"Let It Bleed" Album Review
Alpha101 Let me start off by saying, the album was a pleasant surprise for me. I've never really gotten into the Stones because most of their songs obviously are inspired by country music, which I am not really fond of, except for a few artists. When it comes to British bands, I've always leaned towards The Beatles, who were sounded more pop-rock/psychedelic rock, or The Who, who has a lot of bluesy tracks. But, while I'm not a huge fan of this band, I've always liked them. So, one day, I was in a music shop, and they had this album. There was only one left, and it was on sale. So, obviously, I picked it up and hoped for the best. I can't say that I was disappointed."Gimme Shelter" opens the album perfectly. This is easily my favorite song by the band, and is possibly the best anti-war song ever written. The lyrics were simple, but really grabbed and affected me in ways that I could not explain. What really makes this song my favorite song by the band is the backup singer, Merry Clayton. She put her entire being into singing this song, and you could tell that she was exhausted near the end of the song. This is one of the best songs ever written, and automatically got me excited for the rest of the album.
"Love in Vain" got my attention from the very beginning. It's bluesy, and Jagger's voice makes the song that much better. Musically, it's not a great song, but I still enjoy it a good bit.
"Country Honk" is really fun to sing along to! Jagger does a perfect job in this one, and it's unbelievably catchy and likable. It's beautifully written, and the chorus is one of my favorites in history. This is probably my second favorite off of the album.
"Live With Me" had an opening that really reminded me of their later song "Bitch." It sounds very similar, which kind of turned me off of it, but it's still an enjoyable song. It's an okay song, but I could go without listening to it again.
"Let it Bleed," the title track, is one of the best songs that I've had the pleasure of hearing. The lyrics were masterfully written, and the ending really got me up and moving. It's one of the best songs on the album, and one of the best songs by the Stones.
"Midnight Rambler" is a boring song. It's not terrible, mind you, but it's probably one of my least favorites.
"You Got The Silver" surprised me upon first listen. At first, I thought it was Bob Dylan singing! it's not a great song, but it is pretty good, and was a nice addition to the album.
"Monkey Man" had a fantastic opening, and it is very catchy and energetic. Like many above, it isn't a great song, but I do enjoy it, and many others do too.
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" has one of the best openings to a song in rock history. This was one of the first songs that I ever heard by the Stones, so it holds a special place in my heart. The chorus is very well-known by fans of the Stones, and non-fans alike. It did a perfect job of closing the album, and made up for two or three of the average songs above.
Overall, while not every song on the album is strong, it's still one of the most important albums in rock history, and possibly the best album by the band. It's easily in my top five albums, and it still holds up to this very day.
9.8/10 - Great Album
Comments
Most of the Stones' music isn't country inspired. In fact, it's primarily based in blues. You should try Exile on Main St., Sticky Fingers, and Beggars Banquet if you're looking for more blues, but Their Satanic Majesties Request is quite psychedelic. - PetSounds