Eric Stewart

By 1982, much of the magic that was 10cc's to command had faded from both the public and the members' view, a sorry fact that was only amplified by the successive failure of four years' worth of records. It was, then, a strange time for either of the band's full-time members, Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman, to be contemplating releasing a solo album -- but Stewart was not letting that hold him back. In truth, little about Frooty Rooties will seem unfamiliar to anyone versed in the later 10cc albums. Always the most traditionally rock-oriented of the group, Stewart offers nine tracks which ooze gentle melodicism, tasteful guitar playing, and exquisite production, not one of which breaks either a sweat or the mold. There are flashes of humor, but they tend to be sad: the opening epic "The Ritual" takes a cynical look at the dating game, "Doris the Florist" is an exquisite examination of a life without love (or, as the subtitle unsubtly puts it, "the bouquet that nobody caught"), and "Strictly Business" investigates that other form of lovelessness found inside sex shops and brothels. Reversing the near-decade-old accusation that 10cc rarely dealt in the nitty-gritty of humanity, Frooty Rooties' greatest drawback might be that it is too human. Some of Stewart's observations really are discomforting. Similarly, while it is an easy album to listen to, it might be too easy -- trendy elevator music with a guitar god busting to get out before it hits the ground floor. Unfortunately, he never quite makes it. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide