Some Girls 10/10 - Best album 1978-2005
A Bigger Bang 9/10
Tattoo You 7/10
Bridges To Babylon 8/10
Voodoo Lounge 8/10
Dirty Work 8/10
Steel Wheels 7/10
Emotional Rescue 7/10
Undercover 9/10

Conclusions: Some Girls is clearly the top album of this era.
Dirty Work is sadly underrated by many fans.
A Bigger Bang is a surprisingly strong cd IMO.

Gazza,

Many more songs on ABB are substandard.

Chelsea,

If Steve Lillywhite did not like melodies, he would have loved much of ABB!

People are generally saying of ABB "It Rocks!". Well DW rocked harder, baby! Give me 'Hold Back' over 'Just Roughage' anyday. Lyrics are better for a start, even before you mention guitars and their interplay. I could go on.

Ok, I will. Back To Zero is superior to Rain Fall Down. (The latter is not bad).
Again, more live, funky guitar interaction. Bass is better + more character. I know there are stylistic differences and that RFD is a smoother product - closer to Sex Drive - but give me raw Stones faunk anyday. RFD (which is not bad) is clinical by comparison.

K Richards, wherefore art thou?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-09-06 22:59 by Four Stone Walls.

Studio:
Some girls: *****
Emotional Rescue: ****
Tatoo you: *****
Undercover: **
Diry Work: *
Steel Wheels: **
Voodoo Lounge: ***
Bridge to B: *
A Bigger Bang: *****

Live:
Still life: ****
Flashpoint: **
Stripped: ***
No security: *
Live licks: ***

Some Girls 8.5/10 - great elements of dance/punk
Emotional Rescue 6/10 - a good feel to the whole album but it rarely grips me
Tattoo You 8.5/10 - the more i listen, the more i like
Undercover 8.5/10 - actually one of my most favorite albums, such a step out
Dirty Work 5/10 - like some songs, but can't stand the over-production
Steel Wheels 4/10 - songs sounds like a stones wanna be band
Flashpoint 2/10 - sounds completely life-less
Voodoo Lounge 6/10 - alright mix of songs, lacks a consistent album feel though
Stripped 7.5/10 - nice mix of tracks, mostly presented well
Bridges To Babylon 6.5/10 - out of control is a stand out, but the rest is ok
No Security 8/10 - probably the best live stones album, a few tracks i would can
A Bigger Bang 7/10 - need some more listens, but it seems good so far

Greg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some Girls ***** (the only album up there with the
> big four, even though it hasn't the depth of
> those)
> Emotional Rescue **** (underestimated, a great
> capricious and ironic album; title track is a
> gem)
> Tattoo You ****1/2
> Undercover ***1/2
> Dirty Work **1/2
> Steel Wheels ***
> Voodoo Lounge ***1/2
> Bridges To Babylon ***1/2
> A Bigger Bang ***1/2 (even thuogh I like the
> energy and positive feel, I find something missing
> in the fortissimo guitars throughout the album;
> lot of Jagger, I miss Keiths elliptic form)
>
>
> ----------------------------
>


I actually think Greg captures my relative comments almost to a tee. The actual number of stars would vary - but in relative terms, this is about right. and his commentary regarding ABB is mine as well.

Some Girls A
Emotional Rescue A minus
Tattoo You A
"Still Life" B minus
Undercover B plus
Dirty Work A
Steel Wheels B plus
Flashpoint B
Voodoo Lounge A minus
Stripped A minus
Bridges to Babylon A minus
No Security B
Forty Licks A minus
Live Licks B

A plus albums: Now!, Aftermath (US), Buttons, Beggars, Bleed, Sticky, Exile




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-09-06 21:38 by john r.

some girls 10/10...emotional rescue 7.5/10...tatoo you 9/10...undercover 6.5/10...dirtywork 4/10...steel wheels 7/10...voodoo lounge 8.5/10...bridges to babylon 6/10...a bigger bang 8/10

Some Girls *****
Bigger Bang ****1/2
Tattoo You ****1/2
Emotional Rescue ****
Bridges***
Voodoo Lounge***
Undercover **
Dirty Work **
Steel Wheels **

Some Girls 9 of 10 tracks (Lies is the weakest track of 10 great tracks, and Lies isn't even a bad track). This is the Stones in one of their most interesting and challenging reinventions.
Emotional Rescue 8 of 10 tracks (ER is a weak track so is Summer Romance, All About You is a standout)
Tattoo You 11 of 11 tracks (great follow-up to ER which was a weak follow-up to SG, thank god for the catalogue)
Undercover 10 of 10 tracks (Somewhat overproduced, but not surprising given the period in which it was produced. Title track might be the weakest on the album Is that Margret Trudeau on the cover? Hmmm.)
Dirty Work 7 of 10 tracks (by far the weakest album of this period, not so much because of "bad" tracks but because it doesn't hold together, although Winning Ugly and Back To Zero aren't worth putting on any album IMHO. It seems to portend the worst of Jagger's solo career and points up the friction in the band at the time, something I don't really want to be reminded of when I listen to a Stones album.)
Steel Wheels 9 of 12 tracks (A welcomed return to form after DW, particularly good in that it balances the Keith elements with the Mick elements in something as simple as SSS and ME. Continental Drift was a nice moment of recognizing their past and Brian Jones, and of course it's got Slipping Away, a song that I loved instantly.
Voodoo Lounge 10 of 15 tracks (Nice 1-2-3 set up to open the album, gives you a punch to the gut and then slows you down with The Worst in a way that reflects the arc of their concert srtucture, I liked that. The Jagger compositions like Moon Is Up, Blinded By Rainbows, and New Faces seem very weak, even though NF recalls Lady Jane and earlier material.
Bridges To Babylon 9 of 13 tracks (Saint of Me is great, period. Could have been a classic on any album--strong riff, great lyrics, and Charlie all make it work. Others have already spoken to the over-produced quality and some weaker tracks, nonetheless I think it's a good production experiment, and even if they did rip off KD lang with ASMB, it's still a good track. (don't believe me? listen to Constant Craving, then listen to ASMB, coincidence? Hmmm. Maybe that is Margaret Trudeau after all)
A Bigger Bang 10 of 16 tracks (My bias shows in that I don't particularly like the Jagger tracks of SoL or SN, but I think that tracks like LIND, BM, LMDS, ONNYA, RJ, Infamy, RFD, BOMH, and TPIE make it worth the number two or three position on this list of albums. Then again, it could be because it's new and the novelty hasn't worn off--ten years ago I'd have said this about VL).

Four Stone Walls Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gazza,
>
> Many more songs on ABB are substandard.

well..theres many more songs for a start, but I'll agree to disagree on that one.
!
>
> People are generally saying of ABB "It Rocks!".
> Well DW rocked harder, baby! Give me 'Hold Back'
> over 'Just Roughage' anyday. Lyrics are better for
> a start, even before you mention guitars and their
> interplay. I could go on.
>

DW may indeed 'rock harder' but rocking harder doth not in itself a great Stones album make. It doesnt roll, baby. Black Sabbath and AC DC may rock harder than the Stones but they dont have better songs. 'Hold Back' has some interesting lyrics but the song is unlistenable on so many levels (no tune, awful drumming, Mick singing like he's a rabid dog gnawing on something septic) which somewhat nullifies anything they're trying to say. "One hit" and "Sleep tonight" are truly magnificent songs however. The rest is a smattering between good, ok and stuff that should have been canned

That's right about Mick's singing Gazza. As if he means it.

I agree that Rocking Harde doth not etc. Whole-heartedly. But people are sying that ABB is great because it 'Rocks Hard'. Well, if that's their criterion, they should rate DW. ABB doesn't roll either, nor does Undercover. Harlem Shuffle rolls.

but much of ABB does not rock hard. Nor does much of DW. Sleep Tonight. Harlem Shuffle. Too Rude. Back To Zero.. All of those just mentioned are better songs than on many on ABB. And Dirty Work's rockers do have better lyrics and stronger guitars, less 'programmed'/automated bass, etc than on ABB.

(and yes maybe this discussion should be elsewhere, but hope it gets Baboon Blob to get it and give us his virginal opinion on DW)



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2005-09-06 23:45 by Four Stone Walls.

I would never judge a Stones album by "how hard it rocks." In fact, rocking hard in someways is just a cop-out for coming up with decent tunes. Arguably their best album, Beggars, hardly rocks at all. In fact, the concept of a "rocker" wasn't even in the equation back then. For my money, most of the weakest songs on ABB are the rockers, in fact. I think the Stones would be better served dragging out the ol' acoustic guitars alot more often.

*** Some girls
*** Emotional rescue
***** Tattoo you
**** Still life (American concert 1981)
*** Undercover
*** Dirty work
*** Steel wheels
** Flashpoint
*** Voodoo lounge
*** Stripped
**** Bridges to Babylon
*** No Security
** Live licks
**** A bigger bang

That's an easy one, Some Girls and now ABB. Simple as dirt.

I ain't stupid, I'm just guitarded.

Agree with T&A.

I think they feel compelled to write rockers in order to fit their image. What is important is that they write challenging stuff with an edge. Neocon has those ingredients, without having to be really fast or loud. They've been there, done that. They shouldn't need to prove anything. And, frankly, K and R are not capable of reaching their former heights. So, develop laterally.

Anyway, what is clear from this thread is that nearly everyone agrees that SG is the benchmark. I think there is a reason for that, (apart from generally strong songs):

They were playing as a basic five-piece band. Bill's bass, strong (swing, groove etc. , etc.). Charlie's Drums, Ronnie's best lead, Rejuvenated Mick, Keith solid throughout (but nowhere near his previous best). Sum of the parts = major creative and cohesive whole, all committed and playing as a band unit. Stuff really knocked out spontaneously. (Like in the early days).

Hasn't really happened since - except, imo, in 1989. But most people dislike the sound/production and many of the songs on SW.

They've not been a five-piece band since 1989.

And on ABB they are essentially a three-piece.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2005-09-07 11:03 by Four Stone Walls.

If the piece's fit, rock with 'em!

I ain't stupid, I'm just guitarded.

1.Some Girls *****
2.Tattoo You *****
3.Undercover **** 1/2
4.A Bigger Bang **** 1/2
5.Emotional Rescue ****
6.Dirty Work ****
7.Voodoo Lounge *** 1/2
8.Steel Wheels *** 1/2
9.Bridges To Babylon **

Some girls 5
Tattoo You 4,5
Emotional Rescue 3
Undercover 3,5
Dirty Work 3,5
Steel Wheels 4,5
Voodoo Lounge 4
Bridges to Babylon 2
A Bigger Bang 4,5

Some Girls ****
Emotional Rescue **
Tattoo You ****
Undercover **
Dirty Work **
Steel Wheels ***1/2
Voodoo Lounge ***
Bridges To Babylon **
A Bigger Bang ***1/2

Some Girls - OK
Tatoo You - Almost OK
A Bigger Bang - had potential

The rest - not really worth the little effort they put into making them

Some Girls: ***** (a classic, by any standard)
Emotional Rescue: **
Tattoo You: ***
Undercover: ***
Dirty Work: **
Steel Wheels: ***
Voodoo Lounge: *****
Bridges to Babylon: ***
A Bigger Bang: * (maybe this will change, but not impressed by first 3 runs thru)

Some Girls 6/10
Emotional Rescue 5/10
Tattoo You 6/10
Undercover 4/10
Dirty Work 2/10
Steel Wheels 5/10
Voodoo Lounge 6/10
Bridges 4/10
Bigger Bang 8/10

when last did the stones do a rocker like ONNYA, its brilliant

Some Girls *****
Emotional Rescue **1/2 (Never got into it that much)
Tatoo You ***** (Tops is one of their most underrated songs)
Undercover **1/2 (Same as ER)
Dirty Work * (I think this is the worst Stones album by far)
Steel Wheels ****
Voodoo Lounge ***1/2
Bridges to Babylon ****1/2
A Bigger Bang **** (Could be a five star after a few more listens)

Still Life ****1/2 (Under My Thumb is awesome)
Flashpoint ***** (I agree with RoddyD, in comparison GYYYO would be a 10 star)
Stripped ****1/2
No Security ****
Live Licks ***1/2 (Gimme Shelter is best since Mick Taylor's days)

Raise your glass to the good and the evil, Let's drink to the salt of the earth.

Gonna go on a limb here

Some Girls
Tattoo You
A Bigger Bang
Voodoo Lounge
Steel Wheels
Undercover
Dirty Work


Live:
Stripped
Flashpoint
No Security
Still Life
Live Licks

Milo, NYC
I'm gonna walk befor you guys make me run

some girls 8/10

emotional rescue 5/10

tatoo you 9/10

undercover 7/10

dirtywork 3/10

steel wheels 7/10

voodoo lounge 6/10

bridges to babylon 6/10

a bigger bang 8/10

Some Girls 8/10
Emotional Rescue 6/10
Tattoo You 8/10
Undercover 5/10
Dirty Work 5/10
Steel Wheels 3/10
Voodoo Lounge 4/10
Bridges To Babylon 4/10
A Bigger Bang 6/10

Tatoo You 5
Some Girls 5
Bigger Bang 5
Voodoo Lounge 4.25
Undercover 4
Bridges To Babylon 3.75
Emotional Rescue 3
Steel Wheels 3
Dirty Work 2.75 MEZ

Marks Out of 10

Some Girls - 10
Emotional Rescue - 7
Tattoo You - 9
Undercover - 8
Dirty Work - 4
Steel Wheels - 9
Voodoo Lounge - 6
Bridges To Babylon - 2
A Bigger Bang - 3

Still Life - 4
Flashpoint - 6.5
Stripped - 8
No Security - 1
Live Licks - 2

Next time Q mag runs a best 100 list, they should ask the people on this thread to decide. There's much more savy going on here.

Some Girls 9/10
Emotional Rescue 5/10 (All a bout you, Shes so cold, ER are great and I love the production)
Tatto You 9/10 (the B-side rules)
Undercover 5/10 (Too much blood, Undercover and She was hot are all great songs and Ive always loved the sound on that album. )
Dirty Work 1/10 (It sucks, it just sucks) One hit is good.
Steel Wheels 5/10
Voodoo Lounge 6/10
Bridges To Babylon 3/10 Thief in the night is great the rest sucks.
Bigger Bang ?/10