Customer Reviews

A Spanner In The Works

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have listened to almost all the works of Rod Stewart. There are a lot of his albums I love like Camouflage, Footloose and Fancy Free, Vagabond Heart, et al. Many musicians transition themselves to a different route as they age, but "Spanner in the works" by Rod definitely defies that. This album is a masterpiece. Tracks like "Windy Town", "Leave Virginia Alone", "Sweetheart like you", "Muddy, Sam, and Otis" are classics which linger on you even when the song is over. I had a cassette of this album which got worn out listening to, so I purchased this CD from Amazon. I may need to replace it from Amazon again once the CD is worn out. I love you Rod and I have been loving for 20 years ever since I heard your first song at the age of 15.

This is by far his most unappreciated work, yet one of his best. A bridge between and rock of youth and the mellowness of American Songbooks. It is unique, it is honest and it is meaningful. The songs come from the heart and are best with a soulmate, a bottle of wine and quiet evening. I never fully appreciated Rod Stewart until I heard this.

This is one of Rod Stewart's finest recordings in years. With the possible exception of "Unplugged ... and seated", this collection of tunes is the nearest Roderick has come to matching the artistry of his early efforts, like "Every Picture Tells a Story" and "Gasoline Alley".

There is truly something for everyone on this record. If you are into hard rock, then check out "Delicious", Rod's compositional collaboration with ex-Duranie Andy Taylor (who previously teamed up with Rod to produce the fine "Out of Order"). Mr. Taylor also guests on "Soothe Me", the old Sam Cooke soul classic turned hard-rockin' guitar-fest. A slightly more bluesy guitar-driven big-band romp is to be had with "Hang on St. Christopher", something one can just tell Rod wanted to record, not because it has any potential whatsoever to be a hit single, but rather because it is simply a great, if somewhat radio-unfriendly, tune. Rounding out the up-tempo catagory, albeit in a slightly more mellow, acoustic vein, is "Leave Virginia Alone", a Tom Petty-penned gem that allows Rod to shine, just like he did in the old days.

There are many ballads on this record, yet they do not repeat one another or sound even remotely alike. "This", a truly touching romantic number, is sharply contrasted with the likes of "Windy Town", a tune about touring, and "Sweetheart Like You", a remake of the Bob Dylan classic. On the latter tune in particular do we see Rod's ability to truly inhabit a song, becoming the protagonist completely, a man desperate to believe that his woman is far better than her surroundings, even though he knows that she is only slightly out of place.

Be sure to check out the Rod-penned tune "Muddy, Sam and Otis", which give us an insight into the music that inspired Rod to dream of becoming a great soul singer (which he is, blue eyes and all). Not only does Rod show us how these great soul men inspired him, but the song also functions as a lament for an era of music that is clearly behind us now.

Curiously, the album closes with a lovely ballad called "Purple Heather". Why do I say curiously? Because the song is credited as being a Rod Stewart composition, when anyone even remotely familiar with either Irish or Scottish folk music will realize that this tune has been around for quite some time. Even if the song isn't Rod's, the arrangement is, and this presentation works quite well.

All in all, there is something for everyone on this album. Song for song, the quality is much better than "Vagabond Heart", which, although it had a few moments of strength, was a bit uneven in terms of compositional quality. Like the rest of Rod's better albums, this is a collection of Rod's originals, a few covers, and some great tunes penned by Rod's contemporaries. If you like Rod, you'll love "A Spanner in the Works".

I have all of Rod's albums and I can honestly say I think this is the one he always wanted to make. You can hear it in his voice: the magic is there, and he is feeling it.
Windy Town is among the more beautiful moments in Rod's career, as is Purple Heather.
Leave Virginia Alone....has he ever sounded in higher spirits than here.
And his re-working of Dylan's Sweetheart like you is the kind of stuff that makes the eyes moist.
Best listened to at night, as one is drifting off to sleep.....

I'm listening to it as I type this. Rod has had a ton of great albums in the past and this is yet another. The album starts out with a great song called "Windy Town" and just keeps getting better. The highlight is a song that not only rivals Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On"as the best all time love song,it destroys it. That song is "This." I dare anyone who likes a good love song to hear it and not agree. Just listen to it. I don't think there has ever been a better love song. If you don't have this record yet, get it. It's a masterpiece from a great artist.

"A Spanner In The Works" opens with an exquisitely melodic cover of Chris Rea's "Windy Town" which shows that Rod Stewart is still one of the finest interpreters of songs in the business.

His characteristic voice has lost none of its effectiveness, and this varied set of covers and originals recalls his glory days and classic albums like "Gasoline Alley" and "Every Picture Tells A Story"...it's not as good as those two, but it's still better than most of what Stewart has put out since the 70s.
Rod Stewart moves effortlessly between pop-rock ("Leave Virginia Alone"), traditional folk (a lovely "Purple Heather"), and material by Tom Waits (the gritty "Hang On St Christopher"), and Bob Dylan ("Sweetheart Like You").
Other highlights include a competent rendition of Sam & Dave's "Soothe Me", and the R&B-tribute "Muddy, Sam And Otis" (Waters, Cooke, and Redding, that is).

There are a few too many minor songs, and cutting "Spanner" down to eight or ten songs would only have made it better. But there are still plenty of highlights along the way, and this warm, low-key record is very easy to like.

I would urge anyone who thinks Rod's most recent number one CD (Still the Same) is a great CD to listen to this. Three Rod originals and nine songs chosen by Rod make this one of the best CDs of his career. How the public missed this one remains a mystery to hardcore Rod Stewart fans. This is A MUST own CD for anyone interested in Rod Stewart. The songs on A Spanner, including tunes by Dylan and Waits, are all superb and cover rockers, ballads, and everything in between.

A Spanner In The Works remains one of Rod Stewart's most dynamic albums of all time. Although it didn't sell as well, I found it to be the return to his roots in classic rock on songs like The Downtown Lights, and Leave Virginia Alone. This is one spectacular album. I think that any Rod Stewart fan will love this record.

I really enjoy this album and think it one of Rods best. There may not be the hard rock sound of previous albums, but its still Rod, and I think he has succeeded in making an excellent album of mostly ballads. Some people complain about Rod mellowing out these days, but so what. As long as he keeps making music like this, then it's fine with me. This album includes some of the most romantic songs I have ever heard, like "This" and "You're the Star"...highly recommended.

This of all the new works(post storyteller) is his best to date. I have bee listening to Rod 90% of my life and I', only 23. I mean listen to every track, there simple the some of the best songs I have ever heard.Among my favorites are tracks 1,3,5,8,9, & 10. His tribute song Muddy, Sam, and Otis is touching and inspirational. Oh, Lets not forget his remake of Tom Waits's Hang on St. Christopher. And to round off his Ballad collection "THIS", need I say more.