As he was previously half of The Eurythmics, Dave Stewart’s solo music is just as eclectic. He achieved great success with the group, but once they broke up, he struggled as part of Superheavy and The Tourists. The most recent album leans more toward folk and country than new wave, however, but his synth-y past can still be heard.
Lucky Numbers was recorded in Nashville, and therefore has a different style than his ’80s material. The opener, “Every Single Night,” features Martina McBride and has a Genesis feel to it. It has a get-up-and-dance vibe with a poppy chorus that invites the listener to join in. “What Is Wrong With Me?” ditches the other instruments; Stewart’s voice is only accompanied by a piano and drums. It has a bluesy/soul feel with a female choir coming in at the end to echo his words. The title-track closes the release (if you do not count the radio edit of the opener). It features Holly Quin Rah and sounds like Stewart channeling Dire Straits with a bit of old-school rock and roll mixed in.
Although entirely different from his former band’s music, his solo record is definitely satisfying. It shows that Dave Stewart is not lost without Annie Lennox, and that he is not stuck doing the same old things every time. As a musician, he is not afraid to experiment with country, rock and blues, and it pays off. The release shows that he is a talented artist in and of himself, not just as part of a successful band.
In A Word: Different
