “Mainstreet,” which is about any town USA, is almost as good.
When Bob Seger rocks he really rocks. “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” is a classic anthem and energetic tribute to past influences while “The Fire Down Below,” with great guitar work by Seger and Drew Abbott, feature his gritty vocal at its best. “Come To Poppa” may be a cut below the first two but was still better than most of what was being released in the mid-seventies.
The other four tracks, “Mary Lou,” “Ship Of Fools,” “Sunburst,” and “Sunspot Baby,” are only average when taken on an individual basis but fit in nicely when grouped together with the better material.
Night Moves remains one of the showcase albums by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band and of the 1970s as well. I was 26 when this album was released and it remains an eternal reminder of my night moves.
Article comments
1 - JANK
Ahh put Sunspot Baby up there with the rest. It's got real legs and contrasts nicely with Mainstreet and Night Moves. In fact that is why this is a Classic album, the diversity.
2 - JC Mosquito
The song Night Moves came out when I was a teenager - it always struck me as a sad song, and it still does.