Faces – A Nod Is As Good As A Wink...To A Blind Horse

It is a shame and a pity to me that so many people, especially in the US, wrote this band off as some sort of Rod Stewart side project.  You have certainly done yourself a disservice if this is the case, and you've missed out on a lot of great music.  The good thing about music, though, is that it's never too late to correct your misconceptions.  Especially with the technology we have today, you can dig up these old recordings as simply as if they were made last week.  And you really should.

To clear up a couple of commonly misunderstood things; the band is simply called Faces, not THE Faces.  Also, this was not Rod's side project.  He was a full-fledged member of this band first, and his solo career took off while a member of the band.  If you're going to jump in now, you might as well have things right.

This was their third album and my favorite.  From start to finish, it is 37 minutes of everything that rock n roll should be.  One of the things that I feel is missing in rock music today is the fun, the joie de vivre, that you can just hear in every note of this album.  No one is taking themselves or the music too seriously.  Because it shouldn't be.  Just let it rip, have some fun.  It's only rock n roll.  It's like seeing Edward Van Halen onstage with his goofy grin.  You know he's having the time of his life, and he looks like it.  That's what rock should be, and in my opinion no band has ever embodied that more than Faces.

Besides “Stay With Me”, an absolute smash hit and, I think, one of the greatest pure rock songs ever written, there are some other gems here as well.  If you want to slow things down, “Debris” is a beautiful ballad, and features the underrated vocal talents of Ronnie Lane.  If you want to hear Mr. Lane having some fun, check out “You're So Rude”, a funny song about bringing the girl home for a little fun when the house is supposed to be empty, only to have the family come home a bit too soon.  This band had a very deft touch with R&B songs, and their cover of “Memphis” is a great, rollicking time.  Another example is on their live album and their version of “I Used To Love Her”.  “Too Bad” is a great little rocker.  It's one of those albums you put on and at this point in time, seems like a greatest hits album, but no, it was just album number three.  That's the way it is with the classics.  These songs were written and recorded over forty years ago, but they don't sound dated in the least.  Its also an album that seems to go bye way to fast and you want to listen to it again and again in the same sitting.  If somehow you missed it, or missed this band, put this in your collection at your earliest convenience.  And on your turntable, or CD player, or digital if you have to.

I love this band and I would put them up against any band from the time period, even the mighty Stones and their run of immortal albums that they were putting out at the same time.  Grab a bottle or six, or twelve, turn this up really loud, invite some friends over, and see if a wonderfully good time doesn't ensue.  There's that certain something about great albums, and you don't always know what it is, but you know it when you hear it.  Give this one a spin and you will definitely hear it.

- ODIN