dennysmith61 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I>
> Steel Wheels was the best of the junky 80'S cd's
>
> I mean tatoo You was the Best. (No one mentions
> that one) The rest terrible to ok
>
>


that's 'cos fundamentally TY ain't an 80's album...

Symptomatically the best 80´s-ones are from 1981 & 1989.

Otherwise I think this thread is like: "Say who among your kids you
hate the most/who is the worst failure"... So I pass on this.

>
> What I find peculiar is that there are several
> votes for the three last albums SW, WL and Bridges
> to B. Personally I find all these three albums
> strong...

I agree with Mago that Voodoo Lounge should not be even close to the bottom three...if I had a choice of any album produced after Tattoo You to take with me to a deserted island...it'd be Voodoo. While I almost NEVER listen to Steel Wheels and have never bothered to buy the CD, Voodoo while certainly overproduced by Was, still contains hard driving numbers (YGMR, I Go Wild) that I've always liked, two great ballads (Out of Tears and Blinded), plus Keef's awesome Thru and Thru...how is possibly worse than SW?

Seriously, this thread ought to go to a song by song comparison of the bottom 3-4 albums and we can offer the songs we believe redeem the low rankers of the bunch.

but nobody would agree even at a song level, Robert. For instance, while I don't think of VL as a "bad" album, per se, of the five songs from it that you just referenced, I can't stand 4 of them (I Go Wild being the exception). So, even that approach would be problematic....

sTEEL WHEELS IS THE BEST SINCE SOME GIRLS,

T and A...not to argue (I've given that up! :-) )

but...do you think there are better ballads on the other lowrankers?

and do the others have better hard rockers than YGMR ot IGW?

I just don't see Steel Wheels or Dirty Work being in the same class as VL...or even Undercover

robert_stones1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > I just don't see Steel Wheels or Dirty Work being
> in the same class as VL...or even Undercover

I would agree with you on this. My point was that taking it down a notch to a song-by-song comparison would be just as problematic, as there are just as many differences of opinion on individual songs as there are on albums.

Gotcha...understood...

I don't propose song by song I guess...how about people propose their top 4 songs from VL, SW, ER, UC, Satanics, or DW?

I just don't see more than 3 good songs on each of most of them and only 1-2 great songs on all but VL.

I like the fact that there is no general consensus of the "worst" album. I'd say that means there's a generally strong level of competency in all of their music. And sometimes with me, I love the image of an album, such as that of Voodoo Lounge, but I find its contents to be generally not to my likeing...other than Love Is Strong of course. That is such a great song. With Bridges, I love many of the songs, but the album as a theme just doesn't make sense to me.

i can think of something redeeming off every album but 1- steel wheels

and i detested the eagerness at the time to deem it a classic, simply because they were close to breaking up a few years prior

Anything after "Tattoo You". You asked, don't flame me for offering my opinion.

"The wonder of Jimi Hendrix was that he could stand up at all he was so pumped full of drugs." Patsy, Patsy Stone

Well, I like both VL & B2B, and if VL has the slight edge in songs (generally clustered over the 2nd half), B2B is their most adventurous since "Satanic", & the experiments w/ various producers etc generally work - i.e. they sound like the Stones, late 90s, taking risks. My vote goes to IORR, a B to B+ album, but really it feels a bit contrived, like they were trying to prove that, in their 30s, they could "still" rock. And the sound of the thing is off putting. On the next one, B&B, they would more confidently explore contemporary funk, reggae, Philly soul, & even a splendid jazzy duet in "Melody" Of course I am not counting the live albums, which have so frequently been frustrating from such a great live band (Ya Ya's & Stripped being fine exceptions). Then again, from a pure fan's point of view, Hot Rocks Senior is the most useless.

Dirty Work - I can't think of any reason to listen to it. It was one of my first CD's. Only good thing is the song at the end in memory of Stu

satanic Maj

Satanic Majesties is bad bad....

I love Satanics.

I don't care much for DW although I listen to it every so often and generally enjoy it.
"Sleep tonight" however is just horrible. Barely better than that turgid "Back to zero".

ER has grown on me now that I play it again fairly regularly.
"Dance", "Let me go", "She's so cold" are ball tearers.
I think I like the title track.
A little like "Fool to cry" - the jury is out most of the time.

Other than that for one reason or another I love them all even if some don't deserve it.

I love SW, VL and B2B.

:0)

kyle m

Have you ever lent somebody $20 and never seen them again? It was probably worth it.

Talk about consensus! I love DW & Satanic too...

I absolutely fail to understand the affection that people feel for "Voodoo Lounge." YGMR is, at best, a mediocre attempt to rehash "Brown Sugar" and tunes like "I Go Wild" and "Blinded By Rainbows" are dreadful. And the filler-"Baby, Break It Down?!" "Suck On The Jugular?!" Why weren't "The Storm" and "Jump On Top of Me" included ? The high points of the record--"Mean Disposition," "Moon Is Up," "Out of Tears," and "The Worst" aren't nearly significant enough to redeem all the garbage. Pure and simple, this was Don Was and The Stones' most cynical attempt to tap into their past glories and to regurgitate them for the 1990's. This record is a lame con-job and a hugely embarrassing moment in the history of the band.

In that sense, "Stripped" is a perfect companion. Miserable production by Don Was (I read the word "spongy" somewhere--perfect) and a botched selection of songs. Instead of doing anything interesting or creative, the Stones primarily re-made songs that were acoustic to begin with--"Angie?!" "Dead Flowers?!" What a waste. Imagine if the Stones had tried a folk-blues "Sympathy" or an acoustic "Midnight Rambler?" Or more blues and covers?

BY CONTRAST, "Steel Wheels" has some terrific moments: "Hold On To Your Hat" has more juice than all the rockers on "Voodoo" combined. And what about "Sad Sad Sad" and "Mixed Emotions?" Even better, what about "Continental Drift?" or "Slipping Away?" Even though I believe that "Can't Be Seen" is wretched and that "ROCK AND A HARD PLACE" IS EASILY THE WORST TUNE THE STONES EVER RECORDED, I still say that minor gems like "Break The Spell" and "Terrifying" make this a very respectable reunion effort...

Finally "Bridges to Babylon" is an album of which we can all be proud. "Thief In The Night" and "How Can I Stop" are magnificent--soulful and utterly unlike anything in the band's past..."Might As Well Get Juiced" and "Gunface" new and bold, using 90's productions to resurrect "Exile" and Howlin' Wolf. What about the Middle Eastern elements in "Flip The Switch" or the staggering power of "Out of Control?" I caught eight shows on the 97-98 tour--from Soldier Field to the Hard Rock Hotel and I watched audiences everywhere get blown away by "Out of Control." Worthy of "Midnight Rambler" in every way...

Of course I like the bluesy, roots Stones, the "Dear Doctor" "Love In Vain" "Let It Loose" Stones, but I also like AND RESPECT the "Black & Blue" Stones, the "Emotional Rescue" Stones and the "Bridges to Babylon" Stones.

I can't stand it when Don Was channels them into that canned early 70's sound. It's fun to hear the Stones carry their influences and their sensibility (both impeccable) FORWARD...

Under Cover

Of course there are songs on various albums I don't really like (especially on Dirty Work, Emotional Rescue and Between The Buttons) but I wouldn't rate these LPs as being bad. Under Cover also has good songs but all in all it's the weakest album.

this is an interesting thread, because it shows how varied opinions are, even among die-hard stones fans. there is no right or wrong when it comes to rating stones albums ... just individual opinions.

still, i've noticed that a lot of people on this board are hoping 'a bigger bang' will be the next 'exile on main street'. at the same time, a lot of people seem to regard 'emotional rescue' (ER) as a low point for the stones. well, i happen to like ER MORE than 'exile.' let me count the ways:

1) ER is a tighter, leaner, more focused record. rather than sprawling all over the place, it tells its story without any excess fluff.

2) the songwriting is more consistent on ER. every song on ER -- in my opinion -- is a killer. as for 'exile," i can do without about half the tracks.

3) the production is far, far superior on ER. listen to how crisp charlie sounds; listen to the amazing sonic crunch of the guitars and the take-no-prisoners bass. in contrast, almost everything (to me) sounds muddy on 'exile.'

4) the energy level is higher. only about half of 'exile' makes me want to shake my ass; 80% of ER does.

5) there's more humor on ER. the litany of nationalities on 'send it to me', jagger's funny accent in the spoken-word part of the title track, the lyrics on 'where the boys go' ... these all put a smile on face. 'exile' depresses me.

i guess the point i'm trying to make is that personal preferences -- and the circumstances in which we first hear a record -- drive our evaluations a lot more than we may realize. it is not a 'fact' that 'exile' is a better record than ER -- or vice versa. the only 'fact' is that, for most of us on this board, the stones have brought incalculable joy to our lives. for that, we are all truly blessed!!!!

drew

Toss up between Emotional Rescue & Dirty Work

One of a minority, I belong to those who think that there are no "worst Stones album(s)", only superb, good and a few least good ones.

Neither have I got a fixed order of preference for Stones albums. It's still living for me and changes. As to least good ones, I would all the same at most times have to mention "Tattoo You". Not as a distaste of the individual tracks, but because there is something about the totality of it that is not quite to my liking. More often than not, one less good album to me also is "Black and Blue". Sometimes and sometimes not, " It's only Rock'n'Roll", Dirty Work" and "Steel Wheels". Often mentionned candidates to be poor albums, there are on the contrary quite a few that I hold to be especially good and/or especially love - "Between the Buttons", "Their Satanic Majesties' Request", "Emotional Rescue" (each and every track) and "Undercover" (to me "Reexiled on Main Street Ten Years on". Apart from that - from time to time I reckon "Voodoo Lounge" to be a semi-classic in approach, but not quite in material (almost no weak tracks, but not strong enough to match e.g the four consecutuve studio albums and in between one live album of the peak years from '68, or the LPs, EPs and singles of the first years), whereas "Bridges to Babylon" in my view contains both stronger individual tracks (comprising to me both "I Might as Well Been Juiced" (!) AND the best track of the album (yes, after some time, also from the emotional aspect of it) "Always Suffering") and weaker tracks than Voodoo Lounge.

As to Mick's solo albums, sometimes sharply criticized : Not at its release, but years later I began to fancy "She's the Boss" and I do like even "Goddess ..." As an expression of how it feels to be Mick Jagger of later years, there are moments when the latter has greater value to me than stronger Stones music of the past. That is, because (the comparatively) now is the present time.That is also the reason why I, even more as a minority, would hope that the coming album will feature as abundantly as possible in the setlists of the approaching world tour.

I find something I like in all Stones albums but for me it has to be It's Only Rock n Roll. There are a few good songs on there but the ballads are awful. For runners up I'd say Between the Button, never liked the goofy sound of it, and then Steel Wheels and Undercover. I'd go into detail about each but I think it was covered in other posts.

Also I regard Voodoo Lounge as one of my favorites.

Worst should be 'Majesties' which only contains 1 great song, 2000 Light Years

Down in the hole and Dance are fantastic song on a general weak album indeed...

I have discussed this issue lots of times with my fellow Stones fans and we always find ourselves saying that there are no bad Stones album. Every record has it's moments, and you have to concider the times they were released. Also you have to look at them as the years go by, and have a look at which songs The Stones themselves pick for their gigs. And they have played songs from every album on the last four tours, and they always use lots of new songs when they tour. Exept for the licks tour, were they used a lot of older stuff instead, since it was more of a 40th anniversary tour.

I think the so called "bad records" is due to different sound, and not so much the songs themselves. Goats has a very tight sound, were as Exile is more open. The same as Undercover compared to Tattoo you. But don't let sound destroy all the great songs on those albums! The Stones always make great songs, no matter how they maight sound on the album. The sound is always a matter of what new equippement they're using at the time, and thank god that differs from one album to the other. This is what's make Stones better than AC/DC f. ex.

I like Black 'n Blue. Especially, Crazy Mama, Memory Motel, Fool to Cry and Hand of Fate. Worst- I'll go with Satanic Majesies.

"Take all the pain...It's yours anyway"

Their Majestic Satanic Request is my vote!!!!. Pretty bad

I would agree with Satnaic majesty but at least they tried to do something different.
ER was just terrible

i´ve just heard streets of love on the radio - what a dull and daft song!!! even the backstreet boys can do better than that !!!

"Their Satanic Majesties request that you vote this as the Stones' worst album....."

Regards,

Ian.
PS 2000 Light Years was ok though...for it's time...



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