Rod Stewart has always been three singers in one: a top-of-the-line rocker (Maggie May, Hot Legs) and a terrific balladeer (Sailing, Tonight's The Night), and finally (and indeed least) a really decent pop artist. That he has been able to accomplish this for over thirty years with a voice that sounds like he gargles with razor blades is nothing short of a miracle.

This album, choosing from the very thick repetoire of hits missing from the first "very best of" album, concentrates on the last two aspects of Rod's career. The sublime "Broken Arrow", the autobiographical "I Was Only Joking", the melancholy "The First Cut Is the Deepest" all are included. Alas, so are the rather silly Love Touch, and unaffecting covers of Your Song and Having A Party. And why include the Unplugged version of "People Get Ready" when the original with Jeff Beck is so superior?

Usually when an artist puts out a 2nd "best of", the tracks are truly second best. Not in this case. Most artists would be delighted to have this set as a greatest hits.

Anyone knows that one disc can't possibly hold all of Rod Stewart's best songs, so naturally a second volume will have to be made. "Encore: The Very Best Of - Vol. 2" adds 18 Stewart classics not found on 2001's "The Very Best Of Rod Stewart". This disc has some great stuff on it, and is actually slightly better than the first volume.

"Encore" features pretty much every significant hit not featured on the first volume, from the soulful "The Motown Song" to the turbo charged rocker "Lost In You" to the new wave synth pop chugger "Baby Jane" to the somber " I Was Only Joking", you will find that you will love every song on this cd (even the much criticized "Love Touch" (which is one of my all time favorites). This set is also notable for inckuding Rod's popular on radio but otherwise hard to find cover of Carole King's "So Far Away" and "Don't Come Around Here" from 2001's "Human". Plus, anyone who's only familliar with Sheryl Crow's version of "The First Cut Is The Deepest" should really listen to Rod's version. It's truly better.

An added bonus to this disc is a booklet with commentary on each track and how it came into being, given to to you by none other than Rod. A great collection of Rod's music. Get this one as well as volume one.

I liked that he put out a second album of his greatest hits on Warner Bros. And clever since he's finishing out his contract with them because he's on J now. But this album has songs he left out on the first one. I like that Crazy About Her is on here, for I played that the most from Out of Order! Very big sound on it! Infatuation I still love. And Passion is another solid song on here. There are some bluesy numbers,some soul-driven numbers and rockers here too. I loved his version of That's What Friends are For, even if Dionne Warwick's version was a big hit in late '85. It's kind of mixed up, not in chronological order, but the songs blend well. Stewart may be on this standards thing now, but pop/rock is what he can do the best and he should go back to it for his next album. This album just demonstrates his many talents as a singer and artist.

Rod Stewart is a singer whose appeal has probably outlasted anyone in rock and roll with the exception the Beatles, the Stones and Elvis. He is adored by millions young and old. He has been named a perosnal favorite singer by every singer, from Elton John to Lindsay Lohan. Plus, he had an incredible run of hits between 1971 and 1998: 35 top 40 singles, 14 top 10 hits, 3 number one records (including one that was on top for 8 weeks). "Voice - The Very Best Of Rod Stewart" featured 16 of those hits. It had all his most memorable work on just one disc. It was excellent, but there was something missing. That missing void was filled with "Encore: Very Best Of 2".

This cd includes most of those remaining hits, including "Love Touch" (don't tell me anything bad about this song, because I love it), "Crazy About Her", "Passion", and the uplifting "The Motown Song". Also included is a vast number of underrated songs like "Broken Arrow", his original version "That's What Friends Are For" (not as good as Dionne Warwick's version, but it's still good), "I Don't Want To Talk About It", and "I Was Only Joking". Fans may miss "Handbags And Gladrags" and "The Killing Of Georgie Pts. 1 and 2", but that's a matter of opinion.

Get this and "Voice", and you're well on your way to owning all of Rod Stewart's best cds. Also pick up "Gasoline Alley", "Every Picture Tells A Story", "Out Of Order" and "Vagabond Heart", all great albums. Oh yeah, and the 3 "Great American Songbook" cds. They show how versatile the Rodmeister really is.

What a musical collection!!! As soon as I heard this disc included THE ORIGINAL VERSION of "That's What Friends Are For", I knew I had to get it. Dionne Warwick and her psychic friends' version doesn't even come close to this one . I also found a few surprising gems such as Rod's version of "Your Song",
as well as "I Don't Want To Talk About It" and "I Was Only Joking". I Highly recomnend this cd.