Rover's Return (album)
| Rover's Return | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Studio album by John Waite | ||||
| Released | 1987 | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 40:26 | |||
| Label | EMI America Records | |||
| Producer |
Frank Fillipetti, John Waite (all tracks) Desmond Child (track one) Rick Nowels (track six, seven) |
|||
| John Waite chronology | ||||
|
||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| New Straits Times | unfavourable |
| The Midlands Rocks | favourable |
Rover's Return is the fourth solo studio album from English musician John Waite, released in 1987.
The album was Waite's last charting album on the American Billboard 200, where it peaked at #77. It lasted 12 weeks in the chart. A total of two singles were released from the album; "These Times Are Hard for Lovers" and "Don't Lose Any Sleep", the latter written by American songwriter Diane Warren. "These Times Are Hard for Lovers" peaked at #53 on the Billboard Hot 100, #6 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #77 in the UK, whilst "Don't Lose Any Sleep" peaked at #81 on the Billboard Hot 100.
All nine tracks were produced by Waite and Frank Fillipetti, although American songwriter and producer Desmond Child received a production credit for "These Times are Hard for Lovers" which Child also co-wrote, whilst American Grammy/Ivor Novello award-winning songwriter/producer Rick Nowels received production credit for "Don't Lose Any Sleep" and "Sometimes". He also co-wrote "Big Time for Love". "Sometimes" was written by Dan Hartman and Charlie Midnight.
The album was largely recorded and mixed at Right Track Studios in New York City, with additional recording at The Hit Factory, The Power Station and Carriage House Studios.
While recording tracks for Rover's Return during 1987, Waite recorded a version of the Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly song "I Drove All Night". but decided not to release it. The song was also recorded by Roy Orbison in 1987 but not released until 1992, which by that point, Cyndi Lauper had released her Top Ten hit version in 1989. In 2001, Waite's version of the song was released on the One Way Records release Live & Rare Tracks.
The album was released via EMI America on vinyl, cassette and CD. It was released in the US, UK, Europe and Canada. On 25 June 2012, the British label BGO Records digitally remastered the album and re-issued it in the UK.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic's retrospective review gave the album two out of five stars and stated "Rover's Return is an attempt to bring Waite back to the top of the charts that just doesn't work. That's not to say that the record is a complete failure, because there are portions that work quite well - the surging opener "These Times Are Hard for Lovers" is good radio rock, and Waite's voice always sounds good in this polished setting. Still, it's a little stiff and predictable, never quite reaching a level that's interesting, either as a period artifact or a piece of professional craft." Erlewine also noted the "Act of Love" song by highlighted it as an album standout by labeling it an AMG Pick Track.
...
Wikipedia