Rod Stewart

Stewart follows up It Had to Be You, his first Top-5 pop album in a decade, with another tour of timeless standards. His warm vocals and good humor are apparent on every track, including duets with Queen Latifah (a rapper who sings better than most vocalists) and Cher (who may want to consider a career in hip-hop).

No Sinatra, but also no Ronstadt, plus he knows the difference between Nelson Riddle and Gordon Jenkins ("Until the Real Thing Comes Along," "As Time Goes By"). (Grade - **)