First off, what is with this album's cover? Seriously though...
Anyway, maybe releasing a compilation after releasing a mere four albums was a bad move. I don't know. But you know what? I don't really care--this is still a great collection. I especially like the titular Casablanca reference.
Okay, so here we go...
Reason to Believe--8.5/10. A fine song, but the ending is a bit on the repetitive side.
You Wear It Well--9.5/10. One of the best post-breakup songs ever written. I especially appreciate how he isn't begging the girl to come back. But the fiddle does grind one's nerves.
Mandolin Wind--10/10. I'm no country fan (there's a steel guitar, which I consider a headache) and I still give this a 10. You've gotta here this, it's one of the best romantic songs ever written.
Country Comforts--6.5/10. Just kind of there, not all that good but not all that bad at least!
Maggie Mae--11/10. What can I say about this that hasn't been said before? It's brilliant. It's classic. It's one of the first rock songs I ever liked. Rod's ballad about loving an older woman never gets old.
Handbags and Gladrags 10/10.--Whoa, Rod could play some fine ballads too! Sure it's a cover, but it's one of the best of all-time. Musically, it's got a little of everything (Brass, flute, strings), but he really keeps it from slipping into bombast. And the lyrics are incredible.
Street Fighting Men--10/10. It's an acoustic rocker (you have to hear it to believe it). Though I perfer the original, this is still a fine song.
Twistin' the Night Away--8/10. Good fun. Play it at a party, and you'll get good reaction.
Los Paraguoyos--9/10. This is the kind of song that probably wouldn't show up on most other Rod collections. Too bad, it's another good, fun song with a sense of humor.
(I Know) I'm Losing You--10/10. Ronnie Wood riffs at his best, the drum solo is mindblowing, and then there's Rod's delivery...he just turns the Temptations classic inside-out and backwards, and the result is genius.
Pinball Wizard--5/10. Okay, everyone and their cousin's pet aardvark has covered this song. But why the orchestra? Why, Rod, why????
Gasoline Alley--10/10. Another great ballad here. Oh, and someone tell Bernie Taupin that ripping off other people's songs is a dumb idea. (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is definetly this song's clone.)
Buy this now!

I originally bought this in LP form way back in the mid-1970's (before Rod turned all Disco on us!) In my opinion, it's an outstanding collection of some of his best work, from huge hits like "Maggie May", "Reason to Believe", and "You Wear it Well", to lesser-known but still-beautiful songs like "Mandolin Wind" and "Gasoline Alley". This is Rod Stewart at his best!

Break out the wine and relax in front of a nice fire while Rod takes you away. Reason To Believe is beautiful song that anyone who has loved can relate to. You Wear It Well follows that same vein of hurt in love that stikes a chord within us all.

Rod Stewart was at his best between the years 1969 to 1975, and I am not alone in this opinion. This compilation disc includes twelve Rod Stewart songs released before he sold his soul to the disco devil in 1978 with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" (Foot Loose & Fancy Free), a lucrative career move that prompted Rolling Stone magazine to observe: "Rarely has a singer had as full and unique a talent as Rod Stewart; rarely has anyone betrayed his talent so completely." At his best, Stewart released The Rod Stewart Album in 1969, (featuring "Handbags and Gladrags"); Gasoline Alley in 1970 (featuring the Rod Stewart-Ronnie Wood song "Gasoline Alley"); Every Picture Tells a Story in 1971 (featuring the classic singles "Maggie May," "(I Know) I'm Losing You," and the Tim Hardin song "Reason To Believe"); and Never a Dull Moment in 1972 (featuring Sam Cooke's "Twisting the Night Away," "You Wear It Well," and "Lost Paraguayos"). All of these classic Rod songs are included on this collection, songs which define the true artistic genius of Rod Stewart without the tawdry posturing of his disco years.

1. Reason To Believe
2. You Wear It Well
3. Mandolin Wind
4. Country Comfort
5. Maggie May
6. Handbags And Gladrags
7. Street Fighting Man
8. Twisting The Night Away
9. Lost Paraguayos
10. (I Know) I'm Losing You
11. Pinball Wizard (From The Rock Opera 'Tommy' 1914-1984)
12. Gasoline Alley

G. Merritt

This is one of my favorite Rod Stewart CD's.