The Best of Rod Stewart sums up the first half of Stewart’s ‘70’s output when he was a rough-and-tumble R&B-inspired rock singer. He’d recorded five studio albums and been the lead singer for the Faces over that time (only one track with them is featured here, “Jodie”), wracking up a few key hits (“Maggie May,” “Every Picture Tells A Story”), but mostly making his reputation as one of the finest singers of his generation. This collection featured the first LP appearances of “What’s Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser out of Me),” Goffin and King’s “Oh No Not My Baby,” and his contribution to the rock opera Tommy, Pete Townshend’s “Pinball Wizard.” All sit comfortably aside such stellar company as Mike D’Abo’s “Handbags and Gladrags,” The Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man,” Bobby Womack’s “It’s All Over Now,” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Angel,” tracks that illustrate Stewart’s unparalleled gift for interpretation, as these songs often become his property once he claims it.