I really enjoy The Rolling Stones music because it is unique, interesting, pure rock, and different. They are a great band which has led to their overwhelming popularity. A great band.

Hot Rocks 1964-1971: 87

This is a great double with lots of classic tunes that everyone should check out. Mick Jagger’s distinct voice and their big rock band style makes it a pleasurable experience. This was their best time in their careers and should definitely be a buy.

These reviews are contributed by Glenn J. Wiener. Thanks Glenn!!!!

England's Newest Hitmakers 68

With a few exceptions, this debut album is strictly blues covers. But what were you expecting in 1964 Heavy Metal? The primitive 1960's production makes this a little hard to listen to but the raw energy especially from Mick Jagger's vocals and Keith Richards' and Brian Jones' guitars show you that these guys were special. Tell Me is an outstanding original with some nice chord changes and pleasant vocal harmonies. The Stones put some mustard into the Nat King Cole song, Route 66. I Just Want To Make Love To You, Carol, and Walking The Dog are other standout numbers. A good album to get to know where the Rolling Stones started.

12 X 5: 78

This record is ever slightly more developed than the first collection. There are five originals on this one although none are really outstanding. You have your blues (Around And Around, Suzie Q, Confessing' The Blues, Grown Up Wrong) but you have more soul influenced numbers(Under The Boardwalk, Time Is On My Side, If You Need Me). I would rate this record even higher but the drumming is a bit repetitive throughout.

Rolling Stones Now: 57

The Stones take a step back with this collection. This record is less appealing because it is filled with way too many blues songs. Other tunes such as Everybody Needs Somebody To Love and Mona are overly repetitive with the later being way too similar to Not Fade Away from their debut record. I like variety in my music and on this record the Stones stand out only slightly more than other bands debuting at this time. Heart Of Stone is a fine single, Little Red Rooster and Down Home Girl have some good slide guitar licks courtesy of Brian Jones. However, this record is not necessary for your collection.

Out Of Our Heads: 82

Now this is the record where the Rolling Stones took a big step forward. This one has the fuzz toned smash Satisfaction, the spooky Play With Fire, and the badly underrated The Last Time. What a chord progression on that song. Covers and originals are done with style and precision. Spider And The Fly, Good Times, That's How Strong My Love Is, etc... Almost all of them are winners! Only It's Alright, a repetitive filler piece ranks as all wrong!

Aftermath: 87

Here you have some big time artistic group. First of all Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote all the songs all by themselves. It shows you what being locked in the kitchen will make you do. Brian Jones contributes a wide assortment of instrumental touches to this album: sitar, marimba, dulcimer, harp, slide guitar, did I miss anything? Charlie Watts' drumming is more varied then ever and Bill Wyman contributes some interesting bass riffs particularly on Under My Thumb and I Am Waiting. There I named all these fine musicians in one review. All these songs are great except that Going Home would be appropriate at five minutes long rather than the ungodly length of eleven and half minutes. A must Buy for anyone who remotely likes this band.

Flowers: 92

This is a great compilation of the Stones early hits and rarities meant for other performers. Ruby Tuesday, Lady Jane, and Mothers Little Helper are jus three of the fine hits here to entertain you. A cover version of My Girl which doesn't vary much from the original is there for amusement purposes. Loud and soft, Acoustic , electric, slithery and sweet all elements are used very appropriately here. An excellent quick study of the early creative years where you can feel the contributions of the late Brian Jones.

Beggars Banquet: 93

The development of Keith Richards guitar technique produced this fabulous record. The guitar sound is so much stronger here especially on Stray Cat Blues and Sympathy For The Devil. Heck, Sympathy For The Devil alone is worth the price of this record although there are so many winners on here. Its rock, country, and blues at its finest. Mick Jagger's delivery has rarely been better. Also, you have Keith Richards vocal debut on Salt Of The Earth albeit a cameo. An absolute must buy!

Let It Bleed: 84

The great music just keeps on coming. A little bit too much country for my tastes but hey you have to keep experimenting. This album, the Stones mostly performed as a four piece unit as Brian Jones was fired in the middle of these sessions and Mick Taylor, his replacement was only featured on two tracks. Gimmee Shelter has the most spooky intro and the background vocals of Merry Clayton add that eerie touch signifying the mood of the 1960's. This album also features the first appearance of saxophonist Bobbie Keys on the rock steady Live With Me.

Get Yer Ya Ya's Out: 92

A great raw live album featuring the Stones at the top of their game. Midnight Rambler, Live With Me, and Jumping Jack Flash really come to life in this concert setting. The guitar interplay between Richards and Taylor displays the EDGE that made the Stones great. In a day and age of technology and special effects this album is rewarding for those who appreciate real musicians playing real music.

Sticky Fingers: 89

Here the Stones focus more on Rock N Roll and Electric Blues in addition to a little bit of Country Music. And the results are nearly flawless. Dead Flowers is undoubtedly their best Country song. Bitch is one of their best rockers. Its tough to top that opening combination of Brown Sugar and Sway. The only slight weakness here is that the album ends a little slow. Overall its an excellent buy.

Exile On Main Street: 94

Now this the album to start your Rolling Stones Collection with. Everything is great on this two album set yet there are no over played numbers except for maybe Tumbling Dice. Mick Jagger expands his vocal delivery further and the guitar interplay between Mick Taylor and Keith Richards is at its best! Boy, that Mick Taylor fills in with some great riffs on Rocks Off, All Down The Line, Soul Survivor, and Ventilator Blues. His solo on Shine A Light creates a neat underwater effect that's a perfect match with the gospel setting created from the rest of the band. Even some of the weaker numbers are strengthened by solid arrangements and in the case of Casino Boogie a great sax solo by Bobbie Keys. An absolute must buy.

Goats Head Soup: 75

Well, anything would pale in comparison with the previous release. Still this is a very good collection. The pace is a bit slow and plodding but the performances are basically good. The band goes into a mini slump with the Winter and Can You Hear The Music(one of the worst songs in the band's catalogue courtesy of an annoying organ sequence), but they close on a high note with the controversial Star Star. Mick Taylor delivers another stunning wah wah guitar solo on 100 Years Ago.

It's Only Rock N Roll: 73

Well, more appropriately its mostly rock n roll and I sort of like it, I think so, is Ok hmmmm. Well there is some interesting reggae(Luxury) and a good funky number(Fingerprint File). Time Waits for No One is a stunning ballad filled with touching lyrics and impressive guitar fills. The rock 'n roll part is good but other than the great opening number, there is a little bit lacking in the creativity department.

Black And Blue: 52

What happened here? Well, for starters Mick Taylor quit the band and the sessions consisted of auditioning for his replacement. Eventually Ronnie Wood became the choice shortly before the albums release but the finished product was a disappointment. But a creative disappointment. You see the album has many interesting special effects as there are sounds borrowed from disco, funk, jazz, and reggae. With only two out and out rockers this album should have been entitled Almost Anything But Rock 'N Roll. Where I respect the Stones for being different, what really brings this record down is that nearly every song beats you to death with the same melody line over and over until you want to scream. Gosh, just listen to Hot Stuff or Fool To Cry and you'll think that something is wrong with your needle. And two minutes of listening to the repetitive squeaky organ sequence of Cherry Oh Baby will have you running for the shelter of a Tylenol to help ya. So you wonder why the Stones put out this repetitive product? Just look at the album cover photo of Mick And Keith. Their eyes are all a glazed!

Some Girls: 45

Well at least for the most part the band returns to the land of rock 'n roll. However, this time the monotony seems to be in the tone of the music as the songs all appear to be in the same key. The pace seems to be quite similar from song to song with Respectable and Lies(gee are they really two different songs) clocking in a little faster than the rest. What little diversity that exists is marred by an over used riff(Miss You), an annoying vocal style(Beast Of Burden) and an inappropriate forum combined with poor effort(Far Away Eyes, Just My Imagination). If you are a fan of punk rock and can tolerate the bits of swill pop then you might actually like this effort. Otherwise, I would pass on dull collection.

Emotional Rescue: 55

Slightly better than Some Girls but I still can't get no satisfaction from these late seventies Stones albums. Here at least there are some worthwhile performances. Summer Romance, Let Me Go, and Where The Boys All Go rock with some freshness and I really like the Cockney accent Mick puts on the last tune. Keith actually delivers the album's most memorable vocal performance on All About You as he reveals troubling thoughts on his breakup with Anita Pallenberg. Down In The Hole is welcome return to the rhythm n blues roots of this band. Unfortunately the rest of the album suffers from either mediocre songwriting or an annoying Mick Jagger vocal style or in the case of Send It To Me, both!

Tattoo You: 63

Ever so slightly better than the Emotional Rescue effort. Boy at this time and at this pace the Stones would put out a strong album in about fifteen years. Geez did I give away the rest of my reviews. Anyway, the stones must've ran out of creative ideas as they used cast offs from previous albums. Hell, the beautiful Waiting On A Friend and the filler piece Tops were retained from the Goats Head Soup sessions and still have Mick Taylor's guitar parts. What's interesting as that the album is divided into a fast part and a slow part. However, the overall result of both parts is mixed. A cheapie bin purchase is all its really worth.

Dirty Work: 66

Well the title sure is appropriate. Never has such venom been displayed on a Rolling Stones record. Just look at the titles: Fight, Had It With You, Don't Hold Back, One Hit To The Body, and Winning Ugly. Its definitely rock n roll and pretty good for the most part. However Mick Jagger's barking uh singing has never been so ....dirty. Gee that's the word I was looking for. Truthfully, the tensions between Mick and Keith were at a fever pitch as Mick had been taking time away from the Stones for his solo project. Overall, the mood enhanced by spot uh Mick Jagger makes the album sort of Middle Of The Road. Whoops, I guess that comment should be in the Pretenders Review.

Steel Wheels: 35

The Stones put out this 12 song album back in 1989. And its a real chore to find two songs which stand out. Only Mixed Emotions and Hold On To Your Hat do and just barely. Is sad listening to this rubbish as lack of effort was clearly the cause of this dissappointing album. What made the Rolling Stones the Greatest Rock N Roll Band in the world was the gritty EDGE that came from blending the raw guitar sounds with the steady drumming, bass, and Mick Jagger's passionate vocals. This element is hardly existent on this record especially on the second half. Just listen to the annoying ooh ooh's on Almost Hear You Sigh. Where's the hook and this dissappointing number. And just where is the band on Continental Drift. This song sounds like it was recorded in outer space where synthesizers and computers have taken over rock n roll. Even Rock In A Hard Place which starts off with a promising opening riff turns into a abundant over programmed affair with especially annoying background vocals. Sad Sad Sad sounds like it was written in about two minutes. Need I say anymore? Unless you like a dull drink coaster, avoid Squealed Deals uh I mean Steel Wheels.

Voo Doo Lounge: 85

A Major Surprise. I figured after a listen to Steel Wheels, it was possibly the Last Time for the Rolling Stones. Actually it was for Billy Wyman who retired from the band in January 1993. However, Voo Doo Lounge is their best recording since Goat's Head Soup. Mick and Keith wrote fifteen solid if not spectacular songs that neatly sum up the career of the Rolling Stones. The album has the Elizibethian Ballad New Faces and the dynamic Sweethearts Together which are reminiscent of the 60's Stones. Rockers such as Love Is Strong, I Go Wild, and Sparkw Will Fly are remioniscent of the Mick Taylor era. Suck On The Jugular funks better than any of the disco the band put out in the late seventies and early eighties. Keith Richards adds two remarkable vocal performances on The Worst and Thru And Thru which expand on his prior work. For those who were expecting an all rock 'n roll album, you might be a bit dissappointed as there are many different elements present. However, the execution is on the money and I rate this album almost at their best level.

Bridges To Babylon: 86

Two in row for these dinosaurs of Rock N Roll. On this effort they expand into the realms of techno Rock with such winners as Anybody Seen My Baby? and Might As Well Get Juiced. There is still a strong rock n roll backbeat on these and most of the other songs on the record. Mick Jagger puts in another strong effort here but surprisingly Keith Richards has three lead vocals including the lightly reggae flavored number You Don't Have To Mean It. The only minor drawback is that the album finishes a little slow but overall a return to form by this legendary band.