The groundwork for Shakin’ Stevens new album Re-Set was in pre-Covid 2018, after which came rehearsals and the Greatest Hits – And More tour. That took Shaky around European hubs from Berlin to Vienna and from Prague to Warsaw, then on to an 18-date UK schedule. “He came, he shook, he conquered,” wrote the Daily Telegraph of the London show at Cadogan Hall. Add to this the much-loved hero of 33 Top 40 UK hits, four No. 1s and a 50-year-plus back story has recently delighted fans who watched Shaky’s return to live action shortly before Christmas 2022, as Very Special Guest on Status Quo’s UK arena tour. Legions of devotees were treated to a set of old favourites (‘Green Door,’ ‘Marie Marie’) woven in with the new track Beyond The Illusion that provided the thread from his rock ‘n’ roll roots to the present day. From his ole house to his new one, you might say.

Reinvention is a much-used word in the music world. But after redefining his sound and style on 2016’s hugely acclaimed Echoes Of Our Times, Shakin’ Stevens wasn’t content just to press repeat for his next studio project. Now, he’s hit Re-Set.

That’s the title, and indeed the attitude, of a new album that combines extraordinarily heartfelt and meaningful lyrics with the most impassioned vocal performances he has ever summoned from himself, well over 50 years since his first recordings. If that last album set the bar high, he really has Re-Set it once again, in every sense.

But Re-Set is another story, and one that Stevens can’t wait to share with his hugely loyal fan base and new admirers alike. “It’s a follow-up,” as he puts it, “but it’s different. People were surprised by Echoes Of Our Times, and,” he smiles, “I guess the same is going to happen with Re-Set.”

“Nobody’s pointing the finger. It’s not judging, it’s observing,” he concludes. “I believe lyrics are very important, but if you haven’t got a tune to go with them, you’ve had it.” The man with the unfailing instinct for a great record is re-set and ready for the latest adventure of his unique career.