Every Picture Tells A Story

I liked him better in Faces. I guess this came out right before A Nod is as Good as a Wink to a Blind Horse. I'm liking, not loving, the album. Maggie May was his big breakout in his solo career, I never really liked it that much though. (Find A) Reason To Believe is a good song to close out the album.

Jamais écouté avant. Difficile de faire plus standard, dans le genre folk rock bluesy période 1970's. C'est pas du tout mauvais, mais ça n'a vraiment rien de révolutionnaire ou de distinctif, à l'exception sans doute, de la voix unique de Rod Stewart. Every Picture Tells a Story est probablement marquant dans la carrière de son interprète, mais à l'échelle de la musique populaire du XXe siècle, pas sûr qu'il ait grand chose d'indispensable. D'autant que Rod Stewart prouve ici que s'il peut être un excellent interprète quand il reprend les morceaux des autres, il semble nettement en dessous en tant que songwriter, tant les titres signés par lui sur cet album sont oubliables (oui, même son tube Maggy Mae, dont l'immense succès m'est assez incompréhensible...). Top : Tomorrow Is a Long Time Flop : That's All Right

The fascination with scratchy-voiced singers is something I've never understood. Macy Gray once said "I could clear my throat and end my career" intimating that was the listening public at large's interest in her. I wonder if it's the same with Stewart. If he didn't have the rasp, would he be just another nameless British bloke copping American music? I'm not saying he's a bad singer, but I don't think his voice is amazing. Certainly nobody was demanding him take on "Amazing Grace" as a bewildering double feature with Arthur Crudup's "That's All Right". Only three of the eight songs (leaving out the instrumental "Henry") are originals. How do the covers compare? I'll take the original of Brewer & Shipley's "Seems Like A Long Time" with their haunting harmonies over Rod's version, and of course his singing can't hold a candle to David Ruffin's on the Temptations "(I Know) I'm Losing You" although the instrumental section is probably as good as this album gets. "That's All Right" is missing the verve of Arthur Crudup's original, archaic as it is (something that could be said about every cover of this song, granted), but I'll give Rod the edge over Tim Hardin's version of "Reason to Believe" and Dylan's "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" (mostly, because he's not singing like Bob Dylan). The band here is fine, especially guitarist Ronnie Wood and mandolin player Ray Jackson. It's the material that falters. Aside from the the Crudup and Temptations covers, everything else just feels kind of dreary. "Maggie May" is the only original worth noting here, unless you want to bring up Rod's mention of "slit-eyed lady" on the self-titled track. Critics lost their mind over this, but I don't see it. Feels very similar to a hundred other albums from less famous folk singers. Maybe they need to start rasping more.

23/08/2026 It started off slowly and a bit samey. It got better as the album went on. Spotify listeners: 17.1 million

Never really warmed to Rod Stewart.

Surprisingly uninspired. I found this album to be perfectly tolerable, but nothing stood out as particularly excellent or captivating. Generic roots rock with not much else going on. Stonger B side does not help the lost interest from the A side. Top tracks: Mandolin Wind, (I Know) I'm Losing You

rod rod rod

yuuuuuup... it sure is a rod stewart album! i think i like it more than gasoline alley? been a while since that came up tho and overall i think i feel about the same about this one. i like his voice but for the most part, the tracks just don't seem that special to me. i kinda like "mandolin wind" once the titular mandolin kicks in hard around the half way point, and "(i know) i'm losing you" is pretty solid once it picks up, but on the other hand, the cover of "amazing grace" sounds real fuckin goofy. not into that one at all. i feel like i'm missing something with this guy and i'm not sure what. but also.... i really don't feel that much of a pull from his music that i'd bother sticking with it to figure out what the thing i'm missing is. yknow?

7/10

Mellow album with great songs, but nothing too remarkable apart from the singles.

Yeah? I think I like it? But I don’t feel strongly about that. So… that’s a 3. 3 Boolean: True?

I imagine that hardcore Rod Stewart fans would really enjoy this album. I’m not the biggest Rod Stewart fan, but I did however enjoy the album. Not more than 7/10 but it was good

I only knew Stewart in his hackey-older phase, and never considered the work that made him an icon. This album is legit.

It’s Rod Steward, it’s fine

ugh

Easy to forget that, in a time before he looked like your Nan and went all-in on his model railways, Rod The Mod was actually a cool wee geezer, it seems. This is a likeable record. Obviously Maggie May is a classic but the whole mood and style is distinctive.

Aaah Rodje, vorige keer wilde ik deze man ontzettend graag een strepsil geven, en weer is die rauwe doorrookte rock stem echt het middelpunt van het album. Uiteindelijk was ik richting het einde van het album helemaal klaar met Rod, maar opzich is de productie best wel vet. Hier ook weer, het is wel echt Rock met een hoofdletter R, soort Rock die Veronica boomers luisteren zegmaar. Ga wel wat beter op de uptempo nummers, omdat het instrumentaal gewoon best wel strak in elkaar zit en het me dan altijd een beetje doet denken aan AC/DC ofzo. Ook een zanger met een redelijk vercrackte stem, maar dan is ie gewoon Australisch. Tsja, dit album? Het is prima. Zitten een aantal stukken tussen die best mooi zijn, maar Rod maakt elk nummer net een paar minuten te lang. Beetje het Prince syndroom, en dat zorgt er toch een beetje voor dat ik niet heel warm van dit album word. FAVO: That's all right, Maggie May

I like Rod Stewart’s voice. The album as a whole was fine to listen to, but didn’t pull at me strongly in any way.

2,5/5

A couple of above average songs but mostly it's the music equivalent of luke-warm oatmeal.

Classical rod

Felt a little dated, but then I listened to the 2026 Role Model album and they're the same album, so I guess it's a contemporary sound after all.

Another Rod Stewart album and another disappointment. I am really struggling to understand what Rod was giving out to the people back in the day. This is not Rock and Roll enough to scratch the rock itch. It's not pop enough to be some pop fun. It's not funky, soulful, or experimental enough to be interesting in some other way. It's not even catchy enough to give me some enjoyable easy listening. He's got the distinctive raspy voice but it quickly starts sounding monotone and flat to me, so I ain't even getting through by just enjoying some vocal talents. Truly bamboozling what the appeal was.

I genuinely thought this album would be tedious, grandparent shit. I was wrong. There’s a real energy & drive to some of the tracks on this album, and the songwriting is far more interesting than expected. Every Picture Tells A Story is a killer opener and really sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Rod Stewart has some good songs. A couple of them are here! Mandin Wind is great and so is the opening title track. Otherwise? Not horrible but decidedly not my thing.

Buena voz, buen disco, me aburrió terriblemente

Never broke out the background for me

Nope

Expected to hate this from start to finish and it was surprisingly pleasant, possibly overrating due to such low expectations but wouldn't turn it off if it came on again

Great instrumentation and varied song selection

Rod Stewart: I think I’ve been underrating Rod Stewart! Such a fun voice, and the songs on the album vary in emotion and feel. Love the small interludes here and there of very barebones acoustic guitar. I knew Maggie May coming into this but I came out with a few new songs to enter the rotation. Couldn’t help thinking that this whole album could, with a bit of creativity, be background music for a Guy Fieri documentary. Some of the music is good for cruising in a convertible, some gets a bit softer and emotional, it has just enough rock energy to match his energy…just something to consider for any cinematographers out there. 8/10

Didn't enjoy

Golden songbook bangers and original classics.

Rod Stewart sounds like going to the third location a restaurant opens. You love the original and this one offers all the same things and everyone cares and enjoys it, but it just feels like something is different from the original location. Nothing is wrong but you aren't as excited to visit as you hoped.

Good instrumentation, and compositions, but Rod Stewart's voice just do anything for me. The rest of the ingredients make sense for me. His voice lacks depth, maybe he is better live. I guess a 3 this one breaks my brain.

Meh

It's fine. There are some nice musical moments and great singing. It's a good background dinner album, but it's not my thing.

This one is tough to rate. Half the album is extremely well known and the album was a big commercial success. But is it any good, or is it just because Rod Stewart has this appeal to middle aged ladies. I still don’t really know, it was ok to listen too.

Begint leuk, daarna echt een blur aan saaiheid

Ja dit is echt oersaai. Niet slecht ofzo, gewoon het meest blande rockalbum mogelijk.

Released in 1971, Rod Stewart's *Every Picture Tells a Story* is a landmark album that masterfully captures a moment of artistic perfection, propelling its creator to international stardom. The album is a rollicking, surprisingly grounded document of folk-rock that perfected Stewart's blend of hard rock, folk, and blues . It's an album whose "warm, intimate and atmospheric" sound feels both timeless and deeply rooted in its era. ### 📖 Lyrics and Themes: Storytelling and Self-Discovery The lyrical content is a significant strength of the album, revolving around themes of youthful adventure, self-reflection, and a touch of world-weary wisdom. * **Narrative Style and Perspective:** The lyrics are often narrative, presenting a "picaresque autobiographical tale" . The title track, co-written with Ronnie Wood, is a prime example, following a young man on his travels to Paris, Rome, and the "Peking ferry," with Stewart's confident delivery making the prose-like, free-form lyrics work perfectly . The album's narrator often reflects on his past with a mix of sentimentality and humor, viewing it from a perspective that seems older than his 26 years . * **Key Themes:** The songs explore "a young man joyously celebrating his young life" . "Maggie May" is the celebrated centerpiece, an ornate, ringing ode about a seduction by an older woman . "Mandolin Wind" deals with more poignant themes of love and hardship, while the album as a whole conveys a sense of becoming a "sentimentalist suspicious of nostalgia" . * **Critiques:** Some lyrics are noted for being "of-its-moment," with the title track containing references described as racist and sexist . The lyrics also feature "some of-its-moment racism and sexism here," a common but jarring element of the time . ### 🎶 Music and Production: A Lo-Fi Masterpiece The music on the album is a compelling mix of styles, anchored by a distinctive, loose production style. * **Musical Style:** The music incorporates elements of hard rock, folk, country, blues, and soul . While a hard rocker, the title track rocks "mostly acoustically," driven by "maddening persistent barbaric beat and hard strumming acoustic guitars" . The sound is a key part of the Faces' influence: "ramshackle," loose, and full of palpable joy . * **Production and Sound:** Stewart produced the album himself , and the result is an "atmospheric and moody sounding" record . The production is often described as loose, warm, and "analog" . However, this approach has its detractors. Some criticize it as "slightly flawed," with a "weird" panning of instruments , while a contemporary review called it a "bashful step in the right direction" that was "equal parts magnificent splendor and pleasant inconsequence" . A 2023 user review of a vinyl reissue criticized poor quality control, describing one side as "unacceptably noisy" . * **Musicianship:** The album features outstanding performances from a "stellar cast of musicians" , including Faces members Ronnie Wood and Ian McLagan, drummer Micky Waller, and pianist Pete Sears. The interplay between the musicians gives the album its signature spontaneous feel. ### ⚖️ The Verdict: Pros and Cons To summarize, here are the key pros and cons of the album: **Pros** - **Timeless Songwriting:** Features enduring classics like "Maggie May," "Mandolin Wind," and the title track. Each song, whether a cover or original, "is a gem" . - **Unique and Influential Sound:** Perfectly blends folk, blues, and hard rock with a loose, warm production that feels both intimate and powerful . - **Artistic Peak:** Widely considered Stewart's masterpiece and a high point of early '70s rock, launching him to superstar status . - **Emotional Depth:** Conveys a genuine range of emotions, from the youthful exuberance of "Maggie May" to the poignant sorrow of "Mandolin Wind" . **Cons** - **Period-Specific Flaws:** Certain lyrics, particularly in the title track, contain dated and offensive racial and sexual stereotypes . - **Uneven Production:** The loose production is a key part of its charm but has been criticized as flawed, and some pressings suffer from poor audio quality . - **Inconsistent Quality:** While the highlights are magnificent, some listeners find the album overall to be a mix of brilliant tracks and "pleasant inconsequence" . ### 💡 The Verdict: Is It a Classic? Yes, *Every Picture Tells a Story* is undeniably a classic. Despite its flaws, it's an album of immense power and richness that captures a unique moment in rock history. It represents a pinnacle of Rod Stewart's artistry, a record where his distinctive voice, sharp songwriting, and the ramshackle brilliance of his collaborators all came together perfectly . As one contemporary review noted, it remains "one of those tunes that makes you nod your head, thinking: 'Now this is what rock and roll is about!'" . Its influence and enduring appeal cement its status as a cornerstone of the classic rock canon.

This album is so beautifully produced and written. Rod Stewart is known for his unique raspy voice which is on full display here. Every song is enjoyable, with my favourites being “(Find A) Reason to Believe”, and the big hit off the album, “Maggie May”. Overall outstanding record.

Enjoyed this far more than anticipated. Rod's raspy voice somehow blends really well with these relaxed tempos and tunes. Every Picture Tells A Story Maggie May

Album from my youth and of course I love it!

Quite an impressive album for 1971. I expected this to be from much later given how modern the blues rock sounded. I didn't love the album, but I didn't mind it and did find my head softly nodding throughout.

This album starts with a song about a “slit-eyed lady” and then proceeds to never do anything to recover from that.

aight

Pretty good album. A couple of classics, and the rest is descent, too. Nothing so special I'll run out and buy a copy, but glad to have heard it.

Some guys have all the luck ... I think I am more impressed that Rod Stewart at 81 can still run around and perform on stage like its 1971!

Lowkey became a Rod Stewart fan after the Faces album (“Stayyyy with me”) And he’s lowkey cooking here too. I really like his voice. The opening (title) track is my favourite

Correct

One of the best Rock voices song selection is a bit slight. Faces records are miles better especially Ooh La La

Other than "Maggie May", the material here is run-of-the-mill folk-inflected rock with little spark or originality.

не зашло, ничем не зацепило.

Que algum rico musicalmente. Passeia por vários estilos musicais e com excelência. Me surpreendeu positivamente. QoA Vesper.

motion picture americana, kind of in a kitschy way

Rod Stewart reminds me of my aunt, which isn’t bad necessarily, but it is a little weird. I do like the guy, though

Fucking beautiful. I can not stop listening to this. I would’ve been ok if Maggie May was the only goodie, but it’s far from it. For a time, I only knew Rod Stewart as a guy most people’s grannies and aunties would risk everything for, so I figured he was some kind of R&B crooner type. But no sir, the man is a bonafide rocker. His work with Faces rips. Maggie May has been a long time favorite of mine and in my consideration for one of the greatest songs ever…but Mandolin Wind may overshadow it. Theres so much to talk about here. The instruments performance, the lyrics, the storytelling. The middle of this lineup is lights out. Mandolin Wind is such a gorgeous song. I read some reviews, and there was one that said that there’s something about the way he sings that makes it seem like he really needs to get these songs out, and I think that’s an incredible observation. The whole thing is very heartfelt and he does a beautiful job in each song of creating a scene and story, similar to the way a would in a book. Truly, can not stop listening to this. Because before, I’d only known a handful of songs, mostly hits and a fewer deep cuts in between him solo and with faces — I haven’t gone through the discography on either, so I’m just so taken with this album. I need it on vinyl. Note to the other listeners, the listen on a good pair of headphones is very different from a stereo/speaker. I’m going to give it a five — realistically, probably a 4.8-4.9, but just for how it took over my listening and how badly I want it on vinyl, we go five.

Mandolin wind is kinda nice, i dont get how maggie may was a big hit 3/5

Great album Maggie May is one of my favorites

Completely boring

Aside from Maggie May this album is just OK. Some rocky blues numbers, but I think Rod hit his stride and niche with the Jazz stuff he does now.

Do not really see the appeal of Rod Stewart. His gravelly vocals leave me cold (I think perhaps over heard / over parodied). Song choice is either fairly plodding blues rock or overly sentimental. Although I did like the violin on Find a Reason.

Every Picture Tells a Story The title track is one of my favourite Rod songs, despite some suspect eye shape related lyrics, I love its tumbling picaresque feel, the lines from ‘I firmly believe…’ are so sweetly sung, and Ronnie’s guitar break. The choice of covers outside his own writes and co-writes is excellent, they all work brilliantly with the rootsy country-folk sound, from the rock’n’roll of That’s Alright Mama, the stomping, dramatic motown of I Know I’m Losing You, the fiddle enhanced Tomorrow is a Long Time the folk-jazz-ish Reason to Believe, and the very affecting Amazing Grace. And alongside the title track it also has two more of his greatest songs in Maggie May and Mandolin Wind. I think his voice here is also probably at its peak, there’s a tenderness and sweetness to his raspiness that I love, and I find him very moving on Amazing Grave and Mandolin Wind. You could argue that Ronnie is at his peak here too, alongside Martin Quittenton, his slide and empathetic playing perfectly supports Rod’s voice and the selection of songs. Although I am quite partial to Gasoline Alley, I think this is probably his best solo album (but I don’t think you can really go wrong with any of his first four albums), so I’ll give it a full throated 5. 🖼️🖼️🖼️🖼️🖼️ Playlist submission: Every Picture Tells a Story

Unlike later Rod it's free and easy, which is mainly to its credit, although does reveal the odd stinker (like the hilarious karaoke moment where Rod goes to sing the next line at 2.10 of the title track but stops cos he's too early; or pitchy moments of 'Seems Like a Long Time' which is a conventional gospel rocker). Ronnie's sound is all over it, hence the big similarity with Stones stuff - a bit country, a bit blues. The title track, one of the best here, is heavily Stones influenced. It's given a whole other thread by the folky moments, sometimes with fiddle or mandolin; and these moments are invariably the album highlights. A couple more dips than Gasoline Alley, but also some better highs.

Liked well enough, favorite was Maggie May, but nothing super memorable

Хороший альбом в котором чувствуется энергия, инструменталы хороши, а хрипой голос Рода придаёт определённый шарм

Rod Stewart annoys me. Partly because he spent much of the 1980s looking like a boozy lech upholstered in leopard print. More seriously, because Every Picture Tells A Story proves that beneath the hair and trousers was a musician of enormous intelligence: singer, producer, arranger, songwriter, interpreter and expert judge of when other people should enter the room. The album’s defining quality is unshowy virtuosity in the service of social warmth. Its players possess frightening ability, but nobody uses technique to establish hierarchy. They use it to make the room more habitable. You can hear the beer being spilled. It is being spilled on cue. The title track establishes the method, travelling from a solitary acoustic guitar in the left channel to an enormous rowdy mess through accretion. Rod’s narrative phrases have irregular dimensions, the pulse keeps shifting and there is no proper chorus until everybody discovers the title at the end. Micky Waller’s drumming is magnificent. His kit has just enough room around it to be genuinely alive, and he doesn’t stabilise the performance so much as weaponise its instability. It sounds close to falling downstairs while Waller decides which stair everybody will land on. Then Maggie Bell arrives. The conventional arrangement would add sweetness or contrast; Rod adds more of the same. Another torn, blues-saturated voice makes him plural and turns private narration into public uproar. The sleeve calls the backing singers “vocal abrasives,” which is unusually accurate. This should not work. It works magnificently. “Seems Like a Long Time” reveals that the album’s companionability is not merely about having fun. Yes, wars end, nights become mornings and bad times pass. That knowledge is no comfort while you are trapped inside them. “This too shall pass” jumps from suffering to recovery, but somebody must still make the hellish interval bearable. Don’t merely point to the other side; make the bridge weight-bearing. That is what the gospel arrangement does. The supporting voices do not sing Rod’s suffering away; they gather around him and make the waiting survivable. Rod makes this recent Theodore Anderson song sound fifty years old. He repeatedly forges provenance: new material emerges sounding as though several generations have already needed it. “That’s All Right” makes the pub-session quality explicit. Sam Mitchell’s slide guitar rambles towards a song it appears not to recognise, with little interest in recreating Elvis. Pete Sears’s piano sounds as though it is being poured downstairs from a bucket. Then the performance falls into “Amazing Grace,” and the album suddenly acquires moral seriousness. Rod does not milk it. The pub becomes a congregation without anybody announcing that church has begun. Mitchell bosses the transition, but Rod’s arrangement understands that the change of material carries enough drama. The music gets simpler rather than larger. “Tomorrow Is a Long Time” proves the same point through restraint. Rod resists the temptation to cover Dylan and teases out the song underneath. No impersonation, strangulation or grandstanding. It arrives, establishes its emotional weather and leaves. I would call it good enough without snobbery. Albums need breathing spaces. Shelves do not require breathtaking filigree; they need to be level and capable of holding the books. Side two begins with Martin Quittenton’s “Henry,” thirty seconds of counterfeit English folk that everybody knows without knowing they know. The album invents a folk memory, then enters a song about a man trying to understand a memory of his own. “Maggie May” is sonically peculiar: compressed, boxy and concentrated in the middle. But that boxiness is made for 247 metres, Wonderful Radio One. Its important information sits where a kitchen transistor can reproduce it. I can hear Tony Blackburn arriving after the final chord with “…aaand good morning!” When somebody heard it on the radio and bought the single, that strange midrange preserved the original Oh, I like thatmoment. No surprise it escaped the clutches of its designated A-side, “Reason to Believe,” and became the radio single. Its single-ness was discovered through transmission. Lyrically, it is odd hit material: wistful, damaged and unresolved. The narrator is angry, grateful, boastful, humiliated and affectionate. Ronnie Wood’s guitar solo is as stumblingly unreliable as the narrator, while Pete Sears’s celesta places a trace of childhood inside the adult grievance. Then Ray Jackson’s mandolin emerges from the compressed middle like sunlight from behind clouds. Nothing has been resolved, but the memory becomes beautiful. In a sparkling mix, the mandolin would be decoration. Here it is sunlight the record has earned by remaining overcast. “Mandolin Wind” is where Rod becomes actively infuriating. It is a tremendous composition, written by Stewart alone. He constructs an entire relationship through weather, work and endurance. Love is not declared; it is demonstrated by somebody remaining when remaining is materially difficult. The music bears the same burden, beginning exposed, acquiring shelter instrument by instrument and rising into electric force without ceasing to be a folk ballad. This is also where Ronnie Wood’s extended audition for the Rolling Stones becomes obvious. The song could grace Sticky Fingers. Wood knows how to enter a ballad without violating it and make it rock while preserving its vulnerability. He doesn’t merely play alongside people; he plays with people. He reads the room, reinforces singers and makes performance feel like conspiracy. A social Stone in waiting. Rod wrote “Mandolin Wind” alone. This annoys me further. You cannot excuse the leopard-printed twat by claiming he lacked depth or judgement. The profound interpreter and the pillock are simultaneous operating systems. Then “(I Know) I’m Losing You” arrives and the album develops muscles. The full Faces translate the Temptations onto a British football terrace. Kenney Jones supplies the stomp of boots, Ronnie Lane gives the chant physical insistence, and Wood and Ian McLagan create the sensation of bodies accumulating behind Rod. Anything might break out: a singalong, fight, embrace or pitch invasion. The performance remains soul because terrace singing, gospel and Motown share a mechanism. One voice makes private feeling public; the crowd returns it as force. Its coda doesn’t conclude; it leaves evidence that an event occurred. It has the What the hell just happened? quality of the Beatles’ “Long, Long, Long.” The Beatles leave us in a dark room where something has begun vibrating by itself. The Faces leave us on a terrace after the chant has disintegrated, unsure whether the crowd is dispersing or something worse is beginning. Finally, “Reason to Believe” returns us to the pub band at last orders. Pete Sears’s piano, McLagan’s organ and Danny Thompson’s double bass make the players feel gathered rather than professionally assembled. There is a false ending at which somebody surely always claps. Rod returns alone and allows the ensemble to reform around him, casting both spotlight and hat around the room before the landlord calls time. The emotional problem remains unresolved; the social occasion has simply ended. This is one of the most companionable albums I have evaluated. Blues, gospel, folk, country, soul and rock are not displayed as influences; they behave like shared social languages. Leave space. Listen. Enter when useful. Carry weight without advertising the effort. Stay through the difficult interval. Pub, football, music: possibly the best distillation of that British social trinity. Rowdy without being emotionally mute, accomplished without becoming hierarchical, sentimental without requiring everybody to stop taking the piss. Tony Parsons chose this as his favourite British album. My aesthetic is different: my pinnacle remains four Scousers and a former Fleet Air Arm man turning the studio into a playbox. But Parsons’s choice is entirely defensible. The Beatles turn virtuosity into play. Sonic Youth turn it into research. Rod Stewart and company turn it into hospitality. It may be the finest British album of its particular social type. And the leopard-printed twat made it.

This felt like the same song for 40 minutes help

dont like his voice at all. icl otherwise this is pretty good

Decent folk rock stuff, I like the rock stuff more than the folk but it's all kinda okay

Capital G good musicianship

Well "Maggie May" is now stuck in my head forever. It's good music in a genre I like, so I'll take it.

Ah so good. Maggie Mae is just the best and reminds me of all the fun times had at the Maggie Mae bar on 6th Street in Austin.

Nothing on this album gets close to the colossal Maggie may. With each year the song grows in stature. There isn't really anything else on this early Rod stewart album to write home about

This is fine. Not great but not terrible either.

This overall was pretty middling, while also being better than I expected. I think younger generations have a preconceived notion about Rod Stewart that's unfortunately pretty negative and certainly undeserved. This has a bluesy feeling that reminds me of some of the more jangly Led Zeppelin tracks. His growl is unmistakeable, and few others can make a mandolin rock as much as he does. Favorite tracks: Every Picture Tells A Story, That's All Right, Maggie May

Really dated racial stereotyping and songs about child sexual exploitation. Sounds about right. Other than that, the music is solid enough, and Rod Stewart’s voice, whilst unusual, is highly distinctive, emotional, and bang on the note. I can’t love it, though, but I don’t hate it (even including songs about Shanghai Lil, the slit-eyed lady who didn’t advocate for birth control. Jesus).

Very nice

Good

yeah it's ok

I hate that Rod Stewart still holds up. I came in wanting to detest this, but I quite liked half the songs.

Solid record- he sounds really good striking a balance between pop, folk and Americana (pretty funny considering he's English). It's well-paced, well-composed, and I would imagine pretty re-listenable, as its hits are in the same league as its deep tracks. A high 3 fs

Handful of bangers and the rest is pretty mid tbh Favorites: Maggie may, reason to believe, every picture has a story 3.5/5

I always forget about Rod Stewart and then immediately recognize his distinctive sound. Maggie May is such a classic!

i didn’t even realise maggie may had come on, the whole album sounds the same

I actually expected to like this more and rate it higher, based on people I know that are really into young Rod Stewart. But it just didn't do it for me

Very good

I feel so neutral on Rod Stewart I almost don't have anything to say. I'm sure he's talented - there's shades of it all over the good half of this album - but I don't know if it comes through in the sound. Fav tracks: That's All Right

Alright. A bit rock by numbers

🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑 (rounded down :/ because it got old :/ sorry) Rod, you're killin' me baby bro. Much like Gasoline Alley, I feel like there was a lot to like here—I'm just biased from his Faces work, but this feels like it could be (and often is, in fairness) killer southern rock (from, you know, not the south). However, I think there's a worrisome imbalance in the twang to edge ratio. Plenty of twang on this one, and Rod's voice delivers it well, but by god, there is no edge, and in its dread vacuum an asphyxiating earnestness blooms. Maybe the fact that that's bad makes me an asshole and, worse, a hypocrite, because I think there's nothing wrong with earnestness, but something about it just feels borderline eye-roll-y. Ultimately, it doesn't kill the album for me, which is why it feels evil to give this two stars—it's a high two, mind you, but not high enough to round up into three territory, not today. I was too annoyed for that, sometimes. Oh well. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing

Yawn. I don't think I got anything out of this, and I reeeeeally dislike his voice. Also, what's with all of these nearly six-minute songs?? Too much, Rod.

Feeling like a boomer listening to this. 4.

Better than the other one but only slightly better than average

Rod Stewart’s voice is always inviting. This album didn’t change that

“Slit-eyed lady” is INSANE but this album is pretty good

Fabulous album.

Live a 12-string getting some air time. Shame the music feels a bit wet nowadays, but I'm sure it sounded amazing back int day

Feels like old man rock to me

Managed to stay interesting throughout and I personally did not feel anything negative towards these songs. 7/10

Album 250. Every Picture Tells A Story (https://open.spotify.com/album/4h1e47X26VQHXCjNZZ5P3v?si=wp8lM0GZReSzSXO22GQEhg) — Rod Stewart (1971) omg, Rod Stewart again, okay. This one is less enjoyable for me. 3/5 Liked: — Maggie May — (I Know) I'm Losing You

With his distinctive voice, he made beautiful songs.

Fantastic album! I’d listened to it in full at least once before with no memory of it being particularly intriguing. Of course I was very familiar with the classic back-to-back Maggie May and Mandolin Wind, but this time around I found myself engaged from start to finish in this eclectic mix of folk/rock/blues. The opener with its bold drop-D acoustic strumming hooked me in and kept me there throughout. I’m going all the way with this one - 5 stars to you, Sir Rod.

Rod is a good singer and songwriter, and I enjoyed this, but I dunno, it felt a little... Okay I'm not young but it felt like old people music. I'm sorry.

Rod does have a good voice and does lift his songs a bit, knew Maggie may but everything else was new to me. It's all fairly pedestrian stuff mind you, I had that feeling that there were loads of covers on it but the wiki suggests it's only one or two. Could be a good sign that you sound like you're taking good songs from elsewhere but I think it was more than it sounded like a collection of beige songs thrown together. Not a big fan but his voice raises it slightly for me, so we'll say 2.5.

Cracking light blues rock album. Lyrics on Every Pictures Tells A Story are quite something - some particularly interesting bits about ladies from different cultures and stereotypes - but they are a product of the time. I hope. Maggie May (naturally) and Find A Reason To Believe also standouts. Very distinctive voice.

Maggie may is brilliant, the rest is mostly better than I would give Rod Stewart credit for. He's got a kinda indie scene haircut from the 2000s on the cover, so fair play to him. I think 3 is fair

The album that Hot Rod fans probably care about the most. “Every Picture Tells a Story” and “Maggie May” are great, but you can miss me on Rod doing “Amazing Grace.”

It’s fine, kind of boring honestly.

Good. Enjoyable. Banana sandwiches.

Rod Stewart sang about not being good with romantic words, but -- at least on this album -- he's a damn rockstar.

A good Sunday morning, chill album. I personally love his voice, even if I'm not always a fan of every song.

Me gusta el ritmo, siento que es un buen representativo de los ritmos de los años, la mezcla de Rock & Roll clásico junto a un poco de blues es interesante. Las que más me gustaron: Maggie May.

Didn’t mind this, but probably wouldn’t listen to again. Cool to put a sound to the name.

it wasn’t awful but i didn’t like it

2.5 Favorite song: every picture tells a story

i was bored. and kind of annoyed

'Maggie May' is the highlight and the rest was fine. I'm not Rod's demographic but nothing specific to dislike

Every Picture Tells a Story, and this one is pretty good.

I bet I would have thought Rod Stewart was dreamy AF if I was around in the early 70's. My only exposure to Mr. Stewart is watching the older middle-aged ladies go nuts over his 2000's albums of Jazz standards, so I didn't know what to expect with Every Picture Tells A Story. It was very soulful and very enjoyable, and there were a few songs I absolutely recognize. One of them, "Reason To Believe", is one of those songs I know all the words to but I never think of when I think of Rod Stewart, so I just kind if forget it's there. It was nice to finish the album off with such a pretty song, it really made my morning.

Love younger Rod singing about his slant eyed love. Couldn’t get away with that nowadays. Lothario personified

I paused in the middle of listening to this album so I could track down the owner of old, cracked phone I found in the parking garage. No album on this list has given me as much trouble when trying to remember the name of the artist or album as this one has. Every Picture Tells A Story is a competent album, very in-line with classic rock of its era, with technically proficient riffs and an expressive vocal style typical of the genre. But beyond these elements, the songwriting just doesn't grab me personally. I also feel like each song here is split up into many disconnected sections that don't complement each other. When Stewart sings over top of the higher energy moments, I don't feel like his vocal melodies or rhythms just fit right over the instrumental backings. I feel he performs better in the slower ballad tracks throughout the album, as he has a knack for emotional songwriting when he lets himself be a little mellower, but overall this album doesn't leave me with much of an impression. Highlights: Seems Like A Long Time, Tomorrow Is A Long Time, Maggie May

Rod is at the peak of his powers on this one. Great vocals throughout. Multiple bangers. Really impressed with this album.

When I was younger, Rod Stewart was only played with a few songs on the radio, which was my main source of music back then. And that was just fine. One of those songs was “Maggie May.” It was nice to hear it again. But that’s enough for a long time to come. 3/5

Every picture tells a story - 3 Seems like a long time - 3 That's all right - 3 Tomorrow is a long time - 3 Maggie may - 5 Mandolin wind - 3 (I know) i'm losing you - 4 (Find a) reason to believe - 3

I've never been a fan, but Maggie May will always be a great song.

I think Rod Stewart gets a bad rap because of the bad disco period with "do ya think I'm sexy" and then as he got old he was just doing those standards albums. After all of that though, look back. Rod Stewart has an amazing rock and roll voice. This album has some insanely good rock songs. Maggie May is as good as it gets. Same with Every Picture Tells A Story. Just killer tracks laid down by great musicians. Great album.

Maggie May 💪🏼

Classic Rod the Mod/Bod/God/Stewart. Srsly, some really, really good songs here.

A bit too country but ok. 6/10

Very torn here. I didn't NOT enjoy the album, but I just don't like Rod's voice--sort of like listening to Lemmy. However, the songs (aside from a couple) are good songs. Overall a 2.5 for me, but bumping for Reason to Believe which is an all timer

some i liked, some i did not. i guess Rod Stewart is a musician and singer with a long history and prestige, but here i didn't see anything remarkable or interesting

I like Maggie May, but don't get how this album topped the charts. Sounds fine but average to me

I always think I dislike Rod Stewart and then I listen a bit and I'm like "nah, he's alright".

I didn't think this project would lead me to hating Rod Stewart. I always thought of him as the Maggie May and Handbags and Gladrags guy, nothing special, but perfectly serviceable. This is my second album of his in a few weeks though and both of them have been bad. Every Picture Tells a Story isn't as shit as Gasoline Alley, but it's still really poor.

My girlfriend walked in on me listening to Rod Stewart singing Amazing Grace. Thé relationship is now over.

I’d almost rather watch paint dry

not a big rod Stewart gal

Siento que lo escuché porque me tocó, pero no lo voy a volver a escuchar nunca más. Linda letra, aburrida melodía.

Very enjoyable. I loved Your Quiet Heart until the harmonica took ot down a notch. Bleg. I like the comparison to The Smith's minus the douchery. 4/5

Lots of fun. I’d never listened to a full Rod Stewart album before but the tracks hold up and he certainly isn’t just a man of the hits. That said, Maggie May is a track that speaks for itself and it’s famous for a reason.

I listened to this 4 or 5 times in mild disbelief at how good this was. The title track fucking rips, particularly the drum sound, they hold off on the soulful back up vocals just long enough. It also moves so fast, hard to believe 40 minutes have gone by when it’s through. Before this I would definitely say I was a Rod detractor. I thought of him as a sort of 70’s rock poser. One of hundreds, but this changes that. Kind of like a light weight Exile? Haven’t checked the dates but this sounds almost like a direct response.

Ronnie Wood's guitar solo in Maggie May is one of my favorites of all time. So simple and straightforward but feels so human to me for some reason. I love this album. The mandolin, the big folky chords, the simple melodies and Rod's scratchy yowl, it all works perfectly together. Rod Stewart is an all-time rascal but this album was before he became self-aware and cheeky about it.

[x-country road trip 2026] A bit of backstory: Im moving and driving from CA to MN. Its ~35 hours of driving if you include the detours I plan on taking. Im splitting the drive into two sections - first half with my wife and second half with my Dad. This isnt the first album I chipped off the list for the big drive with my wife. Im trying to find the right balance of new, old reliables and random picks people have floated me in the last few weeks. I’ll put out a message into the group to drop some names (so far Geese has been a really cool find that my wife hated at first and slowly warmed up to - personally, I thought it was great) I saw this pop up and thought it would be a perfect time for a really loud hour. It definitely showed up Rod is as pure of a rock star as you can get and this might be the best of his work that I know of. The journey of this album feels very genuine and hits home. A lot of the thoughts I had in my early/mid twenties are represented here even though Rod is 100 times cooler than I am. And the tunes are just as solid (except for Seems Like A Long Time - shouldve been cut IMO). Thats All Right finishing with Amazing Graze surprisingly worked (looks corny AF on paper afterwards). Maggie is an all timer and totally fits with the rest of the album too Also shoutout to the Almost Famous soundtrack

Grew up knowing Rod as kind of a washed up soft rocker. Never really knew this side of him - was ready to not like this that much. Very pleasantly surprised. I Know I'm Losing You is awesome - so are Maggie May, Find a Reason to Believe, and title track. This one really opened up with a few listens on headphones too. Excited to come back to this - feels like one I can play in the kitchen that everyone will enjoy, which always helps with replays. Duck Stab I would put in the same category, obviously.

Isn't for me

3.75

Standard blues/pub-rock jams featuring Stewart's iconic raspy singing. Has the classic Maggie May single, but the rest is not particularly remarkable.

Quite nice

I like me some Rod every now and again

Not a rod stewart fan. This album has a lot of rod stewart.

Good

In high school we had a female principal that looked like Rod Stewart.

People who listen to folk music probably think this is what rock sounds like

Just kinda okay.

eh, kinda just background music for me except for maggie may

Better than I thought but still not listening again

i really dont like rod stewart. so repetitive and grading i hate his voice so much

Arrancamos la semana con Rod Stewart, otro de tantos músicos que sólo ubico por canciones sueltas. No puedo agregar más que es un álbum tranquilo, para música de fondo. Gracias y hasta mañana

Rod is so overrated. Maggie May is all right, otherwise a pretty bad album.

Eh it's okay

Not too bad but nothing special either. Hot Rod baby.

A very spotty first half, the covers I didn't really care for except "Amazing Grace". But man that second half is all bangers, songs so good I really don't mind Rod's voice as much. High 3

Boomer album that I kinda liked 🫣

Absolutely fantastic album from start to finish. Rod Stewart’s voice is a classic the musicians on this album or top notch. I could listen to this over and over many times.

Osaahan tuo laulaa, mutta ei oikee oma pala kakkua. Mutta ei kyllä huonoakaan

Hyvinhän se Rodi hoilaa. Kuitenkin aika geneeristä meininkiä, niin ei pääse kolmosta ylemmäs.

Oho tää riki sorsan tuotoshan on ihan kova kokonaisuus. Helppo kolkki viivan takaa.

Kyllähän tää maistuu! Moni varmaan pitää Rod Stewartia enemmän tai vähemmän vitsinä, mutta ite kyllä aina diggaillut. Oon vähän kirppiksillä kolutessa yrittänyt tätä nimenomaista levyä etsiä vinskana, mutta vielä ei ole tullut vastaan. Onhan tää heittämällä vanhan raspikurkun paras levy. Maggie May varsinkin on ihan ykköskorin biisejä. On tässä muitakin kovia, ei nyt ehkä ihan vitskan arvoinen, mutta helppo nelonen.

Weird. Couple of bangers, couple of stinkers

Hello again Rod. I don't hate this but also don't quite get why it's considered significant enough to show up in a list like this.

Unexpectedly slaps

underrated, this is consistently good

Rod Stewart is probably best known these days for the goofy disco of his later work, but man his work with Faces and this album is special. Maggie May is likely one of my most played songs of all time going back to when I first heard it when I was in college ~2006. Every song here is amazing.

It's been interesting having a Faces album and a Rod album on consecutive days. Indeed this album was recorded and released the same year... and released whilst RS was recording A Nod Is As Good As A Wink. You can see how Rod might have had other things on his mind. Truth is of the 2 albums, this is the better one. RS had a unique voice and was a great front man. By the time I'd heard of him in the late 70s he was a bit cheesy and housewives choice, but at the height of his powers (i.e here) he was a force.

Surprisingly not rubbish. Some nice songs, a bit of bluesy rock with some good guitars mixed in with the crooning songs. Not the most memorable but certainly a pretty solid album.

Incredibly boring and uninspiring roots rock. I hated "Gasoline Alley", so I hoped for this album to be an improvement. Turns out is the same crap. Maybe better produced, but still incredibly tame and without substance. Actually, from what I can remember, "Gasoline Alley" at least had more folk moments, while in this projects all the songs are incredibly similar: bland guitar riffs and solos, piano melodies and singing, with nothing interesting to say. I can't digest this album, it is painfully mediocre.

Slow start but really finishes strong. Maggie May and I know I’m losing you are very strong tracks.

There are some great hits on here. I've probably heard them a few too many times from the days when I had to ride around in a crew van for many hours a day with the same radio station tuned. I like the folksy sound of a lot of the tunes..

It is fine

Bit of an unexpected heater to continue the hot streak. Lively instrumentation, Maggie May is a classic but I enjoyed basically everything here!

Simplemente genial, me encanto el disco. No suelo escuchar a Rod Stewart pero me gusto mucho su estilo

i think i have 70s rock fatigue. this was ok

just not doing it for me

Aw man I hated this. Just so boring, I can't put the proper or fair words to it but so much of this album had me rolling my eyes. Some good harmonies I guess. That's alright was pretty good but I think it was mainly ah yes blues riff I can vibe to this and then all of a sudden it's amazing grace very strange. Maggie May is the stand out of course and I do like it in general but eh. Mr Stewart is one of my grandmother's favorite artists so I gave him the fair shake but I can't imagine listening to any of this ever again. I can fully see how this is someone else's bag though.

I've never listened to a full Rod Stewart album before, and unless there are more on this list I don't think I will in the future either. Not for me.

I really enjoyed this album. Would listen to it again

..

Can't be arsed with Rod at all.

Its alright Its rod man

I wanted to give Rod a chance but not feeling it.

4/10 - I'm all for a raspy singer. But I just did not like Rod's voice on this project :( If I was at a concert with a mob of fans and someone had this voice, I'd live it up. But I'm at my desk with a donut... Fav Tracks: Maggie May Heard before? ---–- ❌ Saved a Song? ----- ✅ Saved Album? --–-- ❌ Will Listen Again? -- ❌ Album Cover ------- hairgel rod. Hair. Gel.

No sabía que era el de Everyday de ASAP. Tiene temones, muy buen rollo, otro estilo diferente pero guapísimo. Volveré a escucharlo seguro. 7

There was a part of me thinking that actually listening to a Rod Stewart album would end up changing my opinion of him as a weird sex symbol for middle aged women in the 70s-90s. That part of me was wrong.

Hotrod

Just not that special

From this vantage point, the album’s pretty standard-issue fare. I’ll always love his voice. But these songs don’t really challenge him—or the listener. The one, obvious exception: “Maggie May.”

Classic Rod

Not really a fan of Rod Stewart. I just don't get his schtick :/

Early Rod Stewart slaps. Every Picture Tells and Story Don’t It and Maggie May have consistently been randomly get stuck in my head for years and I’m not mad about it.

fine

I mean, this was really good. That voice and the energy and all that he captures what I like to think of the time being like.

Thought this would be quite boring and typical 1001 albums white American rock but actually I really liked it! Another album that knows what it's doing and does it well. I like the american folkiness and it conveys emotions but also is fun, doesn't take itself far too seriously. Top track: tomorrow is a long time.

Good album! Love the guitar in this!

Liked some of the songs here and the roots heartland rock sound is pretty cool. But I just find rod to be kind of boring as a vocalist and as a songwriter. 6/10 Favourite: Every Picture Tells a Story Least Favourite: Thats All Right

Half are okay

Not a bad album, I just don't like rod Stewart.

Legendary.

It’s been so long since I’ve heard this record that my opinion of Rod Stewart was affected by how much I dislike his later song “Tonight’s the Night.” But I soldiered on despite. This is a nice record, with lots of bluesy guitar and folky fiddle and mandolin. I don’t love Rod Stewart’s voice, but it works here. “Maggie May” and “I’m Losing You” are well-regarded songs for a reason, but the thing that affected me most on this listen was “Mandolin Wind.” I think I never really listened closely to that song before - or maybe you need to be older to really be able relate to what it's saying. 4 stars

There’s something about Rod Stewart’s voice that I don’t particularly care for. I’m not even sure how to quantify it with language, it’s not that it’s particularly grating, annoying, or unpleasant, it’s just.. not for me? I don’t hate it, I don’t like it. Musically this feels mostly like mediocre 70’s folk-rock, and not particularly heavy on the rock either. I like the song Maggie May, but that may just be because I’ve heard it so many times on the radio, the pattern recognition part of my brain is just happy to be included. There’s also some debatable if not outright distasteful lyrics throughout, at the very least very dated. Not a record for me, but I suppose I could have seen its appeal in the early 70’s. 2*

I guess my opinion of Rod isn’t super high because when I saw this album cover for today I think I winced a little, but I enjoyed listening to this album more than I expected to. On the spectrum of “British guy(s) go bluesy”, we have on one end the hokey caricature done by The Rolling Stones and on the other, the saccharine and soulless stylings of the early Beatles. On ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’, Rod manages to land somewhere squarely in the middle in a good way, with a sound that clearly is tipping its cap to blues and folk music and retaining some real character from those styles while also maintaining a completely distinct identity. The mandolin on “Maggie May” makes a lot more sense contextually when you listen to the whole album. Interestingly, Stewart only has writing credits on three of nine songs on this album—the opening title track, “Maggie May”, and “Mandolin Wind”. The latter two are both excellent and form an emotional and musical high point for the album in my opinion. The intro to “Mandolin Wind” weirdly reminded me of “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star? But the covers included on the album are smartly chosen, well-executed, and woven with the original songs to form something of a meta-narrative in a way that works really well. Also a big fan of the steel guitar on this album. My biggest gripe about this album is that almost none of these songs need to be longer than four minutes (I’ll give a pass to “Maggie May” and “Mandolin Wind” for five minutes) and quite a few of them are. Overall I’d rate this a 3.5 ⭐️ if I could, but considering the low likelihood that I will listen to the full album again, I will round down.

Fun! About what I expected. A bit rollicking.

Distinctive, raspy crooner and storyteller emerges from the Faces with a strong solo debut that resonates more than half a century later. Maggie May is the highlight and one of the great songs in classic rock history, but Reason to Believe and the title track are solid anchors. Mandolin Wind is great folk rock, and Stewart even does a nice job on covers like Tomorrow Is a Long Time (Dylan) and I'm Losing You (The Temptations). He even sneaks in the hymn Amazing Grace as a hidden gem at the end of That's All Right. Very nice.

I'm contractually obligated to give this one a high score because I share a name with one of the songs

If I wanted to be entertained by Rod Stewart I’d search up the cup draw antics. This was bland.

my first time indulging in a bit of rod stewart and my final verdict is … m m m m mid

This feels very much like a greatest hits album for Rod the Mod. Amazing that it's just a regular release, with all the great songs on it.

3.5 vinyl cop

Much better than I expected and turned out to be a great album.

I’m not ready for Rod Stewart to be good

The cover versions were better than the originals, and those originals are better than the cover versions.

Great Stewart - lots of his hits

Great, early Rod Stewart

Esta muy bien la verdad

its ok, its fine

algum bar no sul dos estados unidos tem esse em loop

Roddy Stew killed it with this one

Not a great fan of Rod's music

Rod is a good time

Honestly, just really well written songs executed really well

fine

Every picture tells a story. A great title track that led into this album. It didn’t feel like a 5 minute track which I appreciated, it also had a good narrative aspect to it, casual racism aside. I’ve been enjoying the guitar in this album! Maggie May especially has some nice acoustic in the intro and throughout! Mandolin wind was very sweet and folky. (I know) I’m losing you had some lovely driving drums and some good piano moments. (Find a) reason to believe was an apt closer. Overall, enjoyed most of this album, but I wasn’t overly impressed by it. 3/5 ⭐️ 119/1089

surprisingly ok lol

It's a bit hard to explain why I enjoyed this one except to say that it just sounds both of its time and also timeless. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 5. Perhaps a touch higher. When we got Gasoline Alley 585 days ago, my primary reason behind only giving it a 3 was that Rod Stewart simply hadn’t found his own voice as a songwriter yet, given that it was an album comprised mostly of covers & his original material wasn’t as good as the covers. This is also an album comprised mostly of covers, but what makes it work is the elevated showmanship in the production of those covers, as well as his own material reaching a similar level. Rod Stewart has found his own voice as a songwriter here, and between the title track that feels like a closer, the fun rhythms of “Maggie May”, & the lovely storytelling of “Mandolin Wind”, there’s really not a single complaint I can find about those 3 tracks. How about the 5 covers then? They all range from good to great, especially apparent on “Tomorrow Is a Long Time”, which is a Bob Dylan cover. The band’s instrumentation gives it a nice country-esque swing, and Rod’s gravelly delivery feels like an elevation of Bob Dylan’s voice. It’s a really strong cover, and that strength applies to the rest of the cover tracks here. The push & pull of the album feels really dynamic as well – take the softer ending of “Seems Like a Long Time”, for example. The way everything pulls back to give a bit more gravitas to the wartime lyrics is a great piece of production work. The same applies to the fake-out ending of “(Find a) Reason to Believe”, where Rod’s acapella in the middle makes his sorrow that much more palpable & lets the energy naturally pick back up. If I have any truly minor nitpicks… I probably would’ve ended on either the title track or “(I Know) I’m Losing You”, as both just carry a more definitive gravitas to their endings than “(Find a) Reason to Believe” does, although I think it’s a good way to close out the album regardless. I really am impressed by Rod Stewart here, and since this is the last album we’ll get from him on the list, I might just have to seek out more of the guy. Even if there’s not one better than this as a top-to-bottom album, there has to be a few more great tracks out there. Hell, maybe I’ll look up those old infomercials from 2005 and just play the tracks from that album. As far as this goes, I think it’s a 5, if not a little higher. Very good stuff, Rod.

Blues, folk ja kantri rokkia. Aika keskivertoa, ei sillein säväytä. Aika semmoista terassi musaa. Parhaat: Maggie May, (Find A) Reason To Believe

One of my more popular reviews (thanks for the love guys & gals) was....... "Anyone else think this list is a little heavy on the "white dudes do R&B / rock". Sadly, other bands (a) did it better and (b) didn't have Rod's voice ruining everything." So yeah. That.

ziemlich mittelmäßig und die songs werden schnell langweilig.

Some great songs on here

Fun fact: when playing Trivial Pursuit with my grandmother, she would always answer any question about rock music with "Rod Stewart." Fun fact #2, I was listening to a rock playlist in the car, and Rod Stewart came on. After a few seconds, I forwarded it and said, "I can only take so much Rod Stewart." My wife agreed. His voice is unique, I'll give you that, but that must have been some serious Dunning-Kreuger to think he could be a singer. Obviously enough people thought so that he had career doing it...some guys have all the luck. But that voice. I just can't. It's like AI said make a blues song, and then sucked all the soul out of it. I've never gotten the appeal of Rod Stewart. The music is good, I like the bluesy arrangements and alternate guitar tunings. I'm left to wonder, did Maggie think he was sexy?

Was fully expecting 1980s Rod Stewart. This was fantastic. Maggie May might be the 4th best song. Favorite track Tomorrow is a Long Time.

Esta bien...

Seems fine - nothing catching my ear though - simply soft rock background music

This would be a 5/10 if I could make it that way, I'm just very iffy about Rod Stewart.

6/10

I've had a lifelong dislike of Rod Stewart, so was dreading this. It was actually…fine…and there has certainly been a lot worse included on the list, but from me Rod doesn’t get more than: 2⭐️

Relistening to this was a treat, forgot how much I liked a lot of these songs...Every Picture Tells A Story, Mandolin Wind, Maggie...deeper cuts like 'Seems Like a Long Time' and 'Tomorrow is a Long Time' round it out nicely

Great debut solo album

Great album, Maggie May is a top 10 song of all time for me

Maggie May rules but the rest of this is up and down but it's still a rockin' good time. Rod was always the showman and does some great stuff here.

Iconic.

yeah that’s all right

Day 252 Absolutely loved this album, Christ I’m getting old. Highlights Seems like a long time I know I’m losing you

Rod could sing the phonebook and it would sound good, classic rock and roll voice, instantly recognizable. He was coming from the Faces and starting his solo journey, so much of the sound on this album is reminiscent of the Faces best songs. True bar room rock and roll. The title track along with the Mt Rushmore of Rock song, "Maggie May", along with "Mandolin Wind", "(I Know) I'm Losing You" & "Reason To Believe" all form to give the listener a very solid album. I am unsure if I've ever listened to the album in its entirety, but I have to comment that the backing vocals on several songs bring in a soul element that truly enhances the album ("Seem Like A Long Time", "Every Picture...", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time"). I enjoyed it, nothing skip-worthy, just classic Rod becoming a huge star. It could have been longer (only 40 mins). Hits, influence, staying power/longevity, and songs that are still played today 50+ yrs later. 4 stars

Beau son, bonne voix rauque. Super belle découverte, les chansons, un mélange de folk, blues, guitare acoustique. C'est réconfortant, nostalgique, c'est bon. Il parle notamment de ses amours.

esperaba mas de el 2/5

Didn't really care for it. Not my style.

This is actually pretty good. His voice is really good on here - and Maggie May is a banger, but there are actually other songs just as good on here

I only recently found out this WASN'T a greatest hits collection. It's that good

err nice lyrics tho.

dá pra entender pq ele lotou a praia de copacabana.. rock n roll !!

there’s something incredibly off putting about this opening song. yea this isn’t doing it for me.

I enjoyed it thoroughly! Some songs ripped way more than I’d ever have guessed for Roddy

Great musicianship, great voice, classic album.

Was very happy to hear some of these songs. Rod Steward always reminds me of my house hold as a child in the 90s.

Álbum con mucho estilo y sello propio. Se sienten reales las historias. La mejor: Maggie May.

Not my cup of tea

I liked this. Good mix of blues rock

It’s a pretty middle-of-the-road album. It’s not bad and I can enjoy it, but nothing really stands out. It just kind of goes by

Favorite Track: Mandolin Wind

Even at 26 Rod has the gravelly, textured voice and the reflective, sentimental lyrics of someone much older. The acoustic and steel guitars give an unpolished but lovely, sincere sound.

I like Rod Stewart's raspy voice and the jangly piano, but at the end of the day it's just a 70s rock album and there are artists from the era that I like a lot more

Keeping

Much better than I thought it would be! Very nice pub rock/pop-rock/folk influences throughout. "Maggie May" is such a classic, and still very raunchy and racy to this day. Definitely prefer this stuff over what he did with Faces. 4 stars.

Rod I’ve heard of you, you’ve been mentioned many times but I actually Gita chance to sit with your work and brother, this was some solid work.

I do like Rod Stewart, particularly when he was with Jeff Beck. And who doesn’t love Maggie May? I liked this album a lot but couldn’t help feeling that it lacked a lot of what he had when he was with Jeff Beck. I mean this was maybe a little easier to take. But what a great voice he has. Super unique and raspy. I love it. 3.5/5 and rounding up because this guy is a legend, doesn’t matter who you are

Þetta hækkaði álit mitt á Rod Stewart aðeins. Skemmtileg plata að mörgu leyti.

Endlich mal wieder ein Klassiker. Handgemachte, ehrliche Musik. Musikalität wird hier gelebt, nicht ersetzt durch Radau, Gepöbel und Gestottere.

Highlights: (Find a) Reason to Believe, (I Know) I'm Losing You. In a nutshell: folk rock, featuring mandolin. Overall: 5/10

5/10… classic - soft rock / *1971

Standing on the shoulders of giants, Rod has some decent tracks here. It's a total mixed bag, though.

3+1 Meets notability guidelines.

Se me ocurren pocas cosas más genéricas, insulsas y aburridas que esta mierdita.

😃

Rod Stewart grates on my nerves after awhile. Which is why it really surprised me that I like the second half of this album. Everything from Maggie Mae on was pretty good.

It was okay.

A low 3 … it was very Rod Stewarty.

Great album. I only knew Maggie May, but the entire album was good. Favorite songs: Every Picture Tells A Story, Maggie May

This is easily my favorite Rod Stewart record. Even though more than half of the record are covers, it's a well produced and performed record and is always enjoyable to listen to. Simply an amazing record.

Rod, in all of his various forms, is a sack of crap. This record was an early instance of when people bought records on the advice of critics because if they had heard this shit before they would not have bought it. Worse, those who actually purchased this record lied to people telling them this is fucking great so they would not be the only ones stupid enough to buy it. How do you know a record is not good? Shortly after it is released it fades from memory. Show me anyone today who would say this Rod Fucking Stewart is the greatest ever, and I’ll show you an idiot. This is terrible. I listened to the entire thing and it is the first time I have truly regretted that I committed to completing each record each day. Regret is a terrible feeling and this is a terrible fucking record. Maggie May is a terrible song. This is unimaginative music. Somehow Rods vocals do not make it better. At least it’s not Do Ta Think I’m Sexy bad, but it’s bad. Avoid at all costs. 1/5

This unexpectedly slapped.

Gorgeous folk rock album. It's got softer acoustic elements, harder rock tracks, and everything in between. The vocal delivery is outstanding, truly underrated singer of the decade. The bass too is criminally underrated as a performance, being melodically prominent in most songs. The spotlight of the drums in terms of fills and solos are super fun too, sporting a perfect backdrop to the adventurous but laid back record. It just needs to pack a little more flair and explosion.

Nothing really stood out to me, didn’t hate listening to it but it didn’t really do much for me

Its... okay. It is a very dated album. This is amplified more by lyrics like "slit-eyed lady". But it is still dated other than that. All of the songs are very similar, they all have a similar build up and a similar instrumental. It isn't unenjoyable by any means though.

Every Picture Tells A Story - 3/5 Seems Like a Long Time - 2/5 That's All Right - 2.5/5 Tomorrow is Such a Long Time - 2.5/5 Maggie May - 3.5/5 Mandolin Wind - 2/5 (I Know) I'm Losing You - 2.5/5 Reason to Believe - 2/5 I had only known Rod Stewart as the guy who had a unique voice and sang "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy". The first part is surely true, but he writes his music in the way that I've perceived him: extremely dated with a hint of misogyny. Overall: 2/5 Favorites: Maggie May

Eh, some of this was cool.

Mid

I was not looking forward to this - I've long considered Stewart overrated and a bit of a buffoon. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that, beyond just "Maggie May," there are other worthy efforts here - the lush guitar work on Dylan's "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" and Stewart's own "Mandolin Wind" are particularly welcome, and Stewart's Faces' version of "(I Know) I'm Losing You" stands up to the Temptations' original. But the clunky moments are particularly clunky, whether its Stewart's ode to a "slit-eyed lady" who doesn't believe in birth control on the title track (Orientalism much?), or a version of "Amazing Grace" tacked onto "That's All Right" that feels deeply out of place. Still, this was better than expected, although I continue to think he's overrated and a bit of a buffoon.

Oli parempi kuin odotin. Piti kuunnella myös aikaisempia levyjä. 4,25/5.