Beggars Banquet

Back to raw, earthy Stones R&B after their dabblings in dark psychedelia with "Their Satanic Majesties". Jimmy Miller installed to produce that traditional Stones sound. Effectively Brian's last album. He did get credits on a coupla tracks on "Let it Bleed" but here he's involved in the whole deal. And that's where this album sits, neatly in that transition niche, re-establishing the gutsy, edgy noise they were after and achieving a good solid typical Stones album - but pretty safe.

I think it no better than either of the two aforementioned albums that neatly straddle it. Perhaps the rift with Brian plays it's part in keeping things on line. There's not the beauty of the experimentation of "Sticky Fingers" where they start ploughing new furrows and take Mick Taylor's impact fully on board. That said, it's far better than the predictable (and over long) "Exile on Main Street". It does bring some outstanding tracks to their back catalogue "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man" (obviously), "Salt of the Earth" and the often overlooked "Stray Cat Blues". Good stuff but not outstanding.

Theres some really cool songs on this album, a great mix of rock, blues and acoustic. I think saying its a 4 star "let it bleed" somes it up.