Paul Rodgers - Electric (1999)

If you didn't know that Electric was completed in 2000, you could easily assume that it was recorded back in the 1970s. That's because this solo offering isn't much different from the recordings that Paul Rodgers made with Bad Company and Free during his youth. Instead of trying to be relevant to the alternative rock scene of 2000 like some veteran rockers have done, Rodgers excels by sticking with what he does best: 1970s-type arena rock that is slick and bluesy at the same time. "Freedom," "Deep Blue," "Jasmine Flower," and other selections don't break any new ground for the British singer (who wrote and produced all of the material himself), and Electric will hardly be considered cutting-edge by 2000 standards. But Rodgers doesn't need to be innovative in the 21st century; arena rock is his forte, and on this CD, he sings it with a lot of feeling. Although Electric isn't quite in a class with Bad Company's Straight Shooter album of 1975 or Rodgers' best work with Free in the early 1970s, it's a respectable, sincere effort that the rocker's hardcore fans will easily appreciate.