Tina Turner – Rough (New Vinyl)

NEW LP

New sealed copy. 2025 half speed mastered reissue.

Tina Turner’s Rough, released in September 1978, stands as a bold statement of reinvention and resilience. Issued by EMI in the UK, Ariola Records in West Germany, and United Artists in the U.S., the album was her first solo effort after her widely publicized divorce from Ike Turner earlier that year. Following the country stylings of Tina Turns the Country On! (1974) and the theatrical flair of Acid Queen (1975)—both recorded during her time with the Ike & Tina Turner Revue—Rough sees Turner taking a decisive step toward a rock-driven sound, blending blues and disco covers with a hard-edged energy.

The album’s opener, “Fruits of the Night,” penned by Pete Bellotte, a key collaborator of Giorgio Moroder, sets the tone for this eclectic collection. Among its standout tracks are Turner’s electrifying takes on Bob Seger’s “Fire Down Below” and Elton John’s “The Bitch Is Back,” the latter reimagined in 1991 for the tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin.

Singles from the album reflected its adventurous spirit. In the U.S., “Viva La Money” led the charge, while Europe saw additional releases including “Root Toot, Undisputable Rock & Roller,” “Sometimes When We Touch,” and “Fruits of the Night.” Critical reception was equally dynamic. Billboard lauded the album for its “adventurous variety of old and new material,” highlighting Turner’s enduring “snap and crackle.” Cash Box praised her for rocking “rough and randy enough to make her pop and soul competitors quiver in their lizard skin tennis shoes,” while Record World celebrated her signature “sassy vocals.”

Joel Vance of Stereo Review offered a glowing endorsement, declaring that tracks like “The Bitch Is Back,” “Night Time Is the Right Time,” and “Root, Toot Undisputable Rock ’n Roller” reaffirmed her status as the queen of steamy soul, reclaiming her throne “with a sweet vengeance.” Rough captures Turner at a crossroads—fierce, free, and ready to conquer.

TRACKLIST:

A1        Fruits Of The Night
A2        The Bitch Is Back
A3        The Woman I'm Supposed To Be
A4        Viva La Money
A5        Funny How Time Slips Away
A6        Earthquake & Hurricane
B1        Root, Toot Undisputable Rock 'N Roller
B2        Fire Down Below
B3        Sometimes When We Touch
B4        A Woman In A Man's World
B5        Night Time Is The Right Time