Rover's Return (album)

Background

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.

Recording

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.

Release

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.

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic's retrospective review gave the album two out of five stars and stated "John Waite's second solo album, No Brakes, reached the Top Ten, almost entirely on the strength of the song "Missing You," which made a truly perfect single. Those years in the wilderness - roughly 1985 through 1990 - he released two albums, 1985's Mask of Smiles and 1987's Rover's Return. While it's true that Mask of Smiles feels like an effort to capitalize on "Missing You" - pretty successfully, actually - Rover's Return is an attempt to bring Waite back to the top of the charts that just doesn't work. It's like these two albums are the flip sides to one coin - the first illustrates how professional craft can be utterly engaging, the second illustrates that it can be a dead end. 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.

On "The Sound Page" of the New Straits Times of September 13, 1987, a review of the album stated "Remember him? His "Missing You" was a big hit in 1983. He hasn't been doing all that well since then. Four years on, Waite has not changed. "Rover's Return" offers songs in the "Missing You" mould. Just check out the titles; "These Times are Hard for Lovers," "Act of Love," "Big Time for Love." Know what I mean? Which is a shame because his voice is quite good. It is rather thin but it has a passionate edge to it. However lines like "You and I fit together hand in glove/What we have is an act of love/That's all" are inane and totally boring. In "Encircled", he sings about being encircled in these days of wine and roses. Is he referring to thee wedding ring and the return to monogamy in the US? Maybe so but this allusion to a sign of the times does not save the song or the album. The most listenable track is "These Times are Hard for Lovers". It may make it to the charts if he comes up with a good video..."

In the Billboard magazine issue of December 26, 1987, under the section of "1987 The Year in Music & Video", various critics published a list of their favourite music from the year. Steve Gett, under "Essential Albums - on CD, as always", listed Rover's Return along with 10 other albums.

Brian McGowan of The Midlands Rocks webzine, reviewed the UK remastered reissue of the album and stated "Waites' second solo effort, 'No Brakes' had yielded the massive worldwide hit single, 'Missing You', but the follow up album, 'Mask of Smiles' yielded only one minor Top Forty incursion. As a result, acknowledged hit writers, Desmond Child, Diane Warren and Rick Nowels were called in to contribute to 'Rover's Return'. Child was cresting a wave of popularity, with big hits written for Bon Jovi, Kiss, Cher and Aerosmith all charting around this time. So you could understand the desire to get him on board. Child's fingerprints are all over opening track and first single 'These Times Are Hard For Lovers', mainlining us into an adrenaline rush of a chorus, anthemic and radio friendly. However, it doesn't really work here. For me, Uber producer Frank Fillipetti seldom puts a foot wrong, but this track tends to bombast, and its slick, polished finish gives it a manufactured tone. Diane Warren and Rick Nowels' contributions, respectively, 'Don't Lose Any Sleep' and 'Big Time for Love' are passably good melodic rock songs. The former's lyrical topsy turvy is a neat trick that suits Waite's tortured soul delivery. Paradoxically though, the real standout tracks were either written solely by Waite (Act of Love) or with longtime collaborator, Ivan Kral (She's the One). When Waite is at his absolute best, there's an honesty in his vocal delivery. He pulls off that difficult trick of making you care. Even when spinning the romanticism in 'Act of Love', he employs remarkable restraint, ensuring the song's sentiments don't tip over into sentimentality. And on 'Wild One', he is clearly reaching out for the unattainable, a restless spirit, trapped in circumstances, defined in stark relief by John McCurry’s freewheeling, razor sharp axework. This is Waite, Fillipetti and McCurry doing what they do best. Album standout however, just has to be 'She's the One'. It has all the musical urgency and lyrical rhythm of great eighties' AOR. The track may lack the artistic ambition of so much of Waite's material, but it works like a dream, with keyboards, guitars and voice all propelled by a deceptively simple melodic imperative. Elsewhere, 'Woman's Touch' and 'Encircled' are edgier, grittier affairs and were maybe just too much of a contrast to the other material on 'Rover's Return' for the casual fan of the time. The album wasn't a commercial success but today, 24 years on, you can see that is clearly an accomplished piece of work, filled with superb melodies and inspired moments, with a remastering job that makes the music sound dynamic, clear and pin sharp, unwrapping the album’s full potential. A worthy investment. Don't wait."

Personnel