Release Review: Every Beat Of My Heart (1986)

With ‘Every Beat of My Heart’, Rod Stewart delivered an album in 1986 that oscillates somewhere between stadium rock, pop ballads and heartbreak – while remaining typically Stewart: charming, smoky and irresistibly British.
The opener ‘Here to Eternity’ – a real insider tip on this LP – already shows where the journey is headed: grand gestures, anthemic choruses and that unmistakable raspy voice that makes every line of lyrics sound like more.
The centrepiece is undoubtedly the soulful ballad ‘Every Beat of My Heart’, a song that builds slowly and features string arrangements and longing. Here, Stewart sounds like a man who really means every word – the master of romantic self-dramatisation.
The single ‘Love Touch’ (known from the film Legal Eagles) also shows him from his chart-friendly side – catchy, light-footed, but never shallow. Stewart flirts with pop here without forgetting his rock roots. Sir Rod himself once said that ‘Love Touch’ is a ‘silly song,’ but it is nevertheless a centrepiece of this album, although it did not find the greatest resonance among fans.
Other highlights on ‘Every Beat Of My Heart’ undoubtedly include the songs ‘Another Heartache’ and ‘Red Hot In Black.’
🎵 Another Heartache
Co-written by Bryan Adams, this song brings a dose of 80s power rock to the album. The driving beat, cutting guitar riffs and Stewart's raw voice tell of the next love disaster – but with enough energy to avoid sinking into self-pity. A real arena rocker with hit potential, which was also released as a single.
🎵 Red Hot in Black
Things get snotty and dirty here: ‘Red Hot in Black’ is Rod in his purest form – straightforward, rhythmic, a little wild. The song sounds like a pub gig just before midnight: sweaty rock with attitude. Not a radio hit, but a passionate deep cut that gives the album the edge it needs.
In addition to these two tracks, the soulful ballads ‘Ten Day Of Rain’ and the Beatles cover ‘In My Life’ were also very well received by listeners.
‘Right from the opener “Here to Eternity”, Rod finally sounds driven again. I also think “Another Heartache” is totally fine,’ wrote a fan from the Netherlands. ‘Timeless to listen to. Great CD, great songs,’ said a fan from Germany.
The album was a huge success in Europe, reaching the top 5 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the UK, as well as strong year-end rankings. In Australia, it reached number 26, but no significant chart positions are known for North America.

🎵 Every Beat of My Heart – Track List
1. Here to Eternity
2. Another Heartache
3. A Night Like This
4. Who's Gonna Take Me Home (The Rise and Fall of a Budding Gigolo)
5. Red Hot in Black
6. Love Touch
7. In My Own Crazy Way
8. Every Beat of My Heart
9. Ten Days of Rain
10. In My Life (Beatles cover)