The Rolling Stones

This bootleg should be better than it is. Touted as a collection of "alternate studio instrumentals 1966-1971," some of it sounds like single-stereo-track knock-offs from the odd non-American Stones Decca CDs. On the other hand, some of it sounds really cool, especially if you like Keith Richards, Nicky Hopkins, Bill Wyman et al, and part of it is a karaoke enthusiast's dream. The instrumental tracks off Between the Buttons are the best part -- the Stones were running on seven cylinders at that point, with Brian Jones mostly having put aside his guitar, and the prominence of the bass, and of piano and organ in their mixes, is one consequence of this. The Kinks were starting to go through a similar transition, and their Face to Face has numerous similarities to Between the Buttons. "Complicated," "She Smiled Sweetly" (where the piano is the lead instrument), "All Sold Out," "My Obsession," and "Cool Calm Collected" reveal this new configuration to the Stones' music, which carried them for two albums. "Miss Amanda Jones," by contrast, represents the old Stones, with Keith Richards' manic guitars incredibly crisp and completely unbridled. And the presence of "Stupid Girl" from Aftermath, before their sound fully changed, shows just what they lost between 1966 and 1967. The Satanic Majesties tracks sound are a weird bunch, partly finished tracks with backing vocals, as near as this reviewer can tell -- "Citadel" has all kinds of strange stuff on it, including what sounds like a Mellotron subbing for an oboe. The Beggar's Banquet stuff is just plain uneven. The Let It Bleed songs are fun, and show the Stones getting their old loud guitar sound back again. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide