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UnionHall

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melillo
although not a great album i always thought that VL was and still is the stones best work since TATTOO YOU

Totally agree! For a band past their prime years, I think this is a pretty solid effort.

+1

I quite like this album,came out the year my Son was born,so will always have a special meaning for that fact alone.
Has some ups and downs,but a decent listen I feel,gets played more than Bigger Bang ,Undercover and Emotional Rescue.

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Palace Revolution 2000
From the press back then it sounds like Don Was really tried. Not only with the different styles, the "psychedelia", and (to his credit) that he made sure the band was together in the studio for a long time. The things with Charlie in the stairwell, all the outtakes from the band jamming together, Ron and Keith doing BU vocals - all that was great.
The songs just aren't that good. And what is more frustrating to me is that from Brew, Stew we can tell that there was lots of better material left off. There always seems to be a cut or two left off, that we, the fans feel should have been included; but that's par 4 the course. With VL it is the entire album, and the identity of the album that drifted off course.

Yeah, Don Was, as a real fan, tried so much to create a picture of The Stones as they used to be in their prime. To recreate the past - the band together in the studio, little tricks to motivate them, such as Charlie in the stairwall, etc.. But totally wrong attitude. The Stones can't fake the greatness. They can't fake naturalness or vitalness or inspiration. They never have done. They are great if their creative mills run, and they want to do it; when it comes out naturally. That's why they made original music that made once the difference. But you can't recreate EXILE if you just put the 'boys' - millioner superstars - together to basement, and give them enough time, drugs and booze. Nor you can't lock up Mick and Keith to the kitchen. Not any better if you force to Jagger date Marianne or Bianca again, or Keith Anita and ask them "to be such a beautiful pair as they used to be".

I have said it before, but I say it again now. VOODOO LOUNGE was the album that stopped my belief to the Stones as a "living, breathing band". I felt like betrayed - that they don't take seriously their music or their listeners any longer. Just selling easy-listener cheap copies, replicas of their music. From the first listening it sounds formally okay - hmm, harmonica there, good guitar licks, all the appropriate styles covered, gives me good deja vus - but then each case it ends up totally thin and unisnpired. Elevator music.

But, as I have had a habit lately, let me go song by song, the scale is familiar from 1 to 5 smoking heads.

"Love is Strong": a good representation of a typical Don Was era Stones. Formally safe and sure, even nostalgic with its harmonica, with and a brief guitar "attack", but which can't stand the test of time at all. It is almost annoying in its cheapness these days. But yeah, it did sounded good back in the day. For a month or so. The low register Jagger is the high point.

"You Got me Rocking": a modern war horse as far as the set lists go - well, of course it has no place for the real hit parades but it is a good second or third song the list to make the audience "to rock". That even works sometiemes but that's not enough to motivate me to listen the original studio version. It's horrible. Embarrassing. Including it to FORTY LICKS speaks etrribe language of the quality of their music since TATTOO YOU.

"Sparks Will Fly". This track is so stupid that I somehow pervertly like it. It has something Pathe Marconi era feeling in it.

"The Worst": Funny little song; but for a Keith solo number it has a clear song-like pattern, which is nice. But can't stand repeated listenings.

"New Faces": Jagger's back to AFTERMATH, mixed with Sting's melodies. Again, sounds ear-pleasing first, but soon annoying.

"Moon Is Up": And that's the updated SATANIC MAJESTIES experimentation, right? I hate it then, and I hate it now. Sounds just so stupid. Jagger's vocals odd.

"Out of Tears": The "Angie"-voice is back, and it actually is one the best things in the album. But the result is not that convincing, and the song that strong. It gets boring after a while. Jagger can't keep up the thrill.

"I Go Wild": Another by the bumbers rocker that musically and lyrically arises the question of band's intelligency.

"Brand New Car": Oh shit, how naive and corny a 'blues' can be... Shame yourselves, grown men!

"Sweethearts Together": The Glimmers Twins so happily married. Oh yaeh... but it does have it charm that works to die hard fan. And the cajuun experiment is funny.

"Suck In the Jungular": another "I shame to be a Stones fan" moment. Thi should make the asses move, but it lacks the real - or any - funkiness. They sound 'old' men trying to sound 'young'. That shouldn't be heard.

"Blinded By the Rainbows":Strange moment in the album: Jagger has a point in his lyrics to express. Unfortunately, the musical context is so dull and repitive inits post mid-80's Jaggerian cliches that were even then too familiar.

"Baby Break It Down": Somehow this song slipped from my attention in 1994 (it is already a long roud to get there from the beginning of the way too long and shapeless album) and I wouldn't have remebered its existence for years. That is to say: totally forgettable. But I relistened it, and with all its by-numbers-nature, it rolls more naturally than the other rockers in the album. But still no reason to exist.

"Thru and Thru": -Somehing new in the Keith universe. But I'm not so sure if I really like Keith's over-interpretative vocal expression. Nothing else to mention about. But this song has a point.

"Mean Dispostion": Finally the album ends. And typically with a total throwaway song; this cheapness is very familiar by now.

Shit, that was a tough job to do! I couldn't give more than two smoke heads even though I did consider to give three for "Love is Strong" and "Out of Tears". They probably are the strongest songs in the album, which is to say how awful the quality of the album really is!

Another observation I made when I now relistened the album: This is the album Jagger clearly seems to lost the feeling of his voice, and leaves a kind of cold or plastic impression. He starts to mimic himself (the difference to WANDERING SPIRIT is quite remarkable). He makes some 'tricks',even experiments, but which mostly don't work out well. The natural, effertless vitality is gone.

- Doxa



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2011-11-06 20:06 by Doxa.

VL is a great album and production-wise far better than Steel Wheels and ABB.

Love is strong, I go wild, Moon's up, New faces, The worst, Sparks, Mean disposition, baby break it down and blinded by rainbows are excellent tunes.

I can't believe you people that are moaning that much, where do you get the energy to complain about everything saying silly things like: -"The Stones are trying to sound like the stones". Well, OBVIOLSLY they are. They are not The Who or Frank Sinatra.

Are you the same with your wives/girlfriends? "O hon, the shagging yesterday was too similar to the shagging the last week." Moaning bunch of bastards you are.

I like it a lot - varied, very enjoyable and definitely in my top ten

I think Voodoo Lounge sounds like the results of a board meeting made in 1993, in viewing 1989-1991 (touring for two years and milking those years for yet a further year with Flashpoint and At the Max) and how that could be replicated.

Visual motifs were changed to the whole Voodoo Skull thing. The CD packaging full of skeletons, fire, red, etc. You know... 'cutting edge' stuff. It didn't matter that not a SINGLE song had ANYTHING to do with Voodoo, but hey, it sure created a buzz and ALMOST made us forget that
a) they were into their 50s now and
b) there were only... four of them now.
c) Pink Floyd was touring at the same time with a better Mark Fischer stage.

THAT is why the PR spin on the tour was so dizzying. But looking and listening back, it was really a 'sequel'' to Steel Wheels. Once I saw a TV clip of the ACTUAL tour (a clip of Tumbling Dice that sounded identically bland as The Steel Wheels tour version)... I remember feeling like "oh, guess that's what they're going to sound like this from now on, always".

I wasn't 100% correct in that assumption though, because in 1994 Keith still played guitar like... a guitar player.

[thepowergoats.com]

Excellent album, even the b-sides (The Storm, Jump On Top Of Me, I'm Gonna Drive) were quite good. Not to mention Voodoo Brew and Voodoo Stew. The guys were on a roll here.

Pete.

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jamesfdouglas

Visual motifs were changed to the whole Voodoo Skull thing. The CD packaging full of skeletons, fire, red, etc. You know... 'cutting edge' stuff. It didn't matter that not a SINGLE song had ANYTHING to do with Voodoo, but hey, it sure created a buzz and ALMOST made us forget that

What is this crap ?
Hey tourist, i got a few questions for you !

How many songs on the "Let It Bleed" album had something to do with cake ? There's a cake on the cover - so was there any songs about ice cream - Keith does mention pie on the Goat's head soup album, I give you that...but Can you name a song on the Tattoo You album that's written about a tattoo artist ?
How many songs on the "Goats Head Soup" album had something to do with goats or soup ? There's a pie in a song "Coming Down Again" but what about Steel Wheels album - can you name a song about steel factories on that album ?

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seitan
How many songs on the "Let It Bleed" album had something to do with cake

three if you don't count the title track; four if you do.

VL = Stones trying (and achieving) to sound as the Stones

Underrated and lovely album.

House music was in its peak at that time (at least in my country) so this album had no chance anywhere.

Great Great album IMHO.

Not their best, but not their worst. I think its the "moode" I like.

I love it! I go wild, Sparks will fly, Love is strong, Thru and Thru are GREAT songs. And the sound of the album reminds me of Exile, so that's exellent.

One of the best The Stones have done. Might be in the top 5. The VL tour was probably the best they have ever done.

I like this album. Very tight sound. A solid effort my favorite of the late era Stones.

I like it and I loved the tour. Agree about the great artwork. Suck on The Jugular has some nice slide guitar work, I assume by Ron.

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seitan

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jamesfdouglas

Visual motifs were changed to the whole Voodoo Skull thing. The CD packaging full of skeletons, fire, red, etc. You know... 'cutting edge' stuff. It didn't matter that not a SINGLE song had ANYTHING to do with Voodoo, but hey, it sure created a buzz and ALMOST made us forget that

What is this crap ?
Hey tourist, i got a few questions for you !

How many songs on the "Let It Bleed" album had something to do with cake ? There's a cake on the cover - so was there any songs about ice cream - Keith does mention pie on the Goat's head soup album, I give you that...but Can you name a song on the Tattoo You album that's written about a tattoo artist ?
How many songs on the "Goats Head Soup" album had something to do with goats or soup ? There's a pie in a song "Coming Down Again" but what about Steel Wheels album - can you name a song about steel factories on that album ?

Well since I have to hold your hand and explain it to you... I meant more than just the packaging, the tour immagery, the buzzwords used in the hype machine as a whole... the 'voodoo lounge' image marketing thing evoked exiting thoughts of a return to bluesy rock. However neither the sound of the CD or tour reflected that at all.

Nice trollish cherry-picking of my post though.

[thepowergoats.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-11-06 23:56 by jamesfdouglas.

I liked the bar sign the best:

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Mathijs
My least favorite Stones album. There's just nothing on it that excites me the least. Dirty Work is bad, but at least there's two or three tracks that are nice. VL just has nothing to offer me.

Mathijs

You're the same guy that judges tours by bootlegs. It's like judging someones personality by a picture. No wonders.

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kowalski
There's no real outstanding track on it. Except maybe for Love Is Strong and Thru and Thru.

Thats what stops it from being a memorable album for me, too. And I agree that those two songs are the best ones on it.

Its a solid enough album without getting out of second gear. But there's nothing there as great as Steel Wheels' 'Continental Drift' or 'Almost Hear You Sigh' or the four or five best songs on Bridges (Saint of Me, Out of Control and the two Keith songs that finish the album). The high point of ABB (Laugh, I Nearly Died) is better as well.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-11-07 02:36 by Gazza.

The only thing truly memorable about the album is the name and the tongue.

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DragonSky
The only thing truly memorable about the album is the name and the tongue.

hey, now. some bands go an entire career without a decent name or tongue.

Out of Tears and Thru and Thru are masterpieces IMO.

Least favourite Stones album for me (at least tied with Steel Wheels). Although I absolutely LOVE Thru & Thru. Don't mind Love is Strong, The Worst, I Go Wild, and Mean Disposition.

A solid Jagger/Richard-album...

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More Hot Rocks

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Mathijs
My least favorite Stones album. There's just nothing on it that excites me the least. Dirty Work is bad, but at least there's two or three tracks that are nice. VL just has nothing to offer me.

Mathijs

You're the same guy that judges tours by bootlegs. It's like judging someones personality by a picture. No wonders.

So how do you judge tours, if not for using your ears? You judge it on if you had a good time at the concerts that year or not? And how can you judge studio albums at all - since you weren't there when they recorded it ? Now that's a wonder

I actually like Voodoo Lounge a lot. But as far as latter day Stones albums go, I have to say I think A Bigger Bang stands proudly beside some of their best work ever.

Underrated and good album.
I think Voodoo Lounge is fine, it's not their best album, but there's been worse like Undercover or Dirty Work, - there´s only one track that i dont care for and that's suck on the jugular..i think its boring, but as far as the rest of the songs go: "Worst" and "Thru And Thru" Love is strong, i go wild, sparks will fly and Mean Disposition, etc... are good solid rockers.

Not the best, but fine.

I like Bridges to Babylon and Bigger Bang too..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-11-07 13:53 by seitan.

Love Is Strong, You Got Me Rocking, The Worst and Baby Break It Down are great, imo. The rest is so so.

Suck On The Jugular, I Go Wild and Blinded By Rainbows are unbearable.

I kinda like Sweethearts Together - LOL! There I said it! I guess I'm out of the closet now

My choices for the winners song-wise from this album are:
-Jump On Top Of Me
-Love Is Strong
-Sparks Will Fly
-Moon Is Up
-Out Of Tears
-Brand New Car
-Sweethearts Together
-Blinded By Rainbows
-The Storm
-I'm Gonna Drive

The follwing fit the description OK but not great:
-You Got Me Rocking Now
-New Faces
-I Go Wild
-Mean Disposition

The remaining songs I could have done without but I don't understand how anyone can go on a board such as this and lobby for shorter albums because when a band does not know which songs are the best, a shorter album would not help in releasing the best songs, but instead, a longer album would.

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billwebster
My choices for the winners song-wise from this album are:
-Jump On Top Of Me
-Love Is Strong
-Sparks Will Fly
-Moon Is Up
-Out Of Tears
-Brand New Car
-Sweethearts Together
-Blinded By Rainbows
-The Storm
-I'm Gonna Drive

The follwing fit the description OK but not great:
-You Got Me Rocking Now
-New Faces
-I Go Wild
-Mean Disposition

The remaining songs I could have done without but I don't understand how anyone can go on a board such as this and lobby for shorter albums because when a band does not know which songs are the best, a shorter album would not help in releasing the best songs, but instead, a longer album would.

Good songs, but as you probably know, they're not on the album

The outtakes on Voodoo Brew/Stew/Residue are amazingly good, imo.