"Long Player" is the second studio album by the British rock band Faces, released in February 1971. The album captures the band's rowdy, boozy rock-and-roll spirit, mixing live recordings, ballads, and high-energy tracks. Among the highlights are a live cover of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed," the ballads "Tell Everyone" and "Sweet Lady Mary," the party anthem "Had Me a Real Good Time," and the uptempo saloon-bar rocker "Bad 'n' Ruin." Notably, two tracks—"Maybe I'm Amazed" and "I Feel So Good"—were recorded live at the Fillmore East in New York City on November 10, 1970.
Ahead of the album's release, "Had Me a Real Good Time" was issued as a single in November 1970, featuring a unique early mix of the song paired with the instrumental "Rear Wheel Skid." The early mix of the song remained exclusive to the single and early editions of Snakes and Ladders / The Best of Faces (1976). The studio version of "Maybe I'm Amazed" also made its way onto a standalone single in the U.S. ahead of the album release.
The album also marks the period during which Faces recorded a cover of the Temptations' "(I Know) I'm Losing You." The band’s version of the track, however, was ultimately included on Rod Stewart's 1971 solo album Every Picture Tells a Story, not on a Faces album. This decision led to some tension within the band, as it appeared that Stewart's management was keeping the best studio performances for his solo projects, rather than allowing the band to showcase its collective talent.
In 2015, Long Player was reissued as a remastered and expanded edition, which included two previously unreleased outtakes, "Whole Lotta Woman" and "Sham-Mozzal" (the latter being an early instrumental version of "Had Me a Real Good Time"). Additionally, two more live tracks from the Fillmore East performance were included in the reissue.
The 2015 reissue used the U.S. cover artwork, and the album was also made available as part of the Complete Recordings Box Set 1970–1975: You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything. Along with the reissue of Long Player, a rarities CD featuring the album's companion singles and additional rare tracks, including the unique mix of "Had Me a Real Good Time", was made available exclusively in the box set.
Overall, Long Player remains a key release in the Faces' discography, cementing their reputation as a quintessential rock band of the early '70s, balancing raucous energy with moments of musical introspection.
