May 12, 1972
Click on the pic to buy this album
from Amazon if you don't have it
already. You can thank me later.
It took me a long time to "get" this album.
Firstly, since I'm moderately cheap, it took me along time to purchase it because this is an album full of songs you've never heard of.
Secondly, critics love it and it's widely lauded as the best Stones album ever by critics, which is usually a good reason to stay away from an album.
Thirdly, once I did purchase the album, it took me a number of listenings to figure out why this album is 'sposed to be so good. I was an enormous fan of the Some Girls and Let It Bleed albums, and I was pretty sure that even Sticky Fingers was better album than this one.
... and then one day as the disc changer did its thing and that little riff that opens Rocks Off kicked in, I just got it.
Tom Wolfe is supposed to have said something like "the Beatles want to hold your hand, the Stones want to burn your town." Whether he said that or not, it seems pretty perfect to describe this particular album. The opening song, Rocks Off, is one of my favorite Stones' songs and it sets the tone of the album perfectly, it's nasty and rough, full of attitude and more than a little dangerous. This is what Rock and Roll is supposed to be; edgy, punky, raunchy and a lot unpredictable. (Listen to the grittiness of Exile and then the polished gloss of Some Girls. It's like they're by two totally different bands).
The album doesn't always rock, it winds its way through some country and blues too, but the rock and roll attitude dominates. This album is hard core Stones.
1. Rocks Off
2. Rip This Joint
3. Shake Your Hips
4. Casino Boogie
5. Tumbling Dice
6. Sweet Virginia
7. Torn and Frayed
8. Sweet Black Angel
9. Loving Cup
10. Happy
11. Turd on the Run
12. Ventilator Blues
13. I Just Want to See His Face
14. Let It Loose
15. All Down the Line
16. Stop Breaking Down
17. Shine a Light
18. Soul Survivor
No comments:
Post a Comment