Long Player

About

The Faces came into their own with <i>Long Player</i>, their sophomore LP. There is force in every member’s playing — from Kenney Jones’ drums to Ian McLagan’s keyboards to Rod Stewart’s show-stopping vocals — but the group had outgrown the heavy-handedness of <i>First Step</i> and now exuded a looseness that turns every performance into a warm welcome. The band’s camaraderie and taste for deep grooves is evident from the opening notes of “Bad ‘N’ Ruin,” which motors forward like a diesel engine. Their rakish, boozy charm reaches a peak with “Had Me a Real Good Time” and “I Feel So Good,” but then they turn towards the poignancy and affection of “Tell Everyone” and “Sweet Lady Mary.” The Faces excelled at high volumes, but Ronnie Lane’s “Richmond” and “On the Beach” come off like off-the-cuff acoustic jam sessions. Such performances emphasize the feeling that the Faces are a gang of friends before they are a band of musicians. Every song on <i>Long Player</i> immerses the listener in a world where rock music is a lifestyle, not a profession.

via Apple Music

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