Answering the "why" question when it comes to greatness is very subjective when describing any art, in my opinion.

That said, for me...the greatness in Exile is in it's artistic depth (for me it's the best double-album ever), it's production and the way it all hangs together (variety of styles and track listing). It really feels like a cohesive statement that needs to be taken in it's full form, a true "album" in that sense.

My favorite Stones album, Sticky Fingers, can arguably be taken in pieces or even out of order, but Exile should be taken as it is.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2019-11-22 22:40 by floodonthepage.

Some say that if you have to ask "why?" you don`t get it. People have tried to explain stuff like this. Sadly, the one who asks doesn`t get any wiser. I wish he could.

I love destroying the myth of EXILE for people that go IT WAS RECORDED IN FRANCE! by informing them that, uhhhh, no, it wasn't ALL recorded in France. In fact...

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DandelionPowderman
The sound, the flow and the brilliant songs of vast variety within a genre. A great achievement.

Beautifully written. I'm easily moved by Let it Loose, Torn and Frayed, Shine a light, Lovin Cup...entire album. It would be great to see just an EOMS Tour!!!

Let's make some EOMS T-shirts and get the movement rolling!

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floodonthepage
Answering the "why" question when it comes to greatness is very subjective when describing any art, in my opinion.

That said, for me...the greatness in Exile is in it's artistic depth (for me it's the best double-album ever), it's production and the way it all hangs together (variety of styles and track listing). It really feels like a cohesive statement that needs to be taken in it's full form, a true "album" in that sense.

My favorite Stones album, Sticky Fingers, can arguably be taken in pieces or even out of order, but Exile should be taken as it is.

Great post. I very much see Exile the same way: that it should always be as a whole. The notion that Exile would be a tighter single album makes no sense to me. that can apply to other double albums; not here. I have never quite put it in the right words like flood here, "It really feels like a cohesive statement that needs to be taken in it's full form, a true "album" in that sense." hat is a good quote.
Sticky is IMO just as strong and valid and timeless, but a different statement.

edit: I also am with tomcasagrande about B2Babylon. I see that album as BY FAR their best late era markers. Actually the only one, besides 'Stripped'.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-11-23 14:36 by Palace Revolution 2000.

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floodonthepage
Answering the "why" question when it comes to greatness is very subjective when describing any art, in my opinion.

That said, for me...the greatness in Exile is in it's artistic depth (for me it's the best double-album ever), it's production and the way it all hangs together (variety of styles and track listing). It really feels like a cohesive statement that needs to be taken in it's full form, a true "album" in that sense.

My favorite Stones album, Sticky Fingers, can arguably be taken in pieces or even out of order, but Exile should be taken as it is.

Gotta agree with this post, it’s a full sitting is Exile.... It’s mood and flow over the four sides, including flipping the record ,runs well. Soul Survivor is the perfect end to that album for me. It leaves me with the right feeling after the whole record. I’ve played this album most Friday nights since 1997 I’m guessing. It’s a ritual

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Chris Fountain

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DandelionPowderman
The sound, the flow and the brilliant songs of vast variety within a genre. A great achievement.

Beautifully written. I'm easily moved by Let it Loose, Torn and Frayed, Shine a light, Lovin Cup...entire album. It would be great to see just an EOMS Tour!!!

Let's make some EOMS T-shirts and get the movement rolling!

Oh yeah, I'm with you!

It is an album, like DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, that is at its most brilliant when played.

They do have a few like that but EOMS has the most depth.

For me it still rings true, every day after a hard days work I still have to scrape the shit right off my shoes.

Working at the sewerage plant in shoes must be friggin' tuff stuff man … ….hhhaaaa



ROCKMAN

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Rockman
Working at the sewerage plant in shoes must be friggin' tuff stuff man … ….hhhaaaa

This is a very important job in our society , which we take for granted. I'm definitely going to send the local Sewage Treatment plant a letter of appreciation along with a Christmas Card,

The last thing we need are outhouses or folks defecating or urinating in public like at a 1970's Stones concert or even Woodstock for that fecal matter.

I would send the Sewage Plant a Thanksgiving card since the holiday is around the corner.

Can't do it - a Turkey sent me a TG Card the other day and the language was so fowl it could not be read to full intent.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-11-24 17:51 by Chris Fountain.

[www.youtube.com]

I listened to this disc today and was impressed with only 4 of the 10 songs, while the rest were OK. These songs were Plundered My Soul, I'm Not Signifying, Following the River, and Good Time Women.

I doubt too many fans listen to these tracks, and it is nice to listen to them again.

What do you think of Disc 2 ?

I only bother with Pass The Wine, Plundered and Signifying. The rest of it is pointless.

Some of the songs were best left as they were as instrumentals. I'm talking about songs like "Aladdin Story" and "Dancing In The Light." Those have very cringey lyrics. Mick's voice was also not at his best here. "Title 5" shouldn't have even been on it as it was done in 1967, pointless to EXILE.

Mick even had this to say at the time of the STICKY FINGERS Reissue announcement in April 2015:

"When we re-released Exile on Main Street, we found others that were not released and we put them on the new package, which was a bit stupid, really. I should've really kept some back, but I didn't really think about it at the time. There was nothing that was unreleased left, unfortunately. I think that's really the truth of the story."

Never really liked Plundered at all - specifically Mick's vocals and the backup singers.
Haven't listened to any of the extras in quite some time, and don't have any plans to in the foreseeable future.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

One thing I wondered is how come they didn't put a version or two of the NME flexi, Exile Blues, on the second disk. Seems like a natural. Even better if they could come up with a longer version. I always dug the blues 78 sound to it. A lot actually. I am guessing its Ian Stewart on piano accompaniment?

As it is, I like most of what is on the disk except the Aladin Story vocal, never really liked the instrumental all that much, too derivative of Paint It Black in the guitar line.

These alternate takes of Loving Cup and Soul Survivor, are those modern day vocals over old instrumental tracks or are they both vintage tracks?

jb

Thats damm`n right,
and the only reason is, that we as longtime fans got a unstillable hunger for undiscovered material. "such a legendary work, there must be....",but we forget that every great work of art is based in the time it depends on.. .
our generation, who grow up with exile and ghs, grow up with liver..trident mixes, bedspring symphon,too.
we are always searching the unfind, but alladin story, dancing in the light etc. are a dream come true on the trident mixes, because its a closed work of art,(i think all the really great bootsfrom the 70ies/80ties are ..)
we always search for that thrill to find something so deeply moving.

I'd always thought the best things on disc 2 were the Soul Survivor alternate version and ADTL. I'd never like Plundered.

HMN

I like the tune that shouldn't have been there: Title 5.

The rest is disappointing.

Oh, I like Keith's country guitar licks on the spliced Loving Cup.

The best track is the japanese "All Down The Line (Alternate Take)".

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lippmann
Thats damm`n right,
and the only reason is, that we as longtime fans got a unstillable hunger for undiscovered material. "such a legendary work, there must be....",but we forget that every great work of art is based in the time it depends on.. .
our generation, who grow up with exile and ghs, grow up with liver..trident mixes, bedspring symphon,too.
we are always searching the unfind, but alladin story, dancing in the light etc. are a dream come true on the trident mixes, because its a closed work of art,(i think all the really great bootsfrom the 70ies/80ties are ..)
we always search for that thrill to find something so deeply moving.

That's how I feel too. This insaturable curiosity ... what's still stored in dark places? When the Stones are a part of ones life (and they are of mine) you want to know all and any detail (impossible really ). The diversity that the band laid down over almost 6 Centuries is as diverse as the taste of (the above) Stones fans. That makes them (as well as the fans) unique, I think. I enjoy listening to almost everything they did, making sure that there is some respectable time in between putting the songs on.
You guys made me decide to put on Exile 2 again .... for a change.

I would have been happy if they had been able to clean up the crappy sound of Ladies and Gentlemen shows and made it sound like Flashpoint.That and the original album would have been great.Unfortunately ,as the experts here have said,getting rid of the distant and muddled sound of Ladies and Gentlemen is not technically possible.

Following The River gets me every time. Great vocals from Mick.

Plundered My Soul is one the best Stones songs in the last 2o years. Why this was never performed live and brushed up gig tight remains a moot point. Title 5 is beautiful. The rest i haven't really listened to enough possibly after initial listen when buying.

I do think all the the outtakes from Exile Some Girls etc, when put together to make a decent LP is some great great recent work.

I actually listened to this a few days ago and like it. I think All Down the Line should have been on the US versions, and I can do without Title 5.

Signifying and Good Time Women are my favorites.

Is Taylor’s guitar new on Pass the Wine? I wasn’t really paying attention and it popped out to me at the end. I’ll have to listen again.

The rhythm guitar on Dancing in the Light sounds similar to Loving Cup at parts. It looks like it was recorded at Olympic and Stargroves. I wonder if the acoustic guitar on there is new.

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jbwelda
One thing I wondered is how come they didn't put a version or two of the NME flexi, Exile Blues, on the second disk. Seems like a natural. Even better if they could come up with a longer version. I always dug the blues 78 sound to it. A lot actually. I am guessing its Ian Stewart on piano accompaniment?

I thought it was Mick playing and singing...it’s in a scene from @#$%& Blues.

I like Plundered, but it doesn’t quite fit. Have no time from Title 5.

I dislike the edit in Loving Cup

Soul Survivor, Signifying, Pass the Wine, and Good Time Women are tops.

the shoot 'em dead, brainbell jangler!

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tomcasagranda
Following The River gets me every time. Great vocals from Mick.

, nice video also

If the "pointless" songs had been left off the ardent completists would be raging that the collection short changed the collector. There's no way to win with stuff like this.

Just happy to have as many tracks pulled from the vault as possible. Dylan has set the standard with his bootleg series. Put as much out there as possible for us to quibble over, just put it out there!

T@3