Smiler - ROD STEWART***

Sweet Little Rock & Roller/Lochinvar/Farewell/Sailor/Bring It On Home To Me-You Send Me/Let Me Be Your Car/(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Man/Dixie Toot/Hard Road/I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face/Girl From The North Country/Mine For Me

Smiler was the last album of Rod Stewart on the Mercury label and is a disappointment. It consists mostly of covers although one exception is the UK top ten hit Farewell. (US:13 UK:1)

“Rod’s farewell to Blighty and to The Faces and it's by far the weakest of his early solo albums on Mercury that are his strongest work.”

“Smiler is actually quite listenable, though there appears to be no distinct artistic vision, rhyme, or reason to the track selection or sequencing, as it consists of only three Rod Stewart originals and far more obvious covers than previous efforts.”

“This was really the beginning of the end for Rod Stewart as a credible rock performer before the rot really set in. The spandex and leopard skin years were coming and the cracks were beginning to show.”

“The only good thing about Smiler is that it grows in stature next to everything he released after it.”

“Smiler is by far the weakest album that Rod Stewart released on the Mercury label. It has some excellent performances, but it is rather spotty. The album starts off with a ripping song, Sweet Little Rock 'N' Roller but then falls off. The rest of the album is up and down. This could have been a lot better, but it is not a wasted effort.”

“This is the way Rod should sound. It kicks of with a blistering Sweet Little Rock 'N’ Roller and Farewell a classic song. Every minute on this LP is worth the price. It rocks, it swings and the ballads are filled with soul. There are original songs by Paul McCartney and Elton John who both also guest.”

“This was recorded back when Rod and Ronnie were rockers and balladeers. His duet with Elton John has me tapping my toes. Listening to this, I 'm taken back to the early 70s when rock was genuine and fun.”

“One of the things that I love about these older Rod Stewart albums is that he always has a great mix of material. His soulful singing on these really livens you up, or touches your heart in some way.”