As w/any artists who've last through multiple decades, some Stones records have fallen victim to horrible sound/production (Steel Wheels, Dirty Work). Some of them though, had brilliant sound that elevated the records, even in spite of the songwriting. Here are my favorite sounding Stones lps -

"Exile" - that's obvious, and a lot of people will say it (not Mick though). "Black and Blue" - it's dry, but has a warm, in your face sound I like. "Some Girls" - LOVE the sound of this one. Crisp, nicely mixed, guitars upfront. "Bridges to Babylon" - not sure what it is I like, but it seems to have this "deep" sound (for lack of a better word) that helps make some of the songs a lot more interesting than they really are.

definitely black and blue.

No offense, but how many different ways can the same question be asked?

Although completely different than the earlier 1970s recordings, Emotional Rescue has possibly the best sound for a Stones album.

Sticky Fingers and Let It Bleed are the other ones that are supreme (although totally different sounding LPs they share the same quality of their eras). Exile has some moments that are close to those but its overallness almost pales in comparison.

The bizarre dullness of Goats Head Soup is interesting: it has a haze to it that works very good. Perhaps they captured the air quality of Kingston on tape. Yet IORR, which has a similar haze to it, sounds more flat in some places and brighter in others. It's a weird sounding LP.

Tattoo You has brilliant sounds on it considering the sources for that LP and is their biggest sounding album. Start Me Up and Black Limo sound a million times bigger and fuller than any song on Some Girls where as the ER leftover tracks like Hang Fire and Little T&A have a bigger sound to them than anything on ER has. And of course the Black And Blue leftovers sound amazing - they should get Clearmountain to do a total remix of Black And Blue to make it sound as good as Slave and Worried About You do on TY.

It's all in the mix. Sure, the mastering helps as well but the mix, the EQuing, determines the whole lot.

Aftermath sounds pretty good too.

Metamorphosis

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punkfloyd
No offense, but how many different ways can the same question be asked?

He's talking about the sound, not the quality of the album.

Always loved the clear and deep sound of Tattoo You. Remember thinking Some Girls sounded old and outdated in comparison. Maybe the early 80s was the perfect era for perfect sounding albums?

...perhaps you need a new hearing aid....11 million copies later Some Girls remain a best seller.

Tattoo You and Some Girls.

"Arise, Sir Chris Kimsey...."

Black and Blue or Steel Wheels

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Koen

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punkfloyd
No offense, but how many different ways can the same question be asked?

He's talking about the sound, not the quality of the album.

Dirty Work then.

Post "tattoo" : Bridges to Babylon.
Pre "tattoo" : Let it Bleed , Some Girls , Tattoo You , Stil Life

Some Girls
Black And Blue
Exile
Babylon



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011-07-23 20:03 by TooTough.

Interesting, there seems to be somewhat of a consensus here. I didn't realize so many other people would pick Black & Blue and Bridges as well.

So here's 4 I DON'T like the sound of: "Goat's Head Soup" & "It's Only Rock and Roll" sound flat and lifeless, especially IORR. "Dirty Work" - needs no explanation (though the guitars actually sound quite excellent - it's everything else I hate. Pity). "Steel Wheels" - again, an obvious one. Just too slick and over-produced.

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theimposter
"Dirty Work" - needs no explanation (though the guitars actually sound quite excellent - it's everything else I hate. Pity).

I'm probably the only person in the world who loves the drum sound on this album.

I would say "Emotional Rescue"; very well recorded.
"Tattoo You" is similar IMO.

"Some Girls" is perfect for the type of album it is. The great coup IMO for SG is that they were able to marry diverse scapes like "Miss You" - "Far Away Eyes" and "Lies/Respectable/Whip" without blinking an eye.

"Black and Blue" is good too.
And I really think the very first album "Hitmakers" is very well done. Mu7ch better than the following 3 or 4.

"Banquet" a success for Jimmy Miller's sound.
Great thread question.

I agree with the point that IORR is not well recorded. GHS is a big ??



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-07-23 21:30 by Palace Revolution 2000.

Agreed on Beggar's Palace. And sleepycity, yes I think you are alone on that one

What do people think of the sound on Voodoo Lounge? Personally, I like it. It's slickly produced to a point, but it has a BIG sound - everything is well mixed. And it's warm sounding. Hell, I think "Mean Disposition" had the best overall sound of any song they had recorded since the 70's.

Emotional Rescue and Black & Blue are great. Not only soundwise but quality also. Always loved them.

"Voodoo" is an experiment that did not work IMO. Someone (Don Was?) was trying way too hard. best parts in VL are "Love is Strong", "I Go Wild", all the B Sides, and a good bit of the outtakes; and like the Impostor says "Mean Disposition".
That material in the middle "New Faces", "Moon is Up, "Sweethearts Together", "Brand New Car", "Suck on the Jugular"...I don';t get the "Stones-album feel".

productionwise it must be black and blue

Black and Blue
Some Girls
and I'd say Let It Bleed..not sonically perfect but perfect rock sound. Not over-cluttered like some of today's recordings.

Beggars Banguet
Black and Blue

Technically speaking the sound quality should have gotten better and better. Funnily it looks as the sound quality goes down when the CD is introduced. As if nothing can compare to the sound of a vinyl LP.

let It bleed and black N blue



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-07-23 23:47 by ryanpow.

I've always held the "big four" the highest, not only artistically but also production-wise (which is part of the artistic part). Beggars, Let It Bleed, Sticky and Exile may not have the sharpest, most clear sound, but they have the sound I like best. Punchy and fat early '70s production, for the most part. Jimmy Miller's drum sound is incredible on all those records, and the studio trickery and acoustic textures on Beggars is an artwork in itself.

I'm also fond of the voodooish sound of Goats, and the clear punch of Tattoo You, which I prefer over Some Girls.

Later records sound clear and professional but boring.

I never thought Exile SOUNDED very good. The music is the best ever, but the sound is bad. The best sounding Stones albums would be Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Bridges To Babylon. Or at least that's my take on it.

JumpingKentFlash

Palace, I agree on Voodoo - I'd say the first and last 3 tracks there were beautifully recorded. In between it is a mixed bag for sure.

Here's one most may not agree with me on, but I think Sticky Fingers has a bit of hit or miss element, sound-wise. While Brown Sugar, Sway, and Moonlight Mile sound perfect, I always thought Dead Flowers and I Got The Blues could have used more punch. Maybe if DF had the same sound as say, Let It Bleed (the song), and if IGTB sounded closer to some of their 60's r&b stuff it would have done them a little more justice.

Why hasn't anyone chosen this?

Best exile sound is on VIRGIN remarsters,so is Black n blue,fantastic sound world.

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Sleepy City
Why hasn't anyone chosen this?

Haha.. good one.

About Sticky Fingers, Impostro, I don't see it re. "I Got The Blues"; that song sounds good to me. The horns, organ and guitar are sharp.
But you have a good point re "Dead Flowers"; maybe it's the right sound for that song, no? Hazy, vague.