THE ROLLING STONES: Exile On Main St. (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Success has its price and the Rolling Stones quickly realized that the British tax authorities had them in their sights. They then decided to leave their island to take refuge in the South-East of France. It is in the cellar of the villa of Keith Richards, building nicely named 'Nellcote' and located at Villefranche sur Mer, that the new opus will be recorded in an atmosphere of debauchery which will make its sulphurous reputation. As a young married man, Mick Jagger enjoyed his honeymoon in Monaco where he joined the jetset with enthusiasm, while Keith got high without reserve, accompanied in his excesses by Mick Taylor and producer Jim Miller. Charlie Watts remains sober and Bill Wyman lives his life in parallel, not even participating in the recording of several titles, Richards or Taylor then ensuring his bass parts. Jagger also comes by period, but a part of his vocal lines will be recorded later on the side of Los Angeles, while a range of participants, such as Bobby Keys on saxophones or Nicky Hopkins on piano, follow one another during the various sessions. This "Exile On Main St." is essentially the work of a Keith Richards particularly inspired by his abuse of hallucinogenic substances since it is a double album composed of 18 tracks that he wrote mainly. And still, 10 additional tracks will be added to the deluxe reissue of 2010, tracks on which the vocal line has been added for the occasion, the rest (composition, instrumental recording) dating from the original sessions.

This introduction may seem long but it is essential to understand the genesis as well as the legendary status that this album will enjoy. Indeed, largely dominated by the Blues influences of the founding guitarist, "Exile On Main St.", despite its undeniable qualities, does not contain any major hit of the Rolling Stones' career. The riff of "Rocks Off" is very catchy but it is not as unstoppable as the one on "Brown Sugar". The emotion is well present on the ballad "Let It Loose", but it doesn't reach the level of "Wild Horses". And yet, symbol of an era during which bohemia was honored, this opus will mark the history of Rock forever.

The Blues which inspires it is enriched of element Rock (the lightning "Rip This Joint"), Country ("Sweet Virginia") or Folk ("Sweet Black Angel"). The Boogie is shimmering ("Casino Boogie"), the Rocks are melancholic ("Tumbling Dice"), grandiloquent ("Loving Cup") or luminous ("Shine A Light"), while Al Perkins' steel guitar joins Mick Taylor's slide to take us to the South of the United States from which the album seems to come directly ("Torn And Frayed"). Because it is indeed a journey to these territories that "Exile On Main St." realizes, by exploring the various facets of their musical culture. Alongside the usual covers of historical Blues classics (here, Slim Harpo's haunting "Shake Your Hips" and Robert Johnson's "Stop Breaking Down"), the Glimmer Twins prove here that they are now so steeped in these influences that they are fully part of their identity.

After the immediacy of the unstoppable tracks of the previous albums, the Rolling Stones make an album whose multiple richness is discovered after each listening and is deeply impregnated in the heart of the memory. Each track is worth stopping and coming back to in order to be carried away by Keith Richard's enthusiasm singing "Happy", to breathe the humid air of "Ventilator Blues" or to be invaded by the melancholy of the Gospel choirs blurred by the heat haze of "I Just Want To See His Face". Some may find this album overplayed, but that means they missed out on the atmosphere of a freedom-loving era, or that they didn't take the time to let the tracks reveal their full value. - Official website

THE ROLLING STONES

EXILE ON MAIN ST.

POLYDOR

ROCK