This is considered the Stones best album ever. I can see where people can get these ideas. This is their "back to roots" album that they made and it was one of the best, if not the best album of the 1970s. This double album was recorded in Keith Richard's basement in the South of France. This album showcases mainly Chicago Blues, R&B, and early Rock n Roll. This is not the best place to start if you are new to the stones. I would reccomend Sticky Fingers to newcomers.
1. Rocks Off - This song just hits you from the first riff. Mick's voice takes you away and the Sax playing is awesome. In the middle of the song there is a delay effect on Mick's voice which adds a nice effect to the song.
Rating: 5/5
2. Rip This Joint - A very heavy blues song. Mick just rambles the vocals throughout the song like many old style blues musicians used to do back in the day. Near the end of the song Mick just screams the vocals at the top of his lungs.
Rating: 4.5/5
3. Shake Your Hips - A nice little blues riff followed by the voicals which has a slight effect on it. He does almost a call and answer with the saxaphone for a while. There is a little bit of good harmonica playing at the end of the song.
Rating: 4/5
4. Casino Boogie - It sounds like the bass has a flange sort of effect in this song. There is a pretty good sax solo in the middle of this song. If you notice Mick Jagger's voice isn't as overpowering in this album as it is in a lot of other Rolling Stone's albums.
Rating: 4/5
5. Tumbling Dice - My favorite song off of the album. I'm sure a lot of people on these forums have heard this song before. The vocals and backing vocals are just so powerful in this song. This is just a straightforward Rock & Roll song that has no flaws that I can find.
Rating: 5/5
6. Sweet Virginia - A solo acoustic guitar accompanied by the harmonica gives off a very bluegrass feel to the song. The whole band breaks it not very suddenly but bleakly. The chorus is just the highlight of the song, it is almost as if you can feel what Mick was feeling when he wrote this song.
Rating: 5/5
7. Torn And Frayed - The vocals and backing vocals start the song which leads off to just the lead vocalist. A nice slide guitar solo during the interlude of the song.
Rating: 4.5/5
8. Sweet Black Angel - Some finger picking guitar at the inro of the song. Accompanied by the vocals, this song you can tell was recorded in someone's basement but it's like it gives the perfect tinge to the song. The lyrics are very emotional and it hits you hard when they change chords just as if it were a whole band playing. An excellent song.
Rating: 5/5
9. Loving Cup - A piano leads the intro and the vocals and guitar follow into the song. The whole band knocks into this great song. A very powerful song that just gets better and better througout the song.
Rating: 5/5
10. Happy - Probably the most famous song off of the record. Keith Richards has the lead vocals on this tune. This is one of the happier (No pun intended) songs off of the album. Not one of my favories but not a bad song either.
Rating: 4.5/5
11. Turd On The Run - A great blues song but really nothing special besides that.This song is mainly lead by the guitar and harmonica. There is little percussion from the shakers.
Rating: 3.5/5
12. Ventilator Blues - Lead by the slide guitar in the intro and followed by Mick's mean voice describing the symptoms of the ventilator blues. One of the darkest tunes on the record. This song really gives off a lot of emotion.
Rating: 4.5/5
13. I Just Want To See His Face - You can hardly hear what is going on at the beginning of the song until you hear the faint sound of the vocals. This track was recorded really poorly but probably on purpose (or maybe not I don't know for sure). I can't say that I like or dislike the song because it is just recorded bad other than that it is a pretty good song.
Rating: 3/5
14. Let It Loose - The melodic guitar playing is accompanied by Mick's voice and then the piano. This is avery sad song played in a minor key. The vocals are very emotional and sung with great intenisty.
Rating: 5/5
15. All Down The Line - A heavy guitar riff lead into a hard hitting blues song. There is some fast slide guitar playing throughout the song. A really great song but nothing to stand out about it until the very end of the song where the whole band is just at their peak.
Rating: 4.5/5
16. Stop Breaking Down - A really great blues song played at a moderate tempo. The harmonica solo in the middle of the song has a cool droaning effect. I don;t have much more to say about this song.
Rating: 3.5/5
17. Shine A Light - The song is lead in the beginning by a piano and followed by the rest of the band as Mick Jagger sings his heart away. A great emotional song that picks up at the middle of the song as the backing vocals kick in. The guitar solo is just a perfect fit to the song and the song winds down to the end of the album.
Rating: 5/5
18. Soul Survivor - The last song of the album is not quite the most powerful but it really isn't a bad way to end a great album. This song just pounds down some great blues playing. There is a little piano interlude which then leads into the climax of the song as the album fades out.
Rating: 4/5
This is a truly amazing album that grows on you. The first time that you hear this album you will be appaled at the fact that people think this is the greatest Rolling Stone's album ever. Once you put it away for a while and come back to it then you might even agree with them. This album reminds me of last night I was in a bar watching a man in a woman both playing guitar and jamming out while playing some of the best blues I have ever heard in my life. I could tell how much they were enjoying it, and that's what music is all about just playing what you want and having fun. This album is about what the Stones wanted to be doing with their music, playing some great Chicago blues and R&B which the band was founded upon. I think it is important for this album to be heard by our generation so pick up this album when you get a chance.
