GENRE(S): Rock 'n' Roll - Country - Soul - BluesPREAMBLE: Escaping their home country of England (avoiding mounting taxes), The Stones settled into a chateau in southern France to finish up four years of work. In the midst of Keith Richards' and Producer Jimmy Miller's daily heroin habit, Jagger and company manage to pull off the 7th Greatest Album Of All Time: Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time.
LOOK - A collage of black and white pictures of Sideshow Freaks graces the cover of The Stones' tenth studio release. The Rolling Stones, always sticklers for the provocative and raunchy, are well represented by these Carnies. Each of these pictures could be a visual for each of the eighteen tracks on Exile... perhaps I am over-stretching my interpretation? Truth be told, this fits the band, and it's not literal; that is always nice to see. My only complaint, the title and name of the band almost camouflages into the high contrast of the photographs.
LISTEN - Mick Taylor, now a full member of the band and lead guitarist, lays down just as many memorable guitar riffs as Brian Jones could have. "Rocks Off" opens the album with one of these riffs; coupled with a sharp snare beat, and Jagger's signature soulful growl, you'll have no choice but to crank the volume to 10.
Always the template for what a lead man should be, Mick Jagger's easy-come attitude on "Shake Your Hips" takes innuendo farther than it ever would have liked. With Producer Jimmy Miller sidetracked, Jagger took control at the sound board once in Los Angeles. Though Exile deploys some of The Stones' best arsenal, Jagger's inadequate production skills is unmistakable with barely audible lyrics and a rhythm section with no punch.
"Tumbling Dice" and "All Down The Line" strut through with the signature Stones sound you've come to know and love. Tracks like "Ventilator Blues" and "Turd On The Run" show how deep-down, blue, and dirty the delta can get. Nashville isn't far down the highway with "Shine A Light". There is no lack of soul here; "I Just Want To See His Face", makes The Rolling Stones one of the few bands who can just as easily write a song about Jesus as they can about Lucifer.
Exile On Main St., in my humble opinion, is a bit fat, and could have been reduced to a very good single album instead of being an better-than-okay double album. Then again, what do I know? George Martin said the same thing about The Beatles' White Album.
SPEAK - The Rolling Stone were never perfect. Who could be when constantly compared to The Beatles? Exile is not the starting point but the hight of The Stones finding their own niche in the history of Rock 'n' Roll. Giving into one's flaws might make you a freak, but I'd rather be a freak than pander to what-have-you. Inperfection is the truth.
ALBUM GRADE - B-
ARTWORK GRADE - C+
DO WE HAVE A MATCH? YES!
