Exile on Main St: the great rock album that's a blues album.

Cafe Society
1

I have really been enjoying it lately. It really must be listened to in its entirety - it works so well as a single statement.

That is all.

:slight_smile:

2

And I agree.

3

There’s a good ration of country on it, too.

4

I haven’t heard it in years,but any albumn with turd on the run has to be good. Isn’t the cover of Mississippi Fred McDowel’s You got to move on Exile?

5

Nope, but close. That’s on Sticky Fingers which is generally considered - at least by Keef anyway - to be a companion piece to Exile. Heck, Sticky was recording only a little before Exile, so for Keef, it was probably all a blur.

Oh, but what a blur.

I love both - for the longest time, Sticky was my all-time favorite for its collection of songs, and the fact that the opening riff on Can’t You Hear me Knocking is pretty much the best guitar intro on a song ever. But as I have been immersing myself into Exile, it stands as a piece and really deserves its reputation as a “greatest rock album” along with a few other usual suspects.

I could break down some specifics, but suffice to say I enjoy the whole thing. But listening to it, there are parts that are so straight-up blues (and country Arky no argument there) that it is amusing to discuss it as a rock album, per se. It rocks - clearly! - but is so much more.

6

Definitely one of the best rock albums ever, if not the best. Exile is to Rock what Kind of Blue is to jazz.

Thanks a lot, wordman! For the past month or so, I’ve been resisting the urge to spend 10+ dollars to replace this album on the grounds that I haven’t listened to the Stones in almost 10 years. Today, I think I’m gonna relapse!

7

[Superhero posture]

My work here is done.

[/Superhero posture]

Linty - if you don’t have the Big 4 (Let It Bleed, Beggar’s Banquet, Sticky and Exile) they are all worthy. But Exile is the best complete statement of what the Stones were at the time.

8

Definitely my favorite Stones album. My favorites are the country & gospel songs - Sweet Virginia, Torn and Frayed, Let it Loose.

I also enjoy the Hot Rocks albums - they’re excellent greatest hits records.

9

Oh, at one time, I had all the Stones albums. This was over a decade ago, though, and due to moves, album swapping, discovering The Pogues, and what have you, my collection has dwindled. Guess it’s time to build it up.

I loved Let It Bleed. Seeing as how I’m spending money on Exile, I might as well get that one, too.