The side-effect of Rod Stewart's superstardom has been that few take him seriously as an artist. Rhino's four-disc box, The Rod Stewart Sessions, is designed to prompt re-evaluation, showcasing an artist at work: an artist writing lyrics, stretching out melodies, changing arrangements, anything he can do to get a piece of music to work. This, naturally, is not passive listening; although the differences are often notable, especially on the earliest tracks, it demands attention because so many of these are working tracks, not finished masters. As the set winds to a conclusion in the late '90s - the last album covered is Rod's Brit-pop homage When We Were the New Boys, tellingly also the last rock & roll album he's made as of this 2009 release - outtakes begin to outnumber the rough cuts, and there are some good ones, including takes on Paul Weller's "Changingman" and Oasis' "Rocking Chair." Still, it takes a little bit of effort to get there, as the set dips in interest during the mid-'80s, when Rod hit a creative lull, but that is easily overshadowed, as it always is, by the glory of his '70s work. Here, there's an undeniable charge in hearing Rod muck about in the studio, figuring out the words for "Maggie May" and "You Wear It Well," figuring out how to give "Los Paraguayos" a kick, joking around on the music hall romp "My Dad's Trouser." True, this is all the province of the dedicated, but for those curious listeners who decide to wade into these deep waters, they will indeed find a sharp, engaged, interpretive singer and songwriter, the artist who has been obscured in the wake of Rod's superstardom

Track List:

Disc 1
01- Maggie May (Early Rough) (1971)
02- Seems Like A Long Time (Alternate) (1971)
03- Italian Girls (Early Version) (1972)
04- You Wear It Well (Early Rough) (1972)
05- Los Paraguayos (Alternate) (1972)
06- I'd Rather Go Blind (Alternate) (1972)
07- Angel (Alternate) (1972)
08- I Think I'll Pack My Bags (1974)
09- Farewell (Early Version) (1974)
10- Girl From The North Country (Alternate) (1974)
11- (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Man (Alternate) (1974)
12- So Tired (Early Version) (1974)
13- This Old Heart Of Mine (With Booker T. & The MG's) (1975)
14- To Love Somebody (With Booker T. & The MG's) (Early Take) (1975)
15- Sailing (Alternate) (1975)
16- Tonight's The Night (Early Take) (1976)
17- My Dad's Trousers (Hidden Track) (1982)
Disc 2
01- The First Cut Is The Deepest (Alternate) (1976)
02- Rosie (Solo Acoustic Version) (1976)
03- Innocent (The Killing Of Georgie Part III) (Run-Through) (1977)
04- Hot Legs (Early Take) (1977)
05- You're In My Heart (Acoustic Version) (1977)
06- I Was Only Joking (Early Take 4) (1977)
07- Scarred And Scared (Alternate) (1978)
08- When I'm Away From You (1979)
09- Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight (Early Version) (1980)
10- Time Of My Life (1980)
11- TV Mama (1980)
12- Maybe Baby (1980)
13- Stupid (1980)
14- Guess I'll Always Love You (Alternate) (1982)
15- The Great Pretender (Acoustic) (1982)
16- It's Coming Out Of Their Royalties (Hidden Track) (1982)
Disc 3
01- Thunderbird (1981)
02- Dancing Alone (Alternate Version) (1983)
03- I Wish You Would (1983)
04- Sweet Surrender (Alternate Version) (1983)
05- Show Me (1983)
06- Ghetto Blaster (Early Version) (1983)
07- Satisfied (Alternate Version) (1983)
08- Hard Lesson To Learn (Alternate Version) (1985)
09- Heaven (1985)
10- In My Life (Piano Version) (1985)
11- Love Is A Four Letter Word (1987)
12- Forever Young (Piano Version) (1987)
13- My Heart Can't Tell You No (Alternate Version) (1987)
14- I Go To Jail For You (1987)
15- A Good Lover Is Hard To Find (1990)
16- E Or A (Hidden Track) (1983)
Disc 4
01- Let The Day Begin (Alternate Version) (1992)
02- The Groom's Still Waiting At The Altar (Alternate Version) (1992)
03- Windy Town (Piano Version) (1992)
04- In A Broken Dream (1992) (1992)
05- This Wheel's On Fire (1992)
06- I Wanna Stay Home (1992)
07- I'm A King Bee (1995)
08- Looking For A Love (1995)
09- Kiss Her For Me (1995)
10- The Long Journey Home (1997)
11- Now That You're On Your Own (1997)
12- Dylan's Day Off (1997)
13- On And On (1997)
14- Rockin' Chair (1997)
15- Sugar Lips (1997)
16- The Changingman (1997)
17- May You Never (1990)
18- Studio Chatter (Hidden Track) (2009)
19- Rod Plays Guitar (Hidden Track) (2009)

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