1001 Albums Summary

I really don't care much for this album. I love "Permanent Waves" and "Moving Pictures" but only came across them via a recommendation about 20 years ago from another like minded musical friend... those albums have a bit of 'rock' about them and aren't as 'twiddly' or 'hysterical' as this is.

As with every Stones album (even those from the 'classic' period) "Let It Bleed" is almost wilfully uneven. The stand out tracks are sublime - the greatest ever intro kicks the album off into "Gimme Shelter". But then you get a sorry mish mash of faux country and tossed off blues, plus uninspired 'rawk' until you get to "Midnight Rambler" which, whilst overlong, as least has some oomph about it. And you cap it all off (after the dire "You Got The Silver") with the closing brilliance of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" preceded by the mighty, magical "Monkey Man". So how does one rate a great pile of uninspired, insipid doodling interjected by three of the greatest tunes the Stones ever made? With caution, I'd say - and with a finger at the ready to skip the rest to get to the very best.

Quite honestly, I know I *should* be using words like "groundbreaking" and "revelatory" etc etc etc. But on listening back to this, with about four exceptions, it really just isn't that great. In fact, in places, it is downright awkward. Elvis hadn't discovered his 'voice' yet and flits between some pretty bizarre vocal affectations that sound really quite bizarre in places. And, stone me, the songwriting isn't all that either.