Rod Stewart Tribute by Bob Wyper

In this album, SOULBOOK, Rod Stewart has produced a true landmark collection which will actually be talked about years from now.

It's not so much the great choice of material... and it IS great... or even the stunning duets, especially 'Let It Be Me' with Jennifer Hudson, which will once again rubber stamp this amazing girl's growing credentials...

NO.. it's the overall feel of the album being 'just right' with enough of the original tune, enough of Rod's unique voice and more than enough of the 'play it again' quality that keeps it on the turntables...

It's a statement of where Rod Stewart is today, applying flawless vocals to his favourite 'growing up in London' songs, and taking fans on one more step of a very long pop journey through a lot of different styles.

Not being a great fan of the Songbook series, I was unsure what to expect, so imagine the delight when it turned out to be THIS good. RECOMMENDED TO ALL who like Rod Stewart and to all who like classic soul at its best.  Click here for AMAZON samples of some tracks on Soulbook.

TRACK LISTING AND REVIEW OF SONGS

1. It's The Same Old Song - 

Rod starts the album with a dreamy solo vocal, leaving the instruments to kick in beautifully and lift this 1965 Four Tops classic to a new level.  A comfortable vocal for Rod in a song which he seems to especially enjoy performing.  The song certainly grows on the listener and has been popular with live TV audiences on his  promotional tour.

2. My Cherie Amour -

No surprise that Rod included a Stevie Wonder song on this album, but only a few would have picked this softer song from the vast choice of the Master Blaster's hits.  Rod surprises us further by making a great job of singing the song in a softer style, only for it to be crowded out by a busy set of musicians and suffering from the vocal being very low in the mix.  Lovely haunting harmonica from Stevie on this track.

3. You Make Me Feel Brand New -

First of a few duets on this album and probably the only one which struggled to match voices properly.  Rod's style was soft and pleasant once again, but Mary J. Blige failed to add the correct blend of support to the song, choosing instead to wander around the notes without finding the ones the song actually needed to be complete.   Maybe that feeling comes from comparing the Stylistics original or the perfect version which Mick Hucknall produced just a few years ago.

4. (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher -

The musicians working on this track got the song absolutely spot on for Rod to add his vocal and make a great spirited version of the Jackie Wilson classic.  Again, the low level of the vocal in the production spoils it a little but nothing can take away the good feeling in this lively song.

5. Tracks Of My Tears -

As one of the all-time best songs to come out of Tamla Motown, this song is crying out for Rod Stewart to deliver a great vocal... and he does it to perfection.   The vocal performance takes us on an enjoyable journey through the poignant Smokey Robinson tune, with the great man himself dueting with Rod on this one...  a real gem of a song with the velvet smooth production of backing vocals and music which allows Rod to breathe his life into the song.

6. Let It Be Me -

Jennifer Hudson meets Rod head on in this fabulous rendition of the old French classic love song.  A perfect example of control from Jennifer, who holds her vocal when it needs to be held back, and lets go in the right places to stress the passion of the song.  Certainly matches all the versions of this song which have come before, including those by The Everly Brothers, Sonny & Cher, Betty Everett & Jerry Butler or Paul Weller to name but a few.

7. Rainy Night In Georgia -

Although recorded previously by male singers like Brook Benton, Ray Charles and Hank Williams, this song seems to have been mastered only by the beautiful female voice of Randy Crawford.   Rod does the song justice but never really captures the spark that it needs to take it all the way.  Nice and easy listening.

8. What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted -

Another piece of classic Motown which Rod makes his own on this excellent all round production.  The softer vocal which Rod has used on many of these tracks is particularly suited to this song.  He may have chosen to sing them softer or perhaps struggled a little for power after an exhausting tour in 2009... either way, the result is better on some songs like this one, than it is on some of the others where the producer did not compensate for the lower power of the vocal.  A really good version of the Jimmy Ruffin original from 1966.

9. Love Train -

A slight change of style brings us to the Philly sound of the O'Jays.  Rod enjoys himself on this one without ever delivering a deluxe performance, but on a song as easy-going and lightweight pop in style, that was never required of him.  Great to hear it on the live shows in the summer tour of 2009.

10. You've Really Got A Hold On Me - 

Despite strong previous recordings by such luminaries as The Miracles, The Supremes, The Temptations and The Beatles, Rod Stewart smoulders his way through this Smokey Robinson tune to claim another success in the Motown style that few singers ever achieve.   The vocal slides over perfectly and makes the listener want more of the same... and there's more to come.

11. Wonderful World -

This Sam Cooke song from 1960 gets the full treatment from the sultry Rod, and really makes its mark on an album of strong songs.  The mid-pace of the musicians holds this song in place for Rod to deliver an elegant vocal with his own usual mixture of rough and smooth making it a most listenable track.

12. If You Don't Know Me By Now -

This is the song which reminds us that Rod Stewart is a class act, at the same time gently pointing out that he is older than we all remember him.  This is a passionate performance which carries the spirit of the whole album in one song... Rod's favourite songs from a time gone by.  At times it feels like Smokey singing from the sixties, then Sam Cooke or someone else from that era while all the time its Rod ... just being Rod...  a strong and very likeable version of Harold Melvin's classic from the Philadelphia writing stable of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff.

13. Just My Imagination - 

The last single recorded by Eddie Kendricks with The Temptations in 1971 has been given Rod's special treatment here, with a tender easy paced vocal which suits Rod's voice perfectly.  An unexciting song which still has a place on this album on the merit of Rod's vocal performance alone.

14. Never Give You Up - 

Another song from prolific Philly writers Gamble and Huff (this time with Jerry Butler who also sang this song). Not one of their more popular songs and one which never really gets going for Rod... too broken up for my liking with no real continuity and a really annoying and cluttered backing vocal cutting across Rod singing the lead vocal.  A bonus track on the album... so we get something for free and still complain.

15. Only The Strong Survive - 

Such a disappointment initially to hear the original Jerry Butler version adhered to so strictly by Rod, when there was a chance to really set this song alight with an arrangement along the lines of Billy Paul.  I suppose when even Elvis did the same as Rod,  maybe it was the right way to do it... or maybe not.  Others have criticised the English accent on the spoken intro, but how else would Rod have done it.  At least this is an honest and decent cover version of a song close to Rod's heart, and really not that bad either.  I am definitely pleased that it was on the album rather than left off it.   With 15 songs on this album leaving 14 songs unreleased from the 29 recorded in this session, I suppose I am hoping Rod might redo this song in the uptempo style to bring out 15 new songs on Soulbook 2... just dreaming, though.

SUMMARY

SOULBOOK really is a landmark album which states clearly where Rod Stewart is vocally in 2009... very much alive and well for the world to hear and enjoy.  It is also a partial statement of where Rod came from with roots very firmly fixed in classic Soul music... roots which expanded into other areas and helped form the legend that we all know and love...  I give you a toast to... Rod Stewart and the SOULBOOK ALBUM.

SOULBOOK review by  Bob Wyper.