Search This Blog

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Album Review: The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street (1972)

For a while I was somewhat hesitant to get into the Rolling Stones.  Yes, they are one of the biggest acts on the planet, and have put out more records than Mick Jagger has porked women.  But then I listened to Sticky Fingers and I loved it to bits.  It was sensational.  Then I swore to myself that I would get around to listening to the even more acclaimed Exile on Main Street.  So I finally did, and whilst it's a very good album, I wouldn't say it was for me, save for a handful of tracks - "Shine a Light", "Sweet Virginia", "Torn and Frayed", "Loving Cup" and "Tumbling Dice."  All great songs that I would be more than happy to revisit.  Songs like "Turd on the Run" and "Ventilator Blues" narrowly miss the favorites cut too.  There are nothing like what you would call "fillers" here, although I find this album a bit difficult to listen to when tired, even admittedly, somewhat tiring on its own.  But I can appreciate why this album is considered to be their best - the songwriting, the production, the music of course, all top quality, typical of a band at the top of their game.  But in terms of "shining a light", this album for me, at least, doesn't quite hold a candle to the real magnum opus - Sticky Fingers.  Listen to it nonetheless, it's not rubbish, it's a quality record, and it's definitely worth exposing your eardrums to it when you've got the time.  A-


No comments:

Post a Comment