Okay, I'm back!!

Sorry about that delay, folks, but I'm back. I recently took a short hiatus for a few reasons, one being that I got fed up with the glitchy blogspot interface, this mainly being manifested in the form of the second half of the Stones reviews being hard to access. If you've been having bad luck with this (I'm pretty sure everyone has), don't worry -- I'll put direct links to all the other parts of the Stones reviews at the bottom of the article. As for new pages, you guys are in luck -- I'll be starting on a page dedicated to The Flaming Lips sometime over the next week! To avoid any page glitches in the future (and to keep the site more regularly updated), I've decided to upload reviews on an album-by-album basis, as opposed to dividing them into parts like I have in the past. However, to keep from running into the problem that other blogs run into with this format (I.E. having the discography be backwards), I'm going to go through the albums in reverse. So for example, I'll be starting the Lips reviews with a look at their new album, The Terror.


So there you have it. See you guys in a week!

Rolling Stones, Part 1: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-1.html
Rolling Stones, Part 2: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-2.html
Rolling Stones, Part 3: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-3.html
Rolling Stones, Part 4: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-4.html
Rolling Stones, Part 5: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-5.html
Rolling Stones, Part 6: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-6.html
Rolling Stones, Part 7: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-7.html
Rolling Stones, Part 8: http://reagansreviews.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-rolling-stones-part-8.html

The Rolling Stones, Part 1

The Rolling Stones - Complete Discography

Top 10 Albums:

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1) Exile on Main St.

2) Let it Bleed

3) Sticky Fingers

4) Beggars Banquet

5) Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!

6) Flowers

7) Brussels Affair

8) Some Girls

9) Between the Buttons

10) Tattoo You

        Yeah, they're my favorite band. Why? Well, there's obviously the whole "country and rock" thing, but my main reason is this -- they've been around for 50 years, and you can find something at least decent on any given album from pretty much every period of their career. There's just SO MUCH stuff to listen to, and it's all pretty much worth sifting through! That's absolutely amazing, isn't it? I mean, only half of The Beatles' career is classic! Same for The Who and Bob Dylan! And The Clash! Sure, I suppose I would say that The Beatles were overall a "greater" and "more important" band, but I'd rather listen to The Stones 8 or 9 times out of 10. 

       And why is that? Well, they're just so gosh-darn fun, that's why! They're melodic geniuses, I absolutely ADORE both Mick's and Keith's voices, throughout their entire career the lead guitarists have been brilliant, Charlie's drumming is among the most solid EVER, nearly every period of their music sounds completely different -- I LOVE THIS BAND. 

       The only perceivable flaw that I can see in the band is the dreaded mid-to-late-80s period...but meh, we'll get to that eventually. I could go on for AGES about these guys, but I've got some serious reviews to write. Most of my views on the band will come out in those. So, let's dive on in, eh?

England's Newest Hit Makers (1964)

Rating: 8

"Get 'cho kicks / on Route 66"

Best Song: Walking the Dog

Worst Song: Honest I Do

       I was originally planning to give this a 10, but...let's be honest. Nearly everyone who gives this album a high score does so merely because it's The Rolling Stones, and it was made in 1964. Well, you know what...that directly contradicts my reviewing mission statement. What is that, you ask? Well, I believe that every album should be reviewed not for importance, but for sheer enjoyment. A slightly controversial point of view, I guess, but that's just how I feel. 

       Sure, yeah, this was the first time that rock and roll was played both aggressively AND somewhat neatly, but as far as how much enjoyment a modern listener will get out of it? An 8 it is. 

       The main draw of this album, to my ears at least, is simply the energy/fun of the whole thing. If not for this grinning freneticism that the entire album displays, it'd be pretty much worthless, honestly. Oh come on, admit it! None of the songs have any memorable hooks or catchy melodies, do they? I mean, seriously! What, "I Just Want to Make Love to You"? It's not really that melodically catchy, it's just fast! And filled with grinning freneticism! And THAT is what makes it a good song!

       Nearly every one of 'em on here is like that; i.e., fast and fun, so it maintains a level of solidity throughout. The only times that this doesn't happen are on the ballads "Tell Me" and "Honest I Do". "Tell Me", the band's first original composition, is actually pretty good, but "Honest I Do" is dreadfully boring...eesh.
       Individual songs? Well, "Walking the Dog" probably has the best hooks on the album, plus the whistling and yelling is a hoot. "Carol", "Route 66", and "Not Fade Away" are all fun covers, as is "Can I Get a Witness?". The instrumental version of the same track, "Now I've Got a Witness" is merely decent.
       Again, everything on here can pretty much be summed up in "it's fast, it's fun, it's tight, and it chugs along nicely". I find it hard to call a "classic", but it's also hard for me to dismiss it completely. There are loads of Stones albums that are better than this one, but if you're interested...I think you'll find it is indeed listenable.  

12 X 5 (1964)

Rating: 9

"She used to run around / with every man in town"

Best Song: It's All Over Now

Worst Song: Grown Up Wrong

       Better. This isn't exactly the "popular" opinion -- most people prefer the "hard'n'fast" stylings of the debut to this one's more poppy leanings -- but to me, at least, this is a pretty obvious improvement. For one thing, there are actual melodies on this here slab 'o music, and that helps significantly in the listening department. Secondly, I vastly prefer the overall sound of this one to the original -- the guitar tone is way better, and generally the band as a whole sounds much clearer and, well, just flat out better than they did on Hit Makers. 

       The obvious big highlight here is what is my and many others' favorite early Stones song, "It's All Over Now". The guitar work is completely revelatory, sounding more like something from 1968 than 1964, and the vocal melody is absolutely genius. Classic.

       Nearly classic is the band's cover of Chuck Berry's "Around and Around", which sounds absolutely fantastic. Dig that Jerry Lee Lewis piano and the rollicking guitar riffage! Of course, the start-and-stop nature of the verses gets a bit irritating after awhile...but still, it's pretty great. "Susie Q" is a fun, tight cover that's more in the spirit of the debut, but it's even tighter and more rockin' than most anything on there! "Confessin' the Blues" also sounds similar to the debut, but this one is more along the lines of "I'm a King Bee" than "Walking the Dog". I don't know why, but it just sounds so much more well played and convincing than anything on Hit Makers! Really!
       There's also the acoustic slow-shuffle of "Good Times, Bad Times", which is actually quite similar to the kind of rootsy things they'd be performing on Exile and Beggars Banquet. One major point of contention between critics is the aforementioned pop covers. Personally, I find them to be harmless, catchy little ditties that cause no harm to the album whatsoever. I particularly like "Under the Boardwalk", and while I can see someone finding it a bit cheesy, it's still really pretty and pleasant, to my ears. Same goes for the Motown "If You Need Me".
       The original "Congratulations" is a decent, repetitive jaunt, but the instrumental "2120 South Michigan Avenue" is pretty much a throwaway, but hey, at least it's a little better than "Now I've Got a Witness". "Empty Heart" has a REALLY cool, unique groove, but sadly, it's wasted on a directionless mess of a song. Whoops.
       So yeah, very solid. Heck, it's nearly a 10, but sadly, the relative lack of stylistic variation and the whole "dated" aspect limit this one to merely a 9. Not one of my very favorites, but it's still a very pleasant listening experience. If you're desiring some early Stones...I'd definitely recommend it. 

       

      

The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)

Rating: 11

"But she'll never break this heart of stone"

Best Song: Heart of Stone

Worst Song: Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,  I guess...

       After all the pop experimentation on 12 X 5, it seems that the band wanted to return to the dirty (I say that in a good way) rock'n'roll stylings of the first album. Of course, I wasn't too crazy about the first album, and I quite liked 12 X 5, so you'd think I would be a bit disappointed by this...but I'm not. Heck, it's the best album the band would make up until Aftermath! Simply put, the first album was just straight, no-frills rock'n'roll, but on this one, the band decided to throw in a bunch of really interesting touches on top of the already perfectly decent "grinning freneticism" and tightness of the original.

       I mean, take "Mona (I Need You Baby)". It's just a regular ole jam with a Bo Diddley riff, but the groove is absolutely AMAZING. Psychedelic, completely whacked out guitars and some of Jagger's best singing from this early period come together to make for one of the very best songs in this style that the band ever did. Oh, and did I mention that this is *just* an outtake from the debut?!?!?! Why they didn't include it there is anyone's guess, but whatever the case, I'm glad it's here.

       And there's also "Heart of Stone", which is probably the first ballad ever performed by the band that I would call truly great. At first glance, it's not much better than previous efforts like "Tell Me", but if you look closely, you'll notice that Jagger's vocal melody is really, REALLY great. And then you'll pick up on those amazing guitar licks in the right speaker...and then you'll hear Keith's awesome harmonies...and then...you get the idea. 

       "Down the Road Apiece" is another one of the band's Chuck Berry takeoffs (dig that piano and that riffage!), "Down Home Girl" has a great vocal melody and some tasty brian licks, and "Off the Hook" is a decent pop-rocker. Oh, and "Pain in my Heart" is another great ballad, and "Oh Baby" is a ridiculously catchy rocker with a great delivery from Jagger.

       Flaws? Well, "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" is a bit overlong (even if there is a nice groove in there), but other than that...well, it's just 40 minutes of early 60s rock/blues. There's not really anything *wrong* with the majority of these songs, but then again, there aren't many moments on here that make me go "Wow!" either. Still though, it's a solid 11, and if you want a taste of the early period, definitely check here first. 

Out of Our Heads (1965)
Rating: 9
"Baby, baby come back a-maybe next week / Can't you see, I'm on my losing streak"
Best Song: The Last Time
Worst Song: Cry to Me

       Well, we finally have some real classics. The Jagger/Richards written "Play with Fire", "The Last Time", and "Satisfaction" are all absolutely fantastic, and, in all honesty, are the first real hints that the band has some major songwriting talent. Heck, these aren't hints, they're proof! All three of them are truly amazing.

       But funny enough, I actually consider "Satisfaction", usually considered to be one of the all-time greatest rock songs, to be the worst of the three. Sure, the riff is genius, and it's a total classic, but...I like the other two better. "Play with Fire" has a fantastic vocal melody (as well as some cool lyrics), but the main draw of the song is the amazing mood that it creates. That harpsichord is just so ominous, and the dark acoustic guitar line that continues through the song is absolutely beautiful. Such a great song.

      However, as great as "Play with Fire" is, I still think that the album's most obvious winner is "The Last Time", an awesome poppy rocker with an even BETTER riff than "Satisfaction". And aren't those harmonies in the chorus breathtaking? And isn't that vocal melody absolutely awesome? Mmm, it's great.

      And of course, I can't forget the other three originals on here -- "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" is both catchy and a hoot, "The Spider and the Fly" is a great, sleazy little bluesy number, and "One More Try", while maybe a bit too repetitive, is still a load of melodic fun. Oh, and the frenetic live cover of "I'm Alright" is an absolutely awesome blast of energy. 

       But sadly, the rest of the album, consisting of nothing but covers, is really bland to me. "Mercy Mercy" and "Hitch Hike" are both decent, but eh...they'd done far better covers at this point, and in all honesty, they're kind of a bore. Same goes for the Motown of "That's How Strong My Love Is" and "Cry to Me". "Under the Boardwalk" from 12 X 5 absolutely blows either of those tunes out of the water...no pun intended. (Get it? Under the boardwalk, thus, water? hahaha.....)

       It's probably the best of any of the other non-Now! albums from this part of their career, but that's by a very slim margin. Half the album is pretty great, and the other half is quite mediocre. Get it for the classics...but you can leave those covers alone. 

The Rolling Stones, Part 2

The Rolling Stones - Complete Discography - Part 2

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December's Children (And Everybody's) (1965)

Rating: 8

"I said hey! You! Get off of my cloud!"

Best Song: She Said Yeah

Worst Song: I dunno.

       Blargh. Virtually every critic on planet Earth marks this as the point in the band's career where their reliance on covers finally reached its end, and I completely agree with that sentiment. "Talkin' About You", "You Better Move On", "Look What You've Done"...yeesh, they all bore me to tears. The band had done songs EXACTLY LIKE THESE loads of times before, and had done them better then. 

       And it's not like the originals are much better. "Gotta Get Away" and "Blue Turns to Grey" are both as forgettable as those aforementioned covers, and "The Singer, Not the Song" is only notable only for its ridiculous levels of sap. 

       Speaking of sap, everyone always seems to praise "As Tears Go By", calling it one of the band's best ever ballads, their first true success in writing a song of that type, blah blah blah -- long story short, they're all wrong. The song isn't bad, per se, but man, that melody is extremely forgettable, and come on...admit it...those strings, while admittedly revolutionary for the band, are kinda sloppy, and they really don't do anything for me. Not a horrible ballad, but just as forgettable as any other songs of the type from the previous four albums. (Heck, I think the pop covers like "Under the Boardwalk" from 12 X 5 are better than this, and those are critically panned!)

       So why on Earth does this thing get an eight? Because a handful of these songs are GREAT. My personal favorite, and probably the best thing the band had done up to this point, is the MARVELOUS "She Said Yeah". Can you think of any other song that the band released before this one that just contains so much unbridled energy and passion?!? For once, the band uses its typically murky production to its advantage, creating the ultimate proto-proto-punk song. Remember how I talked about that "grinning freneticism" found in England's Newest Hitmakers? This is grinning freneticism brought to its absolute peak. Don't tell me that the insanely fast riffage, catchy-as-a-cold "duuuum dee da dee dum dum" backing vocals, and Jagger's amazing delivery don't get your blood pumping. How could they not?!

       "Get Off of My Cloud" is another winner, but you probably already knew that. The chanting in the chorus is fun, the riff's good -- it's no "Satisfaction", but it's still great. Oh, and "I'm Free", while not a classic, is still a load of catchy fun. There are also two powerful live covers, and while "I'm Moving On" and "Route 66" are hardly all-time greats, they still work wonderfully. Just listen to those girls losing their little minds while Jagger goes crazy on the mic! C'mon, it's fun!

       Get the ones I mentioned, the rest can go die in a fire for all I care. ONWARD TO ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT.

       

Aftermath (1966)

Rating: 12

"The change has come, she's under my thumb"

Best Song: Paint It, Black

Worst Song: I really don't know, but I'll say Think

       It's not quite the big artistic leap that everyone makes it out to be, but it's still the band's best album up to this point -- by far. Gone are the days of plentiful pop and R&B covers, everything here is an original...for better or for worse. 

       You see, I quite like this album, but I do have one major problem -- nearly everything other than the first four songs and the very last one is completely forgettable. Sure, country-blues ditties like "Doncha Bother Me" and "High and Dry" are catchy and pleasant while they're on, but do I ever really feel the need to return specifically to them? Nope, although "Doncha Bother Me" does contain some killer slide guitar, and "High and Dry" has an awesome vocal melody (as well as some fun lyrics about being a male gold-digger). They're still just repetitive, derivative blues songs, albeit well-done repetitive, derivative blues songs.

       Other forgettables include the poppy "Think" and the boogie-woogie'n "Flight 505", which, contrary to George Starostin's belief, is not the greatest ever song about a fear of flying. I'm sorry George, but that award goes to King Crimson's "One More Red Nightmare"...

       But I digress. "It's Not Easy" is probably the best out of all of these middling tracks (which, ironically, come in the middle of the album, heh), if only for the fact that it has a very memorable vocal melody ("It's haaaaaaaarrrdddd"), and that it contains the wondrous lyric of "You got me running like a cat in a thunderstorm". Good job on that one, Mick.

       Oh, and the ballad "I Am Waiting" does contain some neat-o instrumental variation (bongos and such), but the melody is still rather expendable. But everything else? HOO-EE, BOY!

       The whole thing kicks off with everybody's favorite Stones track from this period, "Paint It, Black". And...you know what? Who am I to disagree?!? This thing is just as incredible as everyone always says it is -- the thrashing drums, the evil-sounding sitar line, Bill's bass thumping, Jagger's brilliant delivery -- yes, it really is THAT good. 

       But nearly as good is the album's other hit, "Under My Thumb". Bill's bass line is the star here, delivering a brilliant counter-melody to Mick's vocals, and those marimbas work brilliantly as well. Throw in Keith's mocking, "*chink*"-sounding rhythm work, and you've got a Stones track for the ages. But hey, "Lady Jane"'s great too! Yeah, some would vomit at the femininity of it all (I'm sure Jagger singing the line "I quoth my love to...Lady Jane..." in a completely serious voice was enough to make a Stones fan go insane at the time), but gosh darn it, the melody is genius, the dulcimers are beautiful, and isn't that just aural heaven when the two acoustic guitars start arpeggioing over each other during the instrumental break? Ahhh....

       I also feel that I should mention the album's closer, the infamous, 11-minute blues jam "Goin' Home". As horrible as an 11-minute blues jam from the Stones circa-1966 may sound, it's actually quite good. It seems that the band is aware of the fact that Brian and Keith weren't exactly guitar heroes at this point in their career, as most of the "jamming" is essentially the band playing the exact same thing over and over and over again. No, all of the variety in "Goin' Home" comes from Jagger and Jagger alone, and while it doesn't go off without a hitch for all 11 of its minutes (I get tired around 7 or so), it still works to some degree. It also doesn't hurt that the main vocal melody that Jagger's is improvising and variating on is quite good, to begin with.

       So no, this isn't some massive step forward for the band. With the exception of "Lady Jane", "Paint It, Black", and maybe "Under My Thumb", everything on here could have fit in on 12 X 5 or Now!. However, this is indeed the first album where there is nary a "bad" song in sight. Everything on here is, at the very least, decent, and that's definitely a step in the right direction. If you've already heard Flowers and Between the Buttons, and you want something else in a similar style, definitely check this out. And, as it should go without saying, everyone needs to hear "Under My Thumb" and "Paint It, Black". 

Between the Buttons (1967)

Rating: 13

"All I want to do / Is to get back to you"

Best Song: Let's Spend the Night Together

Worst Song: My Obsession

       See, now THIS is a big artistic leap forward! Not a single song on here could be described as "bluesy" in the slightest -- this is straight, Kinksy Britpop. And it is glorious. Sure, yeah, just like Aftermath, there are a few songs that are quite forgettable, but the ratio of great-songs-to-decent-songs is much more in the favor of greatness here...if that makes any sense.
       Oh, and when I described this album as "Kinksy", I really meant it -- the band's style here is really quite obviously a take on The Kinks' brand of baroque pop. This is especially apparent in the piano-driven ragtime frenzy of "Cool, Calm, and Collected", which, while quite fun, is just a bit overlong. Still a neat song, though, if only for the fact that it sounds NOTHING like any other Stones song.
       "She Smiled Sweetly" is a beautiful, guitar-less (!) ballad with some great bass work, "Miss Amanda Jones" is a fun, catchy rocker, and "Who's Been Sleeping Here" is a very enjoyable Dylan imitation. "Yesterday's Papers" has some very interesting instrumentation, as well as an intriguing back story -- Jagger wrote the misogynistic lyrics about his ex-girlfriend Chrissie Shrimpton, and while the lyrics aren't *THAT* cruel on their own (they compare yesterday's papers to yesterday's girl, i.e., something that can be easily thrown away), they take on a whole new level of meanness when you realize that THE GIRL ATTEMPTED TO KILL HERSELF AFTER JAGGER LEFT HER. Smooth, Mick, smooth.
       Other classics include "Connection" and "All Sold Out". Both songs are really fun rockers, and the melodies in both of them are absolutely BRILLIANT. I am speaking, of course, of the chorus of "Connection" (that part that I included as the album's selected quote) and the "You sold me out and THAT'S THAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT!!" hook in "All Sold Out". Good luck getting those two sections out of your head.
       And I'm sure you've heard the gorgeous, string-led ballad "Ruby Tuesday", one of the few songs from this Britpop period to have made any lasting effect on the band's legacy. It's not one of my very favorites, but it's still an absolutely excellent song...even if Jagger's singing can be a bit hokey at times.
       The other big hit of the album is obviously "Let's Spend the Night Together", and that's for good reason -- other than maybe The Kinks' "Brainwashed", it's the only song that I could classify as Britpop-proto-punk, and that's saying something. The melody, adorable backing vocals, and piano sections are its more "sissy" elements, but man, the sheer aggression found in Charlie's drums (and Jack Nitzsche's piano, to some degree) couldn't be classified as anything BUT punk. A classic, for sure.
       But sadly, it's not perfect -- songs like "Complicated", the closing "Something Happened to Me Yesterday", and ESPECIALLY "My Obsession" are rather forgettable. "My Obsession" actually comes close to being a downright bad song for me -- the start-and-stop rhythm is extremely irritating, as is the vocal melody. Blech.
       Still though, there are a lot of classics on here, and that's enough to make this the band's first real "MAN, YOU HAVE GOT TO HEAR THIS!" album. Get it soon...but not before some others. Heck, I even think Flowers is slightly better than this one. And speaking of Flowers...

Flowers (1967)

Rating: 13

"She would never say where she came from"

Best Song: Let's Spend the Night Together

Worst Song: Take It or Leave It?? Maybe??

       Apparently the band had enough material that only made it onto the UK albums to make it into a special US-only outtake collection. Well...almost enough, as "Lady Jane" from Aftermath and "Let's Spend the Night Together" and "Ruby Tuesday" from Between the Buttons were thrown on here as well. But hey, all of those are great songs, so I'm not complaining!

       Thankfully, though, the tracks we've heard before aren't the only strong ones on here -- the rarities and outtakes are EXCELLENT. While not every track is "amazing" (otherwise it'd get a higher grade), for once there's not a single downer among all the songs -- everything on here's completely solid! 

       The funny thing about this album, to me, at least, is that it's both more "flowery" (heh) and aggressive than Between the Buttons. On the flowery front, we have the incredibly dorky cover of "My Girl", the ridiculously catchy bubblegum-pop of "Out of Time", and of course, the ridiculously beautiful "Lady Jane"-redo, "Back Street Girl". But flowery-ness aside, all of these songs are absolutely great (well...maybe not "My Girl"), and definitely among the best Stones songs from this period.

       And as far as rockers go, well, you've got the sonically BIZARRE Bo Diddley-riff-driven "Please Go Home" (check out that echo, and that feedback!), the frenzied "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" (which, now that I think about it, is also rather sonically bizarre -- how about that out of tune horn section?), and the thumping, sitar-heavy "Mother's Little Helper", which also happens to have a BRILLIANT bass performance from Mr. Wyman.

       I'm also rather fond of "Sittin' On a Fence", a great, beautiful acoustic number with some rather nifty lyrics ("One thing's not said too much, but I think it's true / Folks just get married 'cause there's nothing else to do"), as well as "Ride On Baby", which is yet another fun, catchy pop number.

       In short, this one is EASILY as good as Between the Buttons, and in my opinion, a bit better. If the idea of the Stones doing 60s Britpop doesn't sound sacrilegious to you, definitely check this out.

Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)

Rating: 12

"She comes in colors everywhere"

Best Song: In Another Land, She's a Rainbow, or 2000 Man

Worst Song: Sing This All Together (See What Happens)

       So, after all that Kinks-y Britpop, it seems that the band decided that the next stage of their career would be full-fledged psychedelia. And when I say psychedelia, boy do I mean it -- this stuff is REALLY trippy, and downright frightening at times. Everyone has always compared to Sgt. Pepper, but I don't really see it. Sure, Paul and John sang backup on "Sing This All Together", the cover is obviously a tribute to it, and the closing "On with the Show" is somewhat reminiscent of the title track, but beyond that? The similarities are virtually nonexistent.

       No, the clearest point of reference for this album (in my mind, at least) is most certainly Pink Floyd's debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. The similarities are uncanny! I mean, think about it: they both feature an space-themed song, they both have a rockin' second song with a pronounced guitar riff, they both explore the darker, more frightening side of psychedelia, they both have a long, noisy instrumental in the middle of the album...see my point?? 

       But despite that, none of the songs here ever come close to feeling like they're ripping off Piper; no, for the most part, this is a very original album. But is it any good? 

       Yes, most certainly. It was absolutely panned upon release as a Beatles ripoff (incorrect), and of course, it also earned quite a bit of flak for its title, which was extremely controversial at the time. For anyone still wondering...no, it's just a dumb joke, there's nothing remotely "satanic" on this album at all. So get over yourselves. Please.

       Anyhow, I'm sure you're wondering what it actually sounds like. For starters, it's definitely their most experimental affair -- lots of mellotrons, tribal rhythms, and at times, full orchestras! It's yet another extremely "sissy" album...the anti-Let It Bleed, if you will, but this really doesn't bother me. Why? Because the songs are so great!...for the most part.

       "She's a Rainbow" is the most famous thing here, and for good reason -- the melody is genius, the piano soloing is adorable (and catchy!), and the horn sections that spring up throughout are amazing. Plus, aren't those little chipmunk-sounding backup vocals neat? Oh, and don't forget the underrated, Bill Wyman-written (and sung!) "In Another Land". Sure, the verses aren't the most exciting things in the world, but that chorus is pretty swell, ain't it? That "I opened my EEEYYYYYYYYYEEESSSSS" line from Jagger sounds particularly cool.

       "2000 Man" starts out as an good enough acoustic ballad (which just so happens to include the hilariously accurate line "I'm having an affair with a random computer"), but it eventually turns into a loud, anthemic monster that rocks handily. Good stuff.

       On the bad front, we have "The Lantern" and "Gomper", both of which move at a glacial pace and have virtually no reason to exist. And don't even get me started on the NINE MINUTE noise-fest of "Sing This All Together (See What Happens)". Sure, yeah, the tribal grunts from Jagger are cool every now and then, but NINE MINUTES?!??! Ugh.

       A solid album. As far as the Stones' pop period goes, I would get Flowers first, but this is indeed a really cool album, if only to be able to hear the Stones performing music that you would NEVER expect them to be performing. But our boys would soon leave all of this "pop stuff" behind, as they were destined for bigger and better things....ah yes, I speak of the land of roots-rock. I'll see you in Part 3, ladies and gents.

The Rolling Stones, Part 3

The Rolling Stones - Part 3

-----------------------------------------

Beggars Banquet (1968)

Rating: 15

"Pleased to meet you and I hope you guessed my name"

Best Song: Street Fighting Man or Stray Cat Blues

Worst Song: Prodigal Son

       ...Could anyone have been expecting this? After quite a few pop albums in a row (Yes, I consider Majesties a pop album), the band randomly released this, which is absolutely nothing but straight roots-rock. And what is roots-rock, you ask? Well, it's a glorious combination of country, blues, and straight rock'n'roll, which, in essence, makes this genre the most quintessentially American genre of all. In other words...this thing's about as far from Brit-pop as one can get. 

       And, in all honesty, as great as those albums were...I don't think that this is a bad thing in the slightest. I don't know how much farther the band could have taken that genre, and, let's be honest, it's pretty obvious that roots-rock is The Rolling Stones' genre du jour. How do we know this? Well, aside from this and the next three albums being among the greatest ever recorded, it should also be said that the Stones have essentially stayed in this genre ever since '68. I think it works pretty well for them.

       So yeah, Beggars Banquet. It's really good. It's probably my least favorite of the four, but it still gets a perfect score, so "least favorite" is sort of a relative term when we're talking about these albums. There's nothing too special going on here, as far as mood and flow is concerned. It's just a collection of ten jaw-droppingly fantastic songs. Oh darn.

       Well, I suppose I should be honest and say "eight jaw-droppingly fantastic songs", as "Prodigal Son" and "Parachute Woman" are both merely decent. Of course, this doesn't really matter, since they're both fun and short, but I did feel the need to throw that disclaimer out there. So there you go.

       Everything else? ACES! ABSOLUTELY ACES! My personal favorite is probably the sleazy, threatening "Stray Cat Blues", which essentially defines the word "lumbering". Jagger's vocal performance drips with sneering aggression (The "OH YEAAAAAHHHHH" sections give me chills every time I hear them), and Keith's manic riffage and guitar squealings absolutely RAWK. And aren't those piano and mellotron sections cool? 

       And then there's the acoustic rocker "Street Fighting Man", which has an absolutely brilliant vocal melody and some really cool sitar playing from Brian Jones. "Salt of the Earth" invents the classic "big, epic 'bring it all on home' number at the end of the album" trope in wondrous fashion, and "Factory Girl" is a catchy little country ditty.    

       "Jigsaw Puzzle" features Jagger doing his best Dylan impersonation (in lyrics only), and while it overall comes across more as sheer randomness as opposed to Dylan's surreal, impressionistic style, it's still a load of fun. And it's catchy. And check out that manic slide guitar! And don't forget the soothing, gorgeous "No Expectations"! It's easy to let it pass you by, but don't -- it's just as good as any of the other acoustic Stones ballads from this era. "Wild Horses" included.

       And of course, this thing kicks off with the absolutely amazing "Sympathy for the Devil", which manages to sound simultaneously like a tribal jam and a roots-rock anthem. It's got some of the coolest piano playin' ever featured on a Stones album (that says a LOT, if you think about it), and Jagger's delivery is just as awesome as normal. And dig Keith's minimalistic solo! Of course, the art of the minimalistic solo would REALLY be mastered on the next album's opener (as well as on the live version of "Sympathy" from Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out), but it still sounds fantastic here.

       Oh, it's soooo good. Probably not the best place to start with the band, but MAN, is this thing amazing. Get it soon.

Let It Bleed (1969)

Rating: 15

"I'll stick my knife right down your throat, baby, and it hurts"

Best Song: Gimme Shelter

Worst Song: Let It Bleed

       Where do I start? I mean, it's somewhat easy to write about Exile, since its actual content is somewhat obscure, but this? I mean, what am I supposed to do, describe "Gimme Shelter" for you?!?! And pretend you haven't heard it approximately 18'234 times via movies, TV shows, and radio? And "You Can't Always Get What You Want"? Oh, I'm sure you've never heard that one before.

       But on the other hand, how many times have you heard "Love in Vain" or the title track on your local oldies station? Not many, I would imagine. So there are still some slightly obscure gems on here. But again, with a few exceptions, those aren't really the reason that you would come to the album, anyway! 

       Ugh. Let's begin. It starts with "Gimme Shelter". It's apocalyptic. It's threatening. Merry Clayton absolutely DESTROYS her vocal performance (and I mean that in a good way). The moment when Jagger screams "WOOO!" at her while she delivers the "Rape, murder, it's just a shot away" bridge is one of those all-time great moments in rock'n'roll. The intro is killer. The harmonica solo is amazing. The guitar solo is amazing. Keith's riff is probably his best ever. Jagger absolutely owns his delivery. It's my favorite song of all time. Let's continue.

       "Love in Vain" is a gorgeous country ballad that I didn't really like for awhile. Now I do. Jagger grates a bit, but still. Gorgeousness. 

       "Country Honk" is a decent reinterpretation of "Honky Tonk Women". I would have preferred the original...but hey, you can't always get what you want.

       "Live with Me" is next. It's an AWESOME riff-rocker. A proto-"Brown Sugar", if you will. Don't you just love Jagger's maniacal questionings?

       Then there's "Let It Bleed", which is my least favorite track on the album. And if you shortened it by about a minute, I probably couldn't find any flaws with the song. These songs are good, if you can't tell.

       Oh, and then we get "Midnight Rambler", which is absolutely AMAZING. It starts out as a decent enough riff-rocker, nothing too special, and THEN the "don't 'chu do 'dat" section hits and the whole thing speeds up like mad. If you fail to see the genius of this section, try this. Pay VERY close attention to Keith's riffage and how it interacts with Mick's manic harmonica. JUST LISTEN TO THAT. Ohhhhhhh, it's so amazing. And then we hit the cool, moody breakdown section where it's mainly just Mick doing a call-and-response thing with Keith's guitar. It sounds amazing...obviously. And then all of this goes into the big, showstopping finale, which is just wonderful, and then randomly, out of the blue, a more intense version of the initial section kicks back in, before Mick suddenly screams out "I'LL STICK MA KNIFE RAGHT DOWN YER THROAT BAYBEE AND IT HOITS!!!!". And then the thing ends suddenly, leaving you completely emotionally battered. 

       You are then rescued with Keith's gentle "You Got the Silver", which I absolutely adore. It's simple, yes, but it's SOOOO pretty. And the rousing ending is neat, as well.

       And then the piano tinklings of "Monkey Man" hit. Oh, "Monkey Man". How I adore you. It starts out simply enough, as yet ANOTHER near-perfect riff-rocker, and then it hits. Oh yes. You know what I'm gonna say. I realize it's rather unoriginal to say it at this point, but I have to -- that solo where Keith's riffs and the piano come together and begin playing parts that work PERFECTLY with each other is yet another one of those all-time classic rock moments that just leave you speechless. And then Mick comes in with "IM A MONKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHH MAN!". And then there's "You Can't Always Get What You Want". And then the album ends.

       It's a difficult album at first, it really is. You buy it, and you're like "Well, yeah, there are those two songs that everybody and their brother knows and loves, but the rest of the stuff...eh. I should have just stuck with Hot Rocks." And that is indeed an understandable statement. But you see, the thing is, all of these songs (bar the two classics) are very strong growers, and a big majority of them are groove-driven. So, in all honesty, I can't see myself enjoying "Monkey Man" or "Midnight Rambler" if I couldn't get into the groove. And that took a couple of listens to acquire. But when you "get it"? OHHHHHHH MAN, IT'S SO GOOD. 

      And that's not even mentioning the album's absolutely EXCELLENT flow! It's one of the best-flowing albums I've ever heard that doesn't take advantage of interlocking tracks! Every song plays PERFECTLY off of the ones proceeding and following it. You really have to hear this album, but if you're a Stones newbie, I'd try some other ones first. (See the order of accessibility at the end for more info on that) It's my 2nd favorite Stones album, and on some days, my very favorite Stones album. Have at it.

Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert (1970)

Rating: 14

"Yes, it's alright now / In fact it's a gas"

Best Song: Sympathy for the Devil

Worst Song: Stray Cat Blues

        One heck of a grower. The first few listens you'll think "Eh, it's alright, but none of the songs ever surpass the originals, and there's really nothing interesting going on here. Plus, Jagger isn't really doing much." However, eventually you'll realize that only one of those complaints is actually valid, that being the one about Jagger. But eh, his showcase will be on the next album. 

       No, the enjoyment you draw from this album comes from nothing but the the guitar interplay. And trust me, that stuff's good enough to hold the whole experience on its shoulders. You see, this here live album is the world's introduction to Mick Taylor on lead guitar, and I can't think of a better introduction. He plays absolutely perfectly off of Keith throughout, and man...it's probably the greater guitar performance I've ever heard on any live album. There, I said it.

       You want examples, eh? Look no further than "Sympathy for the Devil". The tribal madness of the original is exchanged for a shuffling rhythm from Charlie, and while the verses are all well and good...that solo. Oh, that solo. It completely blows away the original (and don't forget that the original was no slouch either), and it just rocks away tirelessly in all its minimalistic glory as Bill pulls out a manic bass riff, Jagger squeals all sorts of "Ooo hoo hoo"'s, Keith keeps on a-riffing underneath it, and Charlie keeps the shuffling beat perfectly. Greatness.

       And of course there's "Midnight Rambler". Taylor doesn't get as much soloing time here, but that's alright, because Mick and Keith get into all sorts of call-and-response funsies during the mid-sing break. Just listen to that powerful crushing sound that Keef is able to get out of his guitar. Wow. (This is also a good time to mention that the guitar tones on this album remain amazing throughout)

       Funny enough, I actually enjoy this version of "Jumping Jack Flash" more than the original because of the differences in vocals, as opposed to the guitar dueling. It's kinda subtle, but the way Keith harmonizes with Mick during the chorus sounds AWESOME, and Mick's delivery throughout is pretty darn great. Also, I was never too big of a fan of the original version's production, so the guitar-heroic RAWK theatrics of this one appeal to me much more.

       "Love in Vain" is another great Taylor showcase, and "Live With Me" and "Honky Tonk Women" are both perfectly acceptable performances. Neither quite surpass their respective original (Not enough guitar in "Live With Me", and I miss the horns in both cases), but they both work fine here. Keith's work on "Honky Tonk Women" is particularly admirable.

       However, I must say that I don't care for this version of "Stray Cat Blues". The loss of the piano and mellotron is quite unfortunate, and the song is slowed WAY down, thus making it lose its awe-inspiring power. I'm not too crazy about the two Berry covers either. Neither do anything too offensive, but eh...I'd prefer some more originals...

       ...which is exactly what you'll get on the new (well, kinda) 40th anniversary edition of the album!! You'll also get some decent tracks from opening acts B.B. King and Tina Turner, but that's beside the point. The bonus tracks you'll get on this here special edition are as follows: "Under My Thumb", "I'm Free", "You Gotta Move", "Prodigal Son", and an obscure little number called "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". So, the question is: should you buy the entire box set, just grab those five tracks off of iTunes, or just completely ignore the release?

       Well, to be honest, I haven't listened to the B.B. King and Tina Turner sets much, so I can't say a whole lot on that front. However, I have listened to the Stones tracks quite a bit, and I must say...they're alright. "Under My Thumb" grooves along pretty well (the marimba line is played by Bill), "Prodigal Son" is pretty fun (as is "You Gotta Move"), and "Satisfaction" is quite awesome, as it's played at what is essentially mach speed (plus the guitar work is AMAZING). So yeah, major fans of the album would do well to pick those up. Casual fans? Eh, "Satisfaction" is pretty essential, and "Under My Thumb" is as well...albeit more arguably. 

       So let's bring it all home. A great live album, that's for sure, but just no going into it that you're essentially getting it for the guitar work. If your main Stones listening pleasure comes from Jagger, and you're not really that interested in hearing 40 minutes of guitar interplay...aw, who am I kidding? This stuff's amazing. It's essential. It's a 14. On to Sticky Fingers!

The Rolling Stones, Part 4

The Rolling Stones - Part 4

-------------------------------------

Sticky Fingers (1971)

Rating: 15

"I'm just living to be dying by your side / But I'm just about a moonlight mile on down the road"

Best Song: Moonlight Mile

Worst Song: You Gotta Move

       It's perfect too. I realize this isn't a popular decision -- Sticky Fingers is usually considered the worst of the four -- but dangit, I think it's just as great as the other three. And why is that?

       Because I can't find a single flaw, that's why. To my ears, EVERY SINGLE TRACK on this thing works like a charm. There's not a single one where I could say "Eh, you know, that song isn't really that great, they should have left it off". Okay, sure, "You Gotta Move" isn't exactly a classic, but it's short, intense, and cool-sounding, so I think it fits in on here just fine.

       Plus, I really dig the mood on the thing. It is BY FAR the saddest album the Stones have ever created. Sure, you have your three riff-rockers, but everything else is just plain depressing. Everyone always hates on "I Got the Blues", but if Jagger's singing, the gripping organ solo, and that simultaneously triumphant and melancholy horn section don't rip your heart out, you might not have a soul. Maybe. Or you could just have a lower tolerance for Jagger than I do.

       Speaking of Jagger, this is definitely his greatest moment in the band's entire catalog. This is the sole occasion where I think that he matters more to the sound of the album than the band itself; I'm pretty sure this is a result of the overall emotionality of the piece. Aside from the aforementioned "I Got the Blues", he also shines on the AMAZING "Sway". I've never heard the man sound so gripping in his delivery. Just listen to that "HEYYY! HEYYYY! HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYAHHHHHHHHOWWWWWWWWWWW!" and how his voice just collapses at the end of the phrase. Egad, it gives me chill bumps just thinking about it. Or when he comes back in after that part with "One day I woke up to FIIIIIIIIINNNNDDDD / Right in the bed, next to MIIIIIIIIIINNNNEEEEE". Yikes, that's some good stuff. Oh, and that's not even mentioning the ultra-dramatic orchestra, or what is perhaps Mick Taylor's best solo ever. Mmm.

       And while we're on the subject of Jagger, Taylor, and ultra-dramatic orchestras (man, I'm on fire with these segue-ways), I suppose I better discuss the album's greatest track, as well as the band's very best ballad, "Moonlight Mile". Where do I even begin? First off, Jagger's delivery is his best ever, BAR NONE. He does these sort of dramatic improvisational scat-like things throughout, and those are just amazing, plus there's the massive ending section where he just RIPS IT UP. I'm talking, of course, about the "YEAH IM COMING HOOOOMEEE, CAUSE IM JUST ABOUT A MOONLIGHT MIIIIIILLLLLEEEEEE, DOWN THE ROAD, A-DOWN THE ROADDD, DOWN THE ROOOOOOOAAAAAADDDDDD....YEAH, YEAH YEAH, ahhhhhhhhhhh.....". And then those Asian-sounding flutes come in over the dreamy guitar twangings, and then the orchestra comes back in with that big final note....now THAT'S how you end an album!!!!

       And that's not even discussing the beautiful main acoustic guitar line (played by Jagger, funny enough) and the amazing string section that swoops in and out of the entire song. The idea of making the piece so freaking dramatic actually came from Taylor, and man...it works. I don't think anyone else likes it as much as I do, but oh, I love it so much. Pure, unadulterated beauty that's theatrical, but still not cheesy in any way. Talk about finishing an album off in style.

       But we can't end there! There's still loads of amazing songs on here!! Like, for example, "Dead Flowers", which is *probably* the boys' best attempt at a country song. Dig that twang on "Take me dooooowwwnn, little Suzie, takeeee me down!" Great piano work, solid steel guitar, funny lyrics, and not to mention a fantastic vocal melody (with some great Keith harmonies)....yet another undisputed winner.

       And then there's "Brown Sugar", which is my favorite riff-rocker the band ever did. (I don't consider "Tumbling Dice" or "Gimme Shelter" to be plain-and-simple riff-rockers, for the record) Much like "Midnight Rambler", "Monkey Man", or heck, the entirety of Ya-Ya's, it takes several listens to really *get* the groove. Sure, it sounds alright at first, but much like a fine wine (what a horrible metaphor), it improves with every listen. Nowhere else in the band's catalog is the guitar interplay so firmly pronounced. Just listen to thing on headphones, will ya? There's one guitar in each ear, and if you pay very close attention to the guitars and nothing but, it's painfully obvious that the jagged riffage coming out of both speakers fits together like a perfectly crafted jigsaw puzzle. (See, now that's a decent metaphor!) And then you throw the awesome saxophone solo and vocal melody on top of the interplay and incredibly solid riff....aw, that's good stuff.

       I also admire the band for daring to release a song with subject matter like this during the heyday of civil rights. In our age of political correctness, can you imagine a band like One Direction releasing a song about cruel masters raping their slaves? (Okay, I suppose One Direction isn't the best example...their 70s counterpart would be more along the lines of Donny Osmond, I suppose) That took some serious guts. And if you think about it, Jagger never completely attacks the masters in question, does he? He just tells the story like it is, with no good-or-bad judgment whatsoever. That's mighty refreshing to hear these days. 

       Of course, there's also "Wild Horses", which is an amazing ballad you've heard 6'000 times. And then there's "Can't You Hear Me Knocking", which starts out as a riff-rocker, and then turns into a Santana-sounding jam quite suddenly. Of course, you already knew that, but still...it's pretty clever, if'n you ask me.

       I love this album. Not quite as much as Bleed or Exile, but wow...this thing has got so many great songs. I just have to give it a perfect grade, folks. Get it immediately.

Exile on Main St. (1972)

Rating: 15

"Oh my, my, my, I'm the lone craps shooter / Playing the field every night"

Best Song: Tumbling Dice

Worst Song: Stop Breaking Down

        *sigh*...this is going to be a hard review. And probably short, too. You see, these songs...aren't songs to me. They're...hmm....how do I put this...indescribable works of art. Heck, they're more memories than songs to me, if that makes any sense. People can go on and on about their ambient music and their "musical wallpaper", but to my ears this is the ULTIMATE ambient album. Sounds weird, right? 

        But seriously, I keep seeing critics talk about how albums like Eno's Another Green World perfectly conjure up images in their heads. And sure, yes, I definitely get images in my head when I listen to Eno's best work. But this album, man, these images are CLEAR. The lyrics might as well not even be included. The WAY Jagger's singing is far more important than WHAT Jagger's singing. He might as well be rambling on about how to cook a good chocolate cake during, say, "Let It Loose", and if he sang "You don't need eggs, no you don't need egggggssss" just like he sings "I ain't in love, no I ain't in looooovveeee", then it would be just as effective. Heck, in "Casino Boogie", the lyrics don't even mention casinos, yet listening to the song gives me a perfect mental image of a casino. Again, it's all about the mood, not what's actually going on. It's an ambient album, remember?

        I mean, this thing covers pretty much every human emotion. Mad at yourself? Take a listen to "Let It Loose". Feel like you can take on the whole world? "Rip This Joint". Feeling complete and utter desperation? "Tumbling Dice". Are you homesick? "Sweet Virginia".  Say you recently lost a family member or loved one? "Shine A Light". I could continue, but you see my point. And even if you're not already in the mood that a song is portraying, you'll be in it by the time it's over, I guarantee. Take "Rip This Joint", for example. Can you not just picture some nightclub in the deep south back in the 30s? Everybody's dancing like crazy, the sax player's blowing like a man possessed, drinks are flowing...I mean, it just FEELS like it. The lyrics have nothing to do with any of that. But it FEELS like it. It's an album of feeling.

        The two greatest "declarations of feeling" on here are "Tumbling Dice" and "Let It Loose". Not in my opinion. That there is the truth. I almost don't want to write about them, they're so good. "Dice", as I've said many times over, is complete desperation set to music. Jagger's pleadings and moanings just rip out your heartstrings, and the choir's shouts are completely gripping. Oh, and don't let me forget to mention the amazing horn, guitar, and piano parts as well. But that just goes for the whole album. Every song has some of the greatest....no, THE GREATEST instrumentation ever found on a rock and roll album. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. There are soooooo many layers of depth here, but it's a earthy, real depth, not a fake, Spector/Brian Wilson-ized depth. And as for "Let It Loose"...I...I can't go on. Buy it. Just buy it. 

        ...OK, I'll go on. Does "Shake Your Hips" not sound like a bunch of guys standing around a girl on a dark street in the deep south practically raping her by asking her to "shake yo' hip, baaabe" as they play their instruments? And as she keeps dancing more and more frenetically, they start playing with more and more fervor until eventually their hands are about to explode from playing so freakin' fast? Does it not sound like that to you? 'Cause it sure as heck does to me.

        Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention -- every melody on here's amazing. Every one. You won't think so at first, but they are. Just give 'em time. 

        This was my first Stones album, and while I hated it the first time I listened to it...well, you can tell it grew on me, can't you? Over the past few months, in fact, it's actually overtaken London Calling as my favorite album of all time. I think overall that the melodies on Calling are a bit greater than the ones here, but the EMOTION on these songs is a bit lacking on Calling. Plus, Joe Strummer and Co. didn't possess anything close to the amount of instrumental prowess that the Stones did at this point in their career. But that's just my two cents. And that's one of the best albums of all time. Get it now. Now. Now! NOW! NOW, I SAY!

Goats Head Soup (1973)
Rating: 11
"Heartbreaker / With 'cho '44"
Best Song: Star Star
Worst Song: Coming Down Again

       After the insanely amazing Exile on Main St., everyone in the rock press was waiting for another roots-rock masterpiece. They got....Goats Head Soup, which is many things, but certainly not roots-rock, and in most critics' opinion, not a masterpiece. Well, in my book, anything rated 11 or above is a must-purchase, so you can already tell I like this album. And the funny thing is that I originally expected to HATE this album. Most reviews that I've ever read bill this as the "anti-Exile", so I was all ready to be completely disgusted by Soup and never listen to it again. But the first time I listened to it...I loved it. Sure, it's kind of weird, but that's part of the charm! I even like it about as much as Black and Blue, and everyone seems to think that that album is the true hidden masterpiece by the Stones. 

       So, you say, what's so great about it? Well, let's take a look at the songs. The best thing here is the extremely over-the-top, Chuck Berry-esque rocker, "Star Star". Filled with more ridiculous lyrics than you can shake a stick at, "Star Star" is also RIDICULOUSLY catchy. That chorus just gets stuck in your head for days, and before the end of it, you're fist-pumping and singing along to a lyric you normally wouldn't be caught dead singing! It's great. We also have the funky "Heartbreaker", which features a great riff AND an awesome horn section. It also has a fantastic vocal melody, to boot. On the "still-awesome, but not quite as awesome" front, we get "Dancing With Mr. D", a decent enough little number with a catchy melody in the verses and some funny pseudo-creepy lyrics about Mr. D, aka Mr. Death. 

      The tempo shifting "100 Years Ago" is probably the second best song on the album. Jagger's vocal melody is one of his best, and when the song speeds up and Taylor starts soloing away...it's actually kinda breathtaking. Plus, the song has a reflective, reminiscent mood to it, so that's pretty nice.

      In most reviews I read, "Hide Your Love" is considered one of the album's weakest links, but I really don't agree with that. It's probably the closest the album gets to Exile territory, as it's a sort of a bluesy shuffle. It features Jagger singing with a neat effect on his voice, along with some good piano and guitar playing. Not a bad song at all, in my opinion. 

      To be honest, there really aren't any flat-out awful songs. Sure, "Coming Down Again" is overlong and a bit boring, and the same can be said about the psychedelic "Can You Hear the Music?", but we also have the gorgeous ballads "Angie" and the "Moonlight Mile"-esque "Winter", so...yeah, there are quite a few winners here. 
      So, there you have it -- Goats Head Soup. If you've heard all the "big albums", and you want something else, this is one of the best places to start.
     

The Rolling Stones, Part 5

The Rolling Stones - Complete Discography - Part 5

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brussels Affair (2011, recorded in 1973)

Rating: 13

"Baby, won't you keep me happy?"

Best Song Midnight Rambler

Worst Song: You Can't Always Get What You Want

       One day in 2011, someone in the Stones marketing department must have said "Hey! What if we decided to release high quality versions of famous bootlegs over the years, and made people pay for them? Yeah, that's genius!", and thus the recent trend of releasing loads of recordings of classic Stones live shows was born. And it all started with this little beauty.

       For anyone wondering, this was recorded in Brussels a little after the release of Goats Head Soup. The thing is a staggering 80 minutes long, and most of the songs are from either Let it Bleed, Exile, or Goats Head. So, we finally reach the main question. Is it any good?

       Yes. Most certainly. Nearly as good as Ya-Ya's, in fact. But before I begin lavishly praising it, allow me to air a few grievances. First off, Jagger is inexcusably terrible. No, not Ya-Ya's mediocre. Bad. Like, really, really bad. He just barks and spits out the words the entire time, essentially ignoring any and all idea of vocal melody. On, say, "Midnight Rambler", this isn't too horrible, but on something like "Tumbling Dice"? Egh.

       Another thing I forgot to mention is that for this album, in addition to the full Stones ensemble, we also get some nice piano and organ bits, as well as a small horn section. The piano/organ works like a charm, and adds greatly to the experience, but the horns? Yikes. They work on a few occasions, but generally they sound pretty awful. Nowhere is this more evident than the painfully out-of-tune breaks on "All Down the Line". Trust me, you'll be clamoring for the horns from the studio version when you hear that. Heck, no horns at all would be better than THAT.

       The only entirely limp track here is the yawn-fest of "You Can't Always Get What You Want", which is slowed down and extended out to ELEVEN MINUTES. The slowed-down effect sounds cool for about a minute, as it gives a neat element of heaviness to the proceedings, but after a bit it just starts to DRAG and DRAG and DRAG on for seemingly forever. And then there's an endless saxophone solo, and...yeah, this one's not very good.

       But the following track, "Midnight Rambler" sure is!!!! Wowzers!!! They jacked the speed way up for this run-through, plus they lengthened it out to nearly THIRTEEN MINUTES, yet it still never gets boring! If there was one reason to buy this album, it's definitely this -- it's most certainly the best version of the track I've ever heard, and that's no lie. The jamming throughout is amazing (and in addition to the guitar licks, we also get some tasty organ fills and harmonica blowin'!), but the thing really reaches its full potential when Mick starts doing this growly call-and-response thing with the audience. It's hard to explain, but when you hear it you'll realize its awesomeness instantaneously. Ooooo, it's good. 

       Also fantastic is "Happy" which features Keith going absolutely nuts on the vocals. Technically, it's a HORRIBLE performance, but his ragged, manic voice combined with the ragged, manic horn and guitar parts just flat-out works. A massive load of fun.

       Oh, it's soloing you want? Well, barring "Rambler", of course, there's nothing approaching Ya-Ya's here, as far as amazing, memorable solos go. There are plenty of solos that are quite good, and loads of riffage, interplay, rhythm, and energy, but for jaw-droppingly good and notable solos? Look elsewhere. The whole thing is WAY looser and more sloppy than Ya-Ya's, but in all honesty...that's really what one would more naturally expect from a Rolling Stones live album, wouldn't it? 

       Still, all that aside, there is one other amazing solo, and that comes from the ridiculous theatrics of the closing "Street Fighting Man". Taylor pulls this REALLY random pseudo-prog tone (Think Selling England by the Pound-era Hackett crossed with a bagpipe. Yeah.) out of practically nowhere and rides it for the rest of the song, and while it's more than a bit strange, it's also quite cool.

       The Goats Head tracks are all fine and dandy, as well. The weakest link is definitely "Dancing with Mr. D" (those last few minutes really drag), but "Star Star" and "Heartbreaker" are loads of fun. Oh, and as far as soloing goes, I did forget to mention in the previous paragraph that "Heartbreaker" actually has a REALLY cool solo. It's got this sort of Neil Young thing going on, i.e., Keith gets this one sloppy riff going and keeps hitting the same notes over and over again for emotional impact and power, and this forms into something of a groove. Then Taylor starts working his magic over it, and yeah....it's amazing.

       And hey, despite the constant talk of it never working live, "Gimme Shelter" is actually awesome! Sure, Mick does a horrible job with the singing, but the riffage and rhythm more than makes up for it.

       There are some other tracks, but generally all of those fall into the "Well played, but don't quite match up to the original" category. Still though, this is an excellent performance, as well as an easy 13 in my books. If you have any affinity for live Stones, or this era of the band's career, or heck, just the band itself, you owe it to yourself to check this out. How it took them this long to release this material I'll never know, but hey, it's here now, so do yourself a favor and track it down!

It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974)

Rating:

"'Cause there's some little jerk in the FBI / Keepin' papers on me, 6 feet high"

Best Song: Fingerprint File

Worst Song: If You Really Want to Be My Friend

       The critical reaction was Goats Head Soup was negative, to say the least, with many reviews calling for the band to leave stylistic variation behind and return to their rockin' roots. I don't completely disagree with this statement, since let's be honest -- the best tracks on Goats Head were the roots-rock ones, and I would imagine most thought that the band was still capable of pulling off a full-fledged followup to Exile on Main St. I mean, in 1974 there was nothing to indicate that the band would be unable to create another all-time classic album, was there? As far as everyone knew at this point, Goats Head was just a weird abberation, a single misfire that most hoped would lead to a massive comeback, an album just as good as the "Big 4".

       But you don't need me to tell you that this just wasn't happening. The Stones reacted to this criticism in an admittedly poor, but still logical way. They set out -- for the first time in their career, it seems -- to create an album not in the way that they wanted to, but because it seemed like this was what the public wanted. And sadly, it didn't work out -- with the exception of the title track, the album remains locked away in obscurity. It also happens to hold the unfortunate distinction of being their worst album of the 70s, and I really can't disagree with that.
       Throughout this whole LP, the band seems to be doing nothing more than screaming "WE'RE SO ROCK 'N ROLL, SEE?!? LISTEN TO OUR HARSH GUITAR TONES AND BARKING VOCALS! IT'S ONLY ROCK 'N ROLL, SEE?!? BUT I LIKE IT, YEAH! WOOO! ALRIGHT! LISTEN TO ME BARK! OH YEAHH! WE'RE THE GREATEST ROCK 'N ROLL BAND IN THE WHOLE FRIGGIN' WORLD!! well except for those reggae and funk tracks but other than that, ROCK AND ROLLLLLLL, MAAAAAAAAAANNNNN!!!!".
       This is not very pleasant. Downright irritating, in fact. This is where Mick decided that screaming and slobbering all over a recording for no reason was a good idea, sadly. Thankfully, he wouldn't resume this style 'till the early 80s, but this album definitely holds the genesis of the Dirty Work style of singing for Mr. Jagger, and that, as I'm sure you're aware, isn't a good thing. At all.
        Heck, this delivery is enough to ruin otherwise mediocre tracks like the opening "If You Can't Rock Me", which I ALWAYS skip. It just starts the whole proceedings out on the wrong foot, and...yeesh, this is probably the worst rocker the band had released up until now. And as for the title track, it's really catchy, and it's one of the band's calling cards for a reason, but how come no one has ever noticed that it sounds EXACTLY LIKE "BANG A GONG (GET IT ON)" BY T. REX?!?!? COME ON! The gruff guitar grunts, the big singalong chorus -- it's IDENTICAL. Of course, it's still a load of fun, and I enjoy it freely, but there is definitely some plagiarism at work here.
       And speaking of songs which I enjoy but are admittedly ripoffs, "Short and Curlies" is a fun little rocker, but it's still essentially "Rainy Day Women", is it not? But wahtever, the vocal melody's as catchy as ever, the bar-room piano is a nice touch, and the raucous delivery fits for once, so I'm satisfied. Same for the motown cover of The Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", which sounds IDENTICAL to The Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"! How dare they!!! I still like it though, if only for the epic electric piano tone and drum fills. And is it just me, or does it kinda sound like the weird Indian bridge of The Beatles' "Getting Better" when the song sorta drops out in the verses? I may just be going crazy...
       The ballads aren't much better -- "If You Really Want to Be My Friend" is the most repetitive, dull piece of gospel I've heard since Roxy Music's "Psalm", and at least that one had Bryan Ferry to keep things interesting. "'Till the Next Goodbye" is just as limp, although I must admit that the "I've been thinking of you" section is rather pleasant. Only the mellow jam session of "Time Waits for No One" (I can never read that title without wanting to make a "Tom Waits for No One" joke, so there, I did) is appealing to me in any way, but I am indeed quite fond of it -- Mick Taylor solos mightily enough there, and Mick Jagger's (I had to make the distinction between the Micks, you see) vocal melody is actually great! So we got a winner here -- finally.
       As I'm sure you all know, the only real classic here is "Fingerprint File", and while I don't like it as much as some seem to (John McFerrin's ridiculous adoration of this song is nearly as ridiculous as his saying that "Echoes" is the best thing Pink Floyd ever did, which is nearly as ridiculous as George Starostin giving London Calling a freakin' 12, which is nearly as ridiculous as Don Ignacio giving an early 2000s David Bowie album a perfect score, which is nearly as ridiculous as Cap'n Marvel randomly disappearing off the face of the earth. [Prindle escaped this tirade unscathed, somehow.]), I do indeed like it a lot. (Go ahead, check the original statment before that parenthetical rant) Bill's bass line is PHENOMENAL, Jagger does this awesome Michael Jackson-y vocal performance, the riffage is amazing throughout -- this is EASILY the band's best attempt at a funk song. Bravo, guys, you actually made something truly great on this album.
       Elsewhere, "Luxury" is a boring reggae attempt, and "Dance Little Sister" is a middling rocker. Sure, it's got good rhythm work from Keith, but that's really it. And okay, the vocal melody is decent, I guess. And that's your album. Of course, there's one more major negative that I forgot to deal with earlier -- the production. Uggggggghh. Gone are the days of the good 'ol fashioned Rolling Stones "crunch". Everything's drowned in mid-70s sludginess, the guitars are completely limp, and Charlie's drums have no real kick to them. It makes it quite hard to sit through (especially since a few of the songs are spotty), and that's nearly enough for me to give it a 9....but eh, it's a 10. No....no, it's a 9. No, it's a 10. No....OKAY IT'S A 9. There are only a few songs on here that are actually bad, but there are also hardly any songs on here that I would call essential, even for your average Stones diehard like myself. That coupled with the production leads me to give it the score I do. If you like the band, feel free to check it out, but if you only get the tracks I singled out as being good...you're not missing much. And there's your WAY unnecessarily long review of It's Only Rock 'n Roll. If you made it through that...well done, good sir. Well done.

Black and Blue (1976)

Rating: 12

"Hannah Honey was a peachy kind of girl..."

Best Song: Memory Motel

Worst Song: Melody or Hey Negrita

       Hm. It's very underrated by all the mainstream rock press, but it's also a bit overrated here in the world of amateur rock review sites. It's still a classic, and it deserves to be listened to by any Stones fan...but quite a bit of the album does nothing for me.
       But let's start with the basics, eh? First off, it's a jam album, much mores than any other Stones release. But while nearly everything here is a jam, it manages to avoid becoming monotonous by having each one sound completely different. There's a reggae jam, and funk jam, a ballad-y jam, a pseudo-disco jam, a jazz jam -- they're all semi-directionless and instrumentally-focused, but they all sound completely different, so the album's never really boring.
       And I know what you're thinking -- "Oh no, this is going to be like 45 minutes of that 'Apple Jam' section from All Things Must Pass, isn't it?!" Thankfully, the answer is a definite no. While not they may not be particularly brilliantly created, all of these songs have definite melody and form, and that goes a long way as far as listenability is concerned.
       But I've yet to mention one very important fact -- Mick Taylor left the band after the last album. In the recent documentary Crossfire Hurricane, it was revealed that this was actually due to a heroin addiction, but never mind that -- the major thing to note here is that a replacement was needed. So, the band invited three guys to the sessions in order to try out -- Harvey Mandel, Wayne Perkins, and Ronnie Wood. Well, in the end, Ron Wood became the new lead guitarist for the Stones (a position he holds to this day), but on this album we get to hear from all three of 'em, leaving us with some very interesting guitar styles all throughout.
       Songs? Well, the funky "Hot Stuff" has some GREAT guitar interplay (even if the vocal melody is actually pretty bad, in my opinion), and "Cherry Oh Baby" is a great, fun reggae tune. "Fool to Cry" starts out as a decent enough (albeit cheesy) soft-rock ballad, but it eventually becomes an...um...interesting jam towards the end. I'm not too crazy about that section, but...eh. It doesn't really hurt the song much, I suppose.
       But ah, who cares about "Fool to Cry" when the album also contains another ballad that blows it right out of the water. Oh yes, it's the 7-minute epic "Memory Motel". Folks, I'm just gonna come right out and say it -- this is EASILY the best ballad the Stones ever did post-Exile. As much as I like the stuff on Tattoo You, this is most certainly better. The length, the amazing vocal melody, and (especially) Keith's constant electric piano pings all combine to make this one an absolutely astounding track. Plus, it features both Mick and Keith sharing a lead vocal, so that's nice as well.
       The only two tracks that I flat-out dislike are "Melody" and "Hey Negrita". "Melody" is a silly piece of lounge-jazz, and while it's relatively harmless, it's definitely overlong. Plus, Mick's delivery sometimes crosses the line from funny to irritating, so that doesn't help matters either. "Hey Negrita" is another funk jam, but this one...eh, I really don't care for it. The vocal melody is essentially nonexistent, but the soloing is indeed cool...for a little while. I'm sorry, but I just get tired after five minutes of this stuff. Not horrible, but nowhere close to a "lost classic", or anything of the sort.
       But then you have my other two favorites of the album, the riff-rockers "Crazy Mama" and "Hand of Fate". They both have AMAZING vocal melodies and AMAZING guitar riffs and interplay. (That ascending guitar line that comes in about halfway through "Crazy Mama" blows my mind each time I hear it) What more do you need to know??
       A very nice album indeed. Sure, there's nothing remotely serious about it, but it's got some great ideas on it, AND it's an absolute load of fun. Get it for the riff-rockers and "Memory Motel", but nearly everything on here is at the very least interesting. Probably the best of the post-Exile Stones albums that you would never buy unless you read about them on an online review site, if that makes any sense.