Foolish Behaviour

After his disco crossover smash “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” the previous year, Rod Stewart put together 1980’s Foolish Behaviour with the help of his backing band, sharing songwriting credits on nearly all the cuts. For a man experiencing some of the greatest commercial peaks of any artist, he doesn’t sound exactly sure of his place in the era’s changing musical landscape. The hit single, “Passion,” suggests a balance between the dancefloor and his rocker past, but much of the rest struggles with its approach. “Better Off Dead” kicks things off in rocker mode, but its guitar tones are too polished and the keyboards threaten to wash out whatever edge exists, a problem that also renders “Gi’ Me Wings” equally ineffective. Much better are ballads such as “So Soon We Change,” which settles into a relaxed groove that allows his voice to play around the notes, and “My Girl” that’s one of those slow-dance Stewart readymades. “Oh God, I Wish I Was At Home Tonight” is the album’s most overlooked track, a mid-tempo where the smooth guitars and organ are more appropriately placed.