It's Only Rock & Roll - Rolling Stones (The) (CD 1994)

The Rolling Stones are often confused for a basic, ultra-simplistic rock and roll band by pretty much everyone, from the critics to their detractors to some of their fans. But, as anyone who has heard more than four of their songs should be able to tell you, this is about as far from the truth as the Beatles being called a boy band is - which is to say, it s about as far removed from the truth as is humanly possible. No, the Stones are one of rock and roll s most versatile and experimental outfits as they traversed more genres and sub-styles than anyone this side of the Fab Four and Bowie. And successfully at that! Unfortunately this misconception even affected the members of the band themselves after their 1973 album, Goats Head Soup, was written off as an experimental failure (which it most certainly was not) and they released something that can only be deemed a parody album. Whether or not it was an intentional parody or not, is a question that I have never heard a satisfactory answer to but, regardless, that the Stones had to release a parody album so soon after their golden age is troubling indeed. It s Only Rock And Roll, as the album was very fittingly called, is a disappointment there really is no other way to put. After releasing a string of audacious, usually unquestionably brilliant and, yes, diverse work since Aftermath, Mick and Keith s songwriting breakthrough that was released all the way back in 1966, IORR was then and is now a tremendous letdown. The album consists of almost nothing but overly dumbed-down rockers and similarly simple (and overlong) ballads with two funky/ groovy songs thrown in for good measure. This is not the Stones that we all know and love, this is the work of third rate Stones imitators and by all rights, this album should remain as far from a fan s collection as possible.

And yet, despite it all, I actually enjoy this album quite a lot and though this should be one of your last Stones purchases you ll probably like it quite a lot too. It s funny, peculiar and downright amazing that even when the Stones are just parodying themselves they still manage to entertain us like damned-near no one else. This may be third rate Stones but I d still take it over almost anyone else s best work (especially those abysmal modern rockers that are currently flooding our airwaves) because, well, they re the ROLLING FREAKING STONES, the greatest rock and roll band the world has ever known (or close enough, anyway). See, the rockers may be generic beyond words but they re still catchy and they re still fun and they re still well performed. Similarly, the ballads may find the Stones in autopilot mode but they re still beautiful and they still have solid melodies and, yes, they re still well performed. The album on the whole also benefits from crystal clear, warm and lively production values and some solid arrangements. Oh and have I mentioned those performances lately because, what can I tell you, they re good. And as for the two less-typical tracks, well, they re more or less the very definition of cool but I ll deal with them in more detail when I take a closer look at the rest of the songs, which starts right about...now.

Many people seem to hate the ballads on this album but for me they actually rank among the album s more successful tracks. Yes, all three of them. Till The Last Goodbye is probably my favourite of these, coming across as halfway point between the Stones earlier ballads (Wild Horses) and their later ones (Out of Tears). I m not one-hundred percent convinced that Mick is being at all sincere here but between his expressive, impassioned vocals and some gorgeous guitar interplay between Keef and Mick T, it s hard not be moved. Similarly, the other two ballads have the same sort of effect on me, albeit to a somewhat lesser extent. Time Waits For No One is an epic in much the same vain as Winter and Moonlight Mile but it does pale in comparison to its predecessors. However much I love the melody, this song goes on much too long thanks to some monotonous guitar noodling courtesy of Mick Taylor that takes up at least half of the song s intimidating running-time. His extended guitar passages may have worked wonders in adding to the emotional impact of Winter and Shine a Light or in embellishing Can You Hear Me Knocking an already exciting rock and roller but here I don t really see the point. Still, the first half of the song is absolutely beautiful, thanks in a large part to Taylor, so I m almost willing to forget this transgression. Almost. If You Really Want To Be My Friend actually also suffers from a similar lack of restraint as an otherwise thoroughly likable gospel-tinged ballad starts to truly test the listener s patience as it goes on for no less than six and a half minutes. If, however, you re in a particular relaxed mood and are prepared to let this song just wash over you, you just may find yourself enjoying yourself for all of the six and a half minute long running time.

All complaints aside though, I really do rather enjoy all the ballads here and for me the album s main problem has to do with some of the rockers. Not all of them, mind you but If You Can t Rock Me and especially Short and Curlies must surely rank as the worst Stones rockers up to that point. While the former does have a fairly decent riff, it still fails to really capture my attention. It s utterly generic melody and annoying vocals add up to an absolutely forgettable listening experience. The latter track is slightly less generic, being a somewhat less typical funk-rocker but the obnoxiously and quite obviously gross lyrics along with the less than memorable melody turn it into a lackluster effort that exists simply to offend. Fortunately, the other two rockers do go some way in redeeming the album for those troubling blunders. Ain t To Proud To Beg may not be the most successful cover the band ever did it s probably not even their best Temptations cover but it s still pretty compelling nonetheless. While it does loose any of the R&B tappings of the original, it s still a thoroughly likable rock and roll number with a chorus that is very possibly the album s catchiest moment. On this, of course, it does receive some pretty stuff competition from the title track, a song that just may be the most unpretentious rock and roll song ever. It s a definite classic Stones rocker, which means that you can expect the usual mix of electrifying guitar riffage, spirited Jagger vocals and a melody that will very probably get stuck in your head for days after listening to it. As for Dance Little Sister, well, it s a fun enough number and that truly is all I really have to say on the matter.

The two remaining tracks are the only songs here that find the Stones in a somewhat experimental mode. They both also point the way nicely for the next album, the massively underrated Black and Blue. Luxury is a reggae-tinged rocker that comes complete with Mick s hilarious Jamaican accent, seductive guitar lines and an absolutely irresistible laid-back atmosphere. The band s cover of Cherry O Baby on the next album continues their interest in Caribbean rhythms but that one s just a bit too lightweight to match this unexpectedly likable track. Fingerprint File is probably even more audacious as the Stones completely immerse themselves into the kind of funk music that was so prevalent at the time. I may not think quite as highly of it as many other web-reviewers do but I would be last to admit that it s anything less than a superb slice of funk music that actually makes impressive use of it s extended running time and ends the album off on a high note.

All in all then, It s Only Rock and Roll is the perfect title for this album and if you go in expecting nothing more than simple rock and roll then you should find much to enjoy. Just don t expect another Exile on Main Street, that s all.

Summary:

Best Song: If you want a ballad: Till The Next Goodbye. Rocker the title track. Otherwise check out Fingerprint File.

Worst Song: Short and curlies

Underrated Song: Till The Next Goodbye

Overrated Song: Nothing really.