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EXILE ON MAIN STREET
Twenty-seven Reviews - Overall Average Rating - 9.74 Tongues
(Sorry, but we are no longer accepting fan reviews for this album)
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Exile
June 11, 2001
Rating:
It's true that this album doesn't sound great at first. But now,2 years after I bought it
I think it really is their best. Maybe that's because I own a CD version. 'Rocks
Off' is my favorite Stones song but I love the album because of the great unknown
songs such as 'Sweet Black Angel', 'Loving Cup', 'Let it Loose' and others. Guest
musicians are perfectly incorporated in the sound and on 'Stop Breaking Down' and 'All
down the Line'. Mick Taylor does his best slide solos. 'Happy' is one of my favorite Keith
songs although I prefer the live version.So just listen to the album and the intensity
that doesn't stop until the final track 'Soul Survivor' which is also a great tune (just
listen to the Keith's rhythm and Taylor's lead).
To listen to some sound clips from
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
or to buy it click here:
Exile On Main Street (2010 Re-Mastered)
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EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Curtis Franklin
May 29, 2001
Rating:
Personally there is no such thing as a 10.0 in anything. there will always be room for
improvement. Albums are a photograph in a moment of time and they stand there with their
flaws and perfection's. I'm not going to get into track listings but rather state why I
love this album just as much, if not more, than Sticky Fingers or Let It
Bleed. this album is complex dark and moody. It is a testament of the Stones at their
habitual worst and it reflects this. There are straight up classic songs and there are
understated classics. I can listen to this album for long periods of time and not get
bored due to its double album length and the differences in the songs. I did not
particularly care for the album as a whole when I first heard it but it grew on me. Albums
like this are not planned out they just happen. And I'm glad it did.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Hall Wingfield
April 17, 2001
Rating:
Exile on Main Street is, on the outside, an ugly, ugly album. The mix of this
album is manipulated so that nothing stands out. Expecting a spotlighted singing
performance by Jagger, a la "You Can't Always Get What You Want"? Expect to be
surprised; the vocals are buried in this album lower than Aaron Carter's hopes for a
Grammy. Heard Mick Taylor's blistering solo in "Can't You Hear Me Knocking?" and
are thirsting for more? Sorry. The lead guitar only really surfaces several times each
song before being dragged into the swirling chaos that is, despite it's ugliness, the
greatest rock album of all time. Because, you see, the production of an album like this is
the accentuation of what makes the Stones great: their strength as a group. Look at any of
their songs where they parade one part of the group around for an entire song at the
expense of the other members and you'll see that the Stones suffers a result("Ruby
Tuesday","As Tears Go By" being examples). So Exile's mix is the
Stone's doing what they do best: no solo artists who just happen to be playing with some
other, anonymous, musicians but one big group, plowing ahead while making great rock music
at the same time. But on to the songs. "Rocks Off" is a transcendent rocker that
captures the feeling of having bad events on the horizon, not caring about it, and being
perfectly happy about not caring at the same time. After "Rip this Joint",
a boogie number that showcases the Stones' ability to groove, there is "Shake your
Hips" and "Casino Boogie". The former is just bad and very dull while the
latter is OK but very forgettable. "Tumbling Dice", on the other hand, is a
masterpiece and is the centerpiece of the album. All the member's of the Stones are doing
great here, with a good, insistent beat by Charlie, a great, looping bass line by Mick
Taylor, and a riff by Keith that has to be heard to be believed. All this is spearheaded
by an unforgettable vocal by Jagger and a trio of backup singers who, transform the
song to one of the Stones' all-time greatest songs. "Sweet Virginia" is a
great song with yet another case of Charlie knowing just what beat to play and as for the
rest of the band, it picks up in the chorus,don't worry - this is another example of the
Stones' evolving mastery of the more country style of blues which culminates in the next
track, "Torn and Frayed". This thinly veiled wake-up call to Keith is a very
underrated, incredible song, with great use of cymbals, a good bass line(especially during
the guitar solo), heartfelt vocals and a neat little 2-second guitar hook. Trust me, don't
skip this song. Ending side 1 of the album are "Sweet Black Angel" and
"Loving Cup". Both are ok songs; "Angel has a nice outdoorsy vibe to it and
"Loving Cup",features some great fills by Charlie along with a good vocal by
Mick. All in all, "Cup" is actually a pretty good end to side 1. Starting side 2
off with a bang, as does "Rocks Off", "Happy" has a great guitar riff
which becomes awesome when picked up by a horn section at the chorus. When I first heard
this song, I thought, "what the hell? Keith, stick to singing the old blues songs,
let Mick handle the rest." But after hearing this song several times his performance
has grown on me and I really can't imagine Mick singing this song now. "Turd on the
Run" is another fast boogie song, but isn't anywhere near as good as "Rip This
Joint" while "Ventilator Blues" is a slow blues song and the only song
where the harsh mix of Exile backfires, drowning Taylor's great lead guitar to
the point of indistinctiveness. "I Just Want To See His Face" has a a spooky
African drum beat and backup singers that give an eerie feel to the sound, but it's still
kind of a pointless song. "Let it Loose" has Billy Preston doing some cool
stuff on keyboards before Charlie starts a beat and the song starts to really pick up with
2:50 left on the track-it's an average song with a good ending-what definently stands out
is Mick's great, soul-baring vocal. "All Down the Line" is a great, rocking song
where special mention should be given to how well Mick T and Keith play-certainly a
guitar-driven song. Cool horns too. "Stop Breaking Down" is hated by a lot of
people for some reason but I really like this song. Great guitar playing once again, and
Mick does a great job of doing a real bad ass vocal. At the same time, you just can't
avoid noticing how solid Charlie is. "Shine A Light" and "Soul
Survivor" do a great job of closing the album. "Shine a Light" is
incredible, with an organ and vocal and intro which gets picked up by the rest of the band
and finally transforms into a gospel-like song with the help of the back-up singers. Mick
really sings with a lot of emotion in his voice. Unlike many singers today he really makes
you feel something inside yourself. Also, this song has two very good guitar solos. Ending
the album is "Soul Survivor", with a great guitar and bass - the riff for the
chorus is classic Keith-great stuff. After a very short bridge, the song races to an end
with renewed vigor and the greatest rock album ever comes to an end. While you may not
enjoy this album on your first listen, I guarantee you will love after thirty go-rounds.
Bottom line: Buy(or steal, if you're broke desperate and/or bored enough) this album as
soon as you can. You won't be sorry.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Alan Alwiel
February 3, 2001
Rating:
Exile was like a seed for me that has stayed in my CD player the last 20yrs. I
have images of Keith downing Jack Daniels in his basement singing his heart out
on 'Sweet Virginia' and guitars out of tune which greatly added to the raw and powerhouse
sound of the album. The album sounds so clean and slick like a Steely Dan studio album.
The music ranges from gospel, blues, country, and rock. 'Rocks Off, Keith's driving guitar
in open g tuning played against Jaggers harse vocals gives me the chills, 'Rip this
Joint', a powerhouse driving song with Bobby Keys on sax. 'Tumbling Dice' is one of
Keith's greatest riffs on record with Jagger singing his heart out and in the background
Charlie Watts incredible drumming and Mick Taylor's great bass line. If
you like guitar players check out Taylor's blistering slide on 'All down the Line' and his
lead solo on 'Shine a Light' will put you in another place. For much of the album Taylor's
guitar is in the background by design with Keith's driving open tuning and Jagger's great
singing and lyrics. 'Loving Cup' is a masterpiece, listen to Charlie's drumming and those
lyrics and backup vocals. which are truly great. 'Let it Loose' is a lost treasure, wow
what a great organ riff by Billy Preston and Jagger sings his heart out. 'All down the
Line' is magical for me and its rock and roll at its best. The ending song 'Soul Souvier'
is haunting and gives me the chills. Rock and roll is all about energy and attitude, not
how fast the playing is and that's what Exile is all about. What a masterpiece
the boys created in a drunkin, drugged out state in Keith's basement. It's the best double
album ever put on record, period.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By John
January 26, 2001
Rating:
The first time I heard this album I wasn't sure what to think. A few songs stood out
immediately but the more I listened, the more I realized what an extraordinary album it
was in terms of music, the writing, and the vocals. Exile on Main Street captures
the Stones in all of their rawness and grittiness. The album is like an exposed nerve-it
has its own life and to me gets better with each listen. When Jagger sings vocals on
"Loving Cup" you can hear him pour all of his emotion into it. Other songs like
"Casino Boogie", "Sweet Virginia" and of course "Happy" and
"Tumbling Dice" are among the jewels in the crown of "Exile". However
listen to "Ventilator Blues/I Just Wanna See His Face" and listen how easily the
Stones go from a kick ass tempo to a quiet introspection where Mick plays the role of a
Doubting Thomas. I happened to catch the VH1 100 Greatest Albums of all time and although Exile
placed a respectable 12th on the list, it should have been in the top 5. Do yourself a
favor and have a listen. It may take a few listens to understand where the songs are
coming from and where they're going but all good things come to those who wait.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Chris Morley
November 29, 2000
Rating:
I remember buying this album when it was first released, even in the wake of indifferent
reviews and have to say that from the very first listen I was blown away. Of course there
are the songs, but what puts this album right up there is the order in which they put the
songs on the album (musical styles blend in track by track) and the shear genius of the
production. Jaggers lyrics are buried deeply beneath layers of rhythm, and the solos cut
through like a knife. If one closes ones eyes and really listens, it is very difficult to
imagine any of the tracks NOT being recorded at 3:00 in the morning in a drunken haze. It
would be remiss of me to list stand out tracks as I look on this album as a whole piece of
wonderful music. Although I regret the passing of vinyl it is great that the whole album
fits on one CD so that listening can be uninterrupted. Despite the "messy"
production the album certainly benefits from being listened to on high end equipment - you
can hear things that lower end equipment just does not pick up.
Little did I know when as a 14 year old, I took my carefully saved dollars to the store
to first purchase this, that I was buying
what I now consider to be the greatest rock album of all time.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Chris Witte
November 11, 2000
Rating:
This album is a mess: one of the sloppiest, most druggy and drunken records ever made. And
I love every minute of it. It doesn't contain any huge jump out and grab you hit singles
(with the exception of 'Tumbling Dice'), but I feel that along
with Let It Bleed it is the best Stones album. While this album shouldn't be the
first Stones album one buys (its deliberately
sloppy production and drunken excess might scare you away), no record collection is
complete without it. The first time I heard
this album I thought it was average at best. But this is one of the few albums that
improves every time you hear it. It truly is a
classic. From the first "oh yeah" of 'Rocks Off' to the last note of 'Soul
Survivor' this is the Stones at their best. The strongest
tracks are 'Rocks Off', 'Rip This Joint','Tumbling Dice', 'Sweet Vrginia', 'Loving Cup',
'Happy', 'All Down the Line', 'Shine a Light', and 'Soul Survivor'. However there are no
real disappointments or let downs among any tracks. In fact one the most underrated tracks
on the album is 'I Just Wanna See His Face', I love its intential sloppy production and
the fact that it sounds like Mick is five feet away from the microphone while he is
singing. This album shows the Stones in all their drunken sloppy drugged out glory,
kicking out a distinctively different rock style than they had done before or since.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Net Pimp
October 20, 2000
Rating:
This monumental double-album, shrunken now to one CD, has only a few songs that stick out
to the casual listener ("Rocks Off," "Tumbling Dice,"
Happy") but the rest, even if it is southern rock throwaway, is pure fury and
mayhem. And it rocks to the core. The brassy "Rocks Off" a perverted song about
a dancer friend, is a hard hitting intro to this unique album of great, modestly
performed, songs. They exhibit wild 50s rock with the jumping "Rip This
Joint"" that has energetic, screaming vocals from Mick and Keith and a soulful
sax solo by Keys. I don't see why people dislike the next song, a down-south up-tempo
blues rocker, the Slim Harpo (AKA James Moore) tune, "Shake Your Hips (AKA Hip
Shake)." The southern drawl by Mick J. is inspired and essential to this song. To
jazz it up, Ron Price and Bobby Keys add brass. Mick J. also adds harmonica while Ian
Stewart does the rhythm section proud with his boogying piano. "Casino Boogie"
is another rock n' roller which is less memorable and has the same southern fried style.
Then comes one of the most down to earth and wonderful singles the Rolling Stones ever
released, the charmingly poetic "Tumbling Dice". The female backup singers are
superb on this time. On this track, Mick J. finally plays something besides harp or
percussion with some guitar here and Mick T. fills is on bass. The song is a poignant
rocker that had a level "the Greatest Rock n' Roll Band in the World" was never
able to match again. Though seasoned veterans now, they weren't ready to succumb to the
maturing and aging of rock. Another fine song comes next, 'Sweet Virginia" a great
tuner in it's sing-along glory. Stu plays piano and again Mick J. plays harmonica. I could
go on but I'm limited to words, so I'll just grade all 18 tracks: 1. Rocks Off: A, 2. Rip
This Joint: B+, 3. Shake Your Hips: B+, 4. Casino Boogie: C+, 5. Tumbling Dice: A+, 6.
Sweet Virginia: A-, 7. Torn and Frayed: A, 8. Sweet Black Angel: A, 9. Loving Cup; A 10.
Happy: A+, 11. Turd on the Run: A-, 12. Ventilator Blues: A-, 13. I Just Wanna See His
Face: B, 14. Let it Loose: A+ 15. All Down the Line: A-, 16. Stop Breaking Down: B-, 17.
Shine a Light: B, 18. Soul Survivor: B+.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By John Barnett
August 27, 2000
Rating:
What a mess. What a huge, sprawling, glorified mess of sound this record is. But you know,
it's all the better for it. Exile On
Main Street is essentially a brief rest stop for the Stones, who up to this
point were constantly blazing a trail of innovation
through the rock world. It was a blessing that they chose 1972 as the year that they would
stop, rest, drink, and write/record
their most assured work. The band was tired by now, and someone (probably Keith, out of
sheer necessity) decided to settle down in their basement and record a double album that
stands on a pedestal with The White Album, Blonde On Blonde, Tommy,
and Physical Graffiti as the 5 best double LP's in rock history. It's also the
most unshamefully misogynistic.
The catch you ask? Nearly all the songs on here are southern rock, Afro-Am style, and soul
gems. What a dastardly move on
the Stones part. But they sound great (with a few exceptions). Mick J., Keith, Bill,
Charlie, and Mick T. Everyone sounds
great. The only regret is that Mick Taylor's lead guitar isn't more audible, but that was
the point of this record. The drums,
rhythm guitar, and bass are the stars here. All other sound is carefully tucked away in
the background. Nevertheless, it is pure, unadulterated genius.
Songs:
ROCKS OFF: A great opener. Nicely veiled masturbatory reference, not to mention a very
cool horn section.RIP THIS JOINT: To fast and unintelligible, but still a good song to
rock out to.HIP SHAKE: A cover tune originally recorded by bluesman Slim Harpo, this is
the obligatory humorous song on "Exile".CASINO BOOGIE: A fun one, but not all
that memorable.TUMBLING DICE: The album's centerpiece, as well as it's masterpiece. The
more I listen to it, the more I love it.
SWEET VIRGINIA: A sickeningly sweet ballad, recorded while the band was so piss-drunk they
could barely stand up. TORN & FRAYED: Amazingly great song. How this didn't become a
hit or wasn't included on any greatest hits album is beyond me. The lyrics are so true to
life it'll make you blush.SWEET BLACK ANGEL: Another song about slave-sex. This time minus
"Brown Sugar"'s drug references. LOVING CUP: Charlie Watt's best drum work. Or
is that Jimmy Miller on drums? I guess we'll never know for sure.Anyway, what a beautiful
buuuuuzzzzz!!!HAPPY: Most likely the most recognized of Keith Richards' vocal
performances. Also some of "Exile"'s best lyrics.TURD ON THE RUN: Odd title. Odd
song. Great song though. VENTILATOR BLUES: Whoa! Mick Taylor is actually present for a
session. Needless to say, the lead guitar is the star here.I JUST WANNA SEE HIS FACE: Not
sure what they were thinking here. The song has a great concept (not wanting to talk about
God, and just wanting proof of his existence) but the performance is a mystery to me. LET
IT LOOSE: "Let's bash women," said Mick J., and this one was born. Quote this
one to girl you hate.ALL DOWN THE LINE: A solid track, and that's about it. Proof that
this album's greatness lies within the sum of it's parts.STOP BREAKING DOWN: Same as the
last one, except with an awesome echoed beginning.SHINE A LIGHT: Billy Preston rules! Just
3 years after he worked with the Beatles, Big-Fro is back on this track with some
excellent organ work. Great lyrics as well.SOUL SURVIVOR: 28 years before Richard Hatch
would become known by this epithet, the Stones made it into a rockin' closer to their most
assured album. A wealth of great music. Highly underrated at the time of release. At least
NOW people are aware of it's greatness.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Andrew Maguire
May 31, 2000
Rating:
I have never decided whether this or “Beggar's Banquet” is my
favorite Stones LP. Unlike “Beggar's ”, there are some poor songs on
this album, therefore, I feel, it could have been perhaps THE finest album ever had they
taken the likes of "Hip Shake", "I Just Want To See His Face" and
"Stop Breaking Down" off of it.
The album starts with the tremendous "Rocks Off", without a doubt one of the
finest rock songs the Stones have written, Mick Jagger expresses his excessive lifestyle
by singing "the sunshine bores the daylights out of me". Marvelous!. "Rip
This Joint" is another great rocker, however the following two songs are not that
great, "Hip Shake" is dull and repetitive and "Casino Boogie" is
unmemorable, although it is a good song. This short drought is finished when the fantastic
"Tumling Dice" starts. The chorus of this song is truly tremendous. And just
when you thought it couldn't get much better along comes "Sweet Virginia",
featuring Mick's most delicate and beautiful harmonica playing this is another classic,
and somewhat of a change in tone. His vocals are quite raspy, but that just adds to the
greatness and ambience of the track "Thankyou for your wine,California" Great!.
Keith's guitar playing is really soulful. This is followed by the much-underrated
"Torn and Frayed", the chorus of this song is very catchy. "Sweet Black
Angel" is a nice, low-key love song. And "Loving Cup" is quite
breathtakingly good. Driven by a powerful piano and great drumming. I think this song is
brilliant, and the bit when Mick screams "What a beautiful buzz!" is one of the
best moments of the album. Keith's "Happy" is his second best sung number,
topped only by "Coming Down Agin" off the follow-up to this album. "Turd on
the Run" is another good rocker, followed by the little gem "Ventilator
Blues", another underrated song. Mick Taylor is one of the greatest blues guitarists
and his lead on this song goes back to his roots with John Mayall. "Just Want to See
His Face" is a poor song, although the sentiment is fair enough: I think "Let It
Loose" is another great song, with great backing vocals. This quite a mellow
gospel/blues song with great lead vocals from Mick. "All Down the Line" is
another good rocker, followed by the uninteresting pure blues of "Stop Breaking
Down". Although this song is good, it doesn't have much about it to make it memorable
or rich musically. "Shine A Light" follows in the gospel/blues style of
"Let It Loose" and is another great track. The album ends with the great
rock-song "Soul Survivor", however, I probably would have preferred the more
mellow "Shine A Light" as the finale, as all the greats ended with more mellow
songs "You Can't Always Get What You Want" Let It Bleed,
"Moonlight Mile" Sticky Fingers, the exception being the more up-tempo
"Salt of the Earth" Beggars Banquet. "Exile on Main St."
is a masterpiece, like its three predecessors. Jimmy Miller's raw production captured the
bands live energy. This is definitely the finest British blues album ever, and captures
the greatest rock and roll band of all time at their creative peak. Keith Richards' and
Mick Taylor's guitar work is sublime, be it on the ballads or the rockers, Mick's voice
has never been better, Wyman's bass was booming and Charlie's drumming was at its best.
Rock and Roll doesn't get much better than this.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Casey Chapman
April 12, 2000
Rating:
This has to be one of the Rolling Stone's greatest albums they had ever made. This album
contains various music genres into one album. With rock, blues, country, jazz, and even
gospel. Keith Richards acoustic works on "Sweet Virginia" and "Torn and
Frayed" are fantastic. Mick Jagger's vocals are sometimes hard to make out, but after
many listens of the album you will
know lyric by lyric. This 67 minute masterpiece should be in every rock and roll album
collector's library. If you have this album, Beggar's Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky
Fingers. Some Girls, and both "Hot Rocks" greatest hits
compilations then you have the best of The Rolling Stones
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By christophoros
April 12, 2000
Rating:
This isn't too long and boring as some people think. It's epic, and, as the Rolling
Stones, when they recorded it, were in a high phase of their creativity, releasing a
double-LP was the best thing they could have done. At that time, they enjoyed the sweet
jet-set-life in the EXILE of South France, but on EXILE ON MAIN STREET they play
the dirtiest, blackest, most dynamic
rock they could do. Watts drums super-dry, Wyman pumps up the bass super-funky, Richards
and Taylor throw the sharpest guitar-riffs out of their arms, and Jagger plays the black
man as well as on BEGGARS BANQUET. When Mick J. sings "I only get my rocks
off when I'm sleeping", every fear that the Stones could have become satisfied,
boring snobs disappears quickly. And, as a newspaper said: "The best preparation for
a Rolling Stones concert for a fan is to listen to the songs before. It would be bad to
tell the blonde, who sweats in the mass, when Jagger intonates ROCKS OFF, that it is
VENTILATOR BLUES."
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Steve Paquin
March 11, 2000
Rating:
The Stones’ ‘Exile on Main Street’ stands as one of the most
raucous, raunchy, drugged-out, ass-whomping, musically pornographic, rhythm and blues rock
records of all time. All the tracks on ‘Exile’ showcase the musicians
at their absolute best. Keith’s guitar riffs are harsh, discordant, and ripped out
like he’s playing for his life. His amp sounds like it’s bleeding!
Mick howls, throats, roars, begs, whimpers and screams like he’s singing for the
devil. The assembly of backup musicians is superb as well. There are moments on this album
when everything comes together perfectly, as on the opening track, “Rocks Off”.
While Mick is growling and sneering his way through the vocals, Watts energetically,
steadily bangs away at his drums with absolute precision, Keith lets loose with some wild
heroin-bluesy riffs, just as the horn section, loud and brash, chimes in –almost
drowning everything else out (it’ll peel the paint off your walls!) The tune
threatens to reel and spiral out of control until you-know-who’s thundering bass
booms in, anchoring everything and setting it back on course. It’s a delicious,
raunchy blend of rock, soul, rhythm and horns. It simply DOES NOT get any better than
this.
‘Exile on Main Street’ was definitely recorded while all parties
involved were incredibly loaded on smack, booze and God knows what else. This album should
have been subtitled, “EXCESS on Main Street”. The sheer physical momentum it
must have taken to support a massive drug habit and record this album at the same time
speaks volumes about the “survivability” of the Stones. Although one gets the
impression the songs on this album stumble (drunkenly) from track to track, on the second
or third listen a type of cohesion develops. The producers and engineers on this album
deserve credit for giving the album an amazing sense of continuity. This is one of those
albums that you have to listen to all the way through –no questions asked. There are
no top individual “hits” on this one, and if there were it would have probably
ruined the entire effort. This album was released at a time when at least some of the
Stones musical contemporaries were beginning to gravitate towards spacey drawn out, art
rock ala King Crimson. You won’t find any 10-minute drum solos or synthesizer intros
here, just a heaping helping of
serious rock and roll.
The biggest mistake people make with this album is not giving it a real chance. The secret
is listening to the album and letting the music seep into your pores, take the time to
peak around its musical corners and prod it’s nooks and crannies. It’s what you
almost DON’T hear that makes this album the best musical effort the Stone shave ever
offered!
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By c.sucker rambler
February 26, 2000
Rating:
For anyone bored with the crappy music of the 90's, 80's and late 70's, the band's 10th
year anniversary album is perfect. "Exile on Mainstreet" is in my
opinion one of the Stones 4 best albums."Satanic", "Beggars"
and "Let it Bleed" are the others. 67, 68, 69 the best years in
music, as everyone knows. 70 and 71 the Stones were doing a ton of touring so
"Sticky" doesn't cut it.Awesome album but.....
"Exile" breaks it down Mick and Keith style. Most bands don't last 5
years let alone 10 and 10 albums behind them. No sign of burnout here. It all starts off
with "Rocks off" Mick delivers so much enthusiasm and the song reveals what
demonic phycadelic voodoo rock the Stones are best at. "Rip this J" another
heavy rocker, "Hip Shake" a fun song probably about a couple broads
from recent tiers. "Casino Boogie" carries that gospel feel as the Stones tend
to dig. "Tumbling Dice" rounds off with would have been the end of side one. A
song that immediately reminds me of lying around the house with my girlfriend and friends
totally relaxing have a kick ass time. "Sweet Virginia" is just as awesome as
"Country Honk" but a little more devious.Very rockin and kiss ass for a sweet
little country song. "Torn and frayed" a nice little warm up for the next song
"Sweet Black Angel", another of the Stones spectacular venture into exoticism
and mystical journeys with a sweet tribute to Angela Davis. Great great acoustic song. The
end of what would be the fist album is "Loving Cup" also a cool little ditty
about a chick probably Keith and Mick were having a good time with.
Side three on the album starts with "Happy". On every album Keith usually does a
lead vocal on a song he penned himself and everyone of his songs are awesome. He may not
be as great of a lyricist as Mick but he always gives a kick ass delivery. I'm sure on
this song a girl isn't what he is "refer"ing too to make him "Happy"
"Turd on the Run" is next and is a great little number. "Ventilator
Blues" is a decent attempt at recreating some 70's blues. Also the first song Mick
Taylor got a song writing credit for. "Just wanna see his face" again doing a
fabulous job of giving us a little eroticism and Satanism at it's best. "Let it
Loose" another superb bluesy gospel rocker.
"All down the Line" reminds me of James Brown extremely energetic fun and those
kick ass horns not to mention Keiths always recognizable guitar and Mick paints over the
top of it. Great song to just jam out too. "Stop Breaking Down" is also a good
oddity out of the album,different. "Shine a Light" is next and then the last
song on this great album is "Soul Survivor". This
song is exactly like a backwards version of "Gimme Shelter" listen to the chord
arrangement and the content of the song just straight ahead and dont give a ***k.
February 72 is when the album hit the States and in my opinion is absolutely
indestructible. Extremely different vibe from anything in the sixties you don't have to
like the Stones in the 70's everyone is partial to Brian but this album is great. one of
their 4 best musically not for commercial reasons.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Pat Driscoll
February 6, 2000
Rating:
From 1968 to1972 the Rolling Stones produced a body of work that stands alone, peerless.
Beginning with Beggars Banquet and culminating with the masterful Exile on
Main Street, the Stones displayed a range and depth of musical genius that is simply
stunning. The double-set album Exile on Main street was a fitting conclusion to this
historic effort. While maybe not
hitting the peaks of a "Beggars Banquet" or the consistency of a "Let
it Bleed" no other work from the group displayed the array of talents, musical
lyrical intellectual, that this band possessed.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Kevin
November 10,1999
Rating:
Exile on Main Street stands as, I think, the Stones' most impressive recording
effort. This was the first album where they gave up some of their 'pop' sensibilities and
dove headfirst into pure, unadulterated raunch & roll. People occasionally complain
that 'Exile' contains no real standouts, no real individual hits. That is
PRECISELY the charm of 'Exile on Main Street'. The work
has to be looked at as a whole, as a complete collection. From the opening riffs off
"Rocks Off", with it's brash horn section, it's apparent this album has no
intentions of slowing down. The tracks melt into one another and take shape as a single
entity. Mick's vocals never sounded more pleading, more urgent and more soulful. Keith's
guitar riffs are soaked in alcohol and stained
with heroin. The rhythm section pounds and thumps away at times with complete, wild
abandon. This is the Rolling Stones, as musicians, at their absolute best. Exile on
Main Street is best described as a musical mosaic. It blends elements of rhythm and
blues, gospel, and country, rock and yes even a hint at jazz from Charlie Watts. The
Stones and the Exiles' producers
assembled a team of brilliant backup musicians to accompany the boys on most of the
tracks. I nominate Exile on Main Street, as not only the Stones' best albums
ever, but also one of the most definitive albums in rock history.
In summary: Soulful, raunchy, demonic, rockin', bluesy, gospel-laden masterpiece
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Chris
September 21, 1999
Rating:
Exile on Main Street may not contain, aside from Tumbling Dice, any real standout
songs like on the previous 2 records, Let it Bleed and Sticky Fingers.
That's not what Exile is about. It plunges into a various amount of musical
styles including rock, soul, blues, country, Motown and gospel and the result is nothing
short of fascinating. Not only do the Stones master all of these styles on the individual
songs but together they form a cohesive unit that raises and lowers the intensity without
ever losing
the underlying groove. There may be many styles of roots-soaked music on Exile,
but they fit together like a glove. The kickoff song, Rocks Off, is in the classic Stones
style-hard and intense. Rip this joint is a 2 and a half minute capsule of classic rock
and roll, done only as the Stones can. Hip Shake is a cover version of an old blues tune
by Slim Harpo and one of last truly great
moments where the Stones proved their mastery of the genre. Of course, there is Tumbling
Dice, which is nothing short of genius. A classic Keith riff with a chorus that nails the
ceiling. The next four songs, (Sweet Virginia, Torn and Frayed, Sweet Black Angel, and
Loving Cup)are ventures into another familiar Stones genre, country. They are all acoustic
and flow in and
out of one another to close out a near perfect first record. Record two kicks off with
Happy, done in that familiar Stones sound, this time with Keith on lead vocals. After two
more blues styled numbers where Mick Taylor's passionate playing provide the spark, the
Stones prove they can master gospel as well. I Just Want to See His Face is easily
overlooked and although you may not like Gospel, there is no denying that this is more
than a feeble attempt at the genre. It's a wonderful little nugget that would have been
ignored if Exile was not a two record set. Let it Loose, again, has the Stones attempting
gospel and stepping out with conviction. The last four songs master a number of styles and
the Stones pull it off so casually that oftentimes it may be overlooked how difficult that
really is. Does Exile contain any era-defining songs? No, it does not. It is a
record where the Stones were able to show us a side to them that is rarely seen. They mix
and match many styles of music and the result is 18
beautiful songs that are somehow, magically, connected as if they were one. Song for song
you can find better in the Stones
catalogue. However, the cohesiveness of Exile and it's various array of musical
styles, along with their skillful execution, are vital in any understanding of rock
history.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Kevin Wagner
September 2, 1999
Rating:
The album "Exile On Main St." is the Rolling Stones' masterpiece. Exile
is unique from all others albums the band made, in terms of its sound. It is a great
electric blues album, and it captures the Stones musical roots in a way the band never
could after its release. The album is not easy to digest at first but after repeated
listening, the songs will still seem fresh and vibrant. The interplay between Keith and
Mick Taylor is breathtaking. It is important to purchase the remastered CD version,
because the sound clarity is vastly superior to the original CD release. If I was going to
take one Stones CD on a desert island this would be the one.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Rolling Rick
August 13, 1999
Rating:
This is THE purest rock album I have ever heard and is most deserving of the accolades it
has garnered over the years. It is the most ambitious effort the Stones have ever produced
on vinyl and should be encased in a time capsule for future generations to dissect and
enjoy. The boys get off to a most auspicious start thanks to the awesome guitar work of
Richards and the propulsive vocal of Jagger on "Rocks Off". It isn't the Stones
most accessible album and it takes about three listens before its greatness sinks in. But
the rewards of a little patience will reveal themselves.
All the elements that formed rock and roll are incorporated into this album: the blues in
"Ventilator Blues" and "Sweet Virginia", the gospel influences heard
on "Just Wanna See His Face", "Shine A Light", "Let It
Loose" and "Loving Cup", the country and rockabilly tinge of "Tumbling
Dice" and "Turd on the Run", and the rowdy, guttural sounds of "Shake
Your Hips", "Rip This Joint", and "Casino Boogie" just to name a
few. The 18 songs on this album, each with their unique strengths, is what makes this
album so deliciously nuanced. And there are some nice melodies on this one too as
"Torn and Frayed" and the aforementioned "Loving Cup" will attest.
The fact that these guys did all this from the confines of a dingy basement makes Exile
the stuff of legend. When Rolling Stone magazine called Exile the "best
music ever made from a basement" that may have been the best understatement in rock
and roll history.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Steve Cronen
July 13, 1999
Rating:
This album changed my life. Personal story: I bought this one the day after my girlfriend
left me. I felt so shattered, I couldn’t handle anything any more. With intentions of
buying the album The Who By Numbers, I instead bought this one. It touched me. It truly
touched me for some reason. Songs like “Happy,” “Shine a Light,” and
“Soul Survivor” were reassuring and comforting to me. It was a great experience.
Exile is the best Stones album next to Beggar’s Banquet, I think.
There’s not one song on it that you would want to skip; all of them are magnificent.
There’s at least one song for everyone’s tastes on here. For the rockers, listen
to “Rocks Off,” “Rip This Joint,” “Tumbling Dice,”
“Happy,” “All Down the Line,” and “Soul Survivior.” Country?
“Sweet Virginia” and “Torn and Frayed.” Blues? “Stop Breaking
Down” and “Ventilator Blues,” among others. There’s gospel,
boogie-woogie, African-style, the whole shabang. Get this one now!
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Brent
June 27, 1999
Rating:
It was very sad to see Keno give this a 6.93 rating and a rank of #11.
There's no polish, and its rough, but Exile is all heart and joy. It sounds like
a bunch of guys just happy as hell and hyper and aiming for the aural equivalent of an
errogenous zone.
"Shine a Light" is pretentious and "Soul Survivior" doesn't belong on
the record at all---but the rest is an all out celebration of all forms of early 20th
century American music.
The rest is raw, dirty, scratchy, unrehearsed and often breathtaking. I could go on ad
nauseum about the songs, but they are all different and all fit together---the whole
experience is like a journey. I love this site, Keno, but I think you are robbing them on Exile.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Mark Spproull
May 11, 1999
Rating:
Exile On Mainstreet, while somewhat dated, is perhaps the Stone's best example of
the winning formula that has kept them so successful throughout the years. simply put,
that formula is "less is more." I'm not referring to the number of songs,(it's a
double album) but the song writing. though most of the material is simple in chord
structure, true to their form, the arrangements
and mixing are absolutely supreme. Add to that, Mick's talents as a lyricist are show
cased as never before and perhaps since. throughout the album the stones stayed close to
their roots, the blues, played good honest rock'n roll, added spice, and at the same time,
made the "familiar" sound different. aside from the "hits" tumblin'
dice and happy, lost in the shuffle are "let it loose," "soul
survivor," and "ventilator blues." Among soo many other fine
"simple" tunes. The Stones themselves keep resurrecting little known songs from
this album on their most recent tours, (rocks off, all down the line, et. al). So if you
are a fan, curious
music lover, or just want something the "same but different" to hear, give Exile
On Mainstreet a try.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Jim Wilgus
May6, 1999
Rating:
After Altimont,after death (Brian), after busts,after being banned from radio air (there
were even more Tipper Gores back then), after the "summer of love"&
Woodstock, after sitting in firing up and dropping out,there was a 2lp slice of reality
released by the Stones entitled "Exile on Main st." The exile of coarse
refers to the band going into hiding after all the aforementioned
events took place.Lennon said at the time,"the dream is over!",some got it
others held on to the past.The Stones not only got it,they sermonized about it from their
on holy alter in the studio.There was no "Exile" tour,after all they were
considered by many to be rocks outlaw band,too dangerous to be booked into venues too
Satanical (are you listening Marilyn fans,I feel your pain) to be played on the radio,too
anarchist and political to be trusted alone inside the minds of Americas precious
youth.This lp was made by the musicians within the group,no posing,no spandex,no
make-up,no glitter of any kind.This ones a "critics choice" album.Keith
absolutely shines here, not only does he sing lead on his anthem song(and mine) but his
blues playing was stretched out and was allowed to breath. Jaggers' harp plating was 1st
evidenced here and caused many a good Stones fan to run out and rediscover the works of
Slim Harpo,an obvious influence.This one is a long listen,and can be almost too much to
absorb at one
sitting,so my suggestion would be to pop this in just as you're about to embark on a
weekend cruise.This is not intended for the working week, listen at your leisure, make it
a goal like a summertime novel you've been meaning to read.Pour a shot of whiskey,maybe
take a hit of a good joint,sit back and let the boys take you on their trip inside the
underground, you'll love it as
it's meant to be loved.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Adam R. Parr
April 9,1999
Rating:
This is a little ironic. This album is one of my all-time favorites, and was released the
year I was born. The first thing, albeit a bit superficial, is the fact that it's so long.
Can't complain about too much of a good thing. This album certainly has a very raw,
unfinished feel to it, and is seen by many to be a purist's or musician's favorite; I fit
both categories.
Most songs on the album, individually, are great in their own right. Many would do well as
singles. The true magic of this album, however, is revealed when viewed as seamless piece
of music. The tracks range from blues to soul, to rock, to experimental, to swing. It was
the album which defined much of the Stones' work to come. Quite a diverse group of songs,
but an absolute must for lovers of good rock n roll. Wonderful slide and electric guitar,
with some tasty skins from Charlie as well. If you've not heard it, I would not suggest it
as the first album to buy from these guys, but definitely make it a must-buy on your list.
A must for any serious collector of important and influecial genious rock and roll music.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By: Chris Whelan
March 11, 1999
Rating:
Even as a long-long-time Stones fan, I would give only one of their albums a rating of 10.
This would be it.
Friends of mine who feel the same about Exile seem to share my "you
know.." kind of rationale for what makes it so ... pure Stones.
I think Exile is the most "honest" album they cut. Every track is loose
and fun. It's like they locked themselves in, got as drunk as consciously possible, listed
to a ton of R&B, plugged in the amps, and just had fun while having faith that their
talent and chemistry would preserve some semblance of "song." I don't think that
a thought of sales or charts was in any of their
heads in the recording of Exile.
When I think vintage Stones, I hear sounds of Exile. (Most prominently, the sound
of Mick honking out his favorite harmonica bend comes to mind). Sorry I can't be specific
or discuss how each of the songs contributed to the sound of the album. I think the best
description I can give is "spontaneous."
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By David
February 8, 1999
Rating:
"Exile" is the high point of the band's artistry, in terms of creating
an extended work that sustains excellence in all key areas; sheer rock 'n roll power
("Rocks Off", "Rip This Joint", "Happy"), melodies
("Dice", "Sweet Virginia", "Let It Loose") rhythms
("Shake Your Hips", "Sweet Black Angel")lyrics (really nice stuff from
Mick on "Torn and Frayed" and "Loving Cup" especially) and overall
musicianship (Keith's acoustic work on this album showed that, while he's not as flashy as
Hendrix, Page, or Clapton on electric, he's unmatched in creating beautiful rhythmic
sounds, stripped down to basics without help from amplifiers), and this album was
noteworthy in it's time for expanding the bands sound by using incredible session players
on a big scale and really honing country songs with a much more pure and authentic quality
than what they well. But perhaps most importantly, listen to the whole album again with
your eyes closed and listen to how they take the listener on a cross-sectional journey of
the American South and equator-region. I don't think Mick and Keith ever collaborated more
harmoniously with their vocals, and this album marked Mick's coming of age with his own
guitar work. It sounds a little dated and under-developed in spots, but it was also
designed to go on the road, so it had to be stripped-down, somewhat. The seventies marked
the beginning of "excess" in rock 'n roll, with bigger, louder, electrification,
and expanded song-forms designed for indulgent soloing, but "Exile" is
restrained in those areas, and expansive in musical growth for a band that had returned to
exploring.
EXILE ON MAIN STREET
By Rank Outsider
Jan 16,1999
Rating:
Though met with mixed reviews at the time of its release in 1972, contemporary
connoisseurs of rock, both Stones-fans and non-Stones-fans alike, deem the Rolling Stones'
EXILE ON MAIN STREET as being the best double-album in rock-and-roll history. EXILE
ON MAIN STREET is inarguably an epic rock album, the likes of which the Stones never
before or after captured. Utterly unique in the Stones musical catalog, the dense sonic
textures of EXILE --- which had the original
working-title of TROPICAL DISEASE --- make it seem to be a cross between a live album and
a studio album. Although there reside many classic Stones tunes amid its eighteen-song
line-up (timeless cuts such as "Rocks Off," "Tumbling Dice,"
"Happy," and "All Down the Line"), EXILE's enduring strength
lies amid the its sixty-seven minutes of relentless, uncompromising rock-and-roll assault.
Recorded in large part at Keith Richard's villa Nellcote in the south of France amid a
drug-addled atmosphere,* the Rollng Stones, on the verge of what later would be perceived
as a period of marked deterioration, coalesced into a rock unit of unparalleled fecundity,
creating a brand of rock which was deeply immersed in the Stones' traditional bluesy roots
while simultaneously transcending them. The sheer range of musical styles which EXILE
encompasses is impressive, indeed, from bar-room rock (such as "Rip This Joint")
to country ("Sweet Virginia" being perhaps the Stones' best pure-country tunes),
to blues (e.g., "Let It Loose"), to gospel (in the song "Shine a
Light"), and even to calypso (in "Sweet Black Angel," a paean to
civil-rights activist Angela Davis). But what is so remarkable about
EXILE ON MAIN
STREET is that in appropriating each of the above-mentioned styles, the Stones
interpret the genre in a manner which is uniquely their own --- songs like
"Ventilator Blues" and "Turd on the Run" are neither blues or rock
songs in the traditional sense but may be considered instead to be hybrid transformations.
**It is interesting to note in passing that several of the songs which are included on EXILE
ON MAIN STREET were originally composed prior to, or contemporaneously with, the
recording of STICKY FINGERS. "All Down the Line" was in fact recorded
before "Brown Sugar" and was originally slated to be the first 45-release on the
newly-formed "Rolling Stones Records" label. "Loving Cup," a
masterpiece which highlights both Charlie Watts and Nicky Hopkins, was first performed in
July, 1969 at the concert in Hyde Park commemorating the death of Brian Jones.
"Tumbling Dice" (originally titled "Good Time Women") was recorded in
a prototypic form during the STICKY FINGERS sessions, as was "Sweet
Virginia" and "Shine a Light."
Keno's mini review, song list, lyrics and more info on EXILE ON MAIN STREET
To listen to some sound clips from
EXILE
ON MAIN STREET or to buy it click here:
Exile On Main Street (2010 Re-Mastered)
