Reviews (page 5 of 13)
Sounds like an hour of The Rolling Stones sprinkled with some New Orleans jazzy twists.
Great stuff, I'm generally already a Stones person, and had never until now fully listened to this record. A bit all over the place and certainly not my fav Stones record, but still lots to hang onto.
I have decided after being inspired by another review to structure my reviews: Cover: 5/5 this is a instantly recognisable cover and that is the sign of something that has become known beyond its original purpose. A cover that makes you examine it each time you see it. Originality: 2/5 this is a very straightforward blues album with a bit of country thrown in. Accessible to and popular with white music fans because like Elvis it is Black music repackaged for white consumers. Quality: 5/5 lack of Originality does detract from this being an album of sustained quality, good music, song writing and delivery
You know blues is fun
La grange > shake your hips This one starts as some pretty generic sorta boring blues rock with some good songs sprinkled in. It just really didn’t do it for me like the others have so far. Loving cup was enjoyable. I’m also shocked at how little I recognized from this for it being such a famous album. I think in a different mood this could ride as my favorite stones album, I do see the vision, and I’m trying to keep that in mind, but definitely my least favorite stones record so far on this first listen at 2am. I came back to it and I was definitely too harsh but my feelings are still similar, this is a good 4/5 rock album that, like most things, if I spent a week really diving into it and listening I would grow to love but that's simply not how the list works~
Massive appropriation, ridiculous song titles, but this just locks in.
Aber das andere war flotter
So good bro fav song tumbling dice
Mick Jagger has said that he happened to live in the vanishing small period in the music industry where an artist was able to make real money.
Vanaf Rocks Off zat ik er meteen in: dit album zet direct een rauwe, rokerige sfeer neer en voelt als één grote, samenhangende vibe in plaats van losse hits. Happy sprong er voor mij echt uit en ook tracks als Ventilator Blues maakten indruk door hoe stroperig en sfeervol het allemaal is, zelfs als het even “vreemd” binnenkomt. De overgang van experimentelere momenten naar het warmere einde (met o.a. Shine a Light) laat heel goed horen hoe je een dubbelalbum opbouwt en afrondt. Ik snap nu volledig waarom dit zo’n klassieker is
Excellent
Zeker nog een keer luisteren.
Such a good album. This is the first album where the foray into roots/country rock sounds natural, and I personally like that the vocals are mixed a little low. A definite turning point for the Stones and for rock music in general.
very nice sound, I wouldn't listen to it every day butt it has a nice vibe to it.
I feel like this is one of those quintessential albums that need to be listened to in one sitting. I enjoyed so many of the songs, but they all exist so much better with each other. I loved how this album kept the groove going the whole way through. Those whining guitars and steady drumbeats carry on the whole way through. This is a bit of a shorter review, but there’s not much to say and a lot to love! I’m giving this album 4/5 ⭐️! It’s close to a 5 but I’m saving my first 5 for something that really blows me away! 11/1089
Classic for a reason. A bit bloated, especially side C. 7/10
Buen disco. Nunca le di mucho a los Rolling pero bastante guay. Nunca me hizo mucho click, pero me ha molado este disco y el ir investigando la historia de ellos a puro heroinómanos metidos en el estudio riffeando a tope. Sweet Virginia, Happy y Ventilator Blues mis favs diría. Una hora de buenos temas, buen blues, buen rythm & blus, buena roots music o como se diga.
Time to go listen to Liz Phair's response to this album next.
Call me the tumbling diiiiice. Stupid British take on dither drawl rock other than that. Mick Jaggers dumb “honky Tonk” vocals really get to me here. Sticky fingers was the only album I could really handle it and that’s because it wasn’t every. Fucking. Song. Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice, Happy. These are the songs I really care about. Idk what it is but it just brings me back to my grandmothers house in Massachusetts, I don’t think she listened to a lot of Stones because she’s a Beatles fan but this music reminds me of the times. Nostalgia points and a few bangers, album cover is iconic too.
Not an album I've listened to much but enjoyed rediscovering it. It has a really good cross section of Stones tunes and styles in one album (well a double when released in '72) Might not have the big hits but is a great collection.
Oh this was amazing, I listened to it while drawing and even though it did not match the mood of the drawing it was really nice, this is the first full album I listened to by the rolling stones but I already knew them, though it did kinda fade into the background
7/10
Bruh. Another Rolling Stones. Is it too much for a girl to ask for a little a variety? Jesus Christ. I do feel like I know them a little better now, but what’re the odds bro come on. Rocks Off - 7 Spoiler alert, the Rolling Stones are on drugs — a lot. I feel like this is a song about the high roller druggie rock n roll life. Weirddd vocal effect in the bridge, I do like how it resolves though. Rip This Joint - 6 This one has like a 20s swing and southern vibe to it. I can see this one being so fun to hear live. Mick Jagger is def moreso yelling at me in this one. It’s upbeat and fast and very rock n roll. Shake Your Hips - 6 Holy nasal in “…shake, babe”, but this is a cover I guess. It’s good. It doesn’t have a ton of dynamic to go anywhere Casino Boogie - 6 They literally said they wrote it by picking lyrics out of a hat. I like the sax, feels very bluesy and adds a flavor to the song. Yea it was a vibe, kind of filler song energy but was still good. Tumbling Dice - 9 Gospel?? This vibe is of my favorite types of Stones songs. Driving beat and rich melody moving the song forward, very bluesy and soulful but matches the guitar riffing. This is a good one. Adding this. A classic on this album for a reason. Sweet Virginia - 7.5 Harmonicaaaa yes and acoustic out the gate. Very country feeling with the chord progression. God is this stupid project going to turn me into a Stones fan. I feel like I went from “hate” to really liking some of their stuff and feeling more comfortable listening to them. You just have to find the good stuff first, know the history and backstories and you can really get into it. Another drug anthem, but it has a blues/country that almost has you rooting for them?? Crazy feeling, but this one is good too. I may have to also add this one. Torn and Frayed - 8 No intro here. Immediately into it. The songs on this album are significantly easier to listen to compared to say, Beggars Banquet. I love the driving rock and blues energy they have here. This one is about a man who loves music. I’d like to think Mick Jagger is singing this to the younger versions of the band’s members who would have gotten started in this industry for their unrelenting love of music. I think I’m going to add this one too. Sweet Black Angel - 4 Okay respect the Rolling Stones’ polical stance here however, idk if this is my favorite — feels a little appropriation-y and idk if this the group who should be singing about this particular issue. Loving Cup - 6.5 Okay the Genius background for this track is a little biased toward the Stones hahah, but I do think this is a good song. It has a very “we’re all friends at the bar vibe” in a way that supports human connection and love. It also likens a relationship to a good night out drinking (“what a beautiful buzz” to see a person’s face and to feel them kissing him). An extra half point awarded for the use of horns in this song. Happy - 6 Keith Richards track? Ok king. He talks about how there is all these things that someone “should” be doing (i.e. working for the man, not taking candy from strangers, saving money) and he isn’t doing any of these because he wants his love to keep him happy rather than doing the conventional things. A little simple and has the vibe of a filler song, but good. Turd On The Run - 4.5 Insane title. What in the world are these lyrics and how does it even remotely connect to this title. It has a very southern vibe to it. Very short, kind of repetitive, and doesn’t really make sense to me, but maybe I’m missing something. Ventilator Blues - 7 I would also have the blues if I were on a ventilator. This one is unique to me. Basically saying that everybody is going to die, and to make that process better you may consider being a good person to reflect well on your life in the end. A very “Man in the Mirror” moment at the end too where they’re asking are you going to fight that? If so, what’re you gonna do about it. I Just Want to See His Face - 4.5 I feel like I just started coming into consciousness with this one. Little gospel-y. The song bio talks about this being more of a jam session with a couple other musicians and Jagger came up with the lyrics then and there. Very religious message here calling out some hypocrisy in religion. Saying that people don’t often want to walk and talk like Jesus did, they only want to “see His face” and have a very surface level relationship with religion (to presumably use it against people or for their own gain). Also noticing that in the verses they are accusing others of doing this (“You just want to see his face”), but the title is named “I Just Want…” soooo interesting, is this a callout to himself? Kind of odd as a song in this album, I’m not quite sure how it fits. But I think it calls on the musical ability of this band to a very stripped down (jam seshy) level. Similar to an acoustic feel. Let It Loose - 6 I guess the main character in this song is entering in a relationship that he’s not really invested in. He’s just kind of there. It’s actually kind of draining him, but its become a crutch of sorts. HORNS again, that is how RS is going to keep me invested in their music tbh, how many great horn sections can they include. The end of the song is that relationship ending and him needing to end it for his well being. All Down the Line - 8 This one is fun. I like the fast-paced and upbeat tempo. This is the only one I’ve added in the back-half of the album. THis style of Stones song is my favorite, like the pure rock with some blues and even jazzy elements. Stop Breaking Down - 6 You and me both Rolling Stones. What is this instrument off the bat. This is the other cover song on this album. It’s good. Shine a Light - 6.5 maybe 7 Aw this one is another song about drugs, but about the drug use of Brian Jones and how it really effected him up until his death and this song could kind of be “I wish you the best” and also a memorial song for him as he passed just before this albums release. What this song in a movie? It sounds kind of familiar. Soul Survivor - 7 I like the play on words here. This is a super fun closer to a rock and blues album. It’s gonna be the death of me and the song is titled “soul survivor” yeaaaa super fun. Good album, I’m def seeing the progression and fame level rise here from the considerable bump in quality and lyrics. Idk if I’m getting stolkholm syndrome or something because I fear I’m becoming a Stones fan. Smh.
divertido. me tuvo bailando mas de la mitad de los temas. parece cuando el cantante de la bandita se enamora y no puede evitar que se le escape las sonrisitas mientras canta.
It is funny that with their 10th record they make a synthesis of Rock N' Roll. That tells me that the Stones, while being iconic in their genre, are a bit stuck in their lane. Here we have a good album, it flows, it is well constructed but I have two main problems : I don't hear a hit, (plenty of songs I like, that are pretty, but no mainstay of their career in my opinion) and the second thing that is even more important, I am not surprised even a little. It is well made, mostly listenable in full, (and it should be when it is your 10th album) but yeah I have heard this throughout the history of rock, an history that they wrote in part. Little ambition and a bit tired, but can't say nothing bad about the craftsmanship.
8.5/10 Chanson pref : Shine a light
This was filled with a ton of really good songs, but didn't quite hit that over the top absolute must listen banger mark for me, yet still, very enjoyable!
Really solid classic rock album! Idk how many more times I’ll listen to it (unless I’m in a Stones mood) but I’m definitely glad I’ve listened to it at least once
Not a big Stones fan but this is a banger. Love the honkey tonk influences!
Solid album with some classic songs.
I liked this album. The Rolling Stones have very listenable and pleasurable albums
So damn good. I mean, c’mon! It’s Exile On Main Street
was pretty good!
I didn't love this at first when I heard it years ago - it's long, bluesy and goes for stretches without a hook, but it's gotten under my skin over the years and could be among maybe my top 3 or 4 Stones albums. It sounds like a band playing in a room, and when the horns and gospel backing vocals come in i want to actually be there. Most songs get in, make their point and get out, so it never drags. A sign of a good double is when you can play a single side or one of the records and it still holds together as a classic. This is definitely one of those for me. I'm hesitating between 4 and 5 honestly.
8/10
Fav song: Loving Cup/Ventilator Blues Overall: 3.5/5
Loved that one. It was very funky fresh and the beats and just the overall structure of the song kept me on my feet.
I’ve never been a huge Stones fan (which I guess makes me a Beatles guy). Regardless this was really my first time listening to this album cover to cover. And while there aren’t any huge standouts it was a very pleasurable listen.
The Stones are inarguably one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and that was on display on this record. There were a series of different layers to a bunch of these tracks and it all added up to what is a very good album. Loving Cup was a big hit for me. Loved that track. The rest of this had a bunch of tunes that were fun, which was the general vibe of the whole record. Excellent listen
8/10 Favourite: Tumbling Dice Least Favourite: Casino Boogie
The best stones album? Even the non hits are well crafted. But just redo the country style tracks
I mean, it’s the Stones.
Enjoyed this
twas good
Loved the guitars and the vocals!
Very high energy, rolling stones
Viel besser als erwartet Ich werde noch Stones Fan
Loved this when it came out, and still love it now.
It has been a while since I listened to this album all the way through. Tumbling Dice is one of my favorite Rolling Stones songs. The rest of the songs are good. I felt like it picked up in the second half. This is not my favorite Stones album, but it is still some really great blues/rock. A great band in the zone.
I enjoyed this, good album
4 out of 5. Rock solid Stones album.
I liked this album a lot. I have heard bits and pieces of it over the years, but never really sat down and listened to it from start to finish. It's one of the better Stones albums. Not my absolute favorite (can't beat Sticky Fingers), but this is really good. 4/5 stars
I’ve never been a massive fan of the Stones’s sound, compared to the Beatles, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc. but I appreciated the hell out of this album. Very ambitious, incredibly unique. Lots of Gospel and R&B influence, with many non-guitar driven songs. I can’t quite give it a 5 because it’s not quite for me, but a hell of a record.
Really solid tracks, nothing major stands out to me but I could see getting this on vinyl and having it on the background. The whole thing is great, I’d say 4 stars is fair
There are a few albums were the stories of the making are almost more powerful than the album: Iron Butterfly’s Inna Gotta Da Vida; Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors; 311 Transitor; and this one are on the top. This is a solid album with great production quality and a back-to-basic blues. It’s kind of funny that one of the critics Best Albums Ever list is a song titled Turd on the Run. I was surprised that there were no historical “hits” from the album. All Down the Lone could have been radio gold. Shake Your Hips is a very traditional blues intro (Muddy Waters; John Lee Hooker; ZZTop all did it). There are a lot of great songs here, if not a lack of notable bad ones. The song that grabbed me today was Torn and Frayed, which I know was talking about them but it felt like me. Denis Leary once said there is a Stones song for every occasion. This album alone could cover that. I get why it’s a classic.
i can listen to this on a long drive in a vintage mustang speeding down a highway in the grand canyon 100% good fucking album all songs are decent at minimum. some are insane and some aren't.
Was busy and only got to give it one listen. I loved it! Excited to relisten and discover more.
Classic stones, no need to say anything more.
Pretty great
There are arguments that this album is both more and less than the sum of its parts. On the one hand, it has none of the band's biggest hits, but it's still one of their best albums. On the other hand, while it has a lot of great songs, it still feels overlong and disjointed. The best songs find the Stones in dirty blues rock mode, which is my favorite sound of theirs. "Rocks Off," "Happy," and "Tumbling Dice" are absolute bangers. Any time the horns come in is a treat. While the blues and gospel tinges add a lot of depth, the songs that lean heavily into those sounds find the band out of their depth. Around "I Just Want to See His Face" is where the album starts to drag. This could have been pared back into a tighter album, which keeps it from being their best, but the variety and excellent songs sprinkled throughout make it worth the longer listen.
This is a great album in terms of the fact that I love New Orleans and this is so heavily influenced by that sound. I love the piano, the horns, the pedal steel, the backup singers. It's solid all the way through, not a bad song in there. At the same time, not a stand out either. There's not one song that stuck out to me, not one that got stuck in my head. It's a great album, but I think I expected just a LITTLE more in terms of hits.
Tumbling Dice
Have never been a big stones gal but I’m starting to understand
Good vibes, easy listen
Das 1972 erschienene Doppelalbum entstand zum Großteil im Keller der Villa Nellcôte in Villefranche-sur-Mer an der französischen Riviera, ergänzt durch Aufnahmen in den Olympic Studios (London), bei Stargroves (England) und Sunset Sound Recorders (Los Angeles). Die Rolling Stones – britische Musiker aus England – verbanden hier Rock ’n’ Roll, Blues, Country und Gospel zu einem rohen, unmittelbaren Klangbild. Bekannte Stücke wie „Tumbling Dice“, „Rocks Off“, „Sweet Virginia“ und „Happy“ prägen das Album. Die ungeschliffene Produktion spiegelt die improvisierte Entstehungssituation wider und verleiht dem Werk eine eigentümliche Lebendigkeit. „Exile On Main St.“ gilt als konzentrierte Momentaufnahme einer Band, die zwischen Exzess, Müdigkeit und Inspiration pendelte. Laut Erzählungen begannen die Aufnahmen 1969 in England während der Sessions für Sticky Fingers und wurden Mitte 1971 in einer gemieteten Villa in Südfrankreich namens Nellcôte fortgesetzt, während die Band als Steuerflüchtlinge im Ausland lebte. Bewertung: vielschichtig, authentisch, atmosphärisch dicht.
Suppose everyone here knows this pretty well. All I can say is the non-hits remind us just how damn fun and creative the band could be. The roots run deep, all the way from Memphis and the delta to France.
I never cared too much for this one. but today... I don't know, i just hit different. I don't love that Mick's vocals are way too far down in the mix. He's hard to understand in a good mix, but on this album, I didn't understand 80% of what he was going on about. Still, I dug the vibe, and I'm down to re-explore this one again.
I had a disjointed listen to this album over the weekend but I loved it even more this way. The Rolling Stones became my soundtrack throughout the weekend and it just felt so great, I felt so cool with my windows down and my hair blowing...rocks off! Even though this is not my favorite Stones album, it's The Classic Stones album in my book. Had I been asked in a Quizzo to name a Stones song with the word "turd" in it, I would have lost. Not anymore!
If I was compiling a Rolling Stones 'Best Of', it probably wouldn't include any tracks from Exile. However, as an album it still rates as one of their best. Everything hangs together well, and they haven't done a better album since.
Awesome album full of deep cuts, secret gem
Je m'attendais à dire "encore le même genre d'albums" mais finalement c'était une bonne découverte avec quelques pistes qui m'ont bien plu (Let It Loose), donc 4/5
It's hard to objectively listen to the stones and separate them from both their legendary status and their existence as perpetual radio background music
Not a huge stones fan but this us a really good album.
It’s not my favorite Stones album because of the sameness of the songs and it being a double album set at that. But it’s a vibe that resonates with me so as boring as it gets it’s not unenjoyable to me.
Best Rolling Stones album and a must listen for any fans of the blues.
Good, classic stones. Don't really see why this is head and shoulders above their other albums but it is consistent and good.
I think this is now the 5th Rolling Stones album on the list. From the previous 4 I had been coming to the conclusion that they are really just a singles band and most of their songs are filler. So imagine my surprise when their most consistent one is a double album with none of their biggest songs on.
I agree that most of their albums are a bunch of filler and 2/3 really good songs. This album was consistently good cover to cover, and even warranted a repeat
It was a fine album and none of the songs were bad, neither were they exciting. 3.5 rounded up. Favorite songs: Shake Your Hips, Shine a Light
Every rock fan knows the revered "Exile" album by name, but I've never quite understood the hype or why Rolling Stone magazine named it their #1 album of all time. It's that album that a true fan can say is their favorite since it's not loaded with hits and it makes them look cool to their novice friends. "Rocks Off" is a fring hit with 35M listens. "Tumbling Dice" is a legit rock classic (107M). "Sweet Virginia" is another fringe radio hit (54M) and "Happy" is the one song with Keith on vocals that folks know and enjoy (33M). "Shine A Light" is also on that fringe list (35M) but is super good and my favorite track outside of "Dice". Collectively they all make up a solid cohesive album. The rest are good glue tracks and as Wikipedia describes it Exile is known for its wide stylistic range and the strong influence of Delta blues, gospel music, and country rock. I found "Torn & Frayed", "Turd On The Run", "I Just Want To See...", & "Let It Loose" were tracks that could have easily found the cutting room floor vs doing a double album. You cannot deny the popularity of this album and the amount of listens. It's had a huge impact on rock music so the influence and longevity are there. 4 stars since it all makes sense and fits together so well.
Closing out the sweet spot in the Stones' long trajectory, this is another masterpiece. Just a few too many extras thrown in to sustain the 5-star rating from start to finish. But exceptional just the same.
70s rock with blues, rock and roll, swing, country and gospel. Considered their best by many. Just very good rock, incredibly American for a British band. Insanely long.
British band makes one of the most iconic/influential southern rock albums. The Stones at their most unhinged.9/10 Fav tracks- “rocks off” “ ventilator blues@
Nearly didn’t bother listening, but yeah it’s very good.
Favorite Track: Sweet Virginia
i like this, i know its a great album but im not wowed by it.
This was good
4/5
Pretty good! It has a surprisingly strong country influence, mixed with blues and rock. I can see why this is so loved because it's extremely consistent, a lot of fun and has a lot of variety in the track list while still sounding cohesive. Rip This Joint and Ventilator Blues were my favourites from a first listen.
I didn't get this album when I first listened to it but listening again, this is The Stones at their bar band best.
Previously rated: #36 - The Rolling Stones (4/5) #201 - Beggars Banquet (5/5) #567 - Let it Bleed (5/5) #665 - Aftermath (4/5) #930 - Sticky Fingers (4/5) ********************************** Album #934 I just heard Sticky Fingers a few days ago. I think I liked this one about equally. They are masters of the blues/country rock. Favorite track: Tumbling Dice
Kyllä rollaritkin osasi bluesia tehdä.
Overall a great listen. While there is definitely something to the criticism of the being a lack of cohesion to the songs on the album, I'd argue there's a cohesive vibe to this album. It's a bit all over the place in one sense, but really it's a great exploration of so many shades of American blues music. And each song on its own shows of the phenomenal musical connection they all have with each other. Overall, its a great rock and roll album. I do not, however, quite get why this album is considered their very best or regarded as one of the all time great albums. There's too much inconsistency in the quality of the songs themselves (there's a solid handful of songs on here that are no better than stock in trade/paint by numbers blues songs) and there isn't much I'd consider musically inventive. Also, not sure why there's so much excitement about Keith Richards being given the chance to sing lead on a song. He's a TERRIBLE singer lol.
I mean this feels like THE rock and roll album. It is everything good about rock and roll: high energy, sloppy, drugged out, and soulful. Some of the all time best stones songs on here. One critique is that it is a little too long. But I’d say 85% of it I adore. 4.5
Straight up raw rock and roll. It took the Stones a long time to get to this point, but this is the essential sound of the Stones. 4/5
Great album but many the same. Not my style.
Can't ever go wrong with the Rolling Stones!
Solid classic rock
terrific album if course. bluesy
This is a really solid album that features many good songs. I appreciate how the Stones during this era really touched on a lot of different genres and sounds as well. This might not be my favorite Stones album, and it is a bit long being a double album, but I would still listen to it again for sure.
Brilliant - almost but not quite my favourite Stones album
Finally caught up on this one.
- familiarity: medium, I know the band and quite a few songs but not this album - album: flow - instrumentation: surprising range: blues, sax, not what I expected - lyrics: fun - thoughts: I liked it, probably not going to reach for it but would enjoy it if someone else put it on - surprised: yeah, a side of the stones that I hadn't heard before - score: 4/5
Cerramos la última semana del mes nueve con otro disco de Los Stones en éste reto. Clásico trabajo de rock y blues, es un disco ideal para una reunión o para una mañana de trabajo. Gracias por recordarme lo excelente de éste laburo. Hasta el lunes
A classic collection of bluesy rock with almost gospel influences at times. My favourite tracks are Tumbling Dice and Shine a Light. Just effortless to listen to and that’s always nice.
Still looking for that 5* Rolling Stones album.
Great blues record, but a little too long.
3.9 2x catch up 10/10
Classic Rolling Stones album. I love the bluesy elements of it. It's easy to see why Stones and rock and roll fans hold it in such high regard.
I at more piano than I was expecting. That’s not a bad thing.
Have always been more of a Beatles guy than a Stones guy but this shit is pretty rock and roll. A bit long as a double LP, but not sure there would be enough to cut for a single.
Some good rowdy moments in there. Good as background music but must admit I didn't listen particularly closely.
This was an odd one. Initially when I started listening I was thinking of giving it a 1 or a 2 - it's a Rolling Stones album but there's not a single classic on the album. Once I discounted it being a Stones album I enjoyed it a great deal as a blues album
There is a lot more blues on this than I was expecting. Not a lot of variety though. An excellent background album.
Cover 7 It's a good album. You've first listen. Upon re-listen, it's a great album.
Exile On Main Street is probably 4.5 stars for me--consistently good, never bad, but not quite great. So I'm going to give it 4 stars. Then I'm going to start another 1001 albums project so I can then give the album 5 stars two years from now.
Great stones sound but a lot of the songs were just good not great. Maybe I’ll get it through more listens but I’m confused why this album is considered one of the best ever.
Very good album. Full immersion into American blues. “Rocks Off” starts the album off with a lot of energy and the album keeps up for most of it. Probably the bands most triumphant effort. 4.5/5 Definitely will listen again
With all the background issues affecting The Rolling Stones during this period: gutarist Keith Richards' worsening heroin addiction, long absences of vocalist Mick Jagger and bassist Bill Wyman from recording and the band still shut out from the UK as tax exiles: It's a sheer miracle that Exile on Main St. is as good as it is. The band's first double LP, Exile on Main St. is an 18-track journey through some of the finest tunes the Stones ever put to tape, with some notable highlights being 'Rip This Joint', 'Tumbling Dice', 'Let it Loose', 'Shine a Light' and 'Happy', the latter a rare Richards lead vocal cameo. Effectively combining the Stones' classic rock and roll sound with country and blues in the same vein as their previous record (1971's Sticky Fingers), Exile on Main St. takes more risks and pushes the envelope further, although its not always successful in this regard, as some songs roll past without really staying with you. While Sticky Fingers is perfect Stones from start to finish, Exile is maybe 5 or 6 songs too long to be a true five-star record for me. Nevertheless,
That was the sloppiest good album I've ever heard. It's also the most Southern US sounding album by a British band I've heard. It sounds straight out of a dingy bar somewhere between New Orleans and Memphis. It's also too long, as a lot of double albums are. Cut a few songs out, and this could be a 5. As it is, it's a 3.5, but I'm rounding up because I mostly enjoyed it.
This album is amazing. Best collection of the Stones music that I've heard so far. The energy is at 100 on every track, and the songwriting and instrumentation is consistently awesome with great songwriting and performances. A little too long maybe with some songs that just weren't up to par with the other 2 thirds of the album, but that's my only gripe. - Great album
Great album. Brings back a lot of good memories. I would probably give this album a 5 if it was pared down a little.
Rocks Off - 7.5/10 Rip This Joint - 7.5/10 Shake Your Hips - 7.5/10 Casino Boogie - 7/10 Tumbling dice - 8/10 Sweet Virginia - 7.5//10 Torn And Frayed - 8/10 Sweet Black Angel - 8.5/10 Loving Cup - 8/10 Happy - 7.5/10 Turd On The Run - 7/10 Ventilator Blues - 7.5/10 I Just Want To See His Face - 7.5/10 Let it loose - 9/10 All Down The Line - 8/10 Stop Breaking Down - 8/10 Shine a Light - 9.5/10 Soul Survivor - 8.5/10 75/100
4.5
Comes in hot then takes a bit of a victory lap
Better than I expected
Really like the album. La chanson rocks off m'a immédiatement accroché dans l L'univers musical de l'album. j'ai ressenti une grande liberté de la part du groupe sur la majorité de l'album. Avec des influences de blues, rock et même country. Le manque de cohésion pouvait parfois se faire ressentir de manière négative sur certains morceaux, mais de manière générale elle amenait une fraîcheur et un charme à la majorité de l'expérience. Je suis content d'avoir commencé par cet album puisque ça me donne un avant goût de la partie de leur carrière qui se voulait plus expérimentale
The Stones stumble into a juke joint and ingest the vibes via osmosis... Stone cold classics on this album like "Tumbling Dice", "Sweet Virginia", and "Shine A Light" and the whole thing is just an experience, even if it's cribbing the black mans music...
Mostly good
Pretty good.
i wasn’t really family with the Rolling Stones but this is everything I expeted
Very good
i wish i liked it more because i want to get what's so loved about it but it hovers in the great zone.not ground breaking, but great
About what I expected. High points: Tumbling Dice, Ventilator Blues, Happy
My first Stones album. I really liked it 👅
Of course it’s great but not as consistent as their best albums. Love ventilator blues.
Classic
Думал что мне не зайдет от слова совсем, но прослушал весь альбом с удовольствием, хотя не фанат Роллингов.
Great album. Not as tight-packed as "Sticky Fingers" but still really fun and lively. The whole album has a very different feel from what i'd expect from a Stones record, it sounds a lot like just dudes having fun and jamming around, rather than merely a collection of singles - that definetly shows on the very busy and organic performances of these songs. I don't think these are their strongest songs ever but they're surely an amazing portfolio to showcase their rather eclectic influences, of course from the blues but also from country, rock and roll and even soul/gospel. Favorites include "Rocks Off", "Shake Your Hips", "Tumbling Dice", "Loving Cup", "Let It Loose", "Shine a Light".
This could be my favorite stones album. At least it is today.
Very much the classic Stones sound. Enjoyed it a lot
Good from beginning to end and great at times. “Sweet Virginia” is a fantastic song, and has the benefit of being attached to the ending of Knives Out. The Stones are great, no more notes. 4/5
This was classically Rolling Stones. Good listen.
This is a bit of an oddity really. Coming at the end of an incredible run of albums from the Stones, Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, and Sticky Fingers; Exile On Main Street is regarded as one of their greatest works, but to a casual listener it is missing any of their recognisable hits. Exile On Main Street is all about the vibe. It is a down and dirty, sleazy blues odyssey and if you let it transport you into it's world you will enjoy it.
own
Fun
Listened to this album while studying for an exam, got a B+
Rå, fräsch, tuff. Ändå välproducerad. Jag gillar hur de använder doa-körer! (Sen kan jag lätt bli lite trött på Stones.)
Surprisingly I liked this. Reminded me of JSBX at times.
I've been quite scathing about all the Stones albums I've been served so far. But now for the first time I think I'm starting to see the light. This is fun! An album which sounds quite raw, like a band really enjoying themselves. Sweet Virginia is a highlight here. I also like some of the simpler blues, like Shake your Hips and Sweet Black Angel. Yes it's a bit too long, and some of the slower songs sort of blend into a generic tasteless soup. But overall this is showing me that the Stones are almost worthy of their acclaim.
The older I get the more I appreciate The Stones. The time I heard this album, I was not impressed - not that I thought it was trash, it is just regarded as one of the best albums of all-time. I still wouldn't wouldn't put it in the top 50 (where most put it in the top 10-25), but I do like it and understand it now. I don't know why I didn't care much for it, maybe it is the bluesy nature (I can only handle so much blues guitar), maybe it's Mic Jager's voice, I'm not sure. But I know now that not only this is a well done album from front to back and that its influence reaches for decades after it was released. There are only a literal few Rolling Stones song that I will purposefully play, and that happens about as often as Cleveland Browns in the playoffs, but I repect their work and know that they are damn good at their craft. 8.5/10 127/1001
GOSTEI
This album was quintessential Rolling Stones! I enjoyed how there were a mix of genres and vibes on the album. The album started off very rock and roll, and then became more country/folk, and there were a few songs with blues and rock elements in there as well. I had a good time listening to this Stones album and I would listen to it again in the future!
Good
The Rolling Stones know how to kick off an album and Rocks Off doesn't disappoint - the keys, the horns, the vocal manipulation all paired with a sound that is still distinctly The Rolling Stones make for a great entrance. Rolling right into Rip This Joint shows they're going to continue on their rampage, with more of those great keys and horns. Sweet Black Angel has these interesting blunt instrument sounds, I'm not well versed enough to identify them but I like the sound. Near the end, the slide guitar on Stop Breaking Down really stands out as representing the climax of this blues inspired album, with the progression into Shine A Light representing the start of the ending encore. The instrumentals, continued use of keys and horns, and Mick Jagger's vocals helped carry me through this album to the end, but I empathize with the common complaint that I did feel a bit lost at times through the entire track list due to how long and expansive it is. I was never disappointed or bored though, and believe this album rightfully deserves it's place as one of The Rolling Stones' greatest contributions to music.
a nice listening album, though nothing really stood out. solid solid stones. 3.5 rounded up.
Ah, back to the stones. Here's an album I should know I guess on its own terms, but instead mostly know because of Matchbox Twenty's compilation riffing off the name (Exile on Mainstream) and Liz Phair's artistically impressive track-by-track response Exile in Guyville. Also I invited a friend to join the project: my old College friend Drew joined; alongside my brother, he's had more impact on my music taste than just about anyone. Hope you stick around Drew! Listening Notes: -I mostly listened without a note-taking apparatus on hand, so this is going to be a less insanely verbose review than my standard many paragraphs into the void. (editing later: lol. leaving this in because it's funny now) -Okay relistening because the last tracks were fun: Rocks off has such a satisfying build up. And I'm always a sucker for brass in popular music. Good shit. -Just such great energy on rip this joint. Not nearly as polished as it could be, but feels *alive* in a way I really wasn't expecting. -I've heard shake your hips three times now and can't hear anything other than ZZ Top's La Grange (on research, Stones are covering a Black bluesman--many such cases). Dope melody, but I keep expecting heavier instrumentation like on that song and ngl im a little disappointed its not there. -Alright now at Tumbling Dice, we've settled into the middle section of the album: a bunch of middling songs that expand the run time, reduce the cohesion of the album, and are nonetheless very good. But they don't get enough space to breath. Maybe they would in the original vinyl, where there's a break between each side. -At basically every point in this album, I've felt like I could dance. Too rare in the sort of music we usually get here! -Just want to See His Face: Always think it's interesting the way gospel music themes come into the work of the rock artists who were so inspired by black American music. -I think the slower songs arc in Just Want to See... and Let it Loose is a great example of something that would benefit from a little more breathing room, something this album sadly denies it. Review: After two listens, my main takeaway was that the Stones feel pretty generic on this album, despite its reputation. But I figured my listening to the tail end of the album was a little spotty, so I relistened to the last few tracks, and I was impressed. Stop Breaking Down into Shine a Light is a great couple tracks and Soul Survivor finishes that running really well. This made me relisten one last time. I think at the end of the day, there are flecks of gold here, but the album as a whole buries them by being too long with too many lesser pieces. There's a five star album here, but unfortunately buried and mashed up with a 4-star album. And the result is less than the sum of its parts.
It dragged a bit at the end, so it could probably have done with trimming some of the fat from the track list. But, overall I can see why people like the Stones.
Solid track after track
Great rock n' roll album with lots of genre influences.
Quite an enjoyable listen from the Stones. Enjoyed the bluesy theme throughout
I feel like the Stones’ target demographic is people who liked Queen but stopped listening when Freddie went public with AIDS. Talented bunch though
I saw them touring during this time. Great record without much filler.
I've gotten a ton of Stones albums so far, they're just a solid band. I never knew they got so bluesy, almost like cowboy saloon sometimes. The songs sometimes blend together, but it's really good
• 4/5 • Stones at the peak of their early years - dirty yet polished, so loose yet it all fits together perfectly
folky & jazzy, multi genre
Very fun
The sum of the parts is greater than the whole? Perhaps! This has never been my favourite Stones album, they have much better albums. That said, 4 stars. Side one 1 "Rocks Off" - 4 stars 2 "Rip This Joint"- And they do "Rip this joint"! - 5 stars 3 "Shake Your Hips"- Sleezy - 5 stars 4 "Casino Boogie" - 3 stars 5 "Tumbling Dice" - The best track on the album. Country tinged. Wonderful opening riff. The guitar positively slurs, a bit like Keith Richards speaking! - 5 stars Side two 1 "Sweet Virginia" - Wonderful. - 5 stars 2 "Torn and Frayed" - 4 stars 3 "Sweet Black Angel" - 3 stars 4 "Loving Cup" - 3 stars Side three 1 "Happy" - Indeed, happy! - 5 stars 2 "Turd on the Run" - 3 stars 3 "Ventilator Blues" - 3 stars 4 "I Just Want to See His Face" - 3 stars 5 "Let It Loose" - 3 stars Side four 1 "All Down the Line" - 3 stars 2 "Stop Breaking Down" - Love this song. - 5 stars 3 "Shine a Light" - Super song.- 5 stars 4 "Soul Survivor" - 3 stars Total - 70 Average - 3.89
Хороший блюзовый альбом ролингов, игривый, бодрый
Stærkt rockalbum, lidt blues’et, måske en anelse langt
This might be my favourite Stone’s album
4 Stars (11/15)
I like the energy and the first song on the album is really good.
A real comeback/revival of the best Stones, the blues Stones.
Starts hella strong, but feels like it loses some momentum around "Ventilator Blues." Some huge singles. Definitely see the transition from the sound of the 60s to the 70s as the album goes on.
bastante movido pero no era lo que esperaba de los rollings sino que tenía unos sonidos menos de rock y más de otros géneros, pero me ha gustado bastante.
A bit bloated but also some of their best songs. Shine A Light almost pushed it to five stars but it felt more like a four throughout so I’m sticking with that.
not so on the over analyzing the lyrics side of the musical spectrum but so much into the lay back and enjoy the good old rock and roll side. the musical quality is amazing. rlly loved it
Eu gosto desse albúm, nada contra, mas sou da geração MTV: escutei tanto determinados artistas que hoje não suporto mais nem ouvir o nome... O Rolling Stones é esse caso! :-(
High-level Stones performance, though not truly exceptional for me.
Miscellaneous 70s dad rock. Just kidding. 🤘
A good banger. Not top notch, but a good 7-8/10 album.
I LIKE IT. A LITTLE LONG BUT FLOWS PRETTY GOOD 4/5
Pre-listening thoughts: man I thought we were done with the Stones lowkey 😭 turns out there’s still two more after this. Also I listened to this like a week ago but have genuinely just forgotten to rate all of my backlog. But I promise I’m not 14 behind 😭😭 Post/during listening thoughts: this was like on par with Beggars Banquet for me. Maybe a little higher. Sticky fingers is still their best album on here (and I’m STILL pissed about the omission of Some Girls but their like first Beatles-y album is on here???? F yall for real). There were some songs on here that I definitely feel had the Stones vibe I like the most, idk how to explain it. Like I’m not a fan of their blues stuff or their rockabilly inspired stuff, and their country stuff is hit or miss for me. But there’s some niche in the classic rock sound they hit and it really works for me. Anyways this was good. I still think Sticky Fingers is better overall but this had some hits and highlights I’d put on par with that albums best. But it was a little long and the back half had much less I really enjoyed. 7/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice, Torn and Frayed, Loving Cup, Happy Least fav tracks: anything with that stupid 12 bar blues progression I actually am so sick of it
para empezar bien el día. ostia shake your hips es literal la grange de zz top. Jim Jones tmb inspirados en esto, son el origen de todo los rolling. me ha parecido un poco largo pero me gusta en general. lo volvería a escuchar, para levantarme por las mañanas, mientras me ducho o para ir en coche o pa tener de fondo.
Is this country?
Good Album !
Honestly never listened to Rolling Stones before this, and it is actually such a vibe I like this
bangers
A rock album that you can dance to? That’s something I can get behind
You can never have too much rock and roll. But this one does drag on a bit too much. 18 tracks feels bloated.
Really liked the album. I enjoyed the blues, folksy and soul vibes throughout. I also liked the fact that some parts of the album felt a bit gritty/unpolished and more natural. Really liked Torn and Frayed, Sweet Black Angel and shake your hips.
Never heard this album before, more familiar with their 60s singles and probably because they are more radio friendly. It's not a bad album by any means, was expecting more of a hard rock sound but got more blues. It finished strong with Shine A Light and Sole Survivor. I don't know why this goes down as their 'best' album on critics lists though. To quote the wiki: "Exile is not one of my favourite albums" - Jagger "Jagger also stated he did not understand the praise among Rolling Stones fans because the album did not yield many hits." 3.5/5. Raising to a 4.
Quality. just quality. Loved this album, would listen again
This album was great. Really good music that was really enjoyable to listen to. Can’t ask for much more than that. I was expecting this especially to just be really basic 70s rock, which it still was cuz that’s what The Rolling Stones kinda is, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be absolutely bangin good too.
Great record. Tumblin Dice is such a classic. I can appreciate that Keith was in love with the US Blues movement. Amazing riffs straight out of the delta.
Очень динамичный альбом с нескучным звучанием. при этом композиции перетекают друг в друга. хаос + шум + поток мыслей = гармоничный и целостный альбом
Banging
I don't really love the stones much and never listened to one of their albums. Surprisingly nice sound and decent songs. Surprised at how American the sound is of this album, though I don't mind that at all.
Do your best Jagger
A chaotic collage of sounds, styles, influences and impact. I am not sure if the brilliance was entirely intentional but sure that that doesn't matter
I haven't really listened to the Rolling Stones since high school and now I've had 2 albums generated in less than a week! In my Sticky Fingers review I stated that it's probably not my favourite Stones record, but I'd figure that out when I had more generated for the project. Both records are great in their own right, but Exile On Main Street feels like the more polished and arranged record, whereas Sticky Fingers seems to have some of the bigger hits and felt more in-your-face rock and roll. I'm enjoying the second half of Exile a lot more than the first half and it might be squeezing out Sticky Fingers a bit. Favourite tracks: Sweet Virginia, Sweet Black Angel, Loving Cup, Ventilator Blues, I Just Want to See His Face, Let It Loose
4 von 5 Klassiker, insbesondere mit der Geschichte dahinter. Bestes Album der Stones, insbesondere wegen der Hits. Für mich aber auch mit Blues Standards Filler…
-listened to this while hammered out of my mind as Jagger would have intended probably… wow I REALLY ended up liking it! i had no strong thoughts either way about Let It Bleed but this was great, kept me interested and had such incredible energy -I would really like to listen to it again soon honestly, I’ve began to fall in love with blues rock I think -Favorites are Rip This Joint, Ventilator Blues, and All Down The Line
Can't fault this just because it's not my favorite Stones album. Great bluesy rock that goes on and on...
Solid from start to finish. Bluesy Stones. I've always liked a lot of their songs but never found an album I particularly liked, this isn't really loaded with their 'hits' but works as an album. 7.5/10
Great album.
The Stones aren't generally my jam. I truly don't get their appeal and have always chalked it up to Boomerism-you-had-to-be-there sound. But 'Exile...' straight up sounds like a helluva fun basement party, and I'm here for it. Bluesy rock, playful lyrics. It all sounds like brewskis with the babes and bros with the stereo cranked to 11. They're still not for me, but I had fun with this.
I enjoyed it more than I expected. Good vibes.
This is a must-listen (#143). It surpasses the other two Stones albums I've heard so far, in that it maintains a scrappy energy and vibe all the way through without really flagging, and it is pretty much always enjoyable. But it suffers through the same issues I had with the other albums - sounds great and has a wonderful energy, but none of the songs individually do much for me. I guess they'd have been best experienced live?
Go Stones!! 🤘
This album was not quite what I expected from it, but not in a bad way. It's solid and I only wish I had been more in the mood for this kind of sound today - but even that doesn't detract from the virtues of the album. I can certainly see myself enjoying it more on another day
This is one of those albums that have been reviewed 99 million times in more than 50 years. Yay for listening notes. As an album it's good - just not my thing unless I'm in a very precise mood. It's good, but not quite sure why this is heralded as one of rock's pinnacle achievements.
Just a classic Stones album, a party with dark/seedy undertones, a spine of good ole fashioned rock n roll with the draperies of other styles thrown in (gospel, country, etc.). It's the good local dive bar of music.
Favorite Track: Rocks Off
Been waiting for a Stones album on this album project. Have really only listened to one of their albums fully (Steel Wheels) over the years so happy to get to dive into one. Overall, not disappointed , honky Tonk blues were on display throughout . A big listen (for one day) and probably still needs to be revisited.
einmal mehr Stones, bluesig, rauh und immer wieder gut.
Not really a bad song on the album even if it isn’t my favorite of theirs. Stones in their prime, just a great baseline floor. Does taper off a bit at the end. My faves include: “tumbling dice”, “rocks off”, “shake your hips”
Great album. I did not know The Rolling Stones very well before so I was surprised by this catchy blend of blues, rock and rock'n roll. The only critique I could possibly level at it is that it lacks any "hit" songs. On the other hand, it has no weak points either.
Great intro to British blues
Pretty good, but did drag on a bit.
This is excellent throughout but just doesn’t quite have anything that stands out to make it 5⭐️ A really, really good Stones album but with none of their big songs
This generator is certainly stretching my musical genres as the Rolling Stones are an iconic band, but only one for me that I would hear occasional songs on the radio. This album gave me a new appreciation for them.
A chaotic collage of sounds, styles, influences and impact. I am not sure if the brilliance was entirely intentional but sure that that doesn't matter.
Really fun bluesy sound. This was my first listen and I was surprised by the more stripped down version of the Stones I’d solidified in my mind. Will revisit on occasion for sure.
9 out of 10
Lots of classic tracks on this one
Stones eh.
Consistent the whole way through
Classic
Great enjoyed
Good stuff! Very Rolling Stones
i liked this album and would listen again, but its pretty long… no super strong opinions just some classic rolling stones tunes!
Honestly makes me understand the love for The Rolling Stones a little bit more. This felt like they had a little bit of everything.
Lubię Stonesów, nie udają nikogo kim nie są. Ta płyta nie jest pretensjonalna, nie próbuje mnie przekonać, że jest największym artystycznym doznaniem tamtych lat. To po prostu kawałek dobrej muzyki, która cieszy. Czuć, że zespół się dobrze przy niej bawił - emanuje pozytywną energią. Czasami słychać lekkie inspiracje country i Dylanem, to też na plus. 8/10, bo są lepsze płyty Stonesów.
Legendary but not my first Stones choice.
This album gets a lot of hype. And I don’t know if I’ve ever listened to it. There are great moments on this album. Shake your hips and ventilator blues. Still not sure if this lives up to the hype. I really like all down the line.
It was nice, but did not get me hooked.
Good album, I'm just not a big fan of the stones
custom_rating:8
The songs are all new to me, but of the Stones’ albums I’ve heard so far, I like this one best - it sounds like a party.
Maybe felt a little long but I did enjoy it!
4/5
I knew some of it, but not all. Such a grimy album. Sounds like a party.
Very enjoyable as a non-stones listener. Very laid back, blues/gospel/folk vibes. “Authentic” 60s production quality
Dope
Very good. I feel like the stones were in full swing here. I love the country and blues of elements. Good listen front to back
Fire. Made me realize I've been sleeping on the Rolling Stones. Definitely need to listen to this one a few more times through
Yep!
this is the stones I like
I would say I like the more ballad ones, rather than the straight rock and roll ones which can sometimes be good. I mean what more is there to say, its the Rolling Stones. Favourite songs: rocks off, casino boogie, tumbling dice, sweet Virginia, torn and frayed, loving cup, happy, let it loose. Overall around 7/10
To my shame I don't think I've ever tried to listen to the Stones. "The Music Never Stopped" is one of my favorite movies, but I never actually put effort into seeing what it's all about. It's way closer to blues than modern rock than I thought it would be.
I don't really get the point of playlists, overlong groupings of songs thrown together to fit a mood, a vibe, an ambience, or style. The playlist that is simply a depository for all the songs you've ever liked makes some sense, but seems needlessly complicated to navigate. I used to tape the songs I liked from CDs I borrowed from the CD library, but, honestly, I never went back to the tapes. I just made them so I would have the songs. If I actually wanted to listen to the songs, I would have to integrate them into a proper mixtape. A mixtape that, like an album proper, would have a flow, highs and lows, transitions and juxtapositions. A journey rather than a mood. Arranging songs by vibe feels like collecting together swatches of the same colour in different shades, a paint chart instead of a collage. That's what Exile On Main Street is: a playlist, not an album. Songs the band liked - that you may like too - thrown together, one after the after. A decent ear will recognise different genres of Americana, but really all of them of a piece - you see the family resemblance, you know why they were put in the Main Street bin rather than the Sticky Fingers one. But not one song connects to the next, they don't clarify or edify each other by sitting side by side. One song doesn't even know the other ones are there. That is a form of variety, I suppose. Or that's how often feels. Really I hear two types of song here, some that are inward-looking and some that are outward-looking. The inward-looking songs sound like the band is a circle, playing to themselves, enjoying the camaraderie of walking through their favourite styles and influences. This is most of them, documentation of a good time that you missed out on - like the party atmospherics on that first Beastie Boys album. The outward-looking songs sound like Mick Jagger is facing the audience, the band and backdrop behind him. Shine A Light, for example, is for us. Too much of the record is for them. Knowing that a playlist will go on indefinitely, with no indication of where you are in its length, you keep an ear out for highlights, for little things that grab you. Plenty grabs me here, but only for a moment, full songs are hard to grasp or care to grasp. That those little things on Exile On Main Street are the playing of Nicky Hopkins, the brass arrangements, and the gospel backing vocals says who knows what about my feelings for the Rolling Stones. 3 While it is clearly impossible to deny that the Rolling Stones had a better time making this than anyone has ever had listening to it, it’s still quite good to listen to. They had perfected the art of building more or less mundane musical material into brilliant, ecstatic finales - Rocks Off, Rip This Joint, Tumbling Dice, Sweet Virginia, Loving Cup, All Down the Line. The sloppy(?), inconsistent production actually gives a sense of variety and certainly contributes to the spontaneous, party atmosphere of the record as well, although there is very little sloppy about the playing - the piano particularly is absolutely terrific. But the real key element in why this album is so good is Mick Jagger’s ability to find some convincing melodic hook every time (Keith Richards finds one too to be fair) and then deliver it with terrific energy and drama. Rocks and Shine a Light are two of my favourite Stones tracks and while I don’t particularly love anything else on this record I don’t think it ever sags in quality. Actually that’s not true - I love I just want to see his face. And all the horns. And the backing vocals. And Charlie Watts drumming. 4/5
Good album. Some people love it and say it's their best but I disagree. I think it's good but there's better.
I've already heard this. The best Rolling Stones album, as it's the most coherent. A bit long to run to since it's a triple. You could call this the Stone's 'Sandinista'.
Great Blues and Rock n Roll Elements through the whole Album and the Sound is so American. Feels like a Album to listen while driving through Route 66. Could've been a bit shorter but it is still a great and strong album overall. (4.0/5.0)
Aproape 5
Love the Stones!
real good bluesy rock, perfect for a summer drive to the campsite
didn’t listen probably a 3-4
Typical Rolling Stones. A little loud, a little rebelliousb
I was quite surprised that despite being released in 1972, this album followed the style of classic 50s rock and roll. Everything from the rhythm and chord progressions used felt like music you would hear at a dance hall on a Friday night. Now I'm just waiting for a cute boy to come up to me and ask me to dance or take me roller skating. Onto the actual review of the music. I think my criticism of this album is that after a while, all the songs kinda sound the same? Which in this scenario I don't actually have any issue with it because the album is so laid back and easy to listen to. So why is this a criticism if I don't mind it? Probably because I don't see myself coming back to this album anytime soon except maybe if can find it on cassette to listen to during a Sunday afternoon drive. In other words, I'll come back to this for the vibe, but not because I think it's one of the most well-written or produced albums of all time.
Date- 2/17/2025 Number- 67 Rating- 2 Top Tracks- Tumbling Dice Loving Up Ventilator Blues Listening Notes- For how much I like the Stones, it surprised me I had not listened to this album in full. Great Blues/Honky Tonk and Boogie album without anything skippable. I really enjoyed the piano, horns, steel guitar and blues vocals. I still lean more towards the Stones rock heavy songs, but I will be listening to this album much more. I may have listened to this album on my own, but am happy I did for the 1001 project. A solid 4.
Murky bluesy groovy
They sure took their own advice to Let It Loose on this one. Who cares exactly where or under what circumstances this album was made when it's just so much FUN to listen to? Drags a little for a couple of tracks in the middle, but still: Peak Stones!
Very good but it got very repetitive, couldve done with being half as long as well
I find it light and fun
This was pretty good. Not an unbearable amount of honky tonk. Enough careful composition to keep it interesting. Bluesy classic rock. Not my thing, but I can’t complain
This was pretty good. Not an unbearable amount of honky tonk. Enough careful composition to keep it interesting. Bluesy classic rock. Not my thing, but I can’t complain
My favourite flavour of Rolling Stones is definitely the dirty, dirty blues variety. It always feels a bit lazy to criticise double albums for being too long or 'sagging' at some point so I try to avoid that critique but I have found even after a few listens that particularly the first ten or so tracks have a bit of a habit of blurring into one. I personally found myself digging the second half more and if I had this on LP, I'd probably default mostly to listening to disc two. I've been gaining a massive appreciation for the harmonica recently and this has some truly vintage parts on the old mouth organ. So that helped tip me from a strong 3 to just about a 4.
According to fans, this is apparently the best album The Rolling Stones ever made. Critics these days would agree: 5's, 10's and A's across the board. ROLLING STONE (the magazine) would agree as well. On its 2012 list it was a top ten entry, at number 7. Later in 2020 it dropped down to 14, but it's still the highest-ranked Rolling Stones album by far — heck, at this point it now out-ranks SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND. That's quite a bit of pedigree for my ass. However, The Rolling Stones themselves (or maybe just Mick Jagger) would not agree. At the very least, he or they don't understand all the praise. The album didn't yield very many hits, after all — and that's not even to bring up the **mixing**! It's curious to me to see that disconnect. It's not particularly pronounced, yeah, but just that it exists at all... And, I'unno, just based off of the vibes I'd gotten from the Stones, I don't think I would've guessed that **this** was supposed to be the absolute cream of the crop. STICKY FINGERS, LET IT BLEED, those feel more to me like they should be claiming the top spot. Especially LET IT BLEED — how can an album that has shit like "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" **not** be the best thing? Goodness, STICKY FINGERS has "Dead Flowers", and that's an amazing little deep cut. Meanwhile, I look at EXILE ON MAIN ST., and I don't recognize a single song here. From the outside, I'm seeing what Jagger is talking about... And, like, I recognize, I'm largely judging a book by its cover here. Just because an album doesn't have any big obvious hits doesn't mean it's any worse. Heck, albums with big hits could be **worse** 'coz they only have the one or two good songs. It's just not typically a good sign in my eyes, y'know? It's not like listening to the album entirely disproves that, either. I mean, don't get me wrong: this is great rock music. In fact, it's not **just** "great rock": there's so much country and gospel influence throughout... And, oh, goodness me, the gospel influence. Let me put it out there right now, the gospel stuff is the best stuff on this album. Any time there was a song that leaned that way (or in a similar soul-ish direction), ah, I was all for it. Certainly, within the group of Rolling Stones album we've gotten so far, I like this a lot more than I do the strict "return to roots" blues rock of BEGGARS BANQUET. However, despite how much I find I like this material... I'unno. I'm still being held back from finding it all that incredible. It's great rock music, sure. But is it better, as a whole, than STICKY FINGERS? Or, why not, SGT. PEPPER'S? Legit, I do think the problem is that I didn't pick out any particular hits. As good as the material here is, and as well as it's played, I don't think I really heard that one song that would keep me wanting to come back for me. That's something I feel is cruisical, y'know? Even if it's just one song, a really good album — the best in a band's discography, even — should have that one song that makes you jolt your head up like, "Ooo! Listen to **that**!" STICKY FINGERS has those in the form of "I Got The Blues" and the aforementioned "Dead Flowers", not to mention the actual hits "Brown Sugar" and "Wild Horses". Meanwhile, on EXILE, I'd be hard-pressed to pick out any particular song. It all operated on such a nearly flat plain of "Yeah, it's good; I like this" that I barely noticed when one song ended and another began. This isn't exactly a glowing endorsement of the album here, I'm aware of that; I wanna stress again that I think it's great, even... But **the best**? Maybe if it'd been trimmed a little. I'm not sure if it **really** needed to be two discs — and ain't that the death knell for a double album, eh? But for real, maybe if the album had been tightened up some of these songs could have stood out a little more and I'd be more willing to cop to the consensus. But, y'know, I actually dislike making reviews so much about the consensus or others' opinions. So even though it provided me with a framework to talk about this album, let's put it aside as we wind down. I'll emphasize one more time, I did enjoy this album. When it got its gospel tinge on, or when it went a little country, I was all for it. When it was more straightforward rock, it was— it was fine. Good as any good rock music should be. It's just not one I'd be clamoring to revisit too soon, unlike STICKY FINGERS or the one I'm really looking forward to, LET IT BLEED. Still, though, I wouldn't give it less than a 4. It's a 4 that's less enthusiastic than usual, but a 4 nonetheless. At worst, it just doesn't get me too much closer to understanding why exactly the Stones could be such a critical darling. (And for real — the 2012 RS500 had this **how many spots** above **ABBEY ROAD**? I would never, goodness.)
Pretty good offering from the Stones on this double album set. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
kinda incredible icl
Oldie but goldies
Finally had the chance to sit down and listen to this one. Was on a flight to Vegas for my roomates 21st birthday and this album perfectly matched that vibe. I do think that it could have been a single LP and packed a bit more punch (I.E Sticky Fingers), however for what its work there isn't a "bad" track on this whole thing and just for that alone it deserves the praise that it does get. 8/10
It’s exile.
Pretty good for boomer rock. I agree with Ryan
Another that I knew. One of my favourite Stones albums. Probably at their best for me
Lots of soul, solid rock idk how I'd never heard of this album before, 8/10
Classic. Haven't listened to it in a long time, and I'm not a huge Rollings Stones fan, but definitely a good album. I am a big fan of Ventilator Blues though ;)
002.Exile On Main Street by The Rolling Stones -Felt like I was listening to a Local Rock Group playing the Beer Tent at the Spring Spit-in-your-eye festival. -The RS music that gets played on the Local Rock Station around here sounds more like it was built for Arena Settings vs this Town Hall Dance sound. _would buy if it was <$5 LP
I’m not a huge Rolling Stones fan but every time I hear something by them I’m like “yeah I get it” a little more. It kinda sounds like a Bruce Springsteen album
Rocks off and Happy are the highlights for me.
I’d like to rate it 3.75 but rounded up because the songs that hit, hit very hard. But there’s way too many meh songs and the excellence of the good ones get washed out overall. Overall enjoyed it
Absolute classic that defined their sound and pushed the needle forward
I've had this record for years, once played in a horn section in a song-by-song recreation of it. I see it as kind of an advanced class in the Stones. It's NOT a good first album you should hear of theirs, as so many of the tracks are just VIBE, and it's a double album with only a couple of hits. For a starter (non greatest hits) Stones album? '60s Stones: "Flowers". '70s Stones, maybe "Sticky Fingers", the one before this one. But, I mean "Tumblin' Dice" is one of the greatest rock songs of the '70s for sheer vibe, groove and hookiness. We generally don't love the Stones for their deep lyrics, let's just be clear about that. Sometimes they sneak in some good stuff ("Torn and Frayed") but their appeal isn't usually in the lyrics. "Happy", btw, is a hit as well, with Keith on lead vocals. I like the Stones, even after almost a decade of popularity and huge hits, manage to make this record sounds relaxed, like a bunch of friends hanging out at a cabin by a lake or something, just partying, making music, writing songs on the spot, making food, playing old blues records, philosophizing about whatever. Of course that's not the story whatsoever, with sessions happening in different studios in different cities, Keef not showing up and developing a raging heroin habit, etc., but as a straight-through listening experience it FEELS kind of like that... I'm fond of how "Loving Cup" turns into a New Orleans-style horn-and-piano freakout at the end. There, I said it. Loose-limbed, sprawling, rootsy, world-weary, it's a classic, but in the end I would shave off about 4-5 of the more meandering songs and make this a long-ish single album.
Take a sip from my Loving Cup!
Flows so well
Straight up blues record. I dig it. Hilarious that the background is them holed up in France, evading taxes and the album becomes this personal anthem to their own outlaw status. Also fascinating that this mostly grows out of hours-long jam sessions, many with other musicians sitting in too.
Great album. Torn and Frayed, Loving Cup, and Shine a Light were all highlights for me.
just what i'd want out of rock and roll album. really good energy and rock? idk its a good album thats all that matters
The Rolling Stones hebben ontzettend veel goede nummers, maar niet echt veel albums die in z'n geheel zeer goed zijn imo. Exile On Main Street is hier een uitzondering van. Lang album, dat wel, maar wel veel goede nummers (al staan ze ook wel bijna allemaal op de eerste plaat). 3.9
Not my favorite stones album but still good, easy to listen to
Bluesy rock and roll. A very Americana sound for a British band. Not what I think of when I think about the Stones but enjoyed it a lot
Enjoyed this but I don’t feel this is the Stone’s best album. The remastered version is less muddy than I remember though.
A good amount of stone cold classics on this. I tend to prefer the songs that are more musical than the looser, yell-y songs on this. Basically when Mick Jagger sounds like he's singing rather than yelling I am very on board.
I did enjoy this. I was surprised to find that for such an iconic album, I knew none of the tracks!
The two singles, Tumbling Dice and Happy, truly are two standout songs on this album. Happy has Keith Richards on vocals, a change up I always appreciate. A song called I Just Want to See His Face has another change up: a positive reference to…Jesus? Am I hearing that right? I’m only at 4 stars because I’m not a huge Stones fan to begin with but it’s a solid album that deserves its reputation as one of, if not their very best.
Good, but when they start getting into more of the piano ballads, I start to lose interest. Just feels like those songs drag. But still a good album
Need to finish but very much enjoyed the first half that I listened to. Not something I would listen to every day but very enjoyable.