Status Quo: Now there’s a name that you probably haven’t heard in a while, especially if you’re an American. Despite selling in excess of 120 million records globally, scoring a million-gazillion hit singles, and remaining a stadium headline act *checks math* 64 years into their career (Holy shit, that’s a LONG time), the Quo’s success never translated stateside. To this day, here they remain a one hit wonder with their 1968 psych rock classic, “Pictures of Matchstick Men”: A song that’s far from representative of the sound they’d become known for. That being said, this here Yankee will forever fly the Quo flag, with this here sick ’70s live poster proudly displayed in my metal cave.
Despite their unrelenting work ethic, as far as new music goes, the ’20s have been the most depressing decade to be a Quo fan yet. While era peers like Blue Öyster Cult, Foghat, and Deep Purple continue to release exciting new albums, Quo have been radio silent since the release of 2019’s Backbone. At the time, Rossi blamed the shift from physical media to streaming for Quo’s untimely demise as a studio act, which economically speaking, makes sense. Why bother pumping money into an album that ultimately will break even at best, when you can continue playing the hits of yesteryear to 25,000+ people a night for a guaranteed sum of six figures? One is certainly more reliable than the other, which to me seems to hint at the title of Rossi’s latest solo outing, The Accidental.
As much as he may have initially denied it or played it down, even at 76 years young, the Grand Old Man of Rock, as he’s known, is still rife with worthwhile musical ideas, and he’s gotta get ’em out somehow, whether it be with Quo or on his own. The Accidental sees Rossi taking the latter route, treating fans to a collection of 14 classic rockers that run the gamut from Quo-styled fare to cuts that would never fly on an album baring the Quo moniker. In this respect, we’re treated to the full spectrum of Rossi’s craft, the English institution still playing as if he has something to prove, and reminding us exactly why he is such a legend in the first place.
The Quoments on The Accidental boast a closer resemblance to the band’s poppy ’80s era than their headbanging ’70s days. Admittedly, it was founding bassist Alan Lancaster who pushed the band towards a heavier direction back then, so it makes sense Rossi evened out the mix with his Lennon/McCartney-esque knack for hooks. Cuts like “Go Man Go”, “Dead of Night”, “Bye My Love”, and “Things Will Get Better” will have listeners bouncing and boogieing like it’s Donington ’82. Punchy power pop outbursts like “Push Comes to Shove” and “Oh So Good” really shine a light on those aforementioned Beatles leanings, while the symphonic boogie of “Picture Perfect” sounds like a lost collaboration between the Quo and ELO. No doubt about it: This would’ve been the hottest single of ’75. Standing above the rest, ironically, is the heaviest of the bunch, “Something in the Air (Stormy Weather)”. Descriptors like “dark” and “mysterious” are not what comes to mind when describing the music of Quo, yet perfectly surmise this old school metal basher. It really nails that ultra-specific “’70s act trying to keep up with the NWOBHM” vibe of peers like Gillan and Ozzy Osbourne.
While The Accidental isn’t of the same caliber as Quo’s legendary ’70s run, who cares? Aside from a handful of sleeper ballads I could’ve done without (i.e. “Going Home”, “Time to Remember”, etc.), let’s appreciate this album for what it is: A new collection of music from a genuine living legend in the year 2026. In an age where these forefathers are dropping at an alarming pace, The Accidental isn’t just a new album, but a gift to fans young and old (or rather young and young at heart!) Because as we all know, the good things come out of happy accidents. Boogie on, Francis! Boogie on!
7 out of 10
Label: earMUSIC
Genre: Hard Rock
For fans of: Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick