An Old Raincoat - ROD STEWART****

Street Fighting Man/Man Of Constant Sorrow/Blind Prayer/Handbags & Gladrags/An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down/I Wouldn't Ever Change A Thing/Cindy's Lament/Dirty Old Town

An Old Raincoat was the album which launched the solo career of 1970s superstar Rod Stewart. His releases on the Vertigo label were held in much greater esteem by music critics than his later more bland material. (US:139)

“Released way before he turned into a crooner for suburban moms, at a time when he still had soul. Just listen to the Ron Wood's bass solo at the end of Street Fighting Man with Hopkins’ piano bringing it all home, a snippet of classic rock at its best.”

“There is no messing about here; he blends rock, blues and folk remarkably well and with a sense of experience. A blueprint for his brilliant later works; raunchy and groovy on the rocking tracks, heartfelt and sensitive on the folky tracks, and of course that distinctive smoky voice.”

“Instrumentally you can hear that his band understands rock better than most. Handbags & Gladrags is a classic, intricately flourished with piano, and Stewart's performance is sincere and full of emotion.”

“During the era when Rod was acting as frontman for The Faces, who in turn were moonlighting as session musicians on Rod's solo albums, there was an interesting demarcation between the two. The Faces albums would tend to have the rockers, whilst the more sensitive material and cover versions would go on his solo album. This folky, soulful brand of blues rock stands in interesting contrast to The Faces material from the same era, and also demonstrates that Rod's solo career wasn't all bad - at least, not at first.”

“Rod Stewart was well known in the early stages of his career for loud and sloppy (in a good way) rock music. His solo debut is noted for its warm acoustic ballads. Fans are in for a treat and the glorious Handbags And Gladrags is done as only Stewart could.”

“Before he squandered his talent and reputation, Rod Stewart had an extraordinary gift for songwriting and for selecting other songwriters' material that showcased his vocal abilities. The songs on this album are some of the best he ever produced - powerful, sensitive and nuanced. He also knew how to pick a band that provided the incredibly tight, but slightly boozy-feeling, rhythm section.”