Rod Stewart's third studio album Every Picture Tells a Story was released in 1971. With the number one hit single "Maggie May," which was originally released as a B-side to "Reason to Believe," the album was Stewart's commercial breakthrough and it went to number one in both the UK and US. While some of the critical reviews at the time were mixed, it has since gone on to be considered one of the greatest albums of all time. Like with his past two studio albums, all the members of the Faces play on the record.
Other than being slightly more hard-rocking than his two previous solo albums (because the Faces finally kick ass), Every Picture Tells a Story is the same blend of country, rock, blues, and folk but the songwriting and selection of covers are better and the recording is magnificent. To me, the eclectic instrumental variety is the backbone of the record. The slide guitar on "That's All Right," the violin on "Tomorrow Is a Long Time," the fluttering organ on "(Find A) Reason to Believe," and the mandolin on "Maggie May" and "Mandolin Wind" all help make this a breezy and timeless classic. But it's also Stewart's impassioned vocals that make "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" one of the best Dylan covers I've ever heard, "(I Know) I'm Losing You" a rocker worth remembering, and that allow him waltz through the lyrics of "Maggie May" perfectly. A
