Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets

iTunes Review

From his early days with The Bob Seger System to his years with The Silver Bullet Band, Bob Seger has stood for quality rock ‘n’ roll that’s now firmly “classic rock.” How else to categorize music that fulfills the promise of Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley with a modern twist that incorporates Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen? The hits are staggering. “Old Time Rock and Roll,” “Hollywood Nights,” “Night Moves,” “Rock and Roll Never Forgets,” and “Beautiful Loser” are essential. Ballads and midtempo tracks like “Mainstreet,” “You’ll Accompany Me,” “Fire Lake,” “We’ve Got Tonight,” and “Against the Wind” touch on an emotionalism that mixes deep nostalgia with a rare intelligence. “Turn the Page” may be one of the greatest rocker-on-the-road tunes ever recorded. “Her Strut” borders on heavy metal. The bonus cuts—a cover of Tom Waits’ “Downtown Train” and the Little Richard (via Ten Years After) song “Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey (Going Back to Birmingham)”—further prove Seger’s remarkable versatility. What a catalog!