Exile On Main Street

This is the real deal, numero uno, number one, the absolute best, period. While many classic albums of the late 60's and early 70's might be showing their age, "Exile on Main Street," is just as fresh and demanding as it was when first released in 1972. From Keith Richard's power chords signaling the beginning of "Rocks Off" to the frantic loud and raucous guitar fade of "Soul Survivor" Mick, Keith, Charlie, and the boys go for the throat on the Stones most powerful album. The Stones employ all their influences at their best: blues, gospel, country, R&B, and good old garage band rock n roll. The Stones love Chuck Berry, check out "Rip This Joint." Next, try some Slim Harpo blues, "Shake Your Hips." If you don't feel totally greased up by now, then get ready for "Casino Boogie" with Keith and Mick Taylor trading guitar licks sounding like screeching alley cats with Charlie Watts playing a naughty strip tease rhythm on the drums. What would be the end of side one on the LP ends with the great classic hit, "Tumblin' Dice." "Exile on Main Street" is a loosely structured concept album, in essence the Stones' journey through America. Thus side two, take the listener on a little spin out in the sticks with "Sweet Virginia" where you'd better be ready to scrape the sh## right off your shoes. For another stab at country music in much the same trippy mood as Gram Parson's "New Soft Shoe" comes "Torn and Frayed" the kind of song George Jones or Merle Haggard could only dream of. "Sweet Black Angel" brings in a little island music sound with its gentle marimbas. Finally, side two ends with the powerful country ballad with Nicky Hopkins, whose piano mastery can be heard on almost every cut on the album, pounding out one of his best piano leads on any Stones album with "Loving Cup." Side three opens with Keith Richards' most familiar song, "Happy." From there the Stones turn in one of their sleaziest, grungiest, most menacing tunes ever where Keith locks them in a manic rhythm that never lets up from start to finish, guitars and piano playing in total sync as Mick belts out some of the Stones' most mysonistic lyrics ever with "Turd on the Run." "Ventilator Blues" is a show case for Mick Taylor's fine slide guitar playing. The next number, "Just Want to See His Face" is perhaps the oddest song on the album. It sounds like something coming across an old AM radio late at night from an African American southern church service. The rhythms are captivating. Side three ends with the album's most powerful ballad with some killer horn and vocal arrangements, "Let It Loose." After working the listener into an emotional frenzy with that tune, now it's time to start down the album's home stretch with one of the Stones' great concert rockers, "All Down the Line" with some of the most creative hooks the Stones have ever stuck in one of their straight ahead rockers. "Stop Breakin' Down" is the second cover of a blues classic on the album. Is it any wonder to this day the old blues masters still perform with Mick and the boys? "Shine A Light" is a glorious spiritual masterpiece with lovely gospel piano and organ provided by Billy Preston and two of the most memorable guitar solos ever performed in a Stones classic. Finishing up in a mad frenzy on what was a full two album set is "Soul Surivor" a tune that starts off hot and keeps getting faster, louder, and nastier as the song continues. Somehow the way the guitars keep chiming into a fade at the end gives the listener the idea that the journey continues long after the album stops playing. It's muddy, it's dirty, but after the 1994 remaster, American listeners finally get to hear the Stones best album in its full glory. The American LP pressings were horrible, tinny and shrill with so much of the details and subtlties missing in action. The CBS release of the first CD was absolutely horrible. Did anybody do any premastering planning? The European record albums were beautiful and the 1994 CD finally gives the listener a chance to hear all the details in the massive wall of sound without compromising the rough and rowdy sound that the album strives so hard to maintain. There's so much going on with every song. After all these years, it's still growing on me. I've worn out five LP's and two CD's enjoying this album. No rock music collection is legit without this album, period. Play it as loud as you can handle it.

What can be said about this album that hasn't already been said? It it quite simply one of the best and most important albums in rock history. Great album and great album cover!

Arguably one of the best Rolling Stones albums of all time. Part of the mick Taylor era

This album is probably the finest non-American tribute to the entire spectrum and roots of U.S. popular post WW2 music, and specifically black American music (with deep bows to country,bluegrass and others), ever made by any rock band, anywhere. That's a broad statement, but this double album, their finest, repays using your listening skills. This is an ode to every nugget in American roots music - and what a goldmine. The Stones were at the height of their powers in the early 70's, turning out this double album of immense energy, craft and plain hard rocking. The texture of the music is dense and packed with so many licks,hooks,retro-riffs and new inventions on older themes as to be almost exhausting to listen to. The mix is thicker than a Georgia sow's belly and denser than a chimney-full of hickory smoke. It's tensile like barbed wire strained to breaking, yet has the rhythm of a Mississipi paddle steamer on full boiler. What it took out of the band to make is something to be awed by. After this, they could never quite summon the energy again. There are Stones albums (single albums) that are more precise or have more obvious Top Ten hit material but none with this full-tilt energy and non-stop deep love of another musical culture. No wonder the Stones stood out then, and now, as not just another bunch of guys trying to be bluesy and black. They constructed an entire work of energy and love, original yet deeply rooted in the past. And boy, does this masterpiece rock! This double album is not "cover versions" of roots and blues songs - nor an attempt to "sound American" in an ethno-musical fashion. It is more than it's sources, if such a musical feat is possible. What is so compelling is that The Stones in "Exiles" actually improved and pushed forward the entire weight of roots and rock that had gone before them. It's uncanny, like someone has copied a book word for loving word, and yet that book is far richer and more veined than the original. Wait a minute, these guys are all lads from London? They are not named "Pickaxe Walters", "Tucson Henry" or "Blind Somebody" and never stepped foot in the USA until in their 20's. Pinch me, and play it again.

ストーンズといえば、ジミーミラーの４部作(ベガーズ〜本作)が最黄金期というのが現在のデフォルトみたいになっているが、この作品はその集大成というか、ごちゃまぜというか、とにかくグランジィで、アディクトな作品になっている。 この作品をあまり肯定すると、ある意味 (当時彼らがハマってた ~チャーリーは違うかもしれないが)ドラッグ使用を正当化することになるのだが、それでもリスナーも一種バーチャルな幻覚の世界に引き込まれるようなトリップ体験ができる(主観)。 まあ、そのごちゃまぜ感から、ビートルズでいえば、ホワイトに比するという向きもあるし、ジャガーは一貫性に欠けるというが、ある意味、リチャーズのいう "グランジ" という一貫性＝コンセプトからすれば、サージェントに対する(超駄作と悪名高い) マジェスティックでなく、本作を対比するという観方をするのもアリかと思う(共に最高傑作とされるし)。 シングルヒットはサイコロ転がし程度しかないけど、その実 少なからずのファンにとっては、超ヒット作が Tumbling Diceほどある。 この作品はストーンズという６decades をトップで君臨し続けている６つの峰があるとすれば、確実にそのなかの一つだと個人的に感じる。

Zu der Musik ist wohl genug geschrieben worden. Das höchst bewertete Rolling Stones Album von Rolling Stone in der Liste 500 beste Alben in 96 kHz, 24 bit. Das Album ist sicher unabhängig vom Format kein audiophiles Highlight. Aber näher am Original als mit dieser hochauflösenden Veröffentlichung kommt man wohl nicht mehr. Die analogen Originalbänder werden nicht mehr verwendet, auch nicht für Vinyl-Veröffentlichungen. Immer ist ein 96 kHz, 24 bit Masterband die Vorlage. Also eine digitale Kopie der analogen Bänder, die die gleiche Auflösung hat, wie die DTS-HD Master Audio und die Dolby TrueHD Spur dieser Audio Bluray. Sie klingt auch besser als die CD Veröffentlichung von 2010. Die Halfspeed Mastering der Abbay Road Studios auf Vinyl zeigt für mein Gehör noch ein wenig mehr Dynamik, ein wenig als wenn der Toningenieur den Loudnessknopf gedrückt hätte ;-) Aber ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob das blind von mir nachvollziehbar wäre. Auf jeden Fall ist mir trotzdem die BD momentan die liebste Quelle für dieses Album, weil ich bisher von Amazon noch keine Vinylversion der oben erwähnten Veröffentlichung bekommen habe, die nicht an irgendeiner Stelle des Albums ab Werk hörbare Kratzer gehabt hätte, aber das ist ein anderes Thema. Übrigens ist die PCM-Spur dieser BD nur in 48 kHz auch wenn sogar im Auswahlmenü der Disk von 2.0 PCM 24-bit/96kHz die Rede ist. Die DTS und Dolby-Spur sind aber in 96kHz. Es ist sehr schade, dass sich dieses Format nicht durchgesetzt hat, weil es eine schöne Möglichkeit ist hochauflösende Musik auf einem Medium zu verbreiten für das die meisten zu Hause ein Abspielgerät haben. Im Vergleich zu einer alten Vinylversion aus 1987 fällt vor allem positiv auf, das die Bässe präsenter sind. Wenn man nur eine Version dieses Albums kaufen möchte, kann ich diese BD empfehlen! Allerdings ist der Download Coupon zwar in der Verpackung beiliegend, die Downloadseite hfpureaudio.com/redeem aber nicht mehr online. Schade!

Un classique des Stones, cet album est excellent

Beste Zogezegd zouden er artikellen bezorgt zijn volgens mail maar nog niet aangekregen of niet afgeleverd op adres Gelieve na te kijken? Mvg

This is an album that rewards repeated listening. Every time I listen I discover something new. Whilst there are songs that grab you straight away like Rocks Off and Tumbling Dice, there are others that slowly grow on you, for example Torn and Frayed, Sweet Black Angel and my personal favourite Sweet Virginia. Whilst the whole album goes back to the Stones' roots, there is actually a lot of variety from blues , to gospel, to country to flat our rock and the songwriting and playing is top notch. The Stones had many great moments but I think Exile is the one that rewards the most.