Dave Stewart and the Spiritual Cowboys

With the dissolution of Eurythmics following 1989's We Too Are One, guitarist/composer/producer Dave Stewart put together a new band, the Spiritual Cowboys, which included drummer Martin Chambers. The band's initial release arrived the next year to weak sales and little radio interest. It was unfortunate because the self-titled debut definitely deserved more attention. Stewart is a very talented artist and the release is often a joy to listen to. More guitar-heavy than much of Eurythmics' music, Stewart and cast create a blend of blue-eyed soul and glam on tracks like "Soul Years," "Mr. Reed," and "Jack Talking." There is a trio of noteworthy ballads in the hushed "This Little Town," the gospel-tinged "Love Shines," and the epic-in-scope "Heaven and Earth." And they resurrect the glories of "Would I Lie to You?" with the trippy, horn-charged stomp "Party Town." Stewart's voice has a Bowie-like quality to it (with a touch of menace) and suits the songs well, but it's interesting to consider how they would have sounded sung by Annie Lennox. Overall, though, Dave Stewart and the Spiritual Cowboys, forgiving a few weak lyrics, is a lost gem of an album and something most Eurythmics fans will want to hear.