With a big, clean production, and quality L.A. session musicians,
Rewind is a great collection of blue-eyed soul and rock. The album's two Motown covers, "Baby I Need Your Loving" and "Tracks of My Tears," are more similar to tributes than attempts to outshine the originals.
Rivers sounds like a well-adjusted Southern hipster on tracks like "The Eleventh Song," which makes him sound like a cooler version of
Sonny Bono. "Rosecrans Boulevard" showcases superb vocal harmonies and horn playing. The most interesting track would have to be "Sidewalk Song/27th Street," which is pretty mediocre as a song, but are the bizarre sound clips possibly attacking commercialism? No one really knows. Produced by Lou Adler, arranged by
Jimmy Webb, featuring Joe Osborne on bass, Larry Knechtel on piano, and
Hal Blaine on drums, this record is a solid, tight recording, with excellent production and inventive arrangements provided by
Webb. ~ Zachary Curd