I think it's a bit unfair to say that the Stones have lost something after Tattoo You.
I spent the last days listenening to Undercover and it simply kicks ass.
Nearly every strong is full of energy and emotion.
Tie You Up and Feel On Baby are jewels imho.

It does kick ass!

Great songs, but horrible eighties production and drum sound.

but for the first time with UC i got the awful feeling that the "magic" of their song-writing was beginning to ebb...and that definitely turned out to be true. As I have posted elsewhere, that's why I have negative feelings regarding their upcoming album. It's not just a matter of will and desire...or even of hard work. When the "muse" ain't there, ain't nothing you can do about it. I think their muse pretty much deserted them starting with UC...and it's been that way ever since.

Fantastic album.
I don't think it's underrated by the fans.
Great songs... great band performance.

Only...

... Feel On baby. ==> that one gets on my nerves.

Maybe the Stones' worst. Replacing Charlie Watts with a drum machine is simply unforgiveable. Too Much Blood sounds like a joke track, and the rewrite of Soul Survivor is almost embarassing. She Was Hot is the lone good track. Nice solo there Keith (I think).

Fortunately redeemed by the later brilliance of Dirty Work....


Karl


'Don’t forget, if you’re on your bike, wear white'

Dont get pissed, but I feel Undercover is their weakest studio album ever. The only track I really love is ALL THE WAY DOWN. The rest of the album is purely b-side material imho.

Material often seems weak
and I don't like the production,
trying to sound contemporary etc.
On the otherhand I half like
Dirty Work, so to each
their own...........

This album is the most underrated ever, I played Undercover twice than any other Stones album. Great stuff but trashed by diehard fans...

A "Mick" album when it comes to production, especially the overdubbing with electric drums. Keith went out of his way to say that cause things were getting so slick on the album he specifically tried to write an early Beatles type song......Wanna Hold You, which really does not fit the mood of the whole album.

Milo, NYC
It's a shame but its funny



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-04-07 17:16 by Milo Yammbag.

I think it's a great album. Very underated. I don't care for the Keith song(I want to hold you) & the song Undercover of the night is much better live. Feel On Baby has the same sort of spooky vibe as some of the songs on Exile. Pretty beat up also has touches of Exile on it and IMO of the best tracks on the disk. Tie You Up is just over the top great & perhaps some of the best/sexy lyrics since Brown Sugar & yea Must Be Hell is a rip from Soul Survior, I still like It Must Be Hell better.

What ever happened to Wayne Shorter?

He records and tours with his quartet.
Why do you ask? He didn't play on Undercover, which is what this topic is about.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-04-07 08:19 by erikjjf.

I've been listening to this album a lot lately.
It certainly is one of their most underrated,
and, like Dylan's Infidels, more there than meets the eye (or ear).
I always thought it was a strange sounding record for them to release
after spendig 2 years on the road. I think it is the only "dated"
album they have. I may be in the minority, but I never thought
Buttons or Satanic Majesties sounded "dated". I thought those records
fitted in in any decade. As I said before, Put oN Satanic Majesties
at any party and watch people flip out when you say who's playing
on the jukebox. As for Undercover, I think you have to blame
the 80's sound of the record on Jagger trying to keep up with the times.
It worked on Some Girls, but the question is why didn't it work on this record?
However, I DO like Undercover alot. The guitars sound great (different, at least).
I do remember a review of this record saying they seemed more concerned
with mixing board that with the songs, and maybe that's true.
Funny, too, that this was recorded by Chris Kimsey.
All in all, I love the record, love the guitar sound...
and Charlie's playing on it, so how bad can it be?

<What ever happened to Wayne Shorter?>

David Sandborn plays on Undercover. Wayne Shorter played on B2B.

I just can't see that Undercover is underated. It is a medeocre offering at best.

This album and Dirty Work were definately the low opint for the Stones as far as I'm concerned.

I only occasionally listen to either of these albums - just to see if they've grown on me.

I think the main reason I don't like these albums is the horrible 80s sound on them. Take away the electronic crap and you probably have a good set of songs. (I often wonder if I would like DW if it was recorded and mixed in a different way?) A good Stones album should never date - like Sticky Fingers or Exile which will always sound fresh. Even Steel Wheels now sounds outdated, but this is what the 80s were like.

sjs12,

I agree with you on. I think some songs are very good (Tie You Up, She was Hot) but others like Feel On Baby and Too Much Blood are bad. The 80's drum machines are not the Stones.

We discussed this topic not a long ago - not that one can not discuss it now!; quite contrary, these issues are, let's say, open questions! Anyway, check:

[iorr.org]

- Doxa

i love it...not because its any good but because i got engaged the night it was released in the states. right after it was played for the 1st time on the radio. i was in the back of my van with her listing to it, i asked her to marry me!
the stones needed a harder rocking album at the time and i was so excited that it rocked... but after a short time, it got a little boring for me..
i think this and dirty works are the 2 weakest albums the stones have ever done.
but still better than most bands...
p.s. i have really gotten into too much blood...you need a very good stereo to bring it too life!

I don't like Undercover Of The Night or Too Much Blood, but htink the rest are good.

Yes UC does the 80 sound. IMO it's pretty minimal by other musican's standrads. By Stones standards it's gigantic and Jaggerish. It mainly in the drum sounds. As much as I respect Sly Dunbar he gets in the way a bit. When I think of specific examples they all don't sound too bad (like the huge drum in the Tie You Up break, or Undercover and Feel on Baby) but all together it clutters the Stones sound. This actually might be a rare instance of where Keith brought in the outside sound and not so much jagger. Obviously Too much blood is all Jagger although I don't think it's a drum machine. I read the basic track was just Jagger, Charlie and Jim Barber. I love this album a lot. The songs are strong. Everyone here agrees on IMBH being a rewrite of SS. First time I heard it I could not believe my eras. I hate that tune. The chorus just sucks and the forced raveup at the end with those hoaky congas coming in is terrible. "A whoo whoo..." LOL Keith used that lick another time too on Rock and a hard place.