Seger released this album when I was a junior in high school. I didn't listen to it much then; not enough head-banging for my tastes at the time. Being older and wiser these days, I love this album. "Against the Wind" is I think the second best song Seger has ever written. "Like a Rock" was my favorite but once he sold out to Chevy it's much harder to listen too. "Shinin' Brightly," and "You'll Accomp'ny Me" are also just outstanding. One thing you have to say about Bob Seger: he writes and performs his music honestly and with passion. If you're looking for canned, over-produced music, this awesome album is not for you.

Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band changed their sound a bit for the release of 1980's Against The Wind. While the album included songs like the great "Her Strut", "Horizontal Bop" and "Betty Lou's Getting Out Tonight" which are rockers in the classic Seger vein, much of the album takes on a country tone. Having co-written The Eagles' number one hit "Heartache Tonight" which has a country rock flavor, Mr. Seger follows that course on the album. The title track is a lamenting song that has a somber tone while "You'll Accomp'ny Me" is a pretty and longing. The best song on the album is the powerful and foreboding "Fire Lake" which Eagles Don Henley & Glenn Frey return the favor by lending back up vocals. Against The Wind become Mr. Seger's one and only number one album and spent six weeks at the top.

This album was always my favourite Seger album. Includes hits such as 'Against The Wind', 'Fire Lake' and another that should have been a huge hit "Betty Lou's Gettin Out Tonight'. For some unknown reason, 'Fire Lake' wasn't included in his greatest hits collection. Great sax on several selections and vocal backups by the likes of Don Henley and Glen Frey. This remastered version has none of the flat sound of the origional nor are the highs ultra sharp. Great remastering job on a really wonderful disc.

Musically, Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band's Against the Wind (1980) has a little bit of everything for everyone. Old-time rock n' roll with Horizontal Bop and Betty Lou, straight ahead rock with Her Strut, love songs with Accompany Me and Good for Me, and country-rock with Fire Lake.

The centerpiece of this solid Bob Seger And The Silver Bullet Band album is the title song, Against The Wind. What a song! If there is a Songwriting 101 course somewhere, this has got to be it's example of how to craft the perfect song. It tells an interesting and timeless story, it reveals the wisdom of experience, and it's relevant to people's lives. Actually, the song perfectly describes my own life, from the youthful exuberance and indescretion of the past right up to the deadlines and commitments of today. The music fits the mood of the lyric, and Bob turns in a motivated and soulful vocal performance (as always).

Another classic here is the funky and electrifying Her Strut. Seger sings it like he means it, and even breaks out his electric guitar and plays a pretty mean solo.

Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Timothy B. Schmidt of The Eagles make an appearance to sing backing vocals on Fire Lake, which is also a Seger classic. With lyrics like "Who's gonna ride that chrome three-wheeler" and "Who's gonna play those eights and aces", the song sounds like it could have come from an early Bruce Springsteen album, and it works well here.

Against The Wind isn't quite in the classic category of Bob Seger's Night Moves or Live Bullet, but it's a solid and enjoyable album, and of course, it's got THAT SONG.

From the beginning with "Horizontal Bop" to the closing with "Shining Brightly," Seger exceeds "Night Moves in quantity and quality. He got more radio play off of this CD, and from more stations. "Her Strut" is one of my favorite Seger songs. And "Fire Lake, Betty Lou, Accompany Me," and "Against The Wind" are all fabulous Seger classics, lyricallly and musically. I know there's lots of folks who say there wasn't much breadth to Seger's musical ability. But once you take Seger for what he's worth, judge him by his era, his contemporaries and what it is exactly he does best, it's hard to find any future or previous CDs by him that measure up to this one. Of course, there's also the immeasurable "nostalgia" that many have for this CD, not to mention the buiit in nostalgia Seger puts into most of his music and storytelling. I think it will stand the test of time.