Playing to Win
Nearly 10 years after his comeback with the Stone Canyon Band, Rick Nelson's career declined again when he returned to EMI in 1981.Paul McCartneyexpressed interest in producing the latest effort from the former teen idol, but, due to corporate politics, the album was instead assigned toPhil SpectorcohortJack Nitzsche. Nelson, however, basically produced the sessions himself. Always adept at picking material, he covers rockabilly-derived tunes by the likes ofJohn Fogerty("Almost Saturday Night"),Graham Parker("Back to Schooldays"), andJohn Hiatt. In addition to two Nelson originals, he revives "Believe What You Say." The rerelease is supplemented with six bonus tracks, including a previously unreleased version of Hiatt's "Radio Girl" andRocky Burnette's "Tired of Toeing the Line." The label refused to release the track and Burnette's own version became a Top 10 hit.--Bill Holdship