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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Two Shades of Blue" one of Rod's finest -, December 31, 2008
Gotta say it, 'cause no one has said it so far, the previously unreleased track "Two Shades of Blue", makes this set worth buying if for just that one track. Gently swaying but percussive and with one of the most inventive and memorable orchestral backings ever, this song is just gorgeous. Rod wrote the lyrics, which cut write to the heart. Who says sad songs can't hurt so good? Just beautiful. Unbelievable that this was a leftover track from the 1998 sessions for the album "When We Were the New Boys".
I got the DVD + 2 CD version. I love all the songs and the remastering is gorgeous which makes the old songs come to life. The DVD has videos on it that were left off the "Storyteller" video set. And the videos on this set are more rare. Some I'd never seen before. Some of the videos are not very creative but it's still good to see them. One of my favorites is "If We Fall In Love Tonight" with Rod the studio photographer lovingly taking photos of many friends, families with babies and lovers. What really makes it for me as this is one my most favorite Rod songs. There are many faves, but "If We Fall In Love Tonight" has many unique textures - from the piano fills which sound like gentle rain, to the rhythmic scratching to the uniquely placed background vocals placed just ahead of the lead singer and which contrast nicely with Rod's vocal. The track is one of Jam and Lewis' finest productions ever.
After a hard week I come home some Friday nights, turn out the lights and blast the tunes "If We Fall In Love Tonight" and "This" (from Rod's "A Spanner In The Works"). All the while I sing my heart out. Sure beats the bar. "Two Shades of Blue" is bound to be added to my set list.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rod At The Top, November 19, 2008
It is so hard to believe that it has been 40 years since Rod Stewart first broke out of the scene, and became one of the most beloved Rock and Pop vocalists of all time. While he has had his shares of heartbreak and loss, he has still maintained a hard core following that is sure to please anyone who still thinks he is sexy. While the past several years have brought him fame as a crooner, because of his Great American Songbook series, there are those who still want him to deliver more of the great pop songs. Now to celebrate his 40th Anniversary as a great legendary icon, there is a new collection that reflects Rod Stewart at nothing but the top of his game.
The Definitive Rod Stewart is a double album anthology that delivers well at his biggest songs from the 70's, 80's and 90's. The collection showcases a lot of his greats from those eras, while doing a strong job at those who've never owned a Rod Stewart record, or those teeny-boppers who seem to be interested in the wannabe acts like Britney Spears or anyone from High School Musical. The collection has been remastered well, and does a welcomed and decent job of reintroducing Rod's classic voice. The album includes nothing but his nearly all of Rod's biggest staples including the heartfelt Forever Young, the intimate 70's anthems from Do Ya' Think I'm Sexy, Tonight's The Night, and Hot Legs, all the way to his 80's guilty pleasures like Some Guys Have All The Luck and Downtown Train. While the collection highlights a lot, there are a few dissapointements though. The album does overlook some of Rod's great songs like Lost In You and his driven covers of Robbie Robertson's Broken Arrow and his delightful 1995 rendition of Carole King's So Far Away, to just name a few. Also, the album does overlook a lot of Rod's 90's era of records that does dissapoint some die hard fans knowing that records like A Spanner In The Works and When We Were The New Boys weren't showcased at all.
All in all, while The Definitive Rod Stewart does have a few songs that were overshadowed, it still does the job well, and displays nearly a almost absolutely flawless reflection of what has made Rod Stewart timeless after all these years. While newer fans might also be upset that songs from his Great American Songbook series were also not delivered, it still welcomes them into the simplicity of Rod's dynamic voice heart and soul. If you haven't yet owned a Rod Stewart album, than this would be an excellent place to start.
Album Cover: B
Songs: B 1/2+
Price: B+
Remastering: B+
Overall: B 1/2+
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great overview to Rod the Mod, November 26, 2008
Rod Stewart's new 2-CD compilation entitled The Definitive Rod Stewart lives up to its title and then some as it cobbles many of his Mercury Records and Warner Bros Records classics.
Singer/songwriter Rod Stewart (or as Rod the Mod as many call him) has been one of the most popular and prolific recording artists in a career that's spanned now for almost 45 years. Ever since his voice debuted on former Yardbird Jeff Beck's album Truth in 1968, he's tackled every genre in rock and pop (hard rock, folk, disco, ballads, pop standards). Nothing from his first two solo albums The Rod Stewart Album and Gasoline Alley are featured here, they were stepping stones towards his third solo album from 1971 Every Picture Tells A Story which launched him as a great singer/songwriter in his own right.
Every Picture Tells a Story's well represented here with "Maggie May", "Mandolin Wind" and the title cut ("Reason to Believe" is on disc two in its 1993 Unplugged version with Ron Wood). Some lament that his cover of "I Know I'm Losing You" is not here gives one a reason to own Every Picture Tells a Story. Then we have "Stay With Me" which was a track he did with the band he was in at the time called The Faces (which featured future Rolling Stones guitarist and Rod's close friend Ron Wood, former Small Faces and future Who drummer Kenney Jones) still a rock radio staple today. Next is "You Wear it Well" from 1972's Never a Dull Moment. After The Faces imploded and his solo effort Smiler didn't do as well as previous solo efforts, Rod signed to Warner Bros. Records (his label with The Faces) in 1975 and released Atlantic Crossing which is represented here by the hit "Sailing". Two other tracks "This Old Heart of Mine" and "I Don't Want to Talk About It" are featured in their 1989 re-recorded versions from the Storyteller box set (the former with Ronald Isley). 1976's A Night on the Town (which reached #2) is represented by the #1 hit ballad "Tonight's the Night", his superb cover of Cat Stevens' "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (later desecrated by Sheryl Crow IMHO) and Rod's ode to a good friend who was killed in a hate crime called "The Killing of Georgie" (proved Rod was a great songwriter). 1977's Footloose and Fancy Free (his best Warner Bros Records album) is represented by the smash hits "You're In My Heart" (a great ballad) and "Hot Legs" (one of his best rockers) plus the epic closer "I Was Only Joking". 1978's chart-topper Blondes Have More Fun is represented by the #1 rock-disco hit "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy". 1980's Foolish Behaviour is represented by "Passion" (a great rocker). Disc one closes with the monster hit "Young Turks" from 1981's Top 20 Platinum selling Tonight I'm Yours (his best 1980s effort).
Disc two begins with the title cut to Tonight I'm Yours. 1983's flop Body Wishes is represented by "Baby Jane" (the big hit from the album). 1984's Gold selling Camouflague is represented by the big hits "Infatuation" and "Some Guys Have All the Luck". His cover of "All Right Now" was left off but c'est la vie. His 1986 self-titled flop (though a great album) is represented by the hit "Love Touch" which appeared in the Robert Redford/Debra Winger film Legal Eagles. 1988's comeback Out of Order is represented by the classic "Forever Young" and "My Heart Can't Tell You No". The other two smashes on this album ("Lost in You" and "Crazy About Her") aren't here but c'est la vie. 1989's box set Storyteller is represented by the definitive version of Tom Waits' "Downtown Train" and the aforementioned re-makes of tracks from his 1975 album Atlantic Crossing. 1991's Vagabond Heart is represented by the monster smashes "Rhythm Of My Heart" and "The Motown Song" (with The Temptations). Sadly, "Broken Arrow" is absent due to time constraints. Another Tom Waits cover "Tom Traubert's Blues" appears and is a great number. 1993's Unplugged...And Seated is represented by his version of Van Morrison's "Have I Told You Lately" and the aforementioned "Reason to Believe". Nothing from 1995's A Spanner in the Works is featured nor is 1998's When We Were the New Boys but you get an outtake from the latter which is a Rod original called "Two Shades of Blue".
If one wants to buy a Rod Stewart best of to start their intro to Rod Stewart, this is the best bet.
Recommended!
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