The Rolling Stones were still immensely popular, although their critical reputation had taken gradual knocks throughout the seventies, for a variety of reasons. Various drugs busts, Mr Jagger becoming more and more showbiz. Etc, etc. Still, their 1978 'Some Girls' album went some way to restoring their critical reputation. 'Miss You', the lead single and opening salvo that the album presents us with, disco influences or no disco influences - was/is just a great song. It was the stones biggest hit for some time, reaching number one in the US, number three in the UK. The groove is addictive, Keith does simple little things - the stones sound together in a way that's good, but could be blown apart by a light breeze any second. Still, this top and catchy commercial Stones moment is followed by the more rock n roll 'When The Whip Comes Down'. Very simple kind of song, nothing to blow anybody apart, but it's catchy enough. 'Just My Imagination' is a minor classic, sounds like it could have come from the late sixties, almost. Not quite, but almost. Even more of a classic Stones tune arrives right towards the end, certified gold, 'Beast Of Burden'. Right from the opening Keith guitar parts, mellow and soulful - through to Jagger's vocal performance. A latter day Stones classic? You bet.
Overall, this 'Some Girls' album is good enough to be listened to all the way and to be quietly impressed with. The excursions into disco are limited to the opening tune, which is spiffing anyway - and to the close tune, 'Shattered'. Well, 'Shattered' isn't really a disco tune - it sounds like the stones have been listening to groups like Talking Heads, or some other contemporary group at the time that had angular and funky lines in their songs. Elsewhere, we get a dose of Stones songs that sound like Stones songs. Which is perhaps why a lot of people like this album a lot. They remember it fondly, shall we say. Me listening to it years later is slightly different that if i'd been around at the time, so I don't have that nostalgia thing. What I do have is a song like 'Far Away Eyes'. A song with a country Mick trying to sound like a country preacher guy, or something. I tend to ignore the Mick parts, just concentrating on the delicate and beautiful musical backing instead. 'Respectable' is decent, sounds good listened to loud. The Stones rocking again, the Stones creating a fairly consistent album. It lacks high art, a song like 'Respectable' for instance, enjoyable as it is, at the end of the day is just boogie rock n roll of the kind any number of groups could have done. 'Some Girls' doesn't get an 8 because it stretches the boundaries of music, it gets an 8 because it's quite decently enjoyable.
Miss You / When the Whip Comes Down / Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) / Some Girls / Lies / Far Away Eyes / Respectable / Before They Make Me Run / Beast of Burden / Shattered
Overall, this 'Some Girls' album is good enough to be listened to all the way and to be quietly impressed with. The excursions into disco are limited to the opening tune, which is spiffing anyway - and to the close tune, 'Shattered'. Well, 'Shattered' isn't really a disco tune - it sounds like the stones have been listening to groups like Talking Heads, or some other contemporary group at the time that had angular and funky lines in their songs. Elsewhere, we get a dose of Stones songs that sound like Stones songs. Which is perhaps why a lot of people like this album a lot. They remember it fondly, shall we say. Me listening to it years later is slightly different that if i'd been around at the time, so I don't have that nostalgia thing. What I do have is a song like 'Far Away Eyes'. A song with a country Mick trying to sound like a country preacher guy, or something. I tend to ignore the Mick parts, just concentrating on the delicate and beautiful musical backing instead. 'Respectable' is decent, sounds good listened to loud. The Stones rocking again, the Stones creating a fairly consistent album. It lacks high art, a song like 'Respectable' for instance, enjoyable as it is, at the end of the day is just boogie rock n roll of the kind any number of groups could have done. 'Some Girls' doesn't get an 8 because it stretches the boundaries of music, it gets an 8 because it's quite decently enjoyable.
Miss You / When the Whip Comes Down / Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) / Some Girls / Lies / Far Away Eyes / Respectable / Before They Make Me Run / Beast of Burden / Shattered