Poor dear Brian Jones....... I know I haven't spoken of him much on the page, but he was an original founder member and a beautiful soul who could ply his art and trade on virtually any stringed instrument he could lay his hands on. He left the group, and was dead alarmingly soon afterwards. He appears on two songs here, 'Midnight Rambler' and 'You Got The Silver', but he'd already gone.... The Rolling Stones plug the gap with guitarist Mick Taylor. He does a little slide thing on 'Country Honk', adds guitar to 'Live With Me' but would only fully be a part of the group, studio wise, come the 1970 album 'Sticky Fingers'. But, let's forget all of that. Let's talk about 'Gimmie Shelter', a weird kind of song but a song with power. The repeated "Just a shot away" lyric plugging in with the times, but then, these times right now are different times.... Still powerful though, and loose yet together musical groove. Still a fabulous Jagger vocal. Keith Richards not Bill Wyman plays the fabulous bass line that pins together the absolutely prime Stones wonder that is the 'Live With Me'. Leon Russell and Nicky Hopkins play Piano! Jimmie Miller produces, Glyn Johns AND Bruce Botnick ( and Jerry Hansen?! ) engineer! No wonder it sounds so damn fabulous, jesus christ! But first, this. A bugbear. I really wish 'Country Honk' wasn't here. At all. I just dislike this 'humorous' piece of shambling and 'funny' country run through of 'Honky Tonk Woman'. Just put the damn proper 'Honky Tonk Woman' on the damn album, you........ GRRRR!
'Love In Vain' is a beautiful Robert Johnson blues cover, a stupendous song given a sensitive and genuinely different and soulful reading - heartbreaking. Oh, the title song is good, great drums, great Piano. Standard sort of Stones song, actually - but the vocals are something else - Mick 'acting' and sounding wonderful. "She said my breasts, they will always be open, baby..... you can rest your weary head right on me...." and the Piano continues.... "there will always be a space in my parking lot...." WHAT? Fabulous lyrics. The album swings around the near seven minute long glory that is 'Midnight Rambler'. I remember my very first listen to this groove based blues jam, and being bored to tears. Further listens.... one day I picked up on the harp sound. I could marry and have children with that harp sound, were it not a harp attached to the mouth of Mick Jagger. Urrghhh! 'You Got The Silver' has lovely blues guitar, very mellow and nice. Sung by Keith Richards! It's good! 'Monkey Man' is a blissful late night groove under a full moon.... it's a full moon tonight as i'm writing this review. Spooky, hey? Great guitar from Keith, "all my friends are junkies" from Mick. That was right too, wasn't it?!?! And, 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' to close, with Nanette Newman singing as part of the gospel flavoured chorus. She later advertised washing up liquid on UK television.... what do you mean, its not the same one?? Damn, i'm all disappointed now.
Gimmie Shelter / Love In Vain / Country Honk / Live With Me / Let It Bleed / Midnight Rambler / You Got The Silver / Monkey Man / You Can't Always Get What You Want
'Love In Vain' is a beautiful Robert Johnson blues cover, a stupendous song given a sensitive and genuinely different and soulful reading - heartbreaking. Oh, the title song is good, great drums, great Piano. Standard sort of Stones song, actually - but the vocals are something else - Mick 'acting' and sounding wonderful. "She said my breasts, they will always be open, baby..... you can rest your weary head right on me...." and the Piano continues.... "there will always be a space in my parking lot...." WHAT? Fabulous lyrics. The album swings around the near seven minute long glory that is 'Midnight Rambler'. I remember my very first listen to this groove based blues jam, and being bored to tears. Further listens.... one day I picked up on the harp sound. I could marry and have children with that harp sound, were it not a harp attached to the mouth of Mick Jagger. Urrghhh! 'You Got The Silver' has lovely blues guitar, very mellow and nice. Sung by Keith Richards! It's good! 'Monkey Man' is a blissful late night groove under a full moon.... it's a full moon tonight as i'm writing this review. Spooky, hey? Great guitar from Keith, "all my friends are junkies" from Mick. That was right too, wasn't it?!?! And, 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' to close, with Nanette Newman singing as part of the gospel flavoured chorus. She later advertised washing up liquid on UK television.... what do you mean, its not the same one?? Damn, i'm all disappointed now.
Gimmie Shelter / Love In Vain / Country Honk / Live With Me / Let It Bleed / Midnight Rambler / You Got The Silver / Monkey Man / You Can't Always Get What You Want