| Another Country | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 23 October 2015 | |||
| Recorded | 2014–15 | |||
| Studio | The Celtic House, Los Angeles; Woodhouse Studio, Epping; Satinwood Studios, Santa Clarita, California | |||
| Length | 50:10 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Rod Stewart chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Another Country | ||||
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Another Country is the 29th studio album by British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. It was released on 23 October 2015 through Capitol Records. It was produced by Stewart and Kevin Savigar.
Stewart released his twenty-eighth studio album, Time , in 2013. The album contained eleven songs written or co-written by Stewart. Commenting on Time, Stewart stated, "I've found that the only way to write songs is to be as personal and honest as possible, And when my last album was so well-received it gave me the confidence to keep on writing, and to examine and write about different things. It also gave me the freedom to experiment with different sounds like reggae, ska and Celtic melodies." [1]
Stewart stated that "Batman Superman Spiderman" was written about bedtime stories that he would tell his youngest son, Aiden Patrick Stewart, about the three fictional superheroes. [2] The album's title track, "Another Country" was inspired by Stewart's respect for the armed forces – a respect influenced by his birth occurring shortly before the end of the Second World War – and consequent musing on life in the armed forces, particularly regarding the emotions generated by being apart from loved ones. [3]
Recording sessions for the album took place at Stewart's home, and were produced with Pro Tools. [3]
"Love Is" was released as the lead single from Another Country on 23 June 2015. In the United States, the single peaked at no. 37 on the Adult Contemporary chart. "Please" and "Way Back Home" were released as subsequent singles on 1 September and 16 October 2015 respectively.
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 57/100 [4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| American Songwriter |   [5] |
| The Arts Desk | [6] |
| Financial Times | [7] |
| The Independent | [8] |
| The National | [9] |
| The Scotsman | [10] |
| OK! Magazine | [11] |
| Q Magazine | [12] |
| The Times | [13] |
| London Evening Standard | [14] |
| The Yorkshire Times | [15] |
Another Country received mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 57, which indicates "mixed or average reviews", based on 10 reviews. Andy Gill from The Independent gave the album a mixed review, describing it as "warmly engaging at its best", but that the quality of music dips halfway through the track list, highlighting "Way Back Home" and "Batman Superman Spiderman" as the weakest songs. [8] Jasper Rees from The Arts Desk also gave the album a mixed review, stating that "there is the odd misstep", criticizing the choice to include an excerpt from Winston Churchill's 'We shall fight on the beaches' speech in the outro of "Way Back Home". [6] Hal Horowitz from American Songwriter was highly critical of the album, describing the music as "[ranging from] pedestrian to forced", "excessively sentimental" in parts, and "bland". [5] Ludovic Hunter-Tilney from Financial Times said that "dreary acoustic blandishments and plodding Celtic rock, cut from similar cloth to his 2013 album Time, leave one mourning the roaring roustabout of old." [7] Dawn Renton of The Falkirk Herald gave the album a positive review, noting that "there’s a cosy Celtic charm to Another Country that’s warmly engaging" and concluding that "the latest offering confirms that Rod can still deliver a top notch album ... he continues to show his range and talent and [it] is a rather pleasant surprise to anyone who was never much of a fan in the past." [16]
Kirsty Hatcher of OK! Magazine praised the album as "romantic and charming," [11] while Fiona Shepherd of The Scotsman was critical of the album's nostalgic nature, noting "The Drinking Song" as the only non nostalgic. Noting that song, she concluded, 'Could we have more time in the company of this Rod next time please?" [10] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic argued that "as goofy as these numbers are, there's also something appealing about them", stating that "He's not the man he was back in 1969, when his folk was simpler and hungrier, but he's not pretending to be." [17] Owing to his global celebrity status, the new album has been noticed in India as well. While acknowledging the uniqueness of Rod's voice, the Daily Post newspaper has given it a mixed review calling the lyrics as 'cheesy' and 'hollow'. The paper, however, recommends the album if only for the nostalgia it evokes for Rod's earlier work. [18] John Aizlewood of London's Evening Standard stated of the album that "the legendary singer rediscovers his twinkly-eyed charm as he continues his return to form." [14]
The album was selected as the "Album of the Week" by both The Independent and The Times newspapers. [8] [13] Reviews of the album consistently praised Stewart's voice and/or vocal performance, even if the reviewer was critical of other aspects of the album. [8] [13] [14] [15]
All tracks produced by Rod Stewart and Kevin Savigar; except "Hold the Line" produced by Stewart, Savigar, RedOne, and TinyIsland.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Love Is" | 3:55 | |
| 2. | "Please" |
| 4:22 |
| 3. | "Walking in the Sunshine" |
| 4:31 |
| 4. | "Love and Be Loved" |
| 2:55 |
| 5. | "We Can Win" |
| 5:00 |
| 6. | "Another Country" |
| 3:29 |
| 7. | "Way Back Home" |
| 4:35 |
| 8. | "Can We Stay Home Tonight?" |
| 4:04 |
| 9. | "Batman Superman Spiderman" |
| 3:34 |
| 10. | "The Drinking Song" |
| 3:38 |
| 11. | "Hold the Line" |
| 4:05 |
| 12. | "A Friend for Life" | 4:42 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Every Rock'n'Roll Song to Me" |
|
| 3:19 |
| 14. | "One Night with You" |
|
| 3:34 |
| 15. | "In a Broken Dream" (Python Lee Jackson featuring Rod Stewart) | David Keith Bentley | Miki Dallon | 4:15 |
| 16. | "Great Day" |
|
| 3:38 |
| 17. | "Last Train Home" |
|
| 4:36 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
Certifications
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| Country | Date | Version | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 23 October 2015 |
| Capitol | [44] [45] | |
| United Kingdom | 30 October 2015 | [19] [20] |
Blondes Have More Fun is British musician Rod Stewart's ninth album, released in November 1978. As was the popular musical trend at the time, it is Stewart's foray into disco music. The album was commercially successful, reaching number 3 in the UK and number 1 in the US, but was critically divisive. The lead single "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" became one of Stewart's biggest hits, peaking at No.1 in both the UK and US.
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook is the first album of American pop standards recorded by British musician Rod Stewart, and his 20th album overall. It was released on 22 October 2002, and became the first in a five-volume series.
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time is the 24th album by Rod Stewart, released on 10 October 2006. After four years of success singing pop standards from the Great American Songbook, Still the Same was composed of classic rock covers.
Tonight I'm Yours is the eleventh studio album by Rod Stewart, released in 1981. It features hints of classic rock, pop and new wave. The album had three hit singles, with the title track "Tonight I'm Yours ", "Young Turks", and "How Long".
Out of Order is the fifteenth studio album by Rod Stewart released in 1988. It features the hit singles "Lost in You", "Forever Young", "My Heart Can't Tell You No", and "Crazy About Her". The album was produced by Stewart and members of The Power Station: guitarist Andy Taylor, and bassist Bernard Edwards. Chic drummer Tony Thompson also plays on the record.
Vagabond Heart is the sixteenth studio album by British recording artist Rod Stewart, released on 25 March 1991 by Warner Bros. Records. The album reached No. 10 in the US, and reached No. 2 in the UK. The album features five singles, among them a cover of Robbie Robertson's song "Broken Arrow" and Van Morrison's song "Have I Told You Lately", which would become a hit two years later, and is Stewart's most recent top five solo hit in the US and the UK. The two biggest hits from the album were "Rhythm of My Heart" and "The Motown Song". The latter song features with Steve Lukather, David Paich, Steve Porcaro and Jeff Porcaro nearly the whole band of Toto.
Foolish Behaviour is Rod Stewart's tenth studio album, released on 21 November 1980 on the Riva label in the United Kingdom and on Warner Bros. Records in both The United States and Germany. The tracks were recorded at The Record Plant Studios and Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles from February to September 1980. "Passion", "My Girl", "Somebody Special", "Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight" and "Gi' Me Wings" were released as singles.
Body Wishes is the twelfth studio album by Rod Stewart released in 1983 by Warner Bros. Records. The tracks were recorded and mixed at The Record Plant, Los Angeles. It produced three singles, "Baby Jane", "What Am I Gonna Do ", and "Sweet Surrender". The cover is a tribute to the cover of the Elvis Presley album, 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong.
Camouflage is the thirteenth studio album by Rod Stewart released in 1984 by Warner Bros. Records. The four singles from the album were "Infatuation", "Trouble", a cover of the The Persuaders hit "Some Guys Have All the Luck", and a cover of the Free hit, "All Right Now". The album marked a reunion of sorts between Stewart and Jeff Beck, who plays guitar on several tracks, as the two had been members of the influential 1960s group The Jeff Beck Group.
Every Beat of My Heart is the fourteenth studio album by Rod Stewart released in 1986 by Warner Bros. Records. The tracks were recorded at One on One Studios, Can Am Recorders, Cherokee Studios, The Village Recorder, The Record Plant, and Artisan Sound Recorders. The album produced four singles: "Love Touch", "Another Heartache", "In My Life", and "Every Beat of My Heart". In the United States, the album was released under the eponymous title of Rod Stewart.
A Spanner in the Works is the seventeenth studio album released by Rod Stewart on 29 May 1995. It ended a four-year gap since his previous studio album. At that time, it was Stewart's longest break between albums. It was released on Warner Bros. Records in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Five singles were released: "You're The Star", "Leave Virginia Alone", "This", "Lady Luck", and "Purple Heather".
Lead Vocalist is a compilation album released by Rod Stewart on 22 February 1993. It was released by Warner Bros. Records in the UK and Germany, but was never released in the US. Three songs from this album either had previously or would be released as singles: "Tom Traubert's Blues", "Shotgun Wedding", and "Ruby Tuesday".
Unplugged...and Seated is a live album released by British musician Rod Stewart on 24 May 1993 by Warner Bros. Records. It is Stewart's second live album and his first appearance on MTV Unplugged. The unplugged versions of "Have I Told You Lately" by Van Morrison, "Reason to Believe", "Having a Party", and "People Get Ready" were released as singles, with "Have I Told You Lately" and "Having a Party" reaching success as singles. A special collector's edition was released in March 2009 on Rhino Records. This two-disc package included the DVD of the performance with 13 songs while the CD contained 17 tracks including two songs not on the original 1993 release.
When We Were the New Boys is the eighteenth studio album by Rod Stewart released on 29 May 1998. It was Stewart's last studio album to be released by Warner Bros. Records. It produced the singles "Ooh La La", "Rocks", and "When We Were the New Boys".
Soulbook is the 25th studio album by Rod Stewart. Like his previous five albums, Soulbook features Stewart singing old material; for this album he sings classic material from Motown and the soul genre. It was released on 17 October 2009 and was produced by Steve Tyrell, Steven Jordan and Chuck Kentis.
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V is the fifth title in Rod Stewart's series of covers of pop standards, released on 19 October 2010, and his 26th studio album overall. It has sold 363,000 copies as of October 2012.
Merry Christmas, Baby, is the first Christmas album by Rod Stewart and his 27th studio album overall, released on 30 October 2012. The album has proved to be a top 10 success in many countries including the UK, US, Canada and Australia. It was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in November 2012 with over 1,000,000 copies sold in the US.
Time is the twenty-eighth studio album by Rod Stewart, it was released on 3 May 2013 in the UK, on 7 May in the US and Canada, and on 8 May in Japan under the title "Time: Toki no Tabibito" (タイム~時の旅人~). In May 2013, Stewart released Time, a rock album of his own original material. It marked a return to songwriting after what Stewart termed "a dark period of twenty years"; he said that writing his autobiography gave him the impetus to write music again. The album entered the top 10 in the US and entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 1, setting a new British record for the longest gap between chart-topping albums by an artist, as his last studio album to reach the top spot was A Night on the Town in 1976. The album was certified platinum in the UK on 16 August 2013 and double-platinum on 29 December 2017. Overall, the album was the No. 7 best-selling album of 2013 in the UK. In the United States, the album has sold 141,000 copies as of September 2015.
Blood Red Roses is the 30th studio album by British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. It was released on 28 September 2018 through Decca Records and Republic Records. It was produced by Stewart and Kevin Savigar. Covers on the album include versions of Jim McCann's "Grace", the Kingston Trio's "It Was a Very Good Year" and Hambone Willie Newbern's "Rollin' and Tumblin'".
The Tears of Hercules is the thirty-second studio album by British singer-songwriter Rod Stewart. It was released on 12 November 2021 through Warner and Rhino. It was produced by Stewart and Kevin Savigar.
