The Rod Stewart Album
Studio album by Rod Stewart
Released 1969
Recorded 1969
Genre Rock
Length 32:47
Label Mercury
Producers Rod Stewart and Lou Reizner
The Rod Stewart Album is the debut solo album by Rod Stewart.
Professional ratings:
Allmusic 4.5 of 5 stars
Robert Christgau A-
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic:
On his debut album (titled An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down in Britain, and The Rod Stewart Album in America, presumably because its original title was "too English" or cryptic for U.S. audiences), Rod Stewart essays a startlingly original blend of folk, blues, and rock & roll. The opening cover of the Stones' "Street Fighting Man" encapsulates his approach. Turning the driving acoustic guitars of the original inside out, the song works a laid-back, acoustic groove, bringing a whole new meaning to it before escalating into a full-on rock & roll attack -- without any distorted guitars, just bashing acoustics and thundering drums. Through this approach, Stewart establishes that rock can sound as rich and timeless as folk, and that folk can be as vigorous as rock. And he does this not only as an interpreter, breathing new life into Ewan MacColl's "Dirty Old Town" and defining Mike d'Abo's "Handbags & Gladrags," but also as a songwriter, writing songs as remarkable as "Blind Prayer," "An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down," and "Cindy's Lament." The music and the songs are so vivid and rich with detail that they reflect a whole way of life, and while Stewart would later flesh out this blueprint, it remains a stunningly original vision.
Review by Robert Christgau:
My prejudice against Stewart (who used to be Jeff Beck's singer) was so strong that I would never have really listened to this without the rave notices in Fusion and Rolling Stone. I'm still not quite convinced. But the music is excellent instrumentally, and Stewart's singing and composing mostly superb. Maybe it was all Jeff's fault.
LP track listing
Side One
1. "Street Fighting Man" (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) Ð 5:05
2. "Man of Constant Sorrow" (Traditional, arranged by Rod Stewart) Ð 2:31
3. "Blind Prayer" (Rod Stewart) Ð 4:36
4. "Handbags and Gladrags" (Mike D'Abo) Ð 4:24
Side Two
5. "An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down" (Rod Stewart) Ð 3:04
6. "I Wouldn't Ever Change a Thing" (Rod Stewart) Ð 4:44
7. "Cindy's Lament" (Rod Stewart) Ð 4:26
8. "Dirty Old Town" (Ewan MacColl) Ð 3:42
Personnel
* Rod Stewart - vocals, guitar on "Man of Constant Sorrow"
* Ronnie Wood - guitar, bottleneck guitar, bass guitar
* Martin Pugh - guitar
* Mick Waller - drums
* Ian "Mac" McLagan - piano, organ
* Keith Emerson - organ on "I Wouldn't Ever Change a Thing"
* Mike D'Abo - piano on "Handbags and Gladrags"