Still hoping I'll have it under the Christmas tree tomorrow despite what I've seen posted here...read on...

"At last: an official Stones live album that makes up for the sorry excuses of the past three decades. The greatest hits snap and snarl with renewed authority, and the deep set-list archaeology on Disc Two -- "Neighbours," "Monkey Man," "Rocks Off" -- is worth the price of admission by itself. The extended lightning of "Can't You Hear Me Knocking," a nightly highlight of the 2002-03 tour, should be required listening for the Jam Band Nation."

[www.rollingstone.com]

well, sort of. snap & snarl & archeology - I mean they weren't playing "I'm Movin On' or "Who's Driving My Plane' or 'Any Way You Look At It' for christmas' sake. Those named are from three of their biggest-selling & best albums. Nevertheless, disc 2 is a good listen after Verse Off er Rocks Off.....

Glad someone at that redundant mag has a sense of humour.

Wenner also gave Goddess In The Doorway a 5-star review

If the Stones released a collection of their turds, he'd put it in his top 50 albums of the year

Maybe Wenner actually likes the Stones post 1973...

Well, I did get it under the tree...

Why did most posters like FF but not LL??? Aren't the tracks from the same shows?

Overall, I'd say LL is reflective of how they sound now...definitely not at the height of their craft, but a whole lot better than most bands...it's THEIR music and they've got a right to play it, record it, sell it...if ya don't like it anymore then listen to your old albums and enjoy it. Forget that they're still alive and mostly still kicking.

For me, I'm grateful that the best r&r band is still recording and touring...and that many of us still love them for what they've done and continue to do! Merry Christmas all!!! :-)

stonedINvirginia, you might want to check threads from around the week of release (Nov 2)to see the contortions many of us went through in order to decide what we thought of this set, & why the flaws (especially the edits) were so offputting. Yes most tracks from Four Flicks, & I like that box (tho wish the mix was a little more warm, & had the guitars more upfront), but LL comes a full year after the tour ended, clearly would not sell well due to overlap w/ 4F, bad timing, & public burnout on subpar live Stones albums (mere 2 weeks on Billboard 200, peak # 50, then # 144) despite VL, Stripped, B2B, & 40Lix all going platinum or better (& top 3 in Billboard, except Stripped which peaked at #9)....So LL seems to have failed to reach out to casual fans, which more 'produced' (boosted audience, overdubs, edits, & hits) are intended to do, & does not fully satisfy the hardcore (the way the untouched Grateful Dead archival sets or quickie Pearl Jam live albums do)fans either - speaking for myself at least. I agree the Stones live 2003 were fantastic at their best, & I am looking forward to a fine new album with everyone (notably Charlie & Ron, but Keith too)ready to tour, hopefully healthy & rejuvenated & focused. I need the Stones!