Review Summary: The Stones' sequel to Beggar's Banquet improves upon the original's already perfect quality and the result is one of the greatest records of all time
By 1969, the Stones were truly ''the World's Greatest Rock'n'Roll Band''. After returning to live form after a two year hiatus with the Hyde Park concert, that also served as a tribute to the late Brian Jones, they kick-started a tour in the fall of that year with freshman guitarist Mick Taylor, samples of which can be heard on
Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out. It was during that period when they released the long awaited follow-up to
Beggar's Banquet which churned out more classic songs.
On a very superficial level,
Let It Bleed feels as a direct imitation of the previous album. After all, it starts with an epic, ends with an anthem, features subtle, economic ballads, wall-rattling rockers and songs with social statements, right? Not quite. The formula may be the same, but it is similar to that found between
Magical Mystery Tour and
Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, where under the surface
a lot is changed. First of all, the rockers are filled with even more brilliant riffs, the intensity of which is even higher, the ballads are more diversified and the bookends of the album correlate better with each other. Second, the overarching atmosphere here is different from
Beggar's; where the former record could be characterized as warm, relaxed and earthy, the latter is now all that, plus more energetic and electrifying.
Actually, it is this stylistic diversity that makes this album so strong. Take a look for yourself; the record begins with the gloomy, haunting hellstorm that is
Gimme Shelter, where Richards plays, drenched in tremolo effect, an immortal guitar figure that builds up with otherworldly vocal chants and leads to Mick's powerful singing before his voice meets with Clayton's for a fantastic, majestic chorus. Clayton's solo moment that follows Richard's climactic solo is simply amazing, as are the little stabs of harmonica that Jagger spits out before each verse. The song ends with the beautiful, optimistic line
I tell you love, sister, it's just a kiss away made all the more heartbreaking due to Jagger's fragile singing and Richards' fading away guitar cries. A masterpiece for the ages and one of the most emotionally intense songs
ever.
After
such a beginning, the Stones could have made the mistake of having a
Shelter No.2 somewhere in here, but they thankfully avoided that. Thus, the album closer
You Can't Always Get What You Want may not share the opener's epic feel, but it instead goes for a unifying, uplifting emotional experience which is heralded by one of the catchiest melodies ever found in popular music and a terrific gospel background that makes the song all the more sincere. The rich instrumentation is fantastic, where you will find anything from pianos, organs and saxophones to congas, maracas and tambourines, not to mention Richards simple but charming guitar strumming. More importantly, the song ties perfectly with the opener simply because, lyrically, it seems like an answer to that. Where
Shelter cries
War, children, it's just a shot away, It's just a shot away the closer cynically claims
You can't always get what you want. Or you can take it as a goodbye to 60's culture; it's that splendid.
''But aren't the Stones just a good rock'n'roll band after all? Where are the rockers?'' I hear the Stone newcomer crying. Well, here they are;
Live With Me is a hard-hitting rocker that boasts an incredible bass riff, enriched by Taylor's and Richard's super interplay as well as Charlie's and Bill's tight rhythm section. On top of that you have an amazingly catchy vocal melody punctuated by simple harmonies and Jagger talking about his generation with humor:
And there's a score of harebrained children They're all locked in the nursery They got earphone heads they got dirty necks They're so 20th century. The other rocker, on the other hand, is much darker in feel, starting with a bleak piano introduction before Charlie breaks in and establishes a groovy rhythm alongside Keith's excellent riffing. The vocal melody is again captivating and after two choruses Keith breaks into a wonderful, vivid instrumental bridge that breaks for a little while the song's darkness with a barrage of piano notes before returning to the harsh, grittier riff and Jagger's monkey-imitating cries. Both are unbelievable rockers from start to finish.
Let It Bleed offers a unique blend of sexuality with sensitivity and tenderness, both in the melody department, where the delicate chorus contrasts with the more seductive verses, as well as in the lyrics, which might seem at first obviously about sex, but the lines reveal themselves, actually:
Well, we all need someone we can lean on, And if you want it, you can lean on me or
She said, "My breasts, they will always be open, Baby, you can rest your weary head right on me. After the second refrain, the song starts getting more intense with the slide guitar getting more paranoid and the rhythm section louder, while Jagger sings
Ahh, get it on rider, get it on rider , get it on rider, You can bleed all over me where the metaphor is finally over. All in all, this is a brilliant song about emotional dependency.
After the sensual mood of
Bleed, the band ventures into a killer blues rock tune,
Midnight Rambler. I regard the song as one of the finest blues rock songs ever put to tape, for a number of reasons. First, it doesn't use the same old blues progression; instead it uses more country-ish chords that are made bluesy because of the way Keith plays them, basing his whole phrasing around tension and release. The
mind-blowing rhythm section is subtle, economic and filling the soundscape effectively, while Mick offers a series of terrific harmonica fills and licks. Second, it is multi-part; this is actually an innovative idea, since most bands treat blues in the most boring and predictable way possible. Not the Stones; the song is all about dynamics, both in the different parts and in the band’s fantastic and diverse playing. Third, its vocal melody is simply amazing. Simple, of course, but utterly catchy and enriched with captivating changes. Also, Mick’s performance is terrific, ranging from quiet whispers to manic screaming in the blink of an eye. Finally, the tune has
actual emotional catharsis, which is the whole point, of course. The climax at the end of the song is unparalleled in the rock world; ferocity at its finest.
Love In Vain, plain and simple, and I’m sorry for all the Robert Johnson fans out there, trumps all over the original effortlessly. Where Johnson’s take was a fairly typical of him blues song with, admittedly, profound lyrics, not at all different from his other songs, the Stones take it to the limit with a rendition that is sincere, powerful, subtle and more importantly,
timeless. The original acoustic guitar fingerpicking is magnificent, Mick sings vulnerably about his lost love and the mandolin is utterly disarming. The rhythm section is at its best, too, with Charlie’s poignant drumming interacting perfectly with Bill’s descending line flourishes. Mick’s howls on top of the instruments near the end of the songs can melt anyone’s heart right away.
Now, we’re left with the two ‘weakest’ cuts on the album,
Country Honk and
You Got The Silver. Well, weakest to the main public, because these two songs are fantastic; maybe not in the ‘greatest song of all time’ way, but can you really go wrong with Keith’s soulful and tender ballad, whose loving nature contrasts starkly with the desolation of
Love In Vain? The genuine and authentic singing of the man alone is a keeper. And
Country Honk is a hilarious and joyful country tune. Yes, it doesn’t rock hard as
Honky Tonk Women but that’s the point. It is an authentic, 20’s style country ditty, complete with fiddles, raw harmonies and plenty of spirit.
So what more could be asked for? This record boasts terrific songwriting, unbelievable playing, stylistic diversity, clever arrangements and more importantly, emotional catharsis from beginning to end. This record is really a trip, a trip even better than the incredibly masterful
Beggar’s Banquet. It’s a pity this hasn’t gone down in history as one of the greatest records of all time; instead, it is generally considered as just a ‘great’ rock album and nothing more. Those who know, though, take this as the Rolling Stones’ long winded career pinnacle.
One disclaimer though:
THIS RECORD SHOULD BE PLAYED LOUD.
