Glenn Frey's After Hours

When I look at the cover of the new Glenn Frey album of out-of-focus retro lights, it brings back memories of my own "after hours" in the nightclubs of my past. That is exactly the mood one of the founding fathers of the Eagles wants to project with this uncharacteristic pre-Elvis musical journey.

Frey has exchanged his "Just another tequila sunrise" vocals to an age-appropriate single-malt sunset of classic love songs. Yes, it's been done before by ex-rockers such as Rod Stewart and Paul McCartney, but never with such authentic cocktail-lounge-relevant song selections and arrangements.

There's jazzy piano with strings, stand-up bass, muted horns, and sweeping snares, all complimenting Frey's unexpectedly perfect crooning. Two of the best numbers are covers of Nat King Cole's "For Sentimental Reasons" and a jump-jive version of "Route 66." Frey sounds like a youthful Tony Bennett on "The Good Life" and "I Wanna Be Around." He sings Brian Wilson's "Caroline No" better than the original. And here’s a sentence I never thought I'd type: Do yourself a favor and listen to Glenn Frey sing "The Shadow of Your Smile."

• Album: After Hours
• Artist: Glenn Frey
• Label: Universal Music
• Songs: (1) For Sentimental Reasons (2) My Buddy (3) The Good Life (4) Route 66 (5) The Shadow of Your Smile (6) Here's to Life (7) It's Too Soon to Know (8) Caroline No (9) The Look of Love (10) I'm Getting Old Before My Time (11) Worried Mind (12) I Wanna Be Around