Jim Peterik & World Stage - 'Roots & Shoots Vol 2'

Jim is still active with his bands Ides of March and Pride of Lions but World Stage has long been an established vehicle for some of his songs. The Roots and Shoots concept allows Jim to work with established stars on some songs and also give lesser-known names and newcomers an opportunity to shine on others. Jim has picked a local Illinois friend Dave Mikulskis to garnish the opening number ‘American Dreamer’ which packs a punch and reminds me of some of Jim’s previous cinematic bangers like ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and ‘Burning Heart’. It features great harmonies, soars majestically and, like most of Jim’s work, it is uplifting and glows with positivity and optimism. Dave pops up again on ‘Stronger Than You Know’ which has similar self-help and motivational qualities. The latest single is ‘Rise Again’ and that one has a bit of a “get-up-off -the-canvas” sporty feel to the chorus and features another lesser-known name in Kevin Farris, who does a fine job.

Mike Reno is the first of the “stars” to feature, and he pops up on track 2, the mid-paced ‘Your Own Hero’. The last time I recall Reno performing a duet was ‘Almost Paradise’ on the ‘Footloose’ soundtrack. This time, Jim steps into the Ann Wilson role as Mike’s vocal partner to great effect. Other “names” involved include a couple of singers from the band Chicago. Jason Scheff lends his voice to the rocking ‘Been to the Mountain’ while Neil Donell lends his tenor tonsils to the exquisite and delicate ‘Until’. Jim P really throws everything into the latter song, with piano, flamenco guitar and horns all helping to build up a sultry Latino evening atmosphere.

On a previous World Stage record, ‘Tigress- Women Who Rock the World’, Jim put some of his songs in the hands of a talented group of ladies, including our own Chez Kane. Cathy Richardson was one of the shining lights in that project and she pops up again to sing with Jim on ‘Love Lives’. ‘Hit of Freedom’ features a very young lassie from Illinois named Sophia Sheth and she brings quality and some pop sensibilities to a bright and breezy number that actually feels just a Michael McDonald backing vocal and an extra bit of “Doobies-bounce” away from yacht rock but has definite cross-over appeal to the youth market, which is quite remarkable given Jim’s vintage.

Whilst he will probably always be most famous for his Rocky-er numbers, Jim is without doubt, the king of the romantic love song. If you put all of Jim’s power, and not-so-power, ballads into a playlist, it would have enough material to keep Rockfiend’s “playlist Romeo” Gareth up all night and most of the next day. If you’ve previously heard my Rockfiend interview with Jim (and what a lovely guy he was to speak with – an absolute gentleman) or read his autobiography “Through the Eye of the Tiger”, then you’ll know that he’s been with the love of his life, wife Karen, for over 50 years and doubtless she is the inspiration, as always, for the two massive love songs that anchor this album. The exceptional Toby Hitchcock is Jim’s vocal partner in Pride of Lions and ‘All That’s Mine to Give’ feels like a natural follow-up to that band’s emotional belter ‘Everything That Money Can’t Buy’ from

‘Immortal’. Apparently, this album’s other massive heart-toucher ‘The Road to Forever’ had originally been earmarked for Jim’s pal Dennis DeYoung, but it is Jim who does the honours and the vocal is probably all the more touching coming from the great man himself.

If you prefer your music to be about reigning in blood or snorting blow off a hooker’s ass, then this is probably not the album for you. But if you feel like a dose of love, positivity, feel-good vibes and aural Vitamin B would do you good, then just check your blood-sugar levels and dive right into this beauty. You’ll come out feeling much better.