An album
I knew pretty well having owned a (reissued) copy of it for a couple of years,
this was one that I'd always enjoyed. The first and last songs had always stood
out a mile to me, so I was intrigued to see whether any of the others would
rise to the fore with a more focused listen. I know that this album is regarded
as amongst the Stones' finest, and is known for its capturing a time not at
ease with itself.
The album
was recorded around the same time as Beggar's Banquet and Sticky Fingers, and
the initial idea was that the material would make up two albums. Let it Bleed
was released in December 1969 following the US promotion tour, and reached
number 1 in the UK, and number 3 in the US. The Robert Brownjohn designed cover
art is probably more recognised than most of the songs off the album, with a
then unknown Delia Smith providing the cake topping for the turntable. The
working title of the album had been Automatic Changer, which would make more
sense in the context of the sculpture.
Gimme
Shelter is an absolute belter of an opening track, that builds, grows, and
struggles to contain the emotive content that includes a damning indictment of
the Vietnam War. Mick's voice sounds powerful, but its Merry Clayton's backing
vocals that steal the show (she also appears on Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama). Love in Vain is a bit
too ploddy for my tastes, although the bluegrass elements are at least a
novelty that doesn't entirely wear off. Country Honk is a slower version of the original Honky
Tonk Women single that was released a few months earlier, and doesn't quite
match the single's catchiness, and would probably work better as a live
experiment. Live With Me has some great moments, such as the horn solo halfway
through, and the piano is compellingly intense. Let it Bleed is one of Jagger's
strongest vocal performances, with his drawl running through the track, and Ian
Stewart's brief return to the band on keys gives a strong basis from which the
song can develop. Midnight Rambler, an account of the Boston Strangler's murder
of 13 women, is a self-described Blues Opera, and works well as a narrative
track. Richard's guitar is excellent on this, showing the vast range of his
technique. You got the Silver doesn't add a huge amount to the album, but
continues the album's folksy charm. Monkey Man speeds things up somewhat, and
was a song I grew to really enjoy having previously overlooked it. It is a
classic bit of Jagger-Richards magic, with an in your face riff and edgy
delivery that fits in with the rest of the album. You Can't Always Get What You
Want is utterly superb, with its angelic opening oft-copied, but never matched,
however much the London Bach Choir tried to distance themselves from the
"relentless drug ambience" of the rest of the album. The drumming
performance, by Jimmy Miller rather than Charlie Watts, is outstanding, Al
Kooper on piano is incredible, and the dischord at the end is a wonderful
contrast to the structured beginning. It really is one of the best songs of all
time in my opinion, and leaves a real glow over the rest of the album.
Overall,
listening to the album again brought out a few extra elements to it, and I
picked up more of the pessimism that runs through the record. At the same time,
the tracks I've always loved remained the strongest ones in my opinion. It
shows the range of genres that the band could confidently cover, and it takes
the swagger of a band in their pomp to produce so many basic, bluesy numbers.
However, when you compare that to some of the jaw-dropping things their
contemporaries were producing, it makes it look a bit half-hearted at times.
Still, it is a very strong record, and when it hits the heights, as on the
first and last track, there are few bands who can come close.
Chloe's
album rating: 6
Chloe's
favourite track: 9. You Can't Always Get What You Want
Olly's
album rating: 8
Olly's
favourite track: 9. You Can't Always Get What You Want
Next week
we will be listening to number 32. Jazz Samba by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd.
You can't always get what you want indeed…
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