stevey_

I like this kind of jazz, but nothing blew me away here. Maybe I'm jaded but I just thought it was fine.

The Stones were always cooler than The Beatles but they're really making a statement here. "Let It Bleed" vs "Let It Be", and the album cover's subversive nod to Sgt. Pepper's on the cake seem like direct call-outs for the Fab Four. I'm sure there are additional layers involved in the tire, clock, and film can stacked on the cake plate as well, but I'm not smart enough to unpack those on my own. by November 1969 when this was released, The Beatles had already done most of the recording for what would end up being "Let It Be" and filmed the process for a made-for-television documentary that still hadn't seen daylight yet. The legendary, and very public, rooftop concert had also already happened. While The Beatles as a group seemed to be stalling out, The Stones were firing on all cylinders here! "Gimme Shelter" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want" are all-timers and the rest of the album doesn't feel too far off, even if there aren't any other hits.

I didn’t expect to like this very much but it’s actually pretty good.

NOTE: This site links to the Deluxe/Remastered version on Spotify, but there's also just a regular remastered version of the original album available if you look in their album listings. It's only seven tracks and I think that's a better experience. Your life will not be greatly enhanced by listening to three different version of "Black Night" or two versions of "Speed King". I encourage you to always look for the original album whenever this site links you to a deluxe/bonus/extended edition of an album.

Anyways...

"Child In Time" is one of the best examples of early 70s (late 60s) rock & roll out there. Period. The vocals, the organ, all of it. It should get talked about a lot more than it does. Even the studio version sounds like it should be live, so it's important that the live version deliver on that promise... and it does. The rest of the album also proves that Deep Purple was a powerhouse live band in this era and should get more accolades for their work beyond "Smoke On The Water".
If I have a complaint it's that the jamming gets a little carried away - specifically I'm thinking about "Space Truckin'". Twenty minutes is unnecessary. If I knew that was the show closer, I would have packed up my blanket and started heading to the parking lot before it was over. Avoiding traffic is an important part of truckin' anywhere.

Oh, so THAT’s where The Strokes got their inspiration.