Let It Bleed - Rolling Stones (The) > Reviews > A goodbye to the 60s in style

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Rock, country, unplugged, gospel  -  you'll find the lot here
Disadvantages:

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

It was ironic that the one professional experience as a band the Stones would rather forget, that notorious Altamont gig, coincided with the release of what was arguably their most consistent album ever. Released at the end of the 60s, five months after the death of brian Jones and the recruitment of Mick Taylor (both of whom appear on the album, alongside a galaxy of session singers and musos), "Let it Bleed" significantly and deservedly restored their chart fortunes, to the extent of even toppling the Beatles' "Abbey Road" from the top of the UK album list in its first week of release.
The sinister "Gimmie Shelter", with Keith Richards' vintage guitar riff, and the bad-boy lyrics of "Live With Me", put them back on top R'n'B form. There were also nods to outlaw country rock on the title track, and an amazing revamp of "Honky Tonk Women", "Country Honk", complete with acoustic guitars, fiddle, and the honk (sorry) of car horns. The funky "Monkey Man" pushed the envelope out further, the bluesy "Midnight Rambler" switched tempo dramatically just as monotony threatened to rear its ugly head, and the 7-minute epic "You Can't Always Get What You Want", with Al ("Like a Rolling Stone" - coincidence eh?) Kooper on keyboards and French horn, and the London Bach Choir, was - and remains - an amazing production - the "Stairway to Heaven" of its day. They even revisited their original roots with a laid-back version of Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain".
In my opinion they never topped this album.