The Rolling Stones Exile On Main St.
Picking the best Rolling Stones recording is a hard thing to do. Most people would choose one of the many greatest hits compilations. These compilations, however, don't fully showcase what makes the Stones one of the best rock bands of all time. To truly appreciate Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and the rest of the boys, one should listen closely to Exile on Main Street. The disc finds the Stones doing what they do best—combining blues, rock, country, and soul into a timeless piece of work.
Released in 1972, Exile was met with mixed reviews by music critics. Over the years, however, the recording has been re-evaluated and most people refer to it as a masterpiece. Its popularity has grown so much that indie darling Liz Phair scored one of the best reviews in the past 20 years by recording a song-by-song response to it in 1993.
The disc is not essential because of any groundbreaking musical work, as they borrow rather obviously from their influences; nor from advances in production, as the disc often has a grainy tone. The real joy of listening to Exile revolves around how all eighteen songs fit together perfectly as the Stones reinvent their influences into a rousing, decadent, and even stirring piece of work. “Rocks Off” is the opening track on the recording and it is one of the Stones more underrated songs. The sexual frustration prominent on many great Stones songs shows up in Jagger’s lyrics and the Stones “quieter” members, drummer Charlie Watts and sax man Bobby Keys, provide solid performances.
The next three songs showcase the Stones love for the blues. Best of the bunch is “Hip Shake”, which features great guitar work by Richards and Mick Taylor and impressive harp work by Jagger.
The recording’s biggest hit, “Tumbling Dice”, follows with the Stones at their best; a killer chorus, good guitar riffs, and inspired vocals by Jagger. Things get a little quieter in Exile’s next bunch of songs as they delve into country and soul. The most interesting of the group,“Sweet Virginia”, employs a shuffling backbeat.
Things pick up a couple of songs later with “Loving Cup” and “Happy.” The former has some of the recordings’ most atmospheric sounds with Nicky Hopkins on piano and Bobby Keys on sax. The second song is one of the more familiar rockers as it features Keith Richards on vocals.
After a few more blues-inspired songs, Exile finishes with five great songs. “Let It Loose” starts it off with a soulful performance by Jagger backed by a touching gospel chorus. “All Down the Line” and “Stop Breaking Down” both feature impressive guitar work by Richards and Taylor once again.
The real gem though is “Shine A Light”, a song supposedly about drug addiction. Billy Preston guests on the song and his organ and piano playing complement the rest of the band nicely. Another killer chorus with fantastic background vocals makes the song even more memorable.
The disc ends with “Soul Survivor”, a rocking song that perfectly brings the proceedings to a close. Once the final notes disappear, one is left with the exhilaration that music does not have to be completely original to leave a mark. In fact, some of the best music made can be a combination of influences and musical styles that blend together.
