Rolling Stones, The Rolling Stones - Between the Buttons
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Free Music Notes for Between the Buttons
Free Music Review: Stones in transition
Hit: 5 Stars
I think the stones had exhausted their list of blues and r&b covers when it came time to record this album and they felt free to just record what they were writing at the time. There is a feeling of unbridled freedom that runs through the songs and it makes for a wonderful listening. Brian was soon to be gone but his influence is very evident with the recorder, the sitar, and the vibes. Lyrically it is hilarious as Mick pokes fun at the pretentious scene developing around them at the time. And then other songs like the fabulous "Ruby Tuesday" have words that are absolutely timeless. The drumming of Charlie Watts is so inventive, powerful and always exactly what the song needed. Don't overlook this fun little album that stands undeservedly in the shadows of "Let it Bleed."Free Music Review: Late '66 and Signs Of The Times for the Stones
Hit: 4 Stars
This album is one of my favorites from the Stones. Released in January of 1967, it's another demonstration of how much change took place in rock music during the wanning days of 1966. All of England was riveted by the Beatles "Revolver" and the psychedelic explosion was on its way. Although the Stones weren't answering to their "Satanic Majesties Request" just yet, "Buttons" has its share of psychedelia just the same.
The American release (in February) substitutes "Back Street Girl" and "Please Go Home" for the A/B sides of their pre-release single "Ruby Tuesday" and "Lets Spend The Night Together." To me it makes much more sense because opening the album with "Yesterdays Papers" (track no.2 on the U.S. release) is just ludicrous....it's just not a strong enough track. The pounding piano intro to "Lets Spend The Night Together" opens the album perfectly and that's one reason why the American version gets my higher rating. "Back Street Girl" could've substituted a weaker track like "Complicated" and "Please Go Home" would've been perfect for "Satanic Majesties Request" but both tracks were released in the U.S. on "Flowers."
"Ruby Tuesday" is by far one of the Stones most beautiful creations ever! The only Stones song that can get me to cry. Brian Jones was such a talented member of the Stones, his pan flute that flows like a brook throughout the song gives it a feel and edge that other songs of this period just didn't have. The whole album is pure late '66 with its rocking, gentle, and whimsical moments all smeared together. For rocking there's "Lets Spend...," "Connected," "All Sold Out," "My Obsession," "Complicated," and "Miss Amanda Jones." For gentle there's "Ruby Tuesday," "She Smiled Sweetly," and the Dylanish "Whos Been Sleeping Here?" For whimsical there's "Cool Calm Collected" and "Something Happened To Me Yesterday" (which is about an LSD trip).
"Between The Buttons" also marks the end of the semi-innocent Stones (if there ever really was such a thing). After drug busts and closing out 1967 with "Satanic Majesties" the overtly-sexual..sort of semi-Satanic Stones would emerge in 1968 with "Jumpin Jack Flash" and the "Beggars Banquet" LP. Jagger would don a image of Lucifier on his arm during "The Rock and Roll Circus" in December of 1968.
"Between The Buttons" is a must for anyone interested in the changing sounds of music during the psychedelic transition. It's not quite as good as "Aftermath" or "Let It Bleed" but still one of their best I think
Free Music Review: The Rolling Kinks' Lonely Small Faces Club Band
Hit: 4 Stars
Comprised entirely of original material, "Between The Buttons" was released in early 1967 to mixed reviews.
Some critics, and part of the record-buying public as well, felt that the Rolling Stones had made a mistake in abandoning their raw, bluesy origins in favour of pop songs, Dylan-emulations, and psychedelia, and "Between The Buttons" is certainly the least R&B-influenced album the Stones had delivered at the time.
But it has a lot of qualities as well, and it went a long way towards establishing Mick Jagger and Keith Richards as versatile songwriters who could do a lot more than just cover Bo Diddley and write basic, three-chord rock songs.
The best-known songs on this superior US-edition are "Let's Spend The Night Together", a classic piano-driven rocker, and Keith Richards' quasi-"power ballad" "Ruby Tuesday", but songs like the mean-spirited "Yesterday's Paper", the catchy pop-rockers "Connection" and "Something Happened To Me Yesterday", and the grand "Who's Been Sleeping Here" are of high quality as well, showing how much the songwriting abilities of the Glimmer Twins had evolved.
A couple of these songs are a little too psychedelic for my taste, and I sometimes find myself wishing that the Stones would have stuck to being the Stones rather than attempting to be the Kinks.
But most of what's here is very good, and certainly worth your while. "Buttons" is hard to categorize...it is quite different from what most people would expect from the Rolling Stones, and those who prefer them in their hard rock-guise may be somewhat disappointed.
Still, "Buttons" also shows the breadth and depth of the Stones' collective talents, and while it's not consistently great there are several highlight here which any self-respecting Stones fan absolutely must hear.
3 3/4 stars. I'm not sure how to spell "breadth".
Free Music Review: Discover this little gem!!
Hit: 4 Stars
Just forget the Brian Jones-less Stones of 1968-1972 just for two seconds and find out what an incredibly quirky band they were in 1967. If there is a God, the Stones will play songs off this album one day even though Mick hates it! The standouts are "Yesterday's Papers", "All Sold Out", "Connection" and one of the great ballads, "Back Street Girl". This is Jones and Wyman in great playing form on this record. I'm sure Blur would have listened to this record at one time or another!! Free Music Review: The Stones Triumphant
Hit: 5 Stars
This is probably the best of the Stones' three albums released between June 1976 and June 1977, with "Flowers" and "Aftermath" following. The songs are incredibly creative, with great variations in arrangements and mood, from the sexual rocker "Let's Spend the Night Together" to the truly romantic "She Smiled Sweetly" and the music hall romp of "Something Happened to Me Yesterday." It's also one of Jagger's most impressive vocal performances, with nuanced, risk-taking interpretations."Let's Spend the Night Together" and "Ruby Tuesday" were released in the U.S. as the A- and B-sides. Because of the sexual lyrics of Let's Spend the Night Together, " "Ruby Tuesday" got more airplay and reached #1 on Billboard. Both songs represent the best of the Stones, and were included on the later "Flowers" LP. The great `Night' benefits from Jagger's impassioned vocals, rocking guitars and piano, and the doo-wop background at the break. The drumming is sometimes unimaginative though, but that's a minor problem. "Ruby Tuesday" is one of rock's greatest lyrical achievements, and, again, Jagger is completely triumphant." Brian Jones' recorder solo is just one of many examples of multi-instrumental texture on the album.
"Yesterday's Papers" is even better than remembered. It's fairly prosaic lyrically, but the minor key, unusual arrangement, and a great riff on marimba make this another great. "Connection" is also a bit simple, but has great drumming and drive, as well as the fun of all those "ion" rhymes: "direction," "injection," "infection," etc. "She Smiled Sweetly and "Cool, Calm, and Collected" are among Jagger's finest vocals. On the former, he sounds vulnerable, even grateful, and he sings it straight in a simple, low-toned voice. The Dylan-esque quality is notable as well as the churchy Hammond organ meshing with the almost reverential tone. Definitely a departure for the Stones. The latter song typically criticizes a woman, but there's a very playful quality in both Jagger's voice and the instrumentation and playing: a banjo/sitar, ragged piano, harmonica, and kazoo. (There's also some fun, purposefully bad notes by Richards, and a sped-up ending) It's a fantastic combination of the Beatles, the Kinks, and the Bonzo Dog Band, and echoes England's great music hall tradition. The same mix permeates the wonderfully playful "Something Happened to Me Yesterday," one of their most underrated songs (and even more reminiscent of the Beatles).
The remaining songs are more typical (but still excellent) Stones fare, with "Amanda Jones" standing out for its harmonies and driving rock/pop attitude. "All Sold Out" (dig those "hey hey!" background vocals) and "My Obsession" (great bass riff, drumming, and probably Nicky Hopkins on piano) feature Keith Richard's biting guitar licks. They barely qualify as solos, but they give a taste of things to come. "Who's Been Sleeping Here" echoes Dylan both vocally and musically (It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" is obvious) and, though Jagger's vocal is uneven, the mix of acoustic and electric guitars is very appealing. Only "Complicated" is a disappointment. The best of these songs predate and, arguably, rival the creativity of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper." The album definitely evokes 1960's London, but the sound is transcendent.