Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells A Story - 1971

"Rod the Wordslinger is a lot more literate than the typical English bloozeman, Rod the Singer can make words flesh, and though Rod the Bandleader's music is literally electric - it's the mandolin and pedal steel that come through sharpest" - Robert Christgau

 

Rod Stewart's first four albums were mixtures of rock, folk, country and blues with some Sam Cooke-style soul atmosphere thrown in in places. They were highly credible, atmospheric and enjoyable albums. 

All five members of the Faces appeared on this one, so it was, to all intents and purposes, a Faces album. The first two albums, An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down and Gasoline Alley were more folky than rocky, in comparison with this album and had just a few rough edges about them, particularly the first one. All such edges were ironed out here, though, and this was Rod Stewart's first real quality release. It all came together and, together with an iconic single release taken from the album, made Rod Stewart a household name. 

Every Picture Tells A Story starts quietly and then kicks into a storming blast of rock with a few folk influences and a copper-bottomed Stewart vocal remembering how he "fell in love with a slit-eyed girl" in a way he would never have got away with now. This track really rocks and is a great introductory track to the album. 

Then we slow down the pace with the classic Rod Stewart slow bluesy rock ballad that was Seems Like A Long Time. Some impressive drums, bass and lead guitar on this one, and, of course, Rod's vocal. Just perfect in so many ways.

Rod's cover of Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup/Elvis's bluesy rocker That's All Right is sensational, pure Faces - brim full of rocking piano, acoustic and electric guitars merging, mandolin, thumping drums and Rod's blues-soaked vocal. It had that extended rocking Stay With Me-style rocking instrumental/vocal ending too. Glorious. 

Rod loved a bit of mournful, Scottish-influenced folky instrumental too, and we had it here with Amazing Grace. The Caledonian folky influence continues with an impressive cover of Bob Dylan's Tomorrow Is A Long Time. Stewart liked a Dylan cover too, and he invariably always did them justice, something not all could do. 

The now world-famous, memorable single Maggie May - included here with Henry, its nice, rarely used on the radio mandolin intro - was initially the 'b' side to the lovely, and equally seductive Reason To Believe. However, the former's popularity was gained through radio play and its "story" style lyrics that everyone sang along to ensured a "flip" of release and it became the 'a' side and a massive number one hit and an undoubted claim to be Rod Stewart's best ever song. Even now, I can never fail to enjoy listening to it. Lovely bass underpinning it too. Oh, and did I forget that mandolin part at the end? How could I? Remember - five mandolin runs before the drums kick back in. 

Mandolin Wind, with its steel guitar intro, is, like the cover of Tim Hardin's Reason To Believe, just simply beautiful. Soulful, evocative Stewart folky rock of the highest order. The song seems to be telling a tale of tough pioneer life in the old West, sort of Band-style. It is full of evocative lines such as -

"Through the coldest winter in almost fourteen years...". 

Rod could pen a line or two, it is often forgotten. 

Stewart's peerless rendering of The Temptations' (I Know) I'm Losing You is one of few really credible covers of Motown material. Check out Kenney Jones' drum work at the end, and that guitar. Again, The Faces at their very best. Just a fantastic blues rock track.

Just listen to the mandolin/drum ending to Mandolin Wind or the haunting vocal delivery found here on the closer, Reason To Believe. Both songs are absolutely unforgettable. Reason To Believe, particularly, is just simply a great song and its popularity remains high, despite its overshadowing by Maggie May on the single. "If I listened long enough to you...". Makes one's eyes all misty, doesn't it?