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Bob Seger -- Beautiful Loser (1975) (Harrison Reviews 2015 #75)

Over time I've developed what I think could fairly be considered mixed feelings when it comes to those musicians who are more rock than pop. I've come upon some winners for sure, and I love the Eagles, but then you have guys like Tom Petty, whose albums are good but not great, and John Mellencamp, for whom there's rarely anything worth listening to beyond the hits. Stylistically I think it's fair to include Bob Seger in their camp, but when I listened last year to 1978 Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band album Stranger in Town, what I realized is that Seger seemed to be operating at a higher level when it comes to song composition. I still ended up with somewhat mixed feelings about the album, but I saw clearly the talent of the musician. In Seger's 1975 album Beautiful Loser, that talent is clearly realized in a way I haven't heard before. Beautiful Loser was not a hit record, although it's easy to perceive it that way. After all, songs like "Beautiful Loser," "Katmandu," and "Travelin' Man" are classic rock radio staples. But those versions come from the album that genuinely did represent Seger's commercial breakthrough: 1976 live album Live Bullet. By contrast, Beautiful Loser was the eighth album from a musician who had earned himself a lot of critical acclaim and local recognition, but not a ton of success. It must have been frustrating, but I wonder if it was freeing too--an opportunity to focus on craft with no particular expectation of hit singles. Of course that's easy to say in retrospect. It probably isn't true. But what is clearly true from this album is that Seger's primary focus wasn't energetic rock and roll, as much as Live Bullet would convey that, but rather songwriting. And the result is some very, very strong material, and for that matter strong material well outside the album's better-known tracks. "Jody Girl" is a great example of this. A song played on acoustic guitar and keyboard, almost entirely by Seger--it's one of only two songs on the album not performed by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section with which Seger was recording at the time--"Jody Girl" is beautiful and poignant, in particular when Seger harmonizes with himself in the chorus. At points the guitar work recalls the more popular later track "Night Moves," but "Jody Girl" is smarter and subtler than "Night Moves," its arrangement careful and understated and vocal performance terrific. "Sailing Nights" is a favorite as well. Played in compelling minor chords with some great single-string electric guitar from the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, "Sailing Nights" is another quiet piece with an affecting, even haunting melody. At times it even resembles the work of Peter Gabriel, while never leaving the general acoustic template of Bob Seger. "Momma" is a definite winner too--more upbeat with some beautiful organ work, and still emotional and personal. Naturally, the songs I already knew factor in too. As used to the live version as I am, the studio version of "Beautiful Loser" sounds oddly subdued at first, but this feeling fades away fast, leaving in its own place an instantly catchy rocker. I've always enjoyed this song on the radio, and I like the more pronounced piano in this version. When I listen on the radio "Beautiful Loser" is often preceded by "Travelin' Man," revealed in its studio version as a surprisingly subdued and uncommonly structured composition. Both obviously worked great live, but they work well recorded as well. Of "Katmandu" this is even truer. Actually, the first two times I heard "Katmandu" on the radio, it was the studio version, and I loved it instantly, in particular the hook of the verses bolstered by Seger singing at the very bottom of his register. Consequently I've never been huge on the live version, because it discards that hook. With Beautiful Loser in hand I can now listen to this song the way I've wanted to again for years--and it really is one heck of a catchy rock song. Surprisingly, the song is over six minutes long, but the composition is so much fun you don't even notice the time slipping by. The studio versions of the songs I knew live are great--but simultaneously no greater than the other highlights. And that's what really makes Beautiful Loser such a good album--it is consistent, and persistently demonstrative of a very talented writer crafting some of his best material. That in mind, it's difficult not to see "Nutbush City Limits" as a bit of a letdown. An Ike and Tina Turner song, written by Tina--honestly I had no idea Tina Turner was a songwriter--the song lacks the build and depth of Seger's own material. It's a great performance though, the only track featuring the Silver Bullet Band rather than the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Session, and if I had to guess I'd imagine that this was just a song the group had fun playing live. The Silver Bullet Band plays this one with tremendous energy, and even if the material isn't quite on par with Seger's songs it's still worthy of inclusion. "Worthy" is a good word for this album, I think. It's my third Seger album, after Night Movies (1976) and Stranger in Town, and it's definitely the best of the three of them. My respect for Seger was already on the rise after Stranger in Town, and Beautiful Loser makes it definite: This man is one hell of a musician, and Beautiful Loser is one of the best albums I've heard this year. "Sailing Nights":

#bob seger #beautiful loser #sailing nights #katmandu #music review