"Night Moves" by BOB SEGER and THE SILVER BULLET BAND – October 1976 US Ninth Studio Album on Capitol Records featuring guests Pete Carr and Jimmy Johnson on Guitars, Barry Beckett on Keyboard, Jerry Luck on Accordion, David Hood on Bass and Roger Hawkins on Drums of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Backing Singers Sharon Dee Williams, Rhonda Silver and Laurel Ward (December 1999 US Capitol CD Reissue – Punch Andrews Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Trying To Lose Those Awkward Teenage Moves..."

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It seems staggering that it took Michigan's Bob Seger and his crack-a-lacking group The Silver Bullet Band eight studio albums and one further live double to get to the eventual chart success of 1976's "Night Moves" - his ninth studio set since his debut "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" all the way back in January 1969. 

Preceded only six months earlier by the raucous double-album set "'Live' Bullet" in April 1976 that had reignited every young American's interest in Bob Seger (it peaked at an impressive No. 34 on the US LP charts) - "Night Moves" followed in early October 1976. And with that great voice, his tight band on Side 1 and the even tighter Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section on Side 2 – all of it backed up by unbelievably hooky tunes that captured the fun and misery of growing up in small town USA oh so well – it soon became a monster Rock LP that 'just happened' as they say. 

Although his music meant little in Blighty (it didn't chart there - not one of his releases ever had) - Seger smashed the Top Ten in his native USA where "Night Moves" peaked at No. 8 and was the place where his career really kicked off. 

And like fellow mucker Steve Miller who saw his "Fly Like An Eagle" album on Mercury Records alter his life forever in 1976 too, both of these intelligent rockers had been around since the late Sixties, popping out albums to much critical acclaim but not a lot else. But "Night Moves" had three great singles off of it (beginning in November 1976 when Capitol 4369 paired "Night Moves" with "Ship Of Fools" on the flipside) and had legs from its LP release date in October 1976 right through until the late summer of 1977 - spending a whopping 88 weeks on the US charts. 

Which brings us via the fire down below to here. After twenty years in the digital domain, this barebones 1999 American CD Remaster on Capitol Records is still the easiest way to access a tasty listen to it. So let's get them up high, put on a few pounds and head down to main-street...

US released 7 December 1999 - "Night Moves" by BOB SEGER and THE SILVER BULLET BAND on Capitol 72435- 24034-2-4 (Barcode 724352403424) is a straightforward transfer and Remaster that plays out as follows (36:53 minutes): 

1. Rock And Roll Never Forgets [Side 1]
2. Night Moves 
3. The Fire Down Below 
4. Sunburst 
5. Sunspot Baby [Side 2]
6. Mainstreet 
7. Come To Pappa 
8. Ship Of Fools 
9. Mary Lou 
Tracks 1 to 9 are his ninth studio album "Night Moves" - released October 1976 in the USA on Capitol ST-11557 and March 1977 in the UK on Capitol E-ST 11557. It peaked at No 8 in the US LP charts (didn't chart UK). All tracks are Bob Seger originals except "Come To Pappa" which was an Earl Randle/Willie Mitchell song sung by Ann Peebles on Hi Records in 1975 and "Mary Lou" which was a cover of the Young Jessie Modern Records 45-classic from 1955.

The 8-page inlay is a horribly functional affair – album credits, lyrics and zip else whilst the only transfer credit is to a June 1999 CD Remaster by PUNCH ANDREWS at Capitol Mastering in L.A. Having said all of that, this is a lovely listen – clean – pucker – those acoustic strums and the three lady backing singers on Night Moves (Sharon Dee Williams, Rhonda Silver and Laurel Ward) all allowed to breathe. And when it needs to kick ass for say Sunspot Baby – the muscle and clarity are both there too. 

The album is a tale of two groups – the Silver Bullet Band playing most of Side 1 – featuring Drew Abbott on Guitars, Robyn Robbins on Keyboards and Horns, Chris Campbell on Bass and Charlie Allen Martin on Drums - whilst guests the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section took over the reins for most of Side 2 - Pete Carr and Jimmy Johnson on Guitars, Barry Beckett on Keyboards, Jerry Luck on Accordion, David Hood on Bass and Roger Hawkins on Drums.

The four cuts on Side 1 represent something of a clean sweep - the Rawk of "Rock And Roll Never Forgets" where local papers are checked for hot gigs and the sheer nostalgia-fest that is "Night Moves" - our scrawny hero with his eyes popped out by the sight of a girl too beautiful to be real. It really is such a classic tune and like Side 2's unfeasibly-touching "Mainstreet" has become something of a permanent fixture on Classic Rock radio stations for over 45 years now. Boogie returns with "The Fire Down Below" - rich man, poor man, young gal and young buck afflicted with the need for love and a way out of the darkness looming in the distance. 

There is fantastic audio on the rocking "Sunspot Baby" - the Bobster outfoxed by a lady with a penchant for nicking his American Express card and leaving him with the bar tab and whatever other bills she clocked up (he's looked in Miami and Negril, but still can't find her). An exotic but lovely dancer in a downtown club floats his boat every night as she struts her stuff - if only he could get the courage up to speak to her - watching her pass around midnight - is she lonely or is she sussed - is she going to make it one day out of "Mainstreet".  

While I can see the funky-groove attraction of the Ann Peebles cover "Come To Pappa", I never did think it worked but "Ship Of Fools" and the Young Jessie R&B cover "Mary Lou" finishes a great album with an upbeat Rock 'n' Roll vibe of old. 
You can't help thinking that in late 2020 - Bob Seger's classic "Night Moves" is long overdue an 'Extended Edition' or 2CD Deluxe Version (2021 with be its 45th Anniversary, so maybe something is planned for that). 

He would go further with May 1978's "Stranger In Town" album (again on Capitol) - all the way up to No. 4 in the States and a 110-week chart run. But "Night Moves" is where my heart lies and it's as available and as cheap as the waves crashing on the side of a ship of fools. 

"...I'm gonna catch up sometime...sure had a real good time..." Bob Seger sang on "Sunspot Baby". I agree. Invest and enjoy...