The Album Review Club - End of Round #9 Break (page 1904)

I’ve already given some of my impressions in prior posts. In summary I think it contains a mix of successful and less successful minor twists on their tried and trusted formula and it was interesting to listen to. Though I wrote a post re. Jagger's vocals, I don’t think, with the possible exception of Just My Imagination, that he on his own diminishes anything. Where it works, like Miss You, it’s a result of the whole and where it falls down, most notably for me in Respectable, it’s the whole band too. There are some solid more archetypal Stones songs on here too like When The Whip Comes Down but for me it’ll be a photo finish between Shattered and Miss You for the best track on the album.

Lyrically some of it is most kindly thought of as a relic of its time but by and large it’s that overall sound that they create rather than the words I would listen to them for.

It’s rare I don’t get something out of the nominations on this thread and in this case, it has sort of ignited slightly more interest in The Stones, albeit more in the style of The History of the World in 100 Objects rather than wanting to immerse myself in their music per se. A bit like the Sphinx of Taharqa, it just feels like I should have a better appreciation of Mick and Keith et al in order to be a more rounded individual.

I have some basic familiarity with their earlier albums as some of their stone-cold classics drew me to have a listen to them, so I might now have a listen to some of the albums post this one too. I was going to swerve ones like that one where they look like the bloody Wiggles on the front cover but I understand that was at a time that Richards and Jagger basically weren’t speaking to each other so maybe that’ll be interesting in itself? Anyway, suggestions for the best two or three post this to have a listen to are very welcome.

As for this album, it hasn’t converted me into a card-carrying member of the fan club, but it is an interesting snapshot of an iconic band at a particular moment in popular music when trends were shifting, and they needed to respond or not as the case may be. It’s also got a decent number of good songs although nothing quite as ear catching to me as some of their earlier classics; but certainly a number that I’ll be happy to listen to if/when they arrive on autoplay.

Notwithstanding their obvious qualities and deserved place in the popular music pantheon, from a personal enjoyment perspective I’m hovering between a 6 and a 7 on this album so 6.5/10 seems about right.
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
I must say I am surprised the scores aren't a little higher.
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It's entirely possible that my score was indicative of holding them a higher standard than I might do other albums. The problem with a band like The Stones where everybody knows a number of seminal songs is if that's what you are most familiar with you end up judging an album against those highlights of their canon rather than on it's merits. You could argue that didn't happen with Revolver but the point there is it did actually contain some highlights of their output to a level I'm not sure this album does. I might re-listen to Sticky Fingers tonight as if it is was the nomination, just as a benchmark to see if I've done this down unfairly.
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
I must say I am surprised the scores aren't a little higher.
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I think a 7 for an album I didn't particularly enjoy or wouldn't revisit is pretty high!

I get and recognise its place in rock history, and I am glad to have listened to it, feel all the richer for it. But there are albums I enjoyed more that I scored less generously or readily.
 
For all it’s positive points, I think one thing we struggle with on this thread is getting in the head of the nominator. But that’s not a criticism because it’s bloody hard to do.

Benny nominated an album by his favourite band. He’s been listening to it for 46 years and will undoubtedly have lots of memories tied up in the songs.

I’ve listened to it three times and the best I can do - as threespires has pointed out - is compare it to the Stones’ best songs! I appreciate their place right in the highest seats in the pantheon of rock, but to my ears it’s just an average 70s boogie album. It’s not my fault because I can’t generate 40-odd years of emotions and memories from a bunch of songs I hardly know.
 
bennyboy said:
There are no real low scores though.
What I find interesting I the amount of folk that are not really familiar with their album output.All know a few of their songs but they are not familiar with their albums.
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My problem is that many of their other records have popular songs I've never particularly liked: Sticky Fingers has Brown Sugar; Let it Bleed has Midnight Rambler; etc. Beggar's Banquet is probably the most consistent for me after this one, and I like Exile on Main Street but have always felt it was kind of overrated (The Clash's "London Calling" is IMO the greatest double record of all time; I'm not sure Exile would make my top 10 double-albums let alone be 'the greatest rock record ever made" as many have called it, though there are lots of good songs on it).
 
RobMCFC said:
For all it’s positive points, I think one thing we struggle with on this thread is getting in the head of the nominator. But that’s not a criticism because it’s bloody hard to do.

Benny nominated an album by his favourite band. He’s been listening to it for 46 years and will undoubtedly have lots of memories tied up in the songs.

I’ve listened to it three times and the best I can do - as threespires has pointed out - is compare it to the Stones’ best songs! I appreciate their place right in the highest seats in the pantheon of rock, but to my ears it’s just an average 70s boogie album. It’s not my fault because I can’t generate 40-odd years of emotions and memories from a bunch of songs I hardly know.
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Agree.My failing is there is no middle ground with me on the scores despite only listening a few times.
Just the way i am.
Don't think anybody has noticed.lol.
 
FogBlueInSanFran said:
My problem is that all their other records have popular songs I've never particularly liked: Sticky Fingers has Brown Sugar; Let it Bleed has Midnight Rambler; etc. Beggar's Banquet is probably the most consistent for me after this one, and I like Exile on Main Street but have always felt it was kind of overrated (The Clash's "London Calling" is IMO the greatest double record of all time; I'm not sure Exile would make my top 10 double-albums let alone be 'the greatest rock record ever made" as many have called it, though there are lots of good songs on it).
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Weirdly i'm the complete opposite with London calling.A single album and it would be an all time classic.Same with my favourite Beatles album,the White album.Far too many fillers but a single album would have been great.
Spotify cures this problem brilliantly.
That run of Stones albums from Beggars to Exile will take some doing to get beat for quality from me.
 
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