In a pop-music landscape dominated by the likes of Justin Timberlake and Fergie, it's becoming harder for music-industry veterans to compete. Rod Stewart, once a controversial Lothario with his threatening sexuality and ribald lyrics, has metamorphosized into a Scottish Tony Bennett, releasing his interpretation of old standards (and enjoying very respectable sales from the effort). The self-proclaimed "Soldier of Love" Donny Osmond has now hopped aboard the cover-album bandwagon, releasing Love Songs of the '70s. The album, which hits stores today, contains 12 gems from the decade that introduced Saturday Night Live and Saturday Night Fever. From the soul of Al Green (is the act of squeaky-clean, eternally youthful Donny Osmond covering the smoldering "Let's Stay Together" a sign of the musical apocalypse?) to the saccharine wailings of Dan Hill's "Sometimes When We Touch," and Barry Manilow's "Mandy," the album has a little something for everyone who enjoys old-fashioned songs covered in the most white bread of ways, or appreciates irony.
And for those who pinned up a Partridge poster or two, check out David Cassidy's new techo effort, which offers, according to Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN), "club-rocking remixes of Partridge Family classics." I only wish I were joking.
Beth Gaston Moon is an analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research.
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