Stripped [ECD] - Rolling Stones (The) > Reviews > Unplugged Stones

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Average
Value for Money

Advantages:	Good versions of some less familiar oldies
Disadvantages:	Some tracks rather dull

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Over the years the Stones have issued around half a dozen live albums. Most are rather sloppy rehashes of greatest hits onstage, and only for the completist. 'Stripped', recorded mainly live at club gigs in Paris and Amsterdam, plus sessions from tour rehearsals, released autumn 1995, is perhaps not essential. But for me it wins out over the other live sets through more enterprising track selection, as well as the more stripped-down performance. Hence the title - the market was saturated with 'unplugged' albums at the time, so 'stripped' made a change.

The opening track, 'Street Fighting Man', sets the tone for the rest - crisp acoustic guitars and an equally clear piano sound. Whether the Mick Jagger of 1995 carries much conviction singing a number he wrote about and during civil unrest in London during anti-Vietnam war demonstrations in 1968 I leave for you to judge, but I've always loved the song and it may sound 'out of time', to borrow another Stones title, but what does it matter.

Track two, which was issued as a single just before the album and peaked at No. 12, is the one which several people thought was something of a joke. 'Like a Rolling Stone', the Dylan classic, is one of those songs which most of us Dylan fanatics can't imagine anybody else singing. But it works for me, with Chuck Leavell's keyboards getting uncannily close to the original's organ sound, Mick growling the words with venom, and even blowing a mean harmonica towards the end.

Track three is the only song which had once been a hit for them. 'Not Fade Away', Top 10 in 1964, always had a rough-edged charm, and this longer, more polished version doesn't really make it for me. In fact, I feel that way about at least four of the remaining eleven numbers.

On the plus side, the homegrown, mainly acoustic, bluesy 'The Spider and The Fly' and Willie Dixon's 'Little Baby' have a kind of low-key charm which doesn't sound that much like the Stones we know and love, Mick's inimitable (if occasionally self-parodying) vocal apart. The same goes for 'Love in Vain', an old Robert Johnson number which they cheekily credit as 'an adaptation with new words by Jagger/Richards' (come on, guys, you hardly need the extra composing royalties), with an engaging false start. About 20 seconds in, Keith stops playing his guitar, apologises as he 'didn't get the right archipelago', and they have to try again. I also like the good-time, sort of folksy/country feel of 'Let it Bleed', 'Sweet Virginia' and 'Dead Flowers', and the gospelly 'I'm Free' which originally appeared on their third album in 1965 and was revived successfully by the Soup Dragons in 1990 - nice organ and backing vocals on this one.

I've got less to say about 'Shine a Light', another of those slow gospel songs, of the kind which they've often done before but much better. 'Slipping Away', another rather languid dirge, has Keith on lead vocal, and it's ample evidence why they don't let him hog the microphone too often. 'Wild Horses' has a nice acoustic guitar and piano sound, but I've always thought the song one of their weaker moments. Finally there's the love song allegedly written to the then Mrs Bowie, 'Angie', a top five hit in 1973. I always found it one of their dullest numbers ever, and this version recreates the original faithfully yet does nothing to persuade me that it's improved over the passing decades.

Too bad, but even disregarding them, the sum total is nearly 75 minutes playing time. As one who's always loved the Stones, I find this doesn't quite represent them as the band we expect, but it provides an interesting alternative angle to the other stuff well. The sound quality is first-rate, and for the most part it makes a change to hear some of the less familiar items from their back catalogue, even if two or three are rather dull. Forget their other live albums, but give this one a try at least.

At present it's still full-price, but may be relegated to mid-price range before long.