Storyteller: The Complete Anthology is a flawed but effective four-disc box set covering
Rod Stewart's career from its start up through the 1980s. Although most of
Stewart's biggest hits and best-known songs from his first two decades are on
Storyteller, the collection is poorly paced, containing too much hesitant early material and not enough
Jeff Beck Group or
Faces selections. Nevertheless, the box traces his evolution from a working-class singer to
Rod the Mod to superstar, featuring most of his essential '70s and '80s songs -- including whole sides of
Every Picture Tells a Story and
Never a Dull Moment -- along the way. For casual fans looking for an in-depth overview, it's an essential purchase, but more serious fans should stick with individual albums, especially his classic early-'70s albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine