Monday, 13 April 2020

Let It Bleed


Mostly recorded without Brian Jones; who died several months before its release (although he does play on two tracks) and was replaced by Mick Taylor (who also plays on just two songs); this extends the rock and blues feel of Beggars Banquet into slightly harder-rocking, more demonically sexual territory. The Stones were never as consistent on album as their main rivals, the Beatles, and Let It Bleed suffers from some rather perfunctory tracks, like "Monkey Man" and a countrified remake of the classic "Honky Tonk Woman" (here titled "Country Honk"). Yet some of the songs are among their very best, especially "Gimme Shelter," with its shimmering guitar lines and apocalyptic lyrics; the harmonica-driven "Midnight Rambler"; the druggy party ambience of the title track; and the stunning "You Can't Always Get What You Want," which was the Stones' "Hey Jude" of sorts, with its epic structure, horns, philosophical lyrics, and swelling choral vocals. "You Got the Silver" (Keith Richards' first lead vocal) and Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain," by contrast, were as close to the roots of acoustic down-home blues as the Stones ever got.


Ripped from the 2002 bonkers Japanese (24bit SHM-SACD) edition to 24bit FLAC

The Rolling Stones; Let It Bleed

1.      Gimmie Shelter
2.      Love In Vain
3.      Country Honk
4.      Live With Me
5.      Let It Bleed
6.      Midnight Rambler
7.      You Got The Silver
8.      Monkey Man
9.      You Can’t Always Get What You Want

5 comments:

  1. Please stay away from the 50th anniversary edition, horrible... A true crime.

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    Replies
    1. I like the Japanese versions, they seem to be an audiophile's wet dream

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  2. To me (my ears, headphones et all) the best sounding edition I ever listened is First ABCKO CD transfer from the same exact master of LP. I love this album

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  3. Top Trivia- the cake on the cover was made by Delia Smith ( may not mean much outside UK)Great album , great blog.
    Thanks
    Lord G

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