Exile on Main St.
 

Exile on Main St

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The first thing I want to note is that when I came into this album, I was biased. I wanted to listen to albums critically considered classics, so I went to Rolling Stone’s top 500 albums and listened to the first one I saw that I hadn’t listened to. It was Exile. I had always thought that The Rolling Stones were sort of overrated, and I wanted to hear for my self. My god, I was wrong. I was so, so, so, so f*cking wrong. This album starts off like a freight train, with a really good bluesy rock song, Rocks Off. The next 3 songs are visceral, ragged rock songs. Very raw, very good.

The Rolling Stones are really good at sounding sort of disorganized and chaotic, but never letting a song get away from them, and it almost seems at random times other band members join in and start singing, and the harmonies aren’t beautiful like The Beatles but they’ve got a more visceral feeling to them.

The next notable song is Tumbling Dice, which is one of their more popular songs on the album. I love the vocals on this song; Mick Jagger has one of those insanely distinctive voices. I really like the female vocalists on this song, since I don’t think they’re organized enough to be called a choir.

As I heard the first 15 seconds or so of Sweet Virginia, I knew I was wrong about this album and this band. This was greatness I was listening to. I love Jagger’s voice on this song. Got to scrape that **** right off your shoes.

The next song, Torn and Frayed, is quite a good song. The next song however, Sweet Black Angel, is absolutely excellent in my eyes. It’s so raw, so simply done.

The next, Loving Cup, is pure Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones have this thing they do which is so distinctive, it’s their “explosion” moment, think about You Can’t Always Get What You Want, and the part where the drums kick in, and the guitar starts to get fast and the choir and Mick yell “You get what you need!!”, well about 50 seconds into Loving Cup, they have that explosion. It’s a great song with a nice use of horns in the middle.

Let It Loose, my new favorite Rolling Stones song. I can’t even describe how much I am digging this song right now. It’s got a really sad feeling to it, like it should be the theme song for a guy in his forties, sitting and drinking at the bar, smoking a cigarette and asking himself where all the years have gone. The next standout song is Shine a Light. It’s jubilant, it’s sad, and it’s beautiful all at the same time.

To be honest, this album doesn’t have a bad song. I’ll go as far as to say it doesn’t have a mediocre song on it. It shot straight up to my top albums list.

10/10

I always get the sense that you're speaking directly to me when I read your posts Davey. Something to do with your writing style maybe?
Had anyone else written a review on this particular album, I probably wouldn't have bothered reading it.
Glad you're back.

I really appreciate it. I write for my local school newspaper and want to be a writer, and I sort of write down my thoughts as they come to me when I listen to albums.

It's just what I have always said.

People are far too interested in trying to compare the Stones to whatever else was around at the time rather than appreciate their work for what it was.

This album isn't groundbreaking or innovative. It's roots , it's ballsy , it rocks and it has a swagger to it and on their day nobody comes within light years of doing this as well as the Stones. THAT'S why it's a great album.

This was the first Stones album I heard, and it convinced me that they weren't just another crappy mainstream band, although I could really live without side 3. Replace Stop Breaking Down with Happy and you've got three perfect album sides.

...but as good as most of the tracks are, I'll still take Let It Bleed or Sticky Fingers.

This is exactly what I thought upon first hearing this wonderful, wonderful album. Great review all-round

I am not a big Rolling Stones fan at all, but I have never heard this album. Perhaps I should give it a listen and reaqauint myself with them. I did put Forty Licks on at work in the week and turned it off about 8 songs in. I was bored :(

Exile is the greatest. Everything the Stones did between Beggars Banquet and this was brilliant, and actually makes up for all the crap they've put out since. I feel like theres two types of people:

1. People who think the stones are overrated-they havent listened to Exile.
2. People who appreciate the Rolling Stones-they have heard Exile.


Liz Phairs' "Exile in Guyville" is great too. Its supposovely based on Main Street, but other than the number of songs, it has nothing in common with it really.

What about people who have'nt heard Exile but don't think they are overrated i.e-me? Generalisations like that are short sighted. It's not all black and white. I'm just indifferent to the Stones.

Well theres obviously exceptions, I generalize alot but I always realize nothings black and white. To me, at least, alot of people seem like that when discussing the stones. They know the radio hits (which exile has very few-I hear "tumbling dice" and once in a blue moon, "Happy"), and dismiss the band as overrated. There are clearly other people as yourself, however.