Shakin’ Stevens
Shakin' Stevens, one of the most enduring figureheads in rock and pop history, makes a triumphant return with the January 17 release of the arresting and thought-provoking new single 'It All Comes Round.'
The song comes on the heels of Shaky's jubilant live shows before Christmas, as Very Special Guest on Status Quo's UK arena tour. It also serves as a taster for a bold addition to his vast recording legacy, the album Re-Set, which will follow in April. Its 10 songs combine deeply heartfelt, meaningful lyrics with the most impassioned vocal performances he has ever summoned from himself, well over 50 years since his first recordings.
The seeds for the single and album were planted before lockdown, and on the very day that restrictions were lifted, in the spring of 2021, Stevens and his fellow songwriters reconvened at co-producer and longtime collaborator John David's Berry Hill Studio. Re-Set is the result.
'It All Comes Round' is a vivid description of karma, and how kindness to others will come back to you in reward, just as hatred also travels in both directions. “It all comes down to doing what you can,” Stevens sings, “and it don't hurt to lend a helping hand.” It's a compelling trailer for an album that takes the infectious roots-rock of his acclaimed and highly successful 2016 release Echoes Of Our Times into even more adventurous territory.
Like that album, Re-Set has a number of personal storylines, drawn from his own family chronicles, and the working-class background from which the young Michael Barratt crafted his incredible career. A unique combination of vocal prowess and unstoppable determination helped to create a star who became the UK's bestselling singles artist of a decade; his overall track record includes 33 Top 40 UK hits, four No. 1s, countless hit albums and undimmed popularity all over Europe and far beyond.
On Re-Set, those personal tales weave into an interconnected narrative about our collective place in the modern world, both real and virtual. There are songs about the plight of his ancestors, the uncle he never knew, and his own mother, who had a very difficult life, but nevertheless raised 13 children almost singlehandedly, while also holding down a job. But the album is also firmly rooted in the present day, as a call to arms about our planet and what we're doing to it, and to each other.
