Huey Lewis and the News: Plan B : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Now that no one's expecting them to sell platinum, gold or even polyester, Huey Lewis and the News are free to be what they probably always were in the first place: an affable, competent bar band. They may not change the world or unseat any contemporary chart-toppers, but they'll keep club crowds happy with their hummable hits from the Eighties and toe-tapping tunes like those on Plan B, the first set of new material from these erstwhile superstars (20 million albums sold) in a decade. Founding bassist Mario Cipollina is gone, and his spark is missed. But the rootsier, revamped News cook up a slick, horn-stoked rhythm & blues groove over Lewis' throaty suburban-soul vocals. These eleven mostly upbeat numbers - especially the swaggering title track, the second-line exercise "The Rhythm Ranch" and the swinging, party-noise-filled opener, "We're Not Here for a Long Time (We're Here for a Good Time)" - go down as easily as home-brew.

PARKE PUTERBAUGH
(RS 876 - August 30, 2001)