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THE ROLLING STONES
ENGLAND'S
NEWEST HITMAKERS (1964)
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: NOT FADE AWAY, I'M A KING BEE, ROUTE 66
SKIP THESE: NONE
Wow! This is one fantastic debut. Of course, the electric blues is by now a trifle cliché, but back in 1964 it was downright subversive - especially when performed by a group of dirty, scruffy Englishmen with a confrontationally effete lead singer. And the Rolling Stones pull it off, sounding for the world like an authentic group of black Mississippi bluesman in the tradition of Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. The most striking thing about this album is its youthful energy. In contrast with the band's later albums, England's Newest Hitmakers exudes a sort of wide-eyed excitement that is so lacking in some of the Stone's more contemporary output (Mick Jagger in particular sounds very young). However, all of the foundations of the Stones trademark sound are already in place: the lumbering rhythm section of drummer Charlie Watts and bassist Bill Wyman, the authentic blues slide work of guitarist Brian Jones, the aggressive Chuck Berry-riffing of Keith Richards, and the Deep South vocal intonations of Sir Mick Jagger.
In terms of songs, all but one (the awkward early Jagger/Richards ballad 'Tell Me') are covers, ranging from the sunny pop of Buddy Holly's 'Not Fade Away' to Willie Dixon's rollicking 'I Just Want to Make Love to You' to Chuck Berry's catchy rocker 'Carol.' However, the best moment is the band's cover of Slim Harpo's risqué blues classic 'I'm a King Bee,' which features a great bass line, some great Jagger vocals, and a literally stinging slide guitar solo from Brian Jones. This track is a forgotten gem in the Stones catalogue, and is well worth seeking out if you're tired of hearing the same old Stones songs on the radio. There are other great moments too, so if you want to check out an early Stones album with little or no filler than this is where you should begin.
RATING: 6
PLAY THESE: AROUND AND AROUND, TIME IS ON MY SIDE, IT'S ALL OVER NOW
SKIP THESE: EMPTY HEART, GROWN UP WRONG, CONGRATULATIONS
Hmm...pretty good, but not quite as gripping as the first one. It seems as though the record company asked the Rolling Stones to turn down the notch just a little bit, as the band substituted aggression for a slightly "softer" touch here. And while the teenage girls may have enjoyed this "kinder, gentler" version of the Stones, England's Newest Hitmakers lacks the rebellious, in-your-face noise that so characterized their debut. I mean, if you're a rock band and you decide to cover 'Down By The Boardwalk,' then you have some serious explaining to do - especially if you're the Rolling Stones. The other problem that surfaces on this album is the group's desperate dependency on outside material. Like the debut album, most of these tracks are covers, which leads the question: how much longer can the group dig up obscure blues songs and keep things interesting? The obvious solution was for Jagger and Richards to start writing some songs, which is exactly what they did on this album (four tracks in all), but the original material just ain't up to snuff quite yet. Most of the new songs are ballads - and poorly arranged, amateur sounding ballads at that. I suppose 'Good Times Bad Times' is a half-decent stab at the blues, but when one listens to it there is little doubt this is a band of white boys, if you catch my drift. However, the songwriting would eventually get much better, and, as the saying goes, practice makes perfect, right?
Nevertheless, many of the covers on this album are great. Chuck Berry's energetic 'Around and Around' is an underappreciated classic that sums up the excitement of the times, while Bobby Womack's sarcastic 'It's All Over Now' is the group's first successful stab at country music. The other big moment is the band's great version of soul singer Irma Thomas' obscure B-side 'Time Is On My Side,' which is the only song on this album the band still thinks highly enough of to include in its live act. As per usual, there are also a few great blues tracks on the album, the best of which is 'Confessin' the Blues,' a slow burning blues classic that demonstrates just how well the Stones could lay down a groove. Overall, great moments like these more than make up for the shortcomings, but it doesn't take a genius to discern potential problems in the future if the Rolling Stones continued to take this kind of approach.
THE
ROLLING STONES, NOW! (1965)
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: HEART OF STONE, LITTLE RED ROOSTER, SURPRISE SURPRISE
SKIP THESE: NONE
Whoa, this is a really solid album - the best one yet. While the stellar debut record oozed with wide-eyed excitement, and the wimpy second one was really just for the girls, this one gets down and dirty, delving into the kind of raw, raunchy black music that the Stones really excelled at. It's really refreshing to hear the Stones sink their teeth into ballsy R&B material like Otis Redding's 'Pain In My Heart,' and Bo Diddley's 'Mona' for a change, as opposed to the bland balladry that so dominated the last wishy-washy album. The best cover, however, is the group's take on Willie Dixon's blues classic 'Little Red Rooster,' which demonstrates just what a talent Brian Jones really was. Just listen to his slide guitar, and prepare to be absolutely blown away - it's THAT good. On a lighter note, the country-flavored misogynist cover 'Down Home Girl' is a comical ode to the Southern inbred, with hilarious lyrics that conjure up images of trailer parks and kissin' cousins (e.g. "everytime I kiss you girl/ it tastes like pork and beans"). Great stuff! And funny too!
But perhaps the best thing about this album is the emergence of Jagger and Richards as a songwriting duo of some merit. Sure, they haven't produced any all-time classics just yet, but all four original songs strongly hint at future greatness. The moody, spiteful 'Heart of Stone' (a Top 20 hit in America) is the partnership's first successful stab at the power ballad genre, and the catchy 'Surprise Surprise' is such a great R&B tune that I had to look at the liner notes a few times to verify it was a Jagger/Richards creation. Overall, this album is the best of the "early" R&B-oriented Stones albums, and probably stands up to most of their classic period (1968-72) material as well. There's no filler, and the band is getting better (and sounding more dangerous to boot).
RATING: 7
PLAY THESE: THAT'S HOW STRONG MY LOVE IS, SATISFACTION, THE LAST TIME
SKIP THESE: THE UNDER ASSISTANT WEST COAST PROMOTIONAL MAN, ONE MORE TRY, GOOD TIMES
Out Of Our Heads is an awkward transitional album for the Stones, a collection of tracks that finds the group only partially making the switch from an R&B covers band to an "R&B influenced" pop group. As such, it sounds very disjointed, as the Stones' original material doesn't mesh particularly well with the soul covers (there are only five of them this time around). In fact, the covers - however great they are as individual songs - come across as pure, unadulterated filler, leaving the impression that they exist only because Jagger and Richards aren't quite good enough yet to come up with enough material to fill up two sides of vinyl. The only cover that truly impresses is 'That's How Strong My Love Is,' another great Otis Redding song. It's a great track, with an unusually soulful Jagger vocal - the band's last great cover. But as good as the track is, it doesn't even come close to matching the grandeur of 'Satisfaction,' the first true Jagger/Richards classic, and the band's signature tune from its "pop" period. The distinctive fuzz-tone riff is proabbly the most famous in rock history, but what really makes this song great are the lyrics, which aptly the describe the frustration of being a teenage boy ("I can't get no/ Satisfaction/ I can't get no/ Girl reaction"). I realize that many people hate Jagger's lyrics, but I think they are among the best in rock music; his lines are descriptive, witty, and downright hilarious at times. Borderline genius. Almost as memorable is 'The Last Time,' another Jagger/Richards original with yet another distinctive guitar riff and catchy chorus. The last of the "Big 3" originals is 'Play With Fire,' a depressing ballad with some more great lyrics about yet another stupid chick. The harpsichord is a nice touch too. The other originals are pretty solid, although the bluesy 'The Spider and the Fly' is compromised by the too-fast tempo, while 'The Under Assistant West Coast Promotional Man' isn't really particularly interesting for those of us who aren't in on the joke. So to sum things up, this is a patchy record, but a patchy record with the first great Jagger/Richards original material on it.
DECEMBER'S
CHILDREN (AND EVERYBODY'S) (1965)
RATING: 6
PLAY THESE: GET OFF MY CLOUD
SKIP THESE: THE SINGER NOT THE SONG, YOU BETTER MOVE ON, WHEN BLUE TURNS TO GREY
A cynical record company cash-in and the Stones' third full-length American LP released in 1965, December's Children consists of rare EP cuts, covers, British LP selections, singles, live performances, and previously unreleased outtakes. In truth, the only essential song is the fantastic pop-art single, 'Get Off My Cloud,' but there are some other enjoyable tracks included as well. The charming-yet-awkward 'I'm Free' is one of Jagger and Richards better early compositions, while the group's cover of the blues standard 'Look What You've Done' features some great harp playing from Brian Jones. Also included is the 'Yesterday' pastiche 'As Tears Go By,' which despite its bad press is actually a well-crafted acoustic pop ballad (albeit one with ridiculously cheesy lyrics about "watching children play," etc.). However, the band's enduring Beatles fascination fails them on the insipid 'The Singer Not The Song,' as well as the dreary ballad 'When Blue Turns to Grey,' which sounds just as dull as the title suggests (a peppier and far superior version of this song can be found on Metamorphosis). All in all, there are some good tracks, but this one is for Stones completists only.
RATING: 7
PLAY THESE: PAINT IT BLACK, LADY JANE, UNDER MY THUMB
SKIP THESE: I AM WAITING, GOING HOME
Ah, the controversial Aftermath. While some some Stones fans regard it as the first classic Stones album, others view it is an uneven early-period record that fails to stand up to later greats like Let It Bleed and Sticky Fingers. And although I must admit that I subscribe to the latter opinion, I must also point out that there are certain merits in the former, more positive assessment. After all, one must at the very least acknowledge that Aftermath is the first Stones album to contain all original material - a bold step which would pay dividends for the world's greatest rock 'n roll band in the not-too-distant future. However, the album really loses steam in the second half, making it evident that for all of their potential, Jagger and Richards still had a long way to go before one could plausibly utter "The Stones" and "The Beatles" in the same breath. For even as late as 1966, The Stones were still essentially a great singles band - capable of coming up with several monster hits each year, but incapable of creating an entire album's worth of consistently good material a la The Beatles' Revolver.
The album opens with the number one hit 'Paint It Black,' a bleak, evil-sounding song that features Brian Jones on sitar and some really cool lyrics celebrating the darker side of life, all which only added to the band's already sinister reputation ("I want to paint it, paint it, paint it/ Paint it black/ I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky." Spooky.) The other classic here is 'Under My Thumb,' a catchy, marimba-infused pop song with lyrics so sexist that it probably wouldn't even be played on the radio if it were released today - that is, unless some rap dude like Shaggy or P. Diddy decided to cover it (why is it that rappers are the only musicians allowed to be politically incorrect misogynists nowadays?). 'Under My Thumb' is probably Mick Jagger's best vocal performance on the album: one can almost picture him prancing lustily in front of the microphone while a drugged-out, incoherent Brian Jones nods off in the corner with a burnt-out cigarette butt hanging out of his half-open mouth. Other good songs on the album include 'Lady Jane,' a Victorian ballad with producer Jack Nitzche on harpsichord, and the mean-spirited 'Stupid Girl,' yet another misogynist ditty that suggests Mick Jagger had a few unresolved issues with the fairer sex.
The rest of the songs, however, are for the most part unremarkable generic blues-rock numbers with a bit of country thrown in for good measure - listenable, yes, but then again most music is. The raw-sounding 'Flight 505' is notable only for its hilarious lyrics about a plane crash (a taboo subject since 9/11), while hillbilly number 'High and Dry' sags until Mick comes in with a fantastic harp solo, demonstrating that the young singer was good at using his gigantic lips for more than just...well, you know. On the down side, the album contains the mind-numbingly boring 'Going Home,' an eleven minute can't-get-out-of-it jam that goes absolutely nowhere fast, and the insipid 'I Am Waiting,' which is weighed down by unimaginative production and an incredibly stupid chorus ("I'm waiting for someone to come out of somewhere."). Nevertheless, this album is undoubtedly the group's best up to this point, and it would only be a few short months until the band started creating the kind of music that defines rock 'n roll as a genre. A pretty decent CD, but by no means an essential purchase.
GOT
LIVE IF YOU WANT IT (1965)
RATING: 2
PLAY THESE: NONE
SKIP THESE: ?
Thanks for the offer, boys, but I think I'll pass on this embarrassing "live" collection of studio tracks overdubbed with screaming fans, and lousy, out-of-tune performances.
RATING: 9
PLAY THESE: LET'S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER, RUBY TUESDAY, WHO'S BEEN SLEEPING HERE?
SKIP THESE: COOL, CALM, COLLECTED
Better. Much better. A marked improvement over the previous album, Between The Buttons is the band's first certified classic - even if it has been largely forgotten by even the most dedicated Rolling Stone fanatics. I would contend that Between The Buttons' obscurity is probably due to the widespread tendency of Stones fans to completely disregard every album the group recorded before Beggars Banquet and, more importantly, because the album is - horror of horrors! - the poppiest record in the entire Stones catalogue. However, this is no wussy Herman And The Hermits fluff - this is intelligent, hard-edged pop that only a hard-core blues band like the Stones could conceive of.
If proof is required, check out the hit single 'Let's Spent The Night Together,' a sexed-up, hard-hitting number with unabashedly naughty lyrics about "tongues getting tied" and "satisfying your every need" that must have must have provided many concerned parents with the definitive answer to that famous question: would you let your daughter date a Rolling Stone? Well, would you? Also be sure to check out the beautiful 'Ruby Tuesday,' with its soaring chorus and magnificent woodwind section, which is quite possibly the best ballad that Jagger and Richards ever wrote (although rumor has it that Brian Jones also had a hand in creating it). 'She Smiled Sweetly,' an undiscovered gem, is a slinky mid-tempo ballad that starts off with an eerie-yet-subtle organ line, and builds up to a wonderful crescendo in the chorus.
Another standout track is the folksy 'Who's Been Sleeping Here,' a humorous-yet-catchy song in which poor old Mick unsuccessfully attempts to discern the identity of his unfaithful girlfriend's secret lover ("Is it the butler, the baker, the laughing cavalier?"). 'My Obsession' is a good, hard-rocking song with a distinctive beat supplied by Charlie Watts, while the Beatlesque 'Yesterday's Papers' is yet another installment in the Jagger canon of woman-hating songs, complete with swirling marimbas and some really nasty lyrics undoubtedly directed at one of the singer's many ex-girlfriends ("Who wants yesterday's papers/ Who wants yesterday's girl...It's so very hard to have just one girl/ When there's so many in the world.").
Meanwhile, 'Something Happened To Me Yesterday' is a carnival-like, tuba-infused track, notable in that it features Keith Richard's first-ever lead vocal on a Stones recording. The song, of course, is a not-so-veiled reference to drugs, with the "something" in the title referring to Keith's first acid trip - a burgeoning habit that would land both Jagger and Richards in prison in the not too distant future. 'Connection' and 'All Sold Out' are decent if unremarkable rockers, while 'Miss Amanda Jones' is a scathing social commentary that lambastes the stupidity of a wealthy heiress and, by extension, the entire English class system. The only low point on this album is the circus-like 'Cool, Calm, Collected,' an unbearable dirge made even worse when it speeds up to an absurdly fast tempo at the end. Rubbish! Thankfully such moments are rare on this album, which is undoubtedly one of the best of the impressive class of 1967.
RATING: 9
PLAY THESE: OUT OF TIME, MOTHER'S LITTLE HELPER, RIDE ON BABY
SKIP THESE: MY GIRL
Often dismissed as a useless record company rip-off, Flowers is in fact an infectious concoction of British LP cuts, singles, and unreleased tracks that as been unfairly relegated to the trash bin of rock history. Like its predecessor, Between the Buttons, this album finds the Stones in the middle of their "pop" period, and once again, the band really delivers the goods. Sure, the inclusion of 'Ruby Tuesday' and 'Let's Spend the Night Together' are unnecessary record company padding (both of these otherwise great songs can be found on Between the Buttons), but where else can one hear great tunes like the 'Backstreet Girl,' a subversive waltz that serves as a stinging criticism of the British class system, or 'Sittin' On The Fence,' a derogatory-but-catchy ditty about the institution of marriage? The answer, alas, is nowhere.
Flowers also boasts one of the greatest Stones songs you've probably never heard before, the glorious 'Ride On Baby,' a misogynist anthem with a huge chorus and touches of harpsichord that also has some of Jagger's cruelest lyrics ("By the time you're thirty you'll look fifty-five/ You won't look pretty and your friends will have kissed you goodbye."). Equally great is a stringless, stripped-down version of 'Out Of Time' with marimbas (!!), which easily could have been an A-side. The druggy hit single 'Mother's Little Helper, which features some great Brian Jones sitar lines, is also a standout track, as is the rather strange social commentary piece 'Have You Seen Your Mother Baby.' Apart from the ill-advised cover of the Miracles' 'My Girl,' everything else on this record is uniformly excellent, making it an essential purchase for fans of pop-rock.
THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST (1967)
RATING: 5
PLAY THESE: SHE'S A RAINBOW, THE LANTERN, CITADEL
SKIP THESE: SING THIS ALL TOGETHER, IN ANOTHER LAND, ETC....
I'm going to be up front with you from the start and tell you that I'm not one of those modern-day revisionists who is going to whine about how unfairly this album has been treated by the critics. This is no "lost masterpiece," as it has sometimes been referred to. This, my friends is a shitty album, and there is no denying this essential fact. Yes, it has its moments of greatness, but like the Beach Boys' psychedelic snooze fest Smiley Smile that preceded it, this album is nothing but a half-baked (no pun intended) Sgt. Pepper clone that contains only a few real songs - and a lot of nonsensical jams that any industrious five year old toddler could equal if left alone in a studio for a few hours.
The worst offender here, the seven minute 'Sing This All Together (See What Happens),' is much like the title indicates - except that nothing worthwhile "happens" at all. Nothing! I don't understand why the band would even record this sonic nightmare, let alone release it to the general public. Also horrendous is dirty-old-man Bill Wyman's first (and last) composition on a Stones album, 'In Another Land,' which proves once and for all that democracy is not always a good thing when it comes to creating music. In addition, the five-minute '2000 Light Years From Home' is an uninteresting sci-fi track that goes on about two minutes too long; its apparent raison d'etre is to grant Wyman an opportunity to over-analyze the merits of the song's bass line on Rolling Stone documentaries. The bizarre 'Gomper' is yet another directionless jam, but at least it has the decency to contain a few interesting sounds: I kind of like the tabla, which adds an exotic element that sometimes - but not always - stops me from hitting the fast-forward button.
Nevertheless, Their Satanic Majesties Request has a few stellar moments. In particular, the psychedelic anthem 'She's A Rainbow' rates highly on the Stone's all-time greatest list, featuring a soaring, raunchy chorus, a string arrangement courtesy of John Paul Jones, and some interesting music box effects that truly make it stand out in a sea of otherwise uninteresting garbage. 'The Lantern' is also quite good, and with its cool guitar tones and avant-garde strings making it sound like a distant, older relative to Radiohead's 2001 album, Amnesiac. Ditto for the Eastern flavored 'The Lantern,' a trippy, laid-back tune with great piano playing from Nicky Hopkins that foreshadows the prog rock movement. The only other half-decent song on the album is the futuristic '2000 Man,' which for some reason I can't account for - maybe its the goofy makeup and platform boots - sounds better when KISS cover it on their 1979 album, Dynasty. Now that's really weird....
RATING: 10
PLAY THESE: SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL, STREET FIGHTING MAN, SALT OF THE EARTH
SKIP THESE: NONE
A triumphant return to the group's Delta blues roots, Beggars Banquet offers an exquisite menu of raw, unfettered raunchiness that would serve as a template for the band's resurrection in the late '60's/ early 70's. This, my friends, is where the band perfected their trademark blues/ hard rock cocktail - with a little bit of redneck country thrown in for good measure. And although this is not the first classic Stones album (that honor belongs to Between The Buttons), it does mark the beginning of the band's most illustrious, most artistically satisfying period. It would not be until the early 1980's that the band would release another stinker like Their Satanic Majesties Request, and although the quality of the material did drop off a just smidgen in the mid-1970's, the Stones would reign as the kings of rock 'n roll until the early 1980's.
Beggars Banquet's centerpiece is the preacher-baiting 'Sympathy For the Devil,' a confrontational track featuring an hypnotic, Latin-flavored conga backing, a blistering guitar solo, and a stunning Jagger vocal delivery in which the singer slowly increases the intensity of his performance, grunting and wailing as he leads the band to an unrestrained climax of pagan sound. The lyrics, too, are among Jagger's best: introducing himself as a "man of wealth and taste,' the protagonist takes credit for some of the more sordid chapters in human history - the Crucifix, Blitzkrieg, the Russian Revolution, and the Kennedy assassinations - without revealing his true identity until the very last verse. Absolutely riveting....Slowing down the pace somewhat is 'No Expectations,' a slow blues number with a fantastic slide guitar part; its follow-up, 'Dear Doctor,' is a corny country-blues ditty that contains some of the most hilarious lyrics to be found on a Stones record ("For the girl I'm to marry is a four-legged sow/ I'm soaking up drink like a sponge"). Equally amusing is the raunchy twelve bar blues number, 'Parachute Woman,' which - in a blatantly crude manner that only Mick could pull off - informs us that his "heavy throbber's ready to lay a solid rhythm down." Yuck. The first half closes with 'Jigsaw Puzzle,' a Dylan-influenced rocker that is undoubtedly - and unjustly - one of the Stone's most underrated songs.
The second side begins with the hit single 'Street Fighting Man,' a hard rock tune that finds Mick at the barricades attempting to stir up agitation against the Establishment - only to admit that there's really nothing for him to do but "sing for a rock 'n roll band." As a history buff, I've always liked the song for its violent French Revolutionary imagery, which I would imagine didn't go over too well in the stuffy House of Windsor at the time ("Said my name is called disturbance/ I'll shout and scream, I'll kill the king, I'll rail at all his servants"). Next is the obligatory blues cover, 'Prodigal Son,' in which Mick approximates the sound of an old black man's voice so closely that its almost scary, which is in turn followed by the sleazy 'Stray Cat Blues.' It's a pretty catchy song, though. 'Factory Girl' is an appealing country/Celtic love song that features some out-of-tune drunken warbling from Mick, as well as a really cool rednecky fiddle part played by some famous session guy whose name escapes me. Last, but certainly not least, is the Stones' tribute to the proletariat, 'Salt Of The Earth,' an outstanding gospel-blues number that features some of Keith Richards' best-ever rhythm guitar playing. The song starts quietly with a plaintiff Keith vocal, building ever-so slightly as Mick takes over, who then leads the band through the rousing chorus. And just when you think the song is over, Keith's acoustic guitar comes crashing in, and the band then builds up to a frenetic double-time climax complete with background female gospel singers, handclaps, and the like. A really cool ending to a great album.
RATING: 10+
PLAY THESE: GIMME SHELTER, LOVE IN VAIN, LET IT BLEED, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
SKIP THESE: NONE
This, hands down, is the best Rolling Stones album. Recorded between the departure of talented-but-soon-to-be-deceased-in-a-swimming-pool guitarist Brian Jones and the arrival of axe-wielding-whiz-kid Mick Taylor, this album is essentially a joint Mick/Keith creation that somehow succeeds despite the fact the band was without a lead guitarist. But as we all know, our hero Keith Richards bravely stepped up to the plate and delivered an absolutely stunning performance unequalled in Stones history, in effect creating the band's trademark late 1960's sound - dark, brooding, and uneasy, yet also beautiful and transcendent. The lyrics, too, live up to the Stones' raunchy, hedonistic image, but raise the stakes by adding a disconcerting element of violence to the already-volatile mix. When combined, each of these divergent elements come together to create an unforgettable album that can be described as inherently disturbing, yet compulsively listenable. And although many other bands - such as the overtly satanic Black Sabbath - would later explore similarly dark themes in their music, none would succeed like the Stones did here. This music really is scary at times.
The album opens with the apocalyptic 'Gimme Shelter,' a sinister-sounding hard rock number with lyrics violent enough to make a even the most battle-hardened gangsta rapper shake with fear ("Rape, murder/ It's just a shot away"). The most gripping part of the track is the middle-eight, which features some amazing singing from guest vocalist Mary Clayton - I absolutely love it when her powerful voice cracks under the strain the song demands of her. Mick's harp playing is also in fine form, sounding almost like a distorted guitar at times, while Keith plays a creepy electric guitar on the opening riff that sets the song's deeply ominous tone in an extremely effective manner. Next is 'Love In Vain,' a beautiful Robert Johnson cover that might be the best blues track the Stones ever recorded, which features more of Mick's excellent harp playing and cool mandolin part supplied by the famous session musician, Rye Cooder. Moving on, the delightful 'Country Honk' is a countrified version of the hit single 'Honky Tonk Woman,' while 'Live With Me' is a funked-up, saxophone-infused hard rocker that contains some vivid lyrics courtesy of Mr. Philip Michael Jagger. This is followed by the album's title track, 'Let It Bleed,' a slowed-down, druggy tune with a party-like atmosphere that features an excellent rhythm guitar from Keith and some of Charlie Watts' most powerful drumming on record. The song's hilariously ribald lyrics are a definite highlight - be sure and check out some of the lines in the song's middle eight section.
The second half of the album starts off with the bluesy 'Midnight Rambler,' a hard-driving song based upon the murderous exploits of the Boston Strangler: the faint of heart should probably avoid listening to this one in the wee hours of the morning ("I'll stick my knife right down your throat/ And it hurts!" Sheesh, that's not nice). This song also contains what is probably Mick's finest harp performance on a Stones studio album (although I think he plays even better on the live version of the song, which is included on 1970's Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out). Next on the list is the excellent 'You Got Silver,' a plaintive blues ballad with Keith on lead vocals, which glides by only to be proceeded by the groovy 'Monkey Man,' a sarcastic swipe conservative critics who branded the group's sound as noisy "jungle music." The song is also notable for containing one of Keith's all-tine finest licks, a tasty morsel of guitar playing which none other than Richards' best buddy Ronnie Wood once designated as his favorite Keith riff. Ending the album on a high note is the gospel epic 'You Can't Always Get What You Want,' a song featuring a boy's choir, a french horn, congas, wild piano playing, and some truly profound lyrics that seem to contradict the basic philosophical tenants of the otherwise hedonistic Rolling Stones (i.e. "You Can't Always Get What You Want/ But if you try sometimes/ You just might find you get what you need"). Rock music just doesn't get any better than this. Really.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: CAROL, STRAY CAT BLUES, MIDNIGHT RAMBLER
SKIP THESE: NONE
The ultimate Stones live album, Get Yer Ya's Out is a collection of recordings from the band's stories 1969 American tour, although for some reason none of the Altamont recordings make the cut (har har!). Even though many of the tracks are slightly inferior to their studio-recorded counterparts, all of the tracks possess a hypnotic quality that truly grips the listener. Pared down to essentials, this is an album of slow, druggy blues rock - nothing more, nothing less. But it really works. The highlights include a stellar cover of Chuck Berry's 'Carol,' and a cooking version of 'Midnight Rambler' that surpasses the studio version by a fair margin. 'Stray Cat Blues' is also an improvement over the original, its sludgy guitars serving as a perfect counterpoint to Jagger's raunchy lyrics. Never again would the Stones release such a compelling live album.
RATING: 10
PLAY THESE: BROWN SUGAR, BITCH, WILD HORSES
SKIP THESE: NONE
Yet another installment in a long line of Rolling Stone classics, Sticky Fingers is the band's most sexually explicit, drug-friendly album to date. (I mean, just look at the album cover - something tells me that their old record label, Decca Records, wouldn't have let the boys get away with that crotch shot). This is the first album released on the band's new record company, Rolling Stone Records, so it's a safe bet that the boys wanted to celebrate their newfound freedom by testing the limits of American obscenity laws. Sticky Fingers is also notable for being the first Mick Taylor-era studio album, and the addition of the talented young guitarist undoubtedly increased the quality of the band's ensemble playing - often with breathtaking results.
The best song on the album is the ubiquitous 'Brown Sugar,' a FM radio staple that somehow manages break all the taboos, as the title refers to not one but TWO moral no-no's: heroin and inter-racial sex. The song, of course, also features the quintessential Rolling Stones riff which, contrary to popular belief, was not written by Keith Richards - this, believe it or not, is a Mick Jagger creation. Also stellar is the raucous 'Bitch,' another explicit track with a great riff, a swinging brass section, and some lyrics that suggest that Mick had recently re-read his old psychology textbook, with special attention paid to the chapter on operant conditioning ("When you call my name I salivate like Pavlov's dog"). In addition, 'Can't You Here Me Knocking' is an aggressive rocker with proto-punk riffage that somehow breaks the laws of science by featuring a long, drawn-out closing jam that - surprise, surprise - is actually quite interesting to listen to. I mean, it even has a groovy Latino rhythm track, and some jazzy saxophone thrown in for good measure. Now that's a jam worth listening to! The other well-known song on the album is 'Wild Horses,' a tear-jerking ballad that manages to draw the listener's attention away from the clichéd title toward the band's unbelievably passionate performance: maybe its Mick's emotionally-stirring vocal delivery, maybe its the out-of-tune guitars, but something really works here. A worthy classic.
As far as the less-known songs go, I would be amiss if I failed to mention the excellent 'Dead Flowers,' a light-hearted druggie ditty that represents the band's first serious attempt at writing a country and western song - just listen to Keith's awesomely strained harmony vocals, and Mick's "I-can't-take-this-too-seriously" tone. Also good is the melancholy 'Moonlight Mile,' an understated ballad with a not-so-subtle references to cocaine use ("head full of snow") that transports the band to previously unexplored sonic territory - 70's progressive rock. Meanwhile, 'Sister Morphine' is a terrifyingly morbid song co-written with Mick's erstwhile girlfriend Marianne Faithful that tells a morbid tale of an overdose victim's last, desperate moments on this planet. What really makes the song spooky is Rye Cooder's slide guitar, which possesses some sort of eerie ambience I just can't describe in words - you just gotta hear it. On a lighter note, 'You Got To Move' is an authentic Delta blues cover that kicks some serious ass, while 'Sway' is a run-of-the-mill Stones rocker redeemed by its cool groove and witty lyrics (i.e. "destroyin' your notion of circular time"). The only less-than-exalted moment is the bluesy ballad 'I Got The Blues,' an otherwise catchy song absolutely ruined by Jagger's over-the-top vocal exhortations and some very poorly-arranged horns. By no means horrendous or even bad, the song stands out for the simple reason that the rest of the album is so darn good. Excellent, in fact.
RATING: 10
PLAY THESE: TUMBLING DICE, SWEET VIRGINIA, HAPPY, STOP BREAKING DOWN, ALL DOWN THE LINE, SHINE A LIGHT
SKIP THESE: VENTILATOR BLUES, I JUST WANT TO SEE HIS FACE, TURD ON THE RUN
So here's the deal: the critics were wrong about this album. And I mean dead wrong. Lambasted by the music press when it was first released in 1972, Exile On Main Street is the quintessential Stones album, a musical manifesto that boldly proclaims everything that the band was about: sex, drugs, country music, showmanship, political agitation, the blues, and rock and roll. The critics claimed that the album contains too much filler; I say that there is far too much good material here to fit on a single album. The critics said that the album lacked any clear direction; I reply that the group's willingness to experiment with a plethora of different musical genres makes the record interesting to listen to. The critics criticized the album's production, claiming that Jagger's vocals were so low in the mix that his words were barely intelligible; I say that Exile is the group's best-sounding recording, and that I don't necessarily need to hear Mick to understand what he's saying - his lyrics are usually about sex and drugs, and if they aren't, I don't want to hear them. Sure, not all of the songs are classics, and sure, this album sounds unfocused at times, but not many bands are prolific enough to record a double album, let alone succeed so brilliantly. Aside from the Beatles' White Album, this is the best double album of all-time.
The best song on the album is 'Tumbling Dice,' a struttin', jivin' country-gospel hybrid that contains not one but TWO catchy choruses that will probably make you wanna get up and dance - or at the very least sway - to the beat of Charlie's groovy drum track. The lyrics are kind of dumb, but then again who really cares when the music is this darn good, or when Keith is laying down such kick-arse riffs. Also memorable is the hillbilly 'Sweet Virginia,' a great tune that marks the moment when the Stones stopped imitating country music and began creating some genuine redneck music of their very own. The energetic Richards composition 'Happy' is another standout track, while 'Shine A Light' is a hand clappin', foot stompin' gospel tune with sacrilegious lyrics that features Billy Preston on organ, as well as a powerful-yet-melodic guitar solo courtesy of Mick Taylor. Also noteworthy are the classic blues rockers 'All Down The Line,' 'Rip This Joint,' and 'Stop Breakin' Down,' all of which demonstrate just how good the Stones were at playing straight ahead, dirty rock 'n roll.
Despite the excellence of these classics, it is the quality of the lesser-known songs that makes Exile On Main Street a treat to listen to. Take, for instance, the country-blues infused 'Lovin' Cup,' a drunken tribute to the joys of gratuitous sex that features a great piano played by legendary session man Nicky Hopkins. Equally entertaining are 'Torn And Frayed,' a great country and western tune with some beautiful steel guitar, and 'Sweet Black Angel,' a Caribbean-flavored tribute to the imprisoned radical black feminist, Angela Davis (be sure to check out Mick's highly-accurate southern black intonations). If you like slow, gospel ballads then look no further than the raunchy 'Let It Loose,' an emotionally rousing track that builds to an unbelievably joyous ending that features some really effective background vocals: I don't know who that chick that wails "let it loose, let it all come down" in the fade-out is, but she has a really sexy, powerful voice. And don't forget about 'Rocks Off,' a laid-back Jagger sleaze-fest with classic Keith riffage, or the obligatory-yet-stunning Robert Johnson cover, 'Shake Your Hips,' which rates right up there with 'Love In Vain' as far as Stones blues covers go (you gotta concentrate really closely on Keith's chug-a-chug rhythm guitar part on this one to truly appreciate the track).
The only major downer on this album is the unfinished gospel jam, 'I Just Wanna See His Face,' a track so muggy-sounding that one can hardly discern the the rhythm track, although I must admit that it sounds like the band was having a lot of fun when it was recorded. Slightly less offensive is 'Ventilator Blues,' an unremarkable tune that screams "outtake," and 'Turd On The Run,' a quick-tempo blues track with a title that...well, it really says it all, doesn't it? But even when one takes into account the less-than-wonderful moments, Exile On Main Street is a consistently excellent album that stands up to Sticky Fingers or any other record that came before it. It deserves more respect, and by golly, it should earn yours.
RATING: 7
PLAY THESE: ANGIE, 100 YEARS AGO, DOO DOO DOO (HEARTBREAKER)
SKIP THESE: DANCING WITH MR. D, CAN YOU HEAR THE MUSIC
Like a hangover after a great party, Goats Head Soup is a dreary, lethargic affair that betrays the weariness brought on by nearly a decade of constant rock star partying (it probably didn't help that at least two of the band's members, guitarists Keith Richards and Mick Taylor, were strung out on smack at the time). Nevertheless, the band goes for a brand new sound here, as aggressive blues rock is scrapped in favor of a slower, laid back style that conjures up images of a passed-out Keith Richards slumping over the recording consul in a deep, opium-induced slumber. Don't get me wrong - this is an interesting album that sounds quite unlike any other in the Stones canon, but if you prefer the classic Sticky Fingers sound, then Goats Head Soup probably isn't the record for you. However, one must give the Stones credit for branching out and trying something different - which is more than one can say about most of their post-Some Girls output. The songwriting has also slipped just a little bit - only a couple of songs stick out as undeniable classics - but on the whole nearly every song on the album is quite decent.
The only crappy moment on the record is 'Dancing With Mr. D,' a cheesy horror song about an tombstone encounter with the Devil that so blatantly plays up on the Stones "satanic" image that only the most blinkered religious conservative wouldn't see it for the parody that it is ("Human skulls is hangin' right 'round his neck/ The palms of my hands is clammy and wet."). Another low point is 'Can You Hear The Music,' an unfocused sonic mess that sounds like an outtake from the Their Satanic Majesties Request sessions - the chorus is OK, but it takes so long to get there that its hard not to lose patience and hit the skip button.
On a more positive note, the groovy '100 Years Ago' is an undiscovered gem that kicks some serious arse, featuring Billy Preston on a funky clavinet and Mick Taylor playing a killer wah-wah guitar in the fade-out. Also great are the hit-single 'Angie,' a not-so-sincere ballad written for David Bowie's wife that showcases Mick's vocal talents, and the up-tempo 'Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)," a pretentious-yet-enjoyable white-boy funk number that's supposed to be a social commentary about the breakdown of American society, although the lyrics only succeed in glorifying the tragedies they purports to criticize ("A little girl on a street corner/ Stickin' needles in her arm"). The album's most notorious song, of course, is the crude groupie-trashing anthem 'Star Star,' which earns the dubious distinction of being the most vulgar song the Stones ever recorded: I can't believe the band didn't get sued by Steve McQueen for slander over the lyrics in the last verse. As far as the ballads go, the emotionally stirring 'Winter' is an excellent track that sounds similar to 'Moonlight Mile,' while Keith's opiate-infused 'Coming Down Again' sounds like the aural equivalent of a satisfying afternoon nap after a late morning bender, although I must admit that it is more than listenable. 'Silvertrain' is a catchy Sticky Fingers-style blues rocker that serves as an all-too-welcome boot in the arse, its catchy verses and moderate-to-fast tempo reminding us that the band can still rock. And like the rest of the album, its pretty good, but not essential.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: IT'S ONLY ROCK 'N ROLL (BUT I LIKE IT), 'TIL THE NEXT TIME (WE SAY GOODBYE), DANCE LITTLE SISTER
SKIP THESE: FINGERPRINT FILE
A return to the band's classic rock 'n blues sound, It's Only Rock 'n Roll is generally regarded by critics and Stones fans alike as a disappointing artistic digression, a stale biscuit of an album that represents the turning point when the boys stopped moving forward and became embarrassing parodies of themselves. And while this assessment is partially accurate, there is no reason on earth why something as inane as "artistic development" should stop one from listening to It's Only Rock 'n Roll, which happens to be one of the most entertaining records the Rolling Stones ever recorded. Why, you ask? Well, the album contains precisely the kind of music everybody wants to hear from the Stones - nothing more, nothing less. And since we complained about the unfamiliar, experimental sound of Goats Head Soup, it only stands to reason that we should revel in the fact that the band decided to return to what it does best - play straight ahead rock 'n roll. What's wrong with that?
The best song on the album is the title track, which provides an answer for all of those jerks out there who questioned the band's ability to convey important "messages" of any kind: "it's only rock 'n roll and I like it," thank you. Featuring Keith's blistering guitar riff and a killer guitar solo from Mick Taylor, 'It's Only Rock 'n Roll" is a certified rock classic that also contains some of the most violent lyrics Mick Jagger ever wrote ("If I could stick a knife in my heart/ Suicide right on stage/ Would it be enough for your teenage lust?/ Would it help to ease the pain?"). Also entertaining is 'Dance Little Sister,' a hard rocker that contains one of my favorite Keith Richards moments - just listen to his guitar tone, which sounds so abrasive that it could strip the lipstick right off of Mick Jagger's lips.
Meanwhile, the bluesy 'Short And Curlies' is an absolutely hilarious misogynist ditty that also happens to be one of the catchiest tracks on the album, sounding like it could have been written during the Exile On Main Street sessions. The album's only cover, the Temptations's 'Ain't Too Proud To Beg," is a good track with some great Keith harmonies, although I must admit that I prefer the band's version of 'Drift Away,' a great cover recorded during these sessions that for some reason didn't make the album (it's available on bootlegs). The album opener, 'If You Can't Rock Me' is a somewhat generic heavy-rocker made enjoyable by Mick Taylor's excellent guitar work, while 'Luxury' is a catchy Jamaican influenced pop song that brings a drunken party-like atmosphere to the proceedings - a good thing, I dare say.
As far as the ballads go, ''Til The Next Time (We Say Goodbye)' is a classic Jagger song, and the singer's phrasing is so utterly unique on this one that I just can't understand why some boneheads out there fail to appreciate his talents. The epic 'Time Waits For No One' is nearly as good, proving once and for all the Mick Taylor was the best guitarist the band ever had - its really too bad he quit the Stones after this album due to his drug addictions. The gospel flavored 'If You Really Want To Be My Friend' is also excellent, featuring soulful backing vocals and another stellar performance from Mick Taylor. The only lousy song on this album is 'Fingerprint File,' a mid-tempo ballad that doesn't really go anywhere, although I must admit that Mick's ad-libbing at the end is entertaining in an asinine sort of way. But on the whole, this is a great album that ranks up there with some of the Rolling Stones' best. Really.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: CRAZY MAMA, MEMORY MOTEL, FOOL TO CRY
SKIP THESE: NONE
Not to be confused with the Backstreet Boy magnus opus by the same name, Black and Blue is an excellent album that features some of the finest ensemble playing to be found on any Stones album. Everything here sounds good: the band is tight, the production is crisp, and former Faces guitarist Ronnie Wood excels in his debut performance with the Stones, clicking with fellow guitarist Keith Richards in a way that only two long-time drinking buddies can. There really aren't a lot of truly great songs here, but then again nothing even comes close to offending - the album is just really nice to listen to.
The album opens with the Stones first serious stab at disco, 'Hot Stuff,' an extended jam that showcases the band's talented rhythm section, as Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman lay down a dangerously funky groove that serves as a perfect backdrop for Jagger's goofy add-libbing. And although many Stones fans diss the band for "selling out" to the disco movement, it should also be remembered the genre was still underground at the time the group recorded Black And Blue, meaning that Mick and Keith were actually taking a fairly substantial risk in recording this song. Next is 'Hand Of Fate,' is a straight ahead blues rocker that features some good old fashioned Keith riffage, while the groovy 'Cherry Oh Baby' is an excellent cover of Eric Donaldson's reggae smash hit that proves the boys could play any style of music if they put their minds to it.
This is followed by the introspective 'Memory Motel,' a tear-jerking ballad that features Keith/ Mick duet, a cheesy 70's-style synthesizer, and one of Mick Jagger's all-time greatest lyrics. "Memory Motel' demonstrates once and for all that Mick really does have a talent for words, and unlike most other rock lyricists, he excels at writing really descriptive lyrics that allow the listener to visualize specific situations that make the songs sound more 'real' (i.e. "She drove a pickup truck painted green and blue/ The tires were wearin' thin/ She turned a mile or two/ When I asked her where she headin' for/ "Back up to Boston, I'm singin' in a bar").
The funky "Hey Negrita" is a semi-racist, semi-sexist collaboration with Ronnie Wood that somehow manages to avoid being offensive, and although the Glimmer Twins are too stingy to give their new guitarist a writing credit, the album's liner notes do thank him for "inspiration." This is followed by 'Melody,' a smooth blues number with a Mick Jagger-Billy Preston duet that sounds somewhat like 1973's 'Hide Your Love' but tons better, and 'Fool To Cry,' a cheesy-yet-enjoyable ballad that introduces the listener to Mick Jagger's distinctive falsetto, which - like it or not - would be making numerous appearances on Stones albums over the coming years. The album closes with 'Crazy Mama,' a great blues-rock tune that contains a fantastic slide guitar riff courtesy of Ron Wood, and yet another dynamite Mick Jagger vocal performance. A great ending to a great album.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: MISS YOU, RESPECTABLE, BEAST OF BURDEN
SKIP THESE: LIES, SHATTERED
Overrated.....but still pretty good. Generally regarded as the Stones' last great album, Some Girls is a deliberately commercial record that attempts to ride the coattails of the two most powerful musical movements of the late 1970's - disco and punk. And although I admit that the Stones were able to pull off the disco tunes, the same is not true of the more "punkish" songs on the album, the majority of which reveal the Stones for who they really were - middle aged men vainly attempting to stay musically relevant. After all, any fool could see that punk wasn't going to last forever, and that the Stones were popular enough to withstand the abuse hurled their way by the likes of Johnny Rotten, a sneering, spiky-haired turd who has since degenerated into a laughable caricature of his former cutting-edge self. Besides, the Stones were the only true punks: take one listen to 'Satisfaction' and you'll hear the noisy, screw-you sound that would influence Rotten and the other punks in the years to come.
The album opens on a high note with the dance-anthem 'Miss You,' an FM staple that conjures up images of a polyester-clad Mick Jagger shaking his skinny booty with Russian ballerina Rudolf Nurayev at Studio 54 - a ridiculous thought, to be sure, but not out of the realm of possibility. The other highlight here is 'Beast Of Burden,' a groovy ballad that features some of Keith's most tasteful guitar playing ever and great Jagger lyrics that give the song a sort of cheesy, porno-soundtrack kind of aura. It's got soul too - which is always a good thing on a trendy, superficial album like Some Girls.
Also good is 'Respectable,' an irreverent punk song that takes aim at the US government, trashing American society with the level of vehemence formerly reserved for the British aristocracy on earlier albums like Between The Buttons ("Now you're a pillar of society/ You don't worry 'bout the things that you used to be/ You're a rag-tag girl/ Your the queen of porn/ You're the easiest lay on the White House lawn." Monica Lewinsky, anyone?). Meanwhile, 'When The Whip Comes Down' is a deliberately-punkish take on homosexual S & M culture, while 'Some Girls' is a ragged, improvised blues jam that features some of Jagger's most controversial misogynist/racist lines.
The worst song of the bunch is 'Shattered,' a stupid B-52 knockoff that for some reason still gets a lot of undeserved radio airplay, giving a lot of young people the false impression that the Stones always sound like the musical equivalent of a constipated monkey straining to take a dump. I hate this song more than any other in the Stones catalogue: just listen to Mick's crappy-sounding, tuneless bark - where's the melody, boys?
On the brighter side, 'Far Away Eyes' is a hilarious hillbilly country anthem with a really cool chorus, while 'Imagination' is the band's enjoyable interpretation of the Temptation classic that almost out-performs their 1974 version of 'Ain't Too Proud Too Beg.' Also decent is Keith's semi-autobiographical 'Before They Make Me Run,' a catchy mid-tempo rocker that indicates that unlike trendy Mick, good ol' Keith wasn't going to change his style just because some stupid young punks were accusing him of being an old-fashioned dinosaur.
In the end, then, Some Girls is a fashionable, highly commercial album that tries and fails to generate the excitement of the band's earlier, groundbreaking albums. Seven out of ten, with two points taken off for 'Shattered' and one point being deducted for being too darn trendy.
RATING: 4
PLAY THESE: SHE'S SO COLD, EMOTIONAL RESCUE, DOWN IN THE HOLE
SKIP THESE: SEND IT TO ME, INDIAN GIRL, ALL ABOUT YOU, etc.....
A hodgepodge collection of Some Girls outtakes and hastily-recorded songs, Emotional Rescue is a mediocre, inconsistent album that sounds lousy even by 1980's standards. Sounding like a half-finished sequel to the overrated Some Girls, it succeeds only to neglecting the finer aspects of the predecessor (i.e. good songs) while over-emphasizing its less-than-desirable qualities (i.e. unconvincing punk/disco caricatures). Part of the problem seems to be the group's inability to self-edit, as the self-produced Emotional Rescue literally cries out for an outside producer capable of informing the Glimmer Twins that not every idea that pops into their heads is fit for public consumption.
The worst offender is 'Indian Girl,' a sappy ballad that attempts to describe the plight of war-torn refugees in Nicaraguan Civil War, but succeeds only in making Jagger sound like an ignorant, self-absorbed celebrity incapable of understanding anything outside of himself, let alone Third World socio-political issues (i.e. "Please Mr. Gringo, please find my father." Say what?). To make matters even worse, the track even has the nerve to feature some really cheesy Mexican-style horns - a fittingly embellishment to a horrendous song, certainly, but a definite career low-point for the band.
Almost as bad is 'Send It To Me,' a mail-order bride snoozefest so uninspiring that Mick didn't even bother to write any verses, while 'All About You' is an aimless Keith-sung ballad with absolutely no hooks, no melody, and no rhythm to speak of. Other stinkers include 'Where The Boys Go,' a dumb punk rock tune with some of the most atrocious backing vocals I have ever heard in my entire life - be sure to check out the hilariously overdone "macho' voices in the chorus and the fart-like 'where the girls all go' all-female section at the end of the song though.
Nevertheless, its not all doom and gloom: 'She's So Cold' is a great song in the classic Stones vein that really cooks, while 'Down In The Hole' is an inspired blues number with some great harmonica playing courtesy of Mick, a track which stands out in album full of less-than stellar moments. The disco-infused title track is also really good, featuring a great Jagger falsetto and a groovy bassline that proves the Stones could still write some pretty catchy songs if they put their minds to it. It's just too bad that this song is an anomaly in an album full of sub-par material.
RATING: 10
PLAY THESE: START ME UP, THINKING ABOUT YOU, WAITING FOR A FRIEND
SKIP THESE: HEAVEN
What a turn-around! The last great Stones album, Tattoo You is an upbeat, hard-rocking affair that atones for the sins of Emotional Rescue, proving that the band could still out-rock its younger contemporaries without resorting to gaudy faux-punk/disco gimmickry. Like Emotional Rescue, Tattoo You raids the band's vaults for old outtakes and assorted rarities, but unlike shoddy Emotional Rescue, which recycles mostly second-rate Some Girls material, the new album serves up a tasty feast of early 1970's leftovers that recalls the sound of the band's glory years. I mean, some of these tunes are just as good as the very best material on Exile On Main Street or Goats Head Soup - proving that Mick and Keith were so prolific during those years that they literally had more tunes than they knew what to do with. And since this is an album comprised mainly of early 70's material, it will probably come as no surprise that ex-Rolling Stone guitarist Mick Taylor plays on a number of the tracks, adding a much-missed dimension to the band's sound. I hate to say this, but Ron Wood is not the best guitarist for the Stones: he plays too much like Keith Richards to really add anything interesting to the mix, and his musicianship doesn't come close to that of the versatile, well-studied Taylor, a true virtuoso.
The album kicks off with 'Start Me Up,' an archetypical Stones rocker that - believe it or not - was originally conceived as a reggae tune during the Some Girls sessions. Reminiscent of 'Brown Sugar,' the tune features a good old fashioned Keith Richards riff, an over-the top Mick Jagger vocal, and some really good, raunchy lyrics that push the limits of decency without ever crossing the said line. Next is the 'Hang Fire,' a fast-paced ode to country life that possesses all of the ingredients that the punkish clunkers on Emotional Rescue lack - a strong melody, enthusiastic playing, and some really - and I mean REALLY - catchy falsetto backing vocals. 'Slave' is a groovy reggae jam that really cooks, with guest Sonny Rollins playing some really tasty, jazzy runs on the saxophone during the fade-out.
This is proceeded by 'Little T & A,' a hilarious Keith Richards rocker that manages to refer to his girlfriend as "tits and ass with soul" without being the least bit degrading; I guess that in Keith's own uncouth way he is paying her the ultimate compliment. The first half of the album ends with the excellent 'Black Limousine,' a scorching blues number reportedly written for Jagger's ex-squeeze Marianne Faithful, whose rapid physical decline brought on by heroin addiction was duly noted by the ever-blunt Mick ("Well now look at your face now baby/ Look at you and look at me"). Mick also dusts off his harp for the track, giving an inspired performance that makes one wonder why he seems so reluctant to play the damn thing - after all, he's really good at it.
The second side commences with "Neighbors,' a fast-paced Chuck Berry-type rocker based upon Keith's recent eviction from his apartment, apparently for playing loud music in the wee hours of the morning. This is followed by one of the group's finest ballads, 'Worried About You,' a soulful song dating back to Black and Blue that features a great Jagger falsetto vocal, a dynamite Mick Taylor guitar solo, wonderful harmonies from Keith, and some unusually contemplative lyrics courtesy of Jagger ("Well I'm worried and I just can't seem to find my way"). Next is the groovy 'Tops,' a comical mid-tempo ballad that finds Mick in the role of a sleazy talent agent who woos a young actress with promises of stardom - in other words, its pretty darn funny.
Meanwhile, the falsetto-tinged 'Heaven' is a kitschy 70's-style ballad recorded especially for the album that conjures up unpleasant images of Mick Jagger's testicles being squeezed in a vice; if you've never heard this song before, consider yourself lucky and move on to the Motown-like 'No Use in Crying,' a groovy tune that offers a welcome respite from the schlock. Last, but certainly not least, is the album-closer 'Waiting On A Friend,' a pensive Jagger ode to friendship that finds Mick in a disarmingly reflective state of mind, singing the praises of an unidentified friend whom the singer just can't seem to live without (Keith, by any chance?). Featuring a distinctive falsetto hook, the song contains yet another great performance by saxophonist Rollins - I mean holy cow, can that guy play a mean sax, or what? And with that, the last classic Stones album comes to an end. A pity, isn't it?
RATING: 6
PLAY THESE: UNDERCOVER OF THE NIGHT, SHE WAS HOT, IT MUST BE HELL
SKIP THESE: WANNA HOLD YOU, FEEL ON BABY
Well, this is a definite letdown from the stellar Tattoo You, which is arguably the last great album that The Rolling Stones ever released. However, one must remember that Tattoo You is mostly a collection of outtakes culled from the band's glory years in the 1970's, and as such its greatness is not an accurate reflection of the actual state of affairs in the Stones camp in the early 1980's. Far from being revitalized, the band was actually falling apart at the seams in 1983. Mick was peeved Keith, who had recently got off the junk and was challenging Jagger's leadership of the group, while Keith was absolutely livid about Mick's solo career ambitions, which would soon come to fruition in 1984. So really, Undercover basically starts up where Emotional Rescue left off: in the shitter.
That being said, the ultra-violent Undercover is the last Stones album that has any sort of an "edge," or that looked towards the future in any sort of credible manner. Most of what comes after it is highly commercialized "retro" Stones, as the band would release album after album of safe-but-mediocre material that sounded more like a cynical, cash-driven nostalgia trip than the dirty, nasty Stones of lore. Although it is admittedly a very uneven Stones album, Undercover is the last Stones album that would ever attract any sort of controversy, or leave the impression these guys were dangerous outlaws, as opposed to drunken middle-aged buffoons who had outstayed their welcome (which is how they would come to be viewed in the coming years).
The most notable aspect of Undercover is the violent imagery of the lyrics. A prime example is the gruesome 'Too Much Blood,' which goes way too far in its graphic descriptions of serial murder to be taken seriously. This song is essentially Mick Jagger at his most annoying, pushing people's buttons in the most pathetically obvious manner. I mean, when Mick howled about rape and murder in 'Gimme Shelter' it at least sounded credible (if not a bit scary), but 'Too Much Blood' is so calculated and fake that it's hard not to cringe when Jagger opens up his big yap and starts singing about his "Japanese friend" who "cut off his girlfriend's head," and then put the rest of her body into in his refrigerator and "ate her piece by piece." Gross!
The rest of the tracks aren't quite as obvious as this, but a brief glance at most of the titles ('Tie You Up' and 'Pretty Beat Up') will attest that Jagger is pushing his luck here. When you also take into consideration just how ridiculously violent the music videos from this album are, it becomes obvious that the Stones were aware they were slowly becoming caricatures of themselves, and they needed to attract controversy if they hoped to avoid the dreaded "rock dinosaur" tag and survive in the 1980's. Unfortunately, the strategy didn't work. The album and its singles fared much worse than Tattoo You on the charts, and it was clear that the band could no longer sell records at the same volume as they once could.
In terms of the album's sound, much has been made of the "dance" direction of the two singles ('Too Much Blood' and 'Undercover of the Night'), but in reality Undercover is a pretty generic Rolling Stones album. Most of the songs are typical Stones-ish "mid-tempo" rock songs played in Keith trademark open-G tuning, and overall a sense of deja-vu permeates much of the album. In fact, I would go as far as to say that the Stones have never plagiarized themselves as much as they do here. Whether it's the obvious lift of 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' on 'Too Tough,' or else the 'Soul Survivor'/ 'Honky Tonk Women' hybrid thing on the otherwise entertaining 'It Must Be Hell,' there is a definite sense that we've heard it all before. Also, the groovy 'Tie You Up (The Pain of Love)' steals its main riff from the Latin-flavored coda on 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking,' and Keith's solo spot 'Wanna Hold You' is bland Stones-by-numbers - simply put, there just aren't very many new ideas to be found.
Nevertheless, the title track is a classic, with its Latin American political references and pulsating dance beat (good bass line too), and Keith's menacing guitar sound is a highlight as well. Sadly, it's probably the only track that has actually stood the test of time. I suppose 'She Was Hot' is pretty catchy as well, but it sounds like something the band wouldn't have even bothered to record back in its glory days, let alone release as a single. Truth be told, it's just second-rate Stones, as is most of the album. It's certainly better than all of the other 80's Stones albums bar Tattoo You, but it's still way too average to listen to very often. Six out of ten.
RATING: 4
PLAY THESE: (ONE HIT) TO THE BODY, HARLEM SHUFFLE
SKIP THESE: HOLD BACK, BACK TO ZERO, DIRTY WORK
Hmm...do you think maybe Keith was just a little pissed at Mick? Of course, he had reason to me mad, what with poncy poofter Jagger flitting about the stage in tights as a solo act - and not with Richard's beloved Rolling Stones. Mick had also used up most of his stronger songwriting material on his 1984 She's the Boss solo album, so poor old Keef had basically no help on Dirty Work - with the exception of Ronnie Wood, who was too busy freebasing coke to actually be of any real assistance. Even reliable old Charlie was slipping into heroin/alcohol addictions of his own, so this is basically just a Keith solo album - and a pretty weak one at that.
Not only that, but Mick seems to be doing everything he can to sabotage the recordings, whether it's his annoying tendency to bark instead of sing, or else running through the motions most of the time like the money-hungry whore that he is. The other reason why it's so easy to tell that Keith was hating Mick is the lyrical content of many of the songs. 'One Hit To The Body' is a barbed message to Jagger (who, ironically, sings lead), while 'Fight' and 'Had It With You' leave little doubt that Keith was challenging Mick for control of the group. Unfortunately, Mick was prepared to walk away from the fight. He thought the Stones were too old and too "unhip" for his tastes. and simply told Keith that he was going to have his own solo career, and you can bugger off it you don't like it. Of course, we all know by now that Mick's solo career didn't really get off the ground, and he eventually came crawling back to Keith on his hands and knees in 1989, when the band re-formed. Dirty Work is the last real Stones album, in the sense that it was the final product before the band officially split up (even if the schism was short-lived).
The other notable thing about Dirty Work is the fact that it coincided with the heart attack-induced death of the band's longtime pianist Ian Stewart, who was just about the only person on earth who could still talk sense into his egomaniacal friends. The boys play tribute to "Stu" on a short track at the very end of the album, which basically consists of Stewart playing barrelhouse blues for about thirty seconds. It was a nice gesture to the oft-forgotten "sixth" member of the group, and about the only moment where he can sense Mick and Keith were seeing eye-to-eye during the sessions. And don't underestimate the connection between Ian's death and the breakup of the band. He was almost like the glue that held the whole enterprise together, so his loss was a great one. The Stones organization had by now separated into two factitious, highly-antagonistic "Mick" and "Keith" camps, and Stu was the only person who could bridge these two polarized positions. Later, a relatively cleaned-up Ronnie Wood would find a way to bring Mick and Keith back together, and play a similar role to that of Stewart, but back in 1986 there was no one who do anything to help the situation.
In terms of the music, much has been written about the album's "cheesy 80's" sound, but to my ears the production isn't the main problem. Sure, there is a slight 80's-style crappiness to the drum sound, and the guitar tones have hint of "80's hard rock" crappiness (probably because the burnt out alcoholic otherwise known as Jimmy Page played on a couple of track), but you must remember that it was notorious rock purist Keith Richards who was running the sessions, and Keef would never stand for a total "modernization" of the band's sound. No, the main problem with the album is twofold: Mick Jagger (who's arrogant "don't give a damn" attitude was mentioned earlier), and the weak songwriting. For the first time since the Stones first entered the music scene as a covers band in the early 60's, the best song on the album is a cover ('Harlem Shuffle'), and apart from the menacing, Mick vs. Keith musical battle 'One Hit (To The Body)' there is really very little to choose from.
The sad thing is, with a little bit of attention to the smaller musical details, the band could have possibly saved this album. I've only listened to this album five or six times, but I can still remember just about every song , which means that there are some hooks happening from time to time. The problem is in the execution. Mick generally sounds like a moron most of the time, and there is no subtlety in the group's approach: they just hammer out cliched blues-rock riff after cliched blues-rock riff, and all of the subtle sonic goodies that made many of the band's earlier records so enjoyable are either gone or in tragically short supply. It's almost as if Keith set out to prove that he wasn't old and washed-up, that he was still a rocker at heart, so he wrote a bunch of lousy rockers that all sound the same in an attempt to appear "badass." In any case, it doesn't work, and what we have here is quite possibly the worst album the band ever delivered, which is quite an achievement considering just how bad Emotional Rescue had been five years prior. Blech.
As mentioned earlier, the best song is the hit single 'Harlem Shuffle,' which, if you can manage to forget the stupid cartoon promo video, is actually prime Rolling Stones material. Mick sounds great for once, and the track really grooves along nicely - nice horn arrangement too. 'One Hit (To The Body)' is also excellent, a surprisingly "heavy" song that the band pulls off quite well, and was another hit for the boys. If you want to see just how much Mick and Keith were hating each other, just watch the song's video: Keith looks like he wants to strangle Mick at times, and poor old Charlie looks like he needs a re-fill on his tapioca. The Some Girls-style rocker 'Had It With You' is OK (but nothing special), and Keith's solo-sung ballad 'Sleep Tonight' is a nice change of pace from the faux-hard rock of the rest of the album. Keith's reggae obsession manifests itself in 'Too Rude' which actually sounds quite a lot like The Clash's Sandinista material, even right down to Keith's gruff, Strummer-like vocals and guitar riffs. It's not great, but if I'm feeling generous I might give it an average rating, which is more than I can say for most of the other tracks.
The most annoying song is probably the fart-like title track, which is Jagger at his absolute worst. I'll spare you an analysis of the song, as it is just to depressing for me to talk about. Close behind is the most "1980's" sounding track, 'Winning Ugly,' which is actually kind of catchy, but the Miami Vice-style synths and female backing vocals are a bit too much. Jagger also employs his stupid "barking" voice, which is not a good thing. A bit too J. Geils band for my liking, if you catch my drift...Perhaps the song could've been salvaged if approached in a different manner, but this version is atrocious. Ditto for the faux-funk of 'Back To Zero,' which is an embarrassment on so many levels, whether its the 80's guitar tones, cheesy keyboards, drum machine sounds, or Mick's appalling monkey impersonations. If I've scared you off this recording, then my job has been done.
The other thing I just noticed
is that the Deep Purple rip-off 'Hold Back' would later be recycled as 'It Won't
Take Long' on 2005's A Bigger Bang, which is surprising considering just
how decent the re-make is. Unfortunately, the original Dirty Work
track is indecently crappy, and easily one of the worst things the Stones ever
put to tape. Again, the fact that the band was able to recycle the
original idea of the song into something good 20 years later is a good
indication that with a little bit of "dirty work" (heheh...), some of these
songs might have been saved. Unfortunately, this is a pretty frustrating
album to listen to, and when one considers the fact that it only contains two
great tracks ('Harlem Shuffle' and 'One Hit To The Body'), and only three or so
decent ones ('Too Rude,' 'Had It With You,' and 'Sleep Tonight'), it's hard to
give this album a rating any higher than five. However, I'm going to
deduct a point because of the 80's production on some of the songs, so this
album is actually only a four out of ten in my books. Not as bad as you
may have heard, but nothing to brag about either.
I'm just surprised I had so much to say about such a crappy
album! Oh well, I guess I'm just a bit ticked off about it, that's
all.....
RATING: 6
PLAY THESE: MIXED EMOTIONS, ALMOST HEAR YOU SIGH, SLIPPING AWAY
SKIP THESE: HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT, HEARTS FOR SALE
The album that probably saved the Stones from oblivion, Steel Wheels isn't anything remotely close to being one of the band's better albums, despite its massive popularity at the time. Then again, it probably deserves better than most contemporary reviewers are willing to give it these days, as many critics tend to view the album as a safe, generic Stones record that was created solely to sells as many units as possible. Certainly, there is some truth to the latter, more cynical view, but when all is said and done Steel Wheels achieves what is perhaps the most difficult feat in the music business: the comeback. You see, the Stones were all but dead just a year earlier, and the general consensus was that they would never make another album together, much less a decent one. When you consider just how poor Mick and Keith's relationship was in the mid-80's, and just how bad Dirty Work had been, then you can't help but respect Steel Wheels as the remarkable turnaround that it is. Yes, the band sticks to the basic Stones formula most of the time, and the production is a bit too glossy in spots, but in the end the songs are mostly good, and the performances are genuine and energetic.
The album's best known song, of course, is the hit single 'Mixed Emotions,' a Mick 'n Keith "make up" song of sorts that also doubles as a reconciliatory romantic tune (sample lyric: "let's bury the hatchet"). It's a pretty catchy little number, with a snappy chorus and some good old-fashioned Keith Richards-style open G tuning riffing in the verses. The song also marks the first appearance of backing vocalists Lisa Fisher and Bernard Fowler, who would play a prominent role in subsequent Rolling Stones albums/tours (they previously played in Jagger's band on his solo tour). Other standout tracks include 'Almost Hear You Sigh,' a nice ballad with unusually heartfelt Jagger vocals, as well as Keith's 'Slipping Away,' which is probably the best of Keith's solo-sung ballads. In fact, I'd go as far as to assert that this song is the best on the album. Keith's ragged, cigarette-abused voice suits the laid back, slightly jazzy track to a tee, and the chorus boasts a really good hook. It may not have been a radio-friendly track, but in truth it's probably better than any of the singles culled from the album.
At any rate, 'Slippin' Away' rubs its arse crack all over the minor hit single 'Rock and A Hard Place,' which hasn't aged particularly well. The pseudo-funk sound and cheesy horns absolutely scream "late 1980's," and Jagger's insincere politically-charged lyrics are not among his best by any stretch of the imagination. Other disappointments include 'Terrifying,' which is a pretty catchy tune but gets mired in a pointless Black and Blue-style jam at the end - it just sounds way too slick and calculated to be convincing. I'm also not a big fan of the "barking" vocal style Jagger was employing at around this time, so tracks like 'Hold On To Your Hat'' and 'Break The Spell' are pretty much write-offs as far as I'm concerned, although the latter track does boast a rather tasty Jagger harp solo.
The only other major track of note is 'Continental Drift,' which represents the only moment of experimentation on the album. The track features the same Morrocan panpipe players that once collaborated with Brian Jones in the late 60's, so the song is a sort of throwback to the psychedelic era. While I admire the ambitious nature of the track, it kind of falls flat overall: the song itself isn't particularly strong, and I'm not exactly sure that the pipes even fit the mood of the song.
As for the rest of the album, nothing really stands out. 'Sad Sad Sad' and Keith's 'Can't be Seen' are decent-but-generic Stones rockers, but they are missing that special something that used to make the Stones so great. Maybe the tracks are too overproduced, or maybe the band is just too old - I don't know, but I'm not that impressed. In the end, then, Steel Wheels is a decent Stones album that represents a step in the right direction for the ageing rock pioneers, albeit one that won't do much to counteract the widespread belief that the band's best days were far behind them.
RATING: 7
PLAY THESE: LOVE IS STRONG, YOU GOT ME ROCKIN', THE WORST
SKIP THESE: THRU AND THRU, BRAND NEW CAR, MEAN DISPOSITION
Emerging from the Stones' decade-long jaunt in the musical wilderness, Voodoo Lounge is a decent album that finds band returning to its musical roots - i.e. basic, raunchy blues rock. But before you start cracking open the champagne in eager anticipation of a full-fledged Stones revival, there are a few problems that need to be addressed....
First of all, Voodoo Lounge is way, way, way too long. I mean, the album would have been a near-classic if the Glimmer Twins had cut at least four - maybe even five - of the weaker tracks off the record. The other major problem is the recent departure of "retired" bassist Bill Wyman, an otherwise detestable, filthy old man who will nonetheless be missed due to the fact he comprised one-half of the band's rhythm section. As a result, the album's bass tracks were played by a number of professional session musicians who - for all of their talent - just can't replicate the wobbly, out-of-time shuffle that made the Stones unique. Too bad.
The best cut on the album is 'Love Is Strong,' a grinding, hard-hitting rocker that represents the group's finest moment since 1982's 'Start Me Up.' For the first time in years, Jagger adds some tasty harp lines to a Stones track, while Keith Richards lays down an aggressive riff in the middle eight that sounds so powerful that it could shatter steel. The walloping 'You Got Me Rockin'' is almost as good, with a great Jagger vocal and witty lyrics that really carry the song to new comedic heights; I particularly enjoy the way Jagger sings the 'I was a surgeon, still I start to shaaaaaaake' line. Hilarious - but still good. Really good. The other major highlight here is 'The Worst,' a charming country ballad with a steel guitar and fiddle that also features a great vocal performance from Keith, whose raspy Jack Daniels-damaged voice weaves in and out of tune, sounding world-weary and ragged, yet at the same time strangely warm and soothing.
Almost as good is 'Sparks Will Fly,' an energetic Some Girls-style rocker that showcases Charlie's talents, while the jaunty 'New Faces' is a nice harpsichord-infused ditty about some arrogant young bloke who steals away Mick Jagger's woman. Meanwhile, 'Moon Is Up' is a nice song marred by the inclusion of an accordion, a dreadful, annoying instrument that should never be played outside German polka parties and Sunday School picnics. Another half-decent song is the raunchy 'Suck On The Jugular,' a funky dance tune in the vein of 'Hot Stuff' that injects some life into the album's otherwise dreadful second half, although it stretches on little bit too long for my tastes.
Slowing the pace somewhat are the album's two Jagger ballads, 'Blinded By Rainbows' and 'Out Of Tears,' both of which fly by pleasantly enough but lack a certain something that I can't put my finger on - maybe its the banal melodies, or maybe its the uninspiring lyrics, but they don't stand out as memorable. They're just O.K.. Meanwhile, 'I Go Wild,' 'Mean Disposition,' 'Brand New Car,' and 'Baby Break It Down' are all non-descript generic rockers, all of which do little to disprove the perception that the Stones' lack the ability to gauge the quality of their own material. The very worst song, however, is Keith's horrendous ballad 'Thru And Thru,' a dreary, aimless dirge of a song that sounds like 'Coming Down Again' on elephant tranquilizers. Possessing no structure whatsoever, 'Thru And Thru' drags on for what seems like an eternity, while an inebriated Keith wails on and on about how screwed up the big, bad world is - no melody, no rhythm, no brains. When I hear tripe like this, I can't help but empathize with those critics who claim that the Stones should call it a day.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: LIKE A ROLLING STONE, LITTLE BABY, THE SPIDER AND THE FLY
SKIP THESE: NONE
Recorded during the group's sound checks at various stops on the marathon Voodoo Lounge tour, Stripped is a low-key, acoustic affair that may very well be the best live album the group ever recorded. The most pleasant surprise of all is the track listing, which includes a number of semi-obscure tracks never before included on live Stones albums, the majority of which date back to the band's glory days in the early 1970's. And although precious few of these tracks eclipse the original studio recordings, Stripped is a thoroughly enjoyable concert souvenir that finds the band in great form, sounding positively revitalized by the success of their latest tour. Hell, even Mick puts in a fine performance, discarding his standard monotone concert "bark" in favor of the more melodic, soulful voice that actually sounds good. The real star of the show, however, is Charlie Watts, who's sly, groovy chops demonstrate why he is regarded as one of the best in the business. The musical conscience of the band.
The album's centerpiece is the band's excellent cover of Dylan's 'Like A Rolling Stone,' an energetic slab of joyous pop that surpasses the original version in every conceivable way. Mick is in fine form here, adding an impressive harp solo that gives this version a little something extra that Bob's original recording lacked, while Keith and Ronnie fill in the gaps with a steady supply of tasty riffs that prove that the boys still have the Midas touch after all these years. Willie Dixon's 'Little Baby' is another major highlight, with the band's rhythm section laying down a serious groove that proves that if anything, the Stones are getting even better at playing the blues as they got older.
As far as the original Stones material goes, most of the songs are inferior to the studio versions, with the lone exception of 'The Spider And The Fly,' a long-lost 1966 B-side that may very well be the best blues song the band ever wrote, even if it took the band thirty years to play it right. Charlie's brush-stick drumming is simply superb on this track, and even Mick is inspired enough to update the lyrics from "she looked about thirty" to "she looked about fifty,' although I seriously doubt that Jagger would ever be caught dead with a woman older than twenty-five. The band's rendition of 'Slipping Away' also comes close to eclipsing the original, as Keith's soulful vocals make it a treat to listen to, while Keith's false start on 'Love In Vain,' is also quite endearing - a few too many bevvies, perhaps?
The rest of the songs are really good too: 'Not Fade Away,' 'Shine A Light,' "Dead Flowers,' 'Sweet Virginia,' 'Angie,' 'Street Fighting Man,' 'Wild Horses,' and 'I'm Free' round out the list of tracks, making the album a consistently enjoyable listen. All in all, this is a really great album, and you're missing out on a good thing if you haven't already purchased it. In fact, this is probably the band's best 1990's release. No, really.
RATING: 8
PLAY THESE: SAINT OF ME, ANYBODY SEEN MY BABY?, ALREADY OVER ME
SKIP THESE: THIEF IN THE NIGHT, HOW CAN I STOP?
The Rolling Stones go "alternative"...hmm...maybe not the best idea in the world, but by golly its works. A blatant-yet-successful attempt to remain relevant in the post-grunge era, Bridges To Babylon combines classic Richards riffs with modern production values to create a dark, cynical album quite unlike any other in the Stones catalogue. To achieve this, alternative producers Rob Fraboni and The Dust Brothers were recruited to remix several of the tracks, using new, fandangled recording techniques such as drum loops and samples to give the album an almost "cutting edge" sound. The only major problem here is Keith's songwriting: the poor old maestro appears to have lost his muse, as most of the album's weaker tracks are his. Although I admit that Keith's reggae-flavored 'You Don't Have To Mean It' is harmless fun, the same is not true of the other Richards-sung tracks, 'Thief In The Night' and 'How Can I Stop,' both of which are long, dreary ballads sadly reminiscent of the pointless ramblings of a senile old man - which, in a sense, they are. I mean, even the melodies - and I use the term loosely - are pointless, atonal vocal meanderings that move from key to key without advance notice, while Keith's phrasing is so awkward that it sounds like he's at least two beats behind the rest of the band. Avoid at all costs....
On a brighter no