Aftermath =uk Version=

There was a time when it was not uncommon for record companies to release different versions of an album in the UK and the US, and the Rolling Stones' "Aftermath" is an example of thsi practice. Released with different track listings in the UK and the US, the UK version which I'm listening to doesn't include the classic and live show perenniel "Paint It Black" which opened the US release, but if what you want is a Stones greatest hits package buy a greatest hits, there's plenty to choose from, or better still one of their live albums and you'll be spoilt for choice.Instead the UK release contains four songs you won't find on the shorter US release, the first of these being the Anthony Newley-esque variety hall-style "Mother's Little Helper" with which the album opens, long a favourite of mine but it's advocation of the benefits of pharmaceuticals is at best suspect. Second track is the the misogynists' rocker "Stupid Girl", leaving its title and lyrical theme aside this is actually a really well constructed song [as an aside the superb cover by Ellen Foley on her excellent "Night Out" album was my introduction to this song]. Unfortunately I can't say the same about the Baroque madrigal "Lady Jane" that really doesn't work for me. The rocking misogyny though returns with fourth track "Under My Thumb", I assume that like "Brown Sugar" for reasons of political correctness this ode to male dominance is no longer a staple of their live performances. Fifth track "Doncha Bother Me" is a down and dirty blues, while the eleven minute "Goin' Home" that originally closed side one of the UK release [which you'll either love or hate, there's no in-between] is a magnificent slow-burning single movement rocking blues jam, IMO this is the best track here and alone is worth the [cut-] price of the album as Jagger sings, wails, calls, and skats reminding us of the Stones' Thames estuary bluesmen roots.The original side two opened with the boogie-woogie piano of "Flight 505" before blossoming into rocking and rolling Eel Pie Island style RnB ; "High and Dry" is a country blues, what is it with the Stones and hillbilly blues; while third track, the rocking pop number "Out of Time" was a big hit for Chris Farlowe, here in it's original version it's rawer and less polished than Farlowe's recording and could have been forgettable were it not for Brian Jones's marimba and vibraphone that hold the whole the thing together (strangely this is also one of the omissions from the US release). "It's Not Easy" is a chugging blues and like all the tracks here it's a Jagger-Richards original, but it's another that's a clear throwback to the Stones roots as a blues cover band.Viewed from 2022 and in the knowledge of what was yet to come from the Stones, from this point on the UK "Aftermath" takes a serious dive in terms of the quality of the songs and their variety. So far we've had rock, Baroque, country, blues (both urban and rural), RnB, and a touch of vaudeville but the quartet of songs that complete the album are all firmly rooted in mid '60's mid-Atlantic pop de jour, perhaps there is an argument for the less is more approach adopted for the US release. The first of these "I Am Waiting" is disappointing, it has potential but never really develops and ends up sounding like a best forgotten Everly Brothers song (with London accents); the aptly named "Take It or Leave It" is similar and with its folk-rock structure and vocal harmonies it could have come from the Stones Liverpudlian rivals, the US release left it but the Searchers in need of another hit took it but it missed. Like "Out of Time" the modish, and best of this pop quartet "Think" was covered by Chris Farlowe, but unlike "Out of Time" it failed to trouble the top thirty [I've not heard Farlowe's version so can't comment]; while closer "What to Do" was another that was [wisely?] omitted from the US release, it's a pop-rocker but with Jagger's vocals unusually restrained it leans heavily towards the Beatles harmonies.And that's it. Frankly "Aftermath" is not a seminal must-have Stones album, even if rock's cognoscenti laud it as a crucial development in the Stones timeline as their first all original album. Leaving aside "Goin' Home" there are a few good songs here but most of these would fail the #metoo test, and the rest just fail the test of time.

ENCORE UN ALBUM DE MA JEUNESSE ( NE EN 1950 ) J'APPRECIE TOUJOURS AUTANT CE GROUPE !!!!!

A great cd love it.

The Stones, right before the change, of Between The Buttons and Their Satanic...where they struggled for their sound and identity, to regain it, with such future classics as Jumpin' Jack Flash, Street Fighting Man, Gimme Shelter etc, til the beginning of their downfall with Exile (3 great songs, and it makes all them stupid critic's lists).This was the first album where the Stones wrote all their material, and what gems are contained here! They were never snottier, or more sexist! (hooray!) Mother's Little Helper is of course a classic; how more obnoxious can you get than with an opening line like "what a drag it is getting old"? Good drug song.Stupid Girl! Ah, what a great song about a stuck-up, narcissistic woman.An underrated classic, just like this album. Nobody seems to know how great this LP is, it's like an appendage to a greatest hits collection, to make your classic Stones collection complete.Great lines here: "she purrs like a pussycat; then she turns around and hisses back" (must've been about a Scorpio chick!)The whole song has such wonderful venomous lyrics!Lady Jane -- a love song following that? nah, this is sarcasm at its best I feel. This is probably the most sonically stunning song on this superb remaster (sure sounds a lot better than my old German CD version). The interlude is positively beautiful.Other highlights are Doncha Bother Me, the horny Going Home (Mick's building up steam there, determined, he's gonna be back, oh YEAH. Great bluesy number); Out Of Time (another great sexist song; the message: you're too late, b---h! your loss, clearly ["my poor DISCARDED baby"]); I Am Waiting (the saddest song here -- "stand of coming years, escalation fears, you will find out" -- sadder than the truth behind Mother's Little Helper); What To Do (super-catchy number); and of course, the piece de resistance of sexism, Under My Thumb.What a classic song! While Social Distortion did a brilliant couple (okay, FOUR) cover versions with incredible venom, there's no need here; she's clearly just a "squirmy dog" who "does just what she's told" and, best of all this so-called conquerer of men who once had our protagonist down -- "the way she talks when she's spoken to" --YEAH!!!! Also, "her eyes are just kept to herself". This may be the greatest song ever!For any guy who's been done wrong, this is YOUR song!In fact, it's the way to BE!It's like "Heart Of Stone", yknow?, except HERE the Stones MEAN it!A vicious album; yet not angry in delivery: The Stones know who's boss. (60's rock stars!)My fave Stones album easily, after this I'd say --well first you need at least "Hot Rocks" or something, a best-of, covering the 60's. Then this, and then, well, the merits of Got Live If You Want It is widely debated, but I think it's great, just give me the old stereo mix with just Mick's vocals and handclaps in the right channel, and the band in the left, and you've got the next best album.I don't care less what they're doing now, they've been miserable for the most part after the 60s, although especially after It's Only Rock n Roll (and the incredible live period with Mick Taylor, their best guitarist ever, forget Richards next to HIM!). Plus, after Tattoo You, nothing by them is any good.Their peak, really. From the best year in popular rock and roll music, 1966, coincidentally when the bands influenced by the Stones were legion.Your best choice after a greatest hits for one of their 60s albums, much better than those that preceded it, or came after.

This album is fantastic and one of the best in the Rolling Stones catalogue! The 2002 remastering is off the charts on this one - every song is in crystal clear stereo so I couldn't be happier with the audio quality! "Mother's Little Helper" is one of my favorite Stones songs of all time and I never heard it sound this good! I could hear certain guitar sounds coming through my right speaker that was missed out on the mono version! So now I like it better than ever!!Now for the rest of the songs..."Stupid Girl" is a fun romp, the organ playing reminded me of Bob Dylan's "Apple Suckling Tree"! "Lady Jane" is a classic that I used to not care for but it grew on me, now I love it! Reminds me of Grateful Dead's "Mountains Of The Moon" - "Under My Thumb" has always been a favorite of mine and introduces us to the first xylophone playing on the album! "Doncha Bother Me" is a great classic rock song that really delivers. Now I must say I didn't care much for "Going Home" - too slow, too long and drawn out for me! It could have been okay if it was just around 3 mins. or so... but 11 mins.?? That just makes me lose interest! I always skip to the next song after the 3 min. mark! "Flight 505" is another great, fast-paced rocker, reminded me a little of Johnny Cash's "On The 309" except that was a train as opposed to an airplane! "High And Dry" is fantastic! A cool sounding country-rock number that would have fit well on "Beggars Banquet"! "Out Of Time" is another favorite of mine, and we get more xylophone playing on this one - and how about that organ playing?? Very cool! "It's Not Easy" is sort of a mid-paced song but still rocks! "I Am Waiting" is a slower song, kind of like "Lady Jane" but still different and has great instrumentation! "Take It Or Leave It" and "Think" are good songs but compared with the rest I think they are the 2nd and 3rd weakest songs on here behind "Going Home"! I detected a little doo-wop on "What To Do" which I thought came across great, it was also a little country sounding, I don't think this would have been too out of place on a Buck Owens album!So all in all this one is outstanding and could have been equal to "Beggars Banquet" and "Let It Bleed" if "Going Home" was taken off and replaced with "Paint It, Black" and "19th Nervous Breakdown"! But it's still fantastic as it is! I definitely recommend it!