Night Moves was released six months after Live Bullet in 1976. It propelled Bob Seger into the upper echelon of rock stardom, selling close to eight million copies in the United States and Canada. It’s now remembered as one of the better albums of the ‘70s.
By late 1976, Bob Seger was eight studio albums into his career and had learned his craft well. He was a fully mature recording artist about to embark on a series of releases, which went on to stand the test of time. His ability to create energetic rock ‘n’ roll and poignant ballads was virtually unmatched during the ensuing decade.
The title track was the song that finally brought Seger widespread attention. This ode to teenage love that jumps to the future has wonderful imagery and features a timeless message of lost youth. The use of an acoustic sound, transitioning to electric and back again, makes this mid-tempo track memorable. Meanwhile, wistful ballad “Mainstreet,” which is about anytown USA, is almost as good.
When Bob Seger rocks, he really rocks. “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” is a classic anthem and an energetic tribute to past influences, while “The Fire Down Below,” highlighting great guitar work by Seger and Drew Abbott, finds his gritty vocal at its best. “Come To Poppa” may be a cut below the first two tracks, but it was still better than most of what was being released in the mid-‘70s.
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.
