Status Quo

Thirty years into their career, and with plenty of cover versions under their belts, Quo celebrated their anniversary by releasing an album of cover versions. The twist here is that you'll find Quo taking their unique rock approach to songs that you wouldn't expect them to cover such as Men Without Hats' "The Safety Dance," the Move's "I Can Hear the Grass Grow," Timbuk 3's "The Future's So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades)," Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop," and more. Though not all of it is successful, there are some fine moments to be had including "When You Walk in the Room" with Francis Rossi wrapping his smooth, wounded vocals over an extraordinary version of this classic. Robert Palmer's "Johnny and Mary" sounds just as grand as the original, though Rossi's vocals are more personal than Palmer's. Buddy Holly's "Raining in My Heart" features Queen's Brian May (and rumor says that most of the track is actually May with Rossi guesting) and is touching and sweet. There are some duds, including "Lucille," "Get Back," and "Proud Mary," but overall, this is a refreshing and very listenable collection of covers by a band that tends to renew rock & roll every time they enter the studio. ~ Stephen Schnee, All Music Guide