Aftermath

It’s been a minute since The Rolling Stones have shown up for me. And truthfully I haven’t been complaining about that. Funnily enough I started with the debut, and what a weak start it was. I’m aware of what this band would go on to do, but it seems like other people also agreed that their first record wasn’t all that interesting. I had hoped that maybe Aftermath, which from what I had seen, is supposed to be the first noteworthy record they released would be better. Hilariously, I found it to be even less interesting than their debut. I want to preface this by saying that none of their music has ever really stuck out to me, even before I heard entire albums. Paint It, Black is the only song I’ve ever found enjoyable. And although that song technically is on this, that’s only the US version. Based on the cover I was shown, I was supposed to listen to the UK version, which seems to be the original intended version. That’s unfortunate, because without that previously mentioned song, the only other good track here is Lady Jane. And that barely sits above average in terms of other blues rock music I’ve heard. There is just nothing on this album that sticks out to me as cool or engaging. What are they doing here that I couldn’t find two dozen other bands doing from the same time period? Plus I think hearing this is what really cemented my opinion on Mick Jagger. I kinda can’t stand the guy. He’s not even like an amazing singer. If we are talking big legendary bands of the 60s, he is no Jim Morrison or John Lennon. He’s not even comparable to someone like John Fogerty. Maybe this is a sign that the Stones are just not for me. But now that I can put the two lackluster ones behind me, it’s supposed to be only good albums from them from here on out. I hope I can be proven wrong, and my opinions can be changed. Rating: 3/10

I have yet to find an album by the stones where the deeper tracks are anything special. Love the tracks I was already familiar with from this album, but everything else is more or less boring. And that “Going Home” song… Who could possibly have the patience to make it to the end of that travesty?

Well…. If this doesn’t backup Bill Hicks’ theory that drugs do/did some good things for our culture than I don’t know what does. Listen to “Stupid Girl” and “Lady Jane” and you’ll experience the approximately longest 6 minutes of your entire life. Drivel horseshit. Derivative sexist crap. And then there’s Paintbut Black, Under my Thumb, Think and a few others. I’ll take the mind altered drug induced 70s Stones thanks.

I would imagine there are a lot of Stones records on this list so I’m glad this one made it. I think this one is my favorite of the Brian Jones era since it’s just so weird. It starts with Mothers Little Helper which has always stood out in my mind as a fucking bizarre one lol. There’s a lot going on here but each track has its own thing. Going Home is a cool bluesy song that could probably be a minute or two shorter but it’s a jam for sure. Out Of Time is a very British Invasion kind of sound too. This album is a pretty good indication of where the band was headed as far as Jones experimentation but it’s not so experimental that it’s too much. Definitely a solid listen that could use some more attention!

Hot damn there's some good shit on this!

This is a banger! No more filling half the album with covers of American blues classics. At this point the Stones have truly come into their own, defining themselves as a creative force and establishing a foundation for what is to come. This is truly listening to history here.

3 was too high for this album. 2, and I was nice. Wannabe Beatles

Outside of Paint it Black this is pretty shit. The Stones have much better albums

Loved this album since I was a kid, particularly Side A, but that's the US version. & yeah, I get it, there are some heinous lyrics involved but not everything in music can be discounted at face value; there is a story going on here as well.

That was solid.

bloated as helllll why is there an 11 minute long track in the middle of this 😭

Starts off really strong

Great Album. Early Stones is hard to beat.

Gran disco.

All time great!!!

Under my thumb is a classic!

I like the Rolling Stones. I like all of the songs. Stand-out: I Am Waiting

Paint it Black Under my thumb I Am Waiting

If I were to listen to the Stones for the first time, I would have hoped it would be this one. This is solid, not perfect but solid. Lady Jane seems like a throwaway song . Choice cut: Paint it Black

it was good , like classic rock

I was excited to see this one start off with "Paint it Black". That is one of my favorite songs since the old Twisted Metal days (yes I know it was around like 40 years earlier too) but it wasn't until that game that I really appreciated the darkness of it. Then the album jumps right into other genres and kind of takes the weight of the darkness away with some lighter songs. Kind of like if an Soggy Bottom boys track comes up on a Sabbath album. Not really comparing the Stones to Sabbath, but that particular song is just out of place for the rest, and to my disappointment. Overall it is a fine album, probably a little better than sticky fingers for me, but still I'm more of a greatest hits Stones fan. Favorite track "Paint it Black" 3/5

Overall, I am no longer comfortable with how much I used to like the Stones. I can see their importance of these records in their time, and I enjoy the newer stuff still... but man I'm glad rock and roll has moved beyond what this is.

Good, but not amazing. Two chart toppers & a couple of good B-Sides, that's about it.

Cool

Not their best. Stones Bangers of course, the rest was dated and not at all special.

Some of my favorite Rolling Stones songs are on this album.

Not my favourite stones, but pretty good all the same.

Meh, a bit underwhelming. 2.5/5

Rolling Stones Under my thumb is cool. Going home was my favorite a bit long but cool that it stays on a groove for a while. Don’t like stupid girl or lady Jane Out of time is kinda nice 60’s pop tune but too long The marimba is kinda of a nice touch. I feel like maybe the stones are overrated or I want to like it more than I do.

Are the stones mid?? This project has made me realize I don’t like the stones as much as I thought Under my thumb is cool but I prefer the live version from still life Really hated lady Jane I think they are actually a pretty bad band that managed to make a few great sounding records

I don’t find this remarkable.

Fun 😋

pretty by the numbers early 'Stones

My six year old daughter heard me listening to Stupid Girl while listening to Aftermath and now the Stones are on her shit list. One of the first really great albums from the Stones. Bettered by later work certainly and it sounds a bit dated at times these days, it’s still excellent and sounds fresh at times. Under My Thumb especially is my jam.

Often thought of as the first album where they really become the Rolling Stones. They say that you are either a Beatles fan or a Stones fan. While I am staunchly in the Beatles side of this argument, when the Stones are on they are hard to beat. Paint it Black is one of the GREAT rock and roll songs. The rest of the album holds pace with it and shows off just what they can do.

Good music albeit with an extremely dated tone, figuratively and literally.

Paint It Black was my ringtone back in high school. It’s high on my list of rock songs. The rest of the album is solid. I have always loved the bluesy rock.

Het album natuurlijk van Paint It, Black en Under My Thumb. De rest van het album voelt als classic rock. Het is zeer decent, maar dit is absoluut niet het beste werk van The Rolling Stones. Bovendien voelt het album weinig als geheel aan. Ik zou 3,5 sterren geven als er halfjes konden, maar 3 voelt geschikter. Dit is nog maar het 5e of 6e album, nog veel op komst!

está bien, muchas canciones clásicas

Outside of a few songs this is not that good. I’ll never understand the world wide obsession with this mediocre band.

A few good songs and then the rest is pretty boring. Live this band was amazing, but this album isn't.

Outside of the few enduring hits it is pretty middle of the road.

Classic stones

The Uk version opens with "Mother's Little Helper" the US version opens with "Paint it Black" equally awesome songs, its strange one wasn't included on the other, and vice versa. Really good Stones album overall. other highlights, Under My Thumb, out of time, high and dry, I'm Waitng. I listened to both US and UK versions to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Stones were the Foo Fighters of their time, the singles are good to great but you’d have to shut your brain off to get through anything else.

One of their better albums, has some nice songs but not the most exciting album ever

A true classic.

Les he cogido mucho más cariño con los años.

Rating: 5.5/10 Would be a two-star album without Under My Thumb and Paint It Black, the rest of it is not that interesting.

Bit boring from a band with far better songs than these

A Stones album that is almost entirety devoid of bangers is weird, but it's still fine

Not for me

At their most musical when they’re at their most misogynistic, which is to say I’m not gonna be coming back to this one too often.

Paint it black good. Everything else so so so so so so so so bad. 1/10

How to write an Aftermath song: - Jingle Jangle - Say something that won’t age well - Tambourine I feel like this is included because of the t-shirts.

This album is great and Stones rock.

It doesn't measure up to some of their later albums, still pretty good though.

Solid album, sounds a lot like the Beatles…make sense given the influence of British Invasion…Notable Songs: Paint it Black, Stupid Girl, Under My Thumb 7.8/10 Music: 6.8/10 Importance: 8.5/10 Consistency/Flow: 8.1/10

Couple of good songs, overall not their best work. Not sure what the hell they were doing on some of these tracks.

their first album of all original material. two big hits in Paint it Black and Under My Thumb.

UK vs US version.

Bueno.

After I listened to the complete album it seemed that the interesting innovative songs were all on the front half of the album and all of the more boring traditional Rolling Stones blues in the back half. I enjoyed the instrumental and songwriting explorations of "Paint it Black", and "Lady Jane". Doesn't feel as groundbreaking or essential as an album from The Beatles, particularly Revolver which came out the same year, but it did show that The Rolling Stones weren't only capable of Rhythm and Blues and could stretch a bit more. "Going Home" could have been trimmed without sacrificing the essential. All in all a few high spots here and there but ultimately a middling album, particularly knowing what kinds of things they will go to record later.

I...I get it. But I'm still not impressed.

Great!

Over rated. I remember why I don't like the Stones all that much. They always sounded a little out of tune and like they were phoning it in (except for Charlie Watts, of course). Weirdly ironic to criticize your middle class peers while engaging in the very behavior you're criticizing. Oh wait, I forgot,you're writing about "characters." Sorry. I KNOW I'm SUPPOSED to LOVE the Stones as anti-establishment heroes, but they were always pretty representative of the establishment in Rock, weren't they? Minus one star for Critical Acclaim®.

Paint it Black is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ track on ⭐️⭐️⭐️ album. Too many dodgy lyrics on some tracks, in my opinion - this has lowered its rating.

Interesting listen as I'd never heard this album before. It sums The Stones up for me, Jumping Jack(?) flashes of brilliance but otherwise just average. They sound so cool on Paint It Black and Under My Thumb but clunky elsewhere and the songs aren't great. To be fair I think their best albums came a few years later.

This album definitely loses steam after a really strong start with an absolute classic to open. Also feels pretty dated for the most part and doesn’t hold up amazingly, but has some great moments.

A solid album. I like a few tracks by the Rolling Stones but for some reason I can’t get that into them, so this was probably the first album of theirs I’ve listened to the whole way through. Paint It, Black is obviously a classic and rightly so. I’d like it if more of the album was this dark - a few tracks were more generic rock and roll which were ok but not that memorable. Under My Thumb and Lady Jane are very good. The closing track was too long and trailed off into a jam with some sleazy ad libs from Jagger that I didn’t care much for. A good listen all in all, and a nice way to close week 2! Favourite track: Paint It, Black

I think as an album overall, I prefer it to Let it bleed. Goin' Home was twice as long as it should be though.

Opened straight into an absolute banger but then got steadily more boring.

A few bangers but not their best as an overall album.

As expected

I don't like Jagger's voice.

Not as good as Sticky Fingers, and that sort of ruined this album for me

Great

Pretty good

not bad

good. I like mick jaggers voice and under my thumb.

Pretty alright album although it kind of peeks with first track

🎧What a drag it is getting old💊Listened to the UK version. Varied and adventurous Stones album with some classic songs.

Day 2. An album I have been familiar with for over 40 years since I first heard it in 1981 (my 17th birthday) A transitional Stones album with a more British feel and Jagger and Richards really starting to develop as songwriters. A bold step to include a lengthy jam too. Some filler, but the Stones’ filler was always quality!

paint it black may only be the only worthwhile song on this album unfortunately

One really great song and a bunch of forgettable ones.

There were some good moments on this, but it's a little more sparse compared to sticky fingers. I like some of the darker gothic-pop moments on the album, but it's spread out amongst some quite tedious blues tunes, a lot of which lack energy behind them. Best Track: Under My Thumb Worst Track: Going Home

All the songs sound the same Best Song: Mothers little helper Worst song: Stupid Girl

Rock and roll at it's finest

Well-known Rolling Stones album with one >11-minute track and some of these superclassic 60s songs (the original UK version contains more of these, but does not have Paint It Black). So very good of course, but my preference, as an album as a whole, goes for the records they made afterwards, especially Beggars Banquet, Exile on Main Street and Sticky Fingers.

Excellent Stones record (I listened to the US version with Paint it Black by the way, always takes me straight to Vietnam). Not all songs are equally convincing and Goin' home is a bit too much.

The fact that I've heard (and liked) Paint It Black, Mother's Little Helper, Stupid Girl, Lady Jane, and Under My Thumb without ever having known they were all essentially from the same album is enough for me to know the importance of this album musically. Those are all hits to this day almost 60 years later! The rest of the album seems to have been overshadowed by those a-sides but there's some good stuff hiding in the rest of the album. The misogyny is a bit intense out the gate but as other critics have said, it almost seems to be critical of itself and subversive. Regardless the songs above are catchy as hell and have cemented themselves in popular culture. Can't say I will listen to the rest of the album much after this (the bluesy stuff isn't my jam) but I recognize the importance of this album as a whole.

Great album

Gran disco.

A bit of a bop, would be good at a dinner party.

Not my thing.

hmmmmm im not obsessed with this.... its sort of boring and repetitive. Like definitely not bad but if this is contemporary with Rubber Soul i definitely prefer that album.

I would listen again

Other than Paint It Black this was painful. Every song sounded the same to me.

I do not like the rolling stones

This is a wonderful stop on the journey of the Rolling Stones becoming the Rolling Stones. Some very cool boundary-pushing creativity here making for some very classic songs.

More of The Rolling Stones, okay. I appreciated, but feel a little short of loving it all.

Jesus Christ! That last track was only eleven minutes long? Felt like fifteen years. Despite some problematic, dated lyrics, I enjoy the Rolling Stones. I'm appreciating hearing some albums that are unfamiliar to me.

This album is chock full of great music (both the US and UK editions). I enjoyed both albums. Terrific!

Vintage Rolling Stones. 4/5

I've never gotten into the Stones. There's a couple of hits that I like but they just feel overrated to me. This album didn't do much for me. Obviously the stand-out track is Paint it, black. The rest of it just didn't really stand out from an already crowded list of 60s rock (I'm starting to think it's the worst decade for music - personal opinion, don't hate). Also the last song just waffles on for wayyyy too long and the lyrics are cringe-city.

Blues rock, rhythm and blues. I don't really know what to say about this album. Like I enjoyed it I guess but nothing really stood out to me. I like the bluesy sound they pull off, and they have a talent for pop hooks and catchy songs. Never really been a fan of Stones singing, find it pretty standard. Good lyrics here and there but the album is much too long, there is no reason to have an 11 minute song on an album like this. It just dragged on and on, I was tired of the album way before I should have. I like their energy when they actually have it, but it doesn't happen as often as I'd like. Overall I was pretty underwhelmed with this record, didn't do much for me. Probably won't revisit any time soon. 3.5/5

Такой деревенский вайб..... paint it black - база и im waiting зашла. Остальные вряд ли запомню надолго, чего-то не хватает

Starting the record with Paint It Black, one of the greatest songs ever written, certainly sets the bar high for the rest of the album. Unfortunately, it underwhelms. That's not to say there are no other good songs; I Am Waiting and Flight 505 are both solid, and Under My Thumb is a certified classic. But everything else is average at best and a disappointment relative to my standards of the Rolling Stones.

This feels like the Stones’ transition into their psychedelic period. It’s incredibly uneven but there’s some great forward thinking material here

Some easy listeners but none I was familiar with.

paint it black crazy guete song eternal blabla. sitar beatles george harrison-effekt. stupid girl, ääh öööh äääh. isches ironieee??? findi chli whack lady jane cute, sehr medieval. under my thumb funny marimba und recht geili fuzz gitarre links. recht guete song, ultra misogyn. doncha bother me afoch meh son rocknroll song, au wenn slide giti funny. think isch nöd de aretha aber rechts cooli fuzz gitarre i like. flight 505 het au wieder fuzz bass ding. aber isch afoch chuck berry de song oder? high and dry isch cute, s crash links isch mit de ziit grating. its not easy au wieder rocknroll time. im wikipedia artikel wird das album die ganz ziit mit rubber soul vergliche, gsehni vorallem weg de sitar und so. aber rubber soul caret nöd für das und ich bin afoch en beatles guy. i am waiting hani etz no nice gfunde. going home het nöd möse 11 minute sii. hui isch das öpis vom beste vode stones? paint it black wär nödmol uf de UK version druf.

de jagger het halt schono e geili stimm wiso hend d 60er jahr so vill girl lieder, finds naja uhh de bass bi under my thumb isch crispyyyy doncha bother me het gad chli heavy stereosound going home hani zerst na cool gfunde aber nöd als 11 minute lied poah isch das en drag gsi, wer het entschide, das lied sött us 5 min bestah wo de jagger rifach chli öppis umerüeft WISO HET NUR D US VERSION PAINT IT BLACK DRUFF was isch die obnoxious offbeat hi-hat uf high and dry?? ich han würkli gad sehr müeh de refrain vo out of time erinneret mich iwie anes beatles lied aber chans iwie nöd fasse vlt a I wanna hold your hand? egaaaal isch uf jede fall es oke lied ja alles andere isch okay aber nöd meh? chan wenig degege sege aber au nur wenig defür

The album started really strong, but then dropped off

After a few albums of Stones on this list... I still don't have anything to hang onto. Jagger's voice maybe. But there isn't any other spark.

I listened to the UK version, which is longer and has Mothers Little Helper instead of Paint it Black. Both are great songs. The rest of the album though- ugh. Stupid Girl is atrocious. Under My Thumb has long been problematic. Going Home just keeps dragging on.

Great rock!

great album. a stones classic. can't go wrong with the rolling stones!

The songs aren't bad, but my goodness the lyrics have aged poorly

Never bothered with the early albums, but I quite liked this one

While the actual music was more interesting and varied than on “Sticky Fingers,” most of the lyrics were so insipid that I had a hard time taking the album seriously. That said, the album also includes “Paint It Black,” so I can’t go as low as 2 stars.

Mmmmm. Moments of brilliance mixed in with some horrible lyrics and some dated sounds. They can write some catchy tunes tunes tho. 2.5/5

A couple of really nice tracks, but lacking the punch required for a classic record. Fave track: Out of Time

Good record - catchy tunes and developing of a cool style. Maybe not a knock out from beginning to end but pretty damn decent. Fave track: Under My Thumb

Paint it, Black was almost lightning in a bottle, such a fucking great song it made the rest of the album sound sort of mediocre? Just Blaise after the fact, 2.7

2nd listen. I don’t want to give every Rolling Stones album a 2 (I think I gave Exile on Main Street a 3) so I guess this is a 3. The only song I really like, Paint It Black, has really grown off of me so I just didn’t really enjoy this, but it’s not bad.

I have a lot of respect for british artists in the 60s for not re-releasing singles on albums so you didn't have to pay twice in a time where it genuinely made sense, but leaving Paint it Black off of the UK version gives the US version the W for the rest of time. Theres good changes and bad changes, so listening to both is really the only way to get the full experience. I think Mother's Little Helper is an awful first track and Going Home is the perfect ending track, which gives US points. But also Take it or Leave It and Out of Time are good tracks that should've been kept. At the end of the day it's good 60s Stones. They'd go on to do a lot better but there is a ton of great stuff here.

I listened to both the UK and US releases for this and I like them both. I appreciate having Coming Home last a little more, but I like the songs excluded from the US release. I really like the Stones. Favorite tracks are Paint It Black, Under My Thumb, Out Of Time, and Lady Jane.

The best stuff is amazing, but there is a fair amount of stuff I’m not crazy about. Still gets the 4 star bump, of course. 3.5/5

First Rolling Stones album I've heard so far, not as familiar with their earlier releases. This is a good one, although the US version had Paint It Black which along with Under My Thumb. The bluesy songs are the stronger ones for me and are closer to what I'm familiar with. I like the sequence of Doncha Bother Me, Going Home, Flight 505, High and Dry, Out of Time, and It's Not Easy, along with Think.

Yeah! I can dig this.

+1 for Paint it Black. (And the musical line of Under My Thumb. Lyrics, not so much)

Nothing groundbreaking

Mostly forgettable bluesy nonsense with a dash of good songwriting thrown in. Greatly overshadowed by "Paint it Black" but apparently that song's not even in the real version?????

Kind of repetitive

I've never listened to this album straight through. I understand it's their first album to contain all original songs. I really like a lot of their later stuff, so I will be interested in hearing where they started. There are many recognizable songs here. This was a fun listen but certainly not my favorite from The Rolling Stones. 3/5

Loved it

Like most of them, another solid Stones album. Great to put on and groove to.

Really, the album the Rolling Stones started displaying all of their sexy swagger and provocateur demeanor. That said, for every other undeniable hit, the album hits you with a breather or two that only break up the pace, meandering about, being somewhat lacklustre.

Paint It, Black is good, the rest is sonically tolerable, the lyrics suck. I won't waste my time listening to this every again

This album had a strong start, but progressively decreased in quality. The last song was way too long and pretty annoying. Most of the album was mediocre.

Paint it Black is obviously an incredible song. In my opinion, it's also the only incredible song on the album. There wasn't much here of note for me, and the incredibly overt sexism through me off. 2.75/5

I will never understand the love for this band. It’s the stones and Aerosmith that just make no sense to me. How are these bands so highly regarded? This album was not good. This band is not good.

An ok album

Good

It’s… fine? Not the best work of the Stones and I really am not huge on them even at their best. This just feels like a watered down version of English rock. So many better bands… why did they get such praise? I will say that Jagger has a good voice and their rhythm section is pretty killer but I find Keith Richards to just be a tremendously dull guitarist

Paint It Black is so good, and Under My Thumb is so, so bad

Classic. Just never had much attraction to the Stones.

LOVED THIS!

Un disco de los 60 más

Very good album. Not a Stones fan, but truly a very good album. growth beyond Satisfaction.

Album Nr. 77 Nicht wirklich schlecht. Aber dem Album geht, vereinfacht gesagt, die Puste aus.

My expectations for the Stones are always very low--appropriately so I would argue. But this was a pleasant surprise. It's too long for sure, but has some great songs and feels more like a pop record than an album from a blues bar band. Earlier career Stones might be alright.

Classic but not exciting

Not their best work, but there still delivering in what was their 4th (?) studio album.

not bad. more groovy background music for me

Nice!!!

A very varied album with strong contrasts between "Paint It Black" and "Lady Jane". But I like it.

Your average Stones album. Everyone does their part but it doesnt rise above mediocrity for me. I'd give it a 3.5 if possible, I listened to it straight through, no breaks, can appreciate it for the most part. Under My Thumb is great though.

Maybe I’m just not the biggest Stones fan. I at least knew a couple songs on this album but overall it was just okay. They must have some albums that are spectacular though right?

Awesome

The Rolling Stones come into their own. It's bluesy, at certain points psychedelic, and there's a not-insignificant amount of fucking around on here (the 12 minute long "Going Home" sticks out). Still, it's a solid record and bridges into where the Stones become the huge band they were always destined to be. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Under My Thumb", "Mother's Little Helper"

Nope. 3

First song was great and downhill from there..

Loved it and hated it. Some song (Paint It Black) are outstanding while others (Going Home) are annoying AF.

Before listening: Alrighty, this is my first Stones album on this list. So this was released in 1966, so after Sgt Peppers. I can only assume it's got a touch of psychedelic because the Stones seemed to be always one album behind the Beatles in style. I actually don't dislike the Stones, however, and I'm looking forward to this one. After listening: I was wrong. I've been wrong before and believe me I'll be wrong again. This album wasn't psychedelic at all. Other than the first song, it sounded to me like the rest of the album was more honky tonk than anything. This record was bland. Very, very bland. Barely any songs stood out and I'm not well versed enough in the Stones discography to understand what came before or after. This sounds to me like the end of their early 60s input and like they are ready to move on.

Lite besviken faktiskt men vissa låtar är riktigt bra så det gör inget

3.5

Pretty good yeah

Great album, many memorable songs.

Solid 3.5

Some great tracks, and some complete misses. Minus 1 start for the 10 minutes of nonsense in going home

I listened to the UK version of this (and then Paint It Black ofc). The vocals are really dominant. These songs are quite boring... I like their energy though :) Probably very impressive for its time, but I'm just bored listening to it now. Paint It Black is amazing though...

Under my thumb benger

Solid album, loved the use of different instruments.

man erkennt die stimme, und wundert sich wieviel anders Rolling Stones vor jahren klangen. Wegbereiter .. und ich verstehe wieso das Erfolg hatte.

Ich mag Rolling Stones nicht. Aber dieses Album glänzt mit einigen Perlen und zeigt die Anfänge und Herkunft gut auf.

Plods along merrily with a few stand out tracks.

Its OK. One of their better ones

Why the hell was paint it, black left off the UK version? Madness

good record, I had not heard mother's little helper in decades lol.

Not there best but a fee good songs

favourite song: paint it black so i listened to paint it black, then listened to the uk version in full. i shouldve done paint it black last because nothing else quite lived up to it and this album felt loooong

The aftermath of what? Seems like it’s just the beginning. You can’t argue with the hits, the emerging Stones sound, the charisma of Jagger, the inventive spirit that was Brian Jones on everything but guitar while Keith locked down his signature rhythm-as-riff approach. There’s also the darkness, the simmering misogyny, and the strong first side vs. the weaker next side. They’ve yet to achieve greatness though there are some indisputable classics on this record—this is not “Pet Sounds” or “Revolver.” But the promise is there. You can hear it in the grooves.

It wasn't bad but it also wasn't very interesting. Pretty bland, not much variation, track after track sounded the same.

Mother's little helper

This was great! It's not an album of theirs that I go back to often, but it's got some fantastic singles like "Under My Thumb" and (one of my fave Stones songs, period) "Mother's Little Helper". And a few other tracks that I may not have paid much attention to in the past really stood out, like "Lady Jane" and "Out of Time". While their earlier, bluesier years aren't generally my preferred era of the Stones, and several tracks that I didn't mention above sort of came and went for me, but I overall really liked this listen.

Really demonstrated Rolling Stones blues credentials

Hm, two versions of this album, going with UK version. This sounds nothing like any famous RS song I've heard before. It's not very good at all, even if different for the RS. Inclined to 2* (1.5 rounded up) 3 tracks in. Maybe I should have listened to the US version with paint it black, and that would have earned it another 0.5 star.

The crazy tonal shift from Stupid Girl (spiteful, misogynistic) to Lady Jane (respectful, regal) is crazy. Why tf would I listen to the UK version that doesn’t have Paint It Black on there??? Whack suggestion. Most everything else here stays within the lines of the stones stuff for this time - a little honkytonk, a little bluesy stuff, rock, slight instrumental experimentation. Solid

This, young listeners, was what all the fuss was about: Jagger and Richard emerging as a song-writing pair of immense significance on a landmark album for both them and popular music. With Brian Jones on marimba, dulcimer etc., etc.. (Shame about the casual misogyny).

I listened to both the American and English releases of this album. Liked the American better. The English version tended to drag on a bit. There are some great songs on this album. Cool to hear some of the musical elements that became central to the Rollings Stones’ future sound on this early record

Misogyny in mono? Despite some dubious lyrics (stupid girl / under my thumb / mother’s little helper) this is full of fried R ‘n’ B gold.

Meh! 🫤

Great album by a great band

Great classic

Love the Rolling Stones. Aftermath has some of their lesser known hits, but overall still quite good.

A good not great album. A couple great songs, mostly good songs, some okay.

Mother’s Little Helper, Under My Thumb, and Out of Time are really good. The rest is pretty forgettable.

I guess the hits are the hits for a reason. With the exception of I Am Waiting, the remainder of the non-singles are pretty much forgettable. 3 stars on the strength of the good ones alone.

I think if I were more of a Stones historian this would've done more for me but there were just so many points where I forgot I was listening to anything at all.

I never much liked the stones. I'm folk and country, not rock

Not hard or nasty enough yet

"What a drag it is getting old..".they had no idea when they penned those words. This is an old fave for me, Aftermath, 4x4- great albums. I like the Stones, what's not to like, topical, you can sing along, they mix it up, plenty of hooks. The songs aren't sappy love songs. Flight 505- "of course I'll have a drink." These guys defined rock and roll and incredibly, they are still at it. The randomizer has been giving me a lot of Geezer Rock lately. 4.5 stars for this classic, I may round up.

Classic, loved it and some different genre varieties in this album

Based on the year 1966 and what I read in the wiki, this album rivaled the Beatles and I feel like you can hear that sound on here. I actually liked Exile on Main Street better. All these subgenres like psych rock and glam rock are really starting to stand out as I listen to more and more “Rock” albums from the same decades. I guess rock n roll isn’t as much of a box that I originally thought.

Old Rolling Stones music is soooo good.

Fantastic all round rock

I think the thing I like about British prog rock bands is that it's about as far away from the blues as you can get. They're wailing on their fifes and mandolins as if John Lee Hooker never picked up a guitar. It's a responsible position for British boys to take. I'm not saying I don't like the blues. There's just something increasingly awkward about white British boys, even someone as transgressive as Mick Jagger, taking on roots music directly. For the first thing, it's boring. It's kind of supposed to be because when you have the blues, your situation cannot and will not change. An American black blues artist in mid-20th century music can make that work. Mick Jagger in a live performance can probably make that work too. But listening to this now I just kept stifling a yawn. The second point I don't actually believe in, that white people shouldn't do black music or something like that. Here's a slightly more nuanced take. The blues was a foundational element of rock and roll. But roots blues music is a traditional sad music like the fado in Portugal. At this point, it is clearly from another time and rooted in place. Can anyone sing fado? Of course, it's their right. Would you ever take it as seriously if Taylor Swift did it? Rather than a not-famous, life-wrecked woman in Lisbon?

This album didn't particularly resonate with me, as it didn't align with my personal taste in music. While it did have a few catchy songs, the overall sound and style just didn't appeal to me. However, I remain open-minded and would be willing to explore their other albums in the future

MIIDDDD IT ALL SOUNDED THE SAAME the only good songs were out of time and mother's little helper. maybe if i wanted to be a cowboy i'd listen to this and pretend i'm in a saloon nursing a whiskey on the rocks butttttt rn no thanks #thebeatlesarebetter

Ew, just ew. The levels of overt mysogyny and narcissism make me realize what is extreme nowadays was so fucking normalized by the Rolling Stones in the 1960s. So happy to know a more equal world today.

One of my intros to the Stones. Thank you Twisted Metal Black.

The beginning of the Stones really sounding like the Stones. Recording is still a little rough, although Brian Jones' use of whatever instruments were around lifts the sound into something fresher than most of their contemporaries.

really boggles the mind that people try to argue the stones are better than the Beatles. annoying, misogynist, repetitive. at least the beatles paired their misogyny with good music

You can really hear the blues in this - incredibly brave. Also - an amazing energy comes through the music. It really feels dangerous.

4/5 for how much misogyny is interlaced throughout the album, but it's stellar otherwise. Practically a perfect album. Michael showed me "Under My Thumb," and it's been a constant jam.

I listened to Beggars Banquet a few days ago and wasn't the biggest fan. This album was more enjoyable a listen for me. Pretty simple and a bit long, but not bad. 3/5.

4.5/5. The Stones rode the swinging London wave to such great heights.

Better than that blues album of theirs

Pretty good album

I listened to the UK version of the album as if selected by the generator. The much appreciated track Paint it Black is not on there. There are also a few other small differences. It was nice to hear Lady Jane and Under my Thumb again. But like the rest of the album, they also seemed a bit flat and anemic. This is not the Stones' strongest album.

Besides the popular songs, Meg.

Mick and keith really come into their own, second only to Lennon McCartney, a Strauss they’ll keep till at least John, Taupin. This is a strong album - I think the uk version is a bit better. It probably hasn’t lasted well although I never really believed Micks misogyny. I don’t think he did either. By stones standards, bottom of the top. Anyone else, career making one off. 3.5 stars.

The UK version didnt have Paint it Black (track 1 on US version). Its ok as a blues early Stones period example.

I picked up my mono Australian pressing for 2 bucks at Ashwoods Record Store sometime in the late 60’s. Before that, I was familiar with the single released in Australia - Mother’s Little Helper / Lady Jane & the odd album track that made it to radio at the time - Under My Thumb, Stupid Girl & Take It Or Leave It. I also knew Out Of Time, but the Chris Farlowe cover, not the Stones’ original. As for the other eight tracks, I didn’t hear them until that visit to Ashwoods. I doubt if the eleven & a half minutes of Goin’ Home was ever played on 60’s radio. The first Stones’ record with all Jagger/Richard compositions, this album has a diversity that, among British bands, only The Beatles had been able to achieve by this time. Side 1 is so good - a great band hitting its stride. And Side 2 is so diverse - High And Dry even provides some acoustic blues. This album sounds as good as it did when I first heard it.

The beginning of the Stones really sounding like the Stones. Recording is still a little rough, although Brian Jones' use of whatever instruments were around lifts the sound into something fresher than most of their contemporaries. Going home is waaaaay too long, just a noodly blues jam. It shows the beginning of their dynamic playing style and playing off each other, but I'm not sure we needed 11 minutes of a under baked idea. I think I prefer either their earlier less polished and more bluesy records, or their later material where they are more confident in their own thing. And the misogyny is staggering. Women are either berated and belittled, subjugated, or raised onto pedestals (setting them up for failure?) I'm really not sure I could listen to this frequently.

It's got two of my favorite singles from the Stones ever but the rest didn't grab me that hard.

Stones in their better days, singing about Valium…

Paint it Black absolutely SLAPS doesn't it. Also, very fond memories of "Lady Jane" and "Under my Thumb" from my Dad's "Greatest Hits" cassette tape that he had in the car. Not quite peak Stones yet, but the road ahead is clear.

Un de leurs albums les plus importants. Grande variété d'instruments utilisée, de styles aussi. Beaucoup d'allusions aux femmes. Moins pimpant que je pensais et pas de gros classiques. Pas de coup de coeur de chanson, mais j'ai bien aimé l'album dans son ensemble.

#2 The Rolling Stones - Aftermath (1966) Blues Rock British Rhythm & Blues, Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues The Stones' Rubber Soul is definitely a far cry from the actual Rubber Soul. While I appreciate the experimentation on display here, the aimless songs and concerningly large amount of misogyny (???) keeps it from truly being a *good* album. Sure was a different time. Favourite Track: Out of Time Least Favourite Track: Stupid Girl

Solid stones album. Listened to the US version because Paint it Black is a top 5 Stones song for me.

When the Beatles are being kinda awful you don't think about it as much because the songs are good and there's some charm. I'm Looking Through You is very mean, and also very good. Take away the charm and song quality, triple down on misogyny, and you've got Aftermath by the Rolling Stones. Sure, lots of it has nice sounding 60s rock backing. Musically, Under My Thumb is better than I want to give it credit for. I have never liked Paint It Black, which isn't on the version of the album I just listened to anyway. I suppose this is an album to listen to in order to understand who the Rolling Stones were (real assholes), and how low the bar was set to call their stuff a masterpiece compared to more interesting contemporaries. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

I’m something of a Stones hater by default, but I’m always trying to be a blank slate when I listen to these records. I know there are Stones albums I will like quite a bit, but this isn’t one of them. I do like hearing Brian Jones. But overall there’s just a lot of much better electric blues music out there that doesn’t also require the listener to have to think a lot about Mick Jagger’s weird hang ups about women.

Classic Stones

It's the album "Paint it Black" is on. While that song is a classic, the rest of the album is just okay.

More than I expected - a decent album by the early Rolling Stones; the first few songs are exceptional; but it loses steam in the second half. But even there, there is some good material. 3.5/5

Very exciting instrumentals. Fun listening to it. Very good songwriting. It's definitely a classic but I'm really not sure if we needed 11 bloody minutes of "Going Home".

Well, classic stones. Mother's Little Helper was nice, and as problematic as Under My Thumb's lyrics are, as nice is the instrumental. Felt like the second half wasn't as good as the first one. Paint It Black would have been nice. And Going Home was way, way too long. All in all... not bad but also not outstanding

8 / 10 Primer album en que los Rolling experimentan un poco con diferentes sonidos.

It’s an interesting listen. The British Invasion sound is fully there and the lyrics are often challenging by today’s standards. I’d definitely listen again, though, to have a better hold on what made the Stones so influential.

eh. meh. bwah. *blows raspberry* this album is fine. early-era rebellious rock music from the original pioneers of that sound. i know that the rolling stones have done better than this though. much much better. it's not to say this album is bad, it's just serviceable.

After listening to The Doors and jumping straight to the Rolling Stones I realised something: I don't really like Mick Jagger's voice. The start of Mother's Little Helper was so screechy and jagged and I thought "Oh no, I've got to get through a whole album of this? Lady Jane reminded me of the Spinal Tap song about Flower People. Under My Thumb is a hit! It has a very weird and troubling sentiment but a great tune! Going Home went on forever and felt a bit goofy. A lot of these songs of white bands in the 60s doing blues seem goofy now to me. Did a quick bit of Wikipedia reading to see why this album is important: "Aftermath is considered by music scholars to be an artistic breakthrough for the Rolling Stones. It is their first album to consist entirely of original compositions, all of which were credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The band's original leader Brian Jones reemerged as a key contributor and experimented with instruments not usually associated with popular music, including the sitar, Appalachian dulcimer, Japanese koto and marimbas" Also, "An inaugural release of the album era and a rival to the contemporaneous impact of the Beatles' Rubber Soul (1965)" Well, it's no Rubber Soul! I quite like "It's not easy" I'm quite looking forward to this being over. It's weird. I can imagine if any of these songs came on in a café I was in, I wouldn't mind and would quite like them, and some of the sounds I like, but a whole album kind of creeps me out.

Some of the classic hits on this one, some of the other tracks though seem a bit ‘trying to fit in with the times’ vibe about them.

Listen, they’re The Rolling Stones. They are one of the best. The ratings I’ve been using include a lot of my preference so I can come back to what I like, gotta be 4*

Own

Honestly don't understand the hype around this album, did not enjoy. Overrated in my opinion. Listened to both US & UK versions

Some nice low tempo Stones’ hits

A great record overall, showing the immense talent and charisma of the Stones - however they aren't quite at their peak powers just yet here. It has has some of my favourite early Stones tracks; Mothers Little Helper, Out of Time (both on the UK version), Paint It Black (on the US version), and Under My Thumb amongst others. However there's a few tracks which are more forgettable on this record. Also on an annoying note, the UK & US versions of this record are wildly different, however that's a frustrating quirk of label releases from decades ago.

#134. I'm pretty sure I was under the impression that the Rolling Stones were one of the rock and roll greats, but actually listening to their albums has me questioning that opinion, because none of them seem to be particularly great. 3/5: it's OK at best Song added to playlist: Paint It, Black I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

I know it's sacrilege in some circles every time I, as a fan of rock from its roots to today, share my view that I'm just not all that wild about the Stones. There are a number of songs of theirs that I do like, and a few I truly love, but overall, I don't enjoy listening to the majority of their stuff. Yep. I know. I'm banished from Rockdom for this. If anyone needs me, you can find me at the disco.

A good album from a legendary band. The earlier stuff was very bluesy. I believe a lot of their music is influenced by black American blues. Classic. Enjoyed it.

Quite a good album! Many enjoyable songs in different styles. Just solid

Meh... de svängigaste låtarna skits på av lyricsen

I listened to both versions U.K. and U.S. and I preferred the U.K. version. I was surprised by the twang I heard in some of the songs. Good Album. Best tracks: Under My Thumb, It's not Easy.

There's a lot more misses than hits from this Rolling Stones album. It shows the future potential of the group, but somehow most of the album feels like filler. Best Songs: Paint it Black, Under My Thumb Worst Songs: Stupid Girl, I Am Waiting

brilliant.

Mother's Little Helper and Under My Thumb are two my favorite Stones songs. Rest is Okay.

Not as good as Let it Bleed. Also, why does the UK Version not include Paint it Black?

Decent Stones, like other stuff from them better but nice to hear some classics.

Shocked by how boring I found this one apart from Paint It Black. I think I am simultaneously too young and too old for The Rolling Stones.

Surprised by how little I liked this. Listened to the UK version so no Paint It Black and didn't particularly have any stand outs for me.

meh

Not really that interesting for me

This one of those albums where the UK version differs markedly from the US version - I played the UK version. This is the first album where Jagger-Richards were the writers of all the songs, and it foreshadows the four truly great Stones albums. The lyrical themes tend towards casual and vindictive sexism at times, which to modern ears isn't so great. Still, it's a good album with many strong songs. 3/5

•Owned •Great album whose exploration gives us a pop tracks with smart instrumentation, and a sweeping blues fantasy. •4/5

Enjoyed it

Quite a few classics here. For some reason never got into them because I was always a Beatles guy, but enjoyed so many singles. Weird I’ve never really given a whole album a shot. It’s dynamic and iconic. Some weak points, but hard to deny.

Far from the best Stones album but also very far from their worst. An important adjustment in their approach, expanding their sound with some psychedelia and veering from straight pop rock. Mothers Helper immediately lets everyone know The Stones are dipping into the psych. Under My Thumb is a classic, such a standout opening. Going Home wasn’t particularly great but it was neat to see the Stones experiment with a wandering bluesy 11 minute jam. Stupid Girl is a bit rough but I suppose this was 1966, released before the last Leafs cup win, so I guess that can be forgiven. Really easy listen overall, Strong album but not their best, just the beginning. 3.5 stars

Classic Masterpiece. 🧑‍🍳

didn’t think i liked the stones but i liked this alright

Now THIS is music 😎👏👏👏😎

I understand the importance of the album, but don't need to listen to all the songs often. But a few of my favorite Stones tunes are here.

Best album ever? No. Good listening? Yes.

Crazy to me how much sloppiness there is in the drums, but the guitar is always rock solid. Defs some indulgent moments from Mick

I’m sure I’m in the minority but I think the ‘experimental pop’ side of the Rolling Stones (as heard on Mother’s Little Helper and Under My Thumb) is one of the more interesting features of their discography. It sounds like Brian Jones deserves most of the credit for this? I was looking forward to a whole album in this vein, but I got maybe half of one. There’s the usual smattering of unremarkable blues numbers, but there are moments of melodic inspiration and unusual instrumentation too.

It's okay they have better albums

Classic! Lots of energy but also bluesy

Hated this one. First few songs were terrible. Couldn't pull myself to do the last few tracks. Not for me.

Okay

classical

Liked the songs I already knew. Otherwise not my thing.

man their early shit is weird, idk I kinda had fun I guess but a lot of this was just not it they didn't know what they were doing yet

It's great but some of this did not age well at all. Also, that 60's psych pop can get in the sea. done with that at this stage

That weird transitional period for the Stones, from when they were releasing an album of mostly old blues covers to what would become The Rolling Stones we know and love. And this is made muddier by having two separate UK & US releases (I listened to the UK edition, it's the artwork provided above) where you have two seperate track listings with two good good songs (UK: "Mother's Little Helper" & "Under My Thumb"; US: "Paint It Black" & the aforementioned "Under My Thumb") and a lot of filler... Sometimes overly long filler like "Goin' Home" which is just an 11 minute long jam session. Brian Jones is a tour de force here, he'd pick up any old thing laying around and make it work, so for that this album represents a more mature Stones sound. But 1966 was a hard year for many bands, we got Revolver by The Beatles and Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys and everything else was fighting for a very, very distant third place.

5-

Under My Thumb was the only song on this album I'd heard before and I still dig it, though it's not my favorite Stones song. The others are just ok - not exactly my taste. I respect their vibe but probably wouldn't come back to this album if I'm honest.

I messed up and listened to a different version of this album. The US version maybe? Either way, the album I listened to started with "Paint it Black," which is obviously an awesome song. My son described it as Halloween music. Must have sounded spooky! Loved the mono version of Lady Jane, very sweet and melodic. "Stupid Girl" was hard to listen to because of the way Mick Jagger says the song's title. The rest of the songs are cool, new instruments are added, and have a distinct late 50s and 60s vibe. I get the hype.

Prima lekker geluisterd. Paint it black wel beste

These 80+ old guys used to be a boy-band. And an international symbol for "sexy bad boys". And it shows, hence, the predatory-ish lyrics. Still enjoyed most of it. But definitely a product of its time.

I like it a lot.

The Rolling Stones took the album template, experimentation, and world music influence of The Beatles' 'Rubber Soul' and ran with it. They did so with a lot more edge and grit. If parents hated Lennon and McCartney, Jagger and Richards were probably a nightmare. Their best song from the era, 'Paint It Black', is sadly missing from the original UK edition but there are still plenty of standout songs here. I have mixed opinions about The Rolling Stones but I think this is one of their better works. Unfortunately there's also a lot of misogyny that ruins would have otherwise been a very good album.

I wanted to rate it higher but ended up skipping a few songs because of the repetitiveness of the lyrics. I wouldn't opt to listen to this again.

I like the stones.

I'm truly conflicted with this album. The split between the US and UK version is difficult enough to try to consider. But Brian Jones experimentations makes this my favorite era of Rolling Stones music, but some of Jagger's lyrics are just horrendous. I mean... how many times can he *wink wink* tell us "it's hard" in a song? 🤮 4 stars for Brian Jones... and a few classic tracks

I’m surprised/not surprised at how misogynistic this album is. Lots of danceable beats, and Think is a fun listen that I don’t think I’ve heard before.

Love!

There's some great tracks on here, but there's also a lot of generic filler. I don't think it really recovered after the rubbish 11 minute track smack bang in the middle of the album. Who thought that was a good idea? It completely kills all the momentum. The mix is really low and strange for much of the record too. A generous 3/5

Ok NOW I get why the RS are always compared w the Beatles. This album has the same DNA as some early Beatles stuff. Loved it, would listen again. Listened on a plane ride from Seattle to Dulles so I need to listen again to get the full experience

Ok