First off, the front cover for Goats Head Soup is absolutely a horrendous image and does not get enough notoriety as such. With that out of the way, the contents within are interesting from a number of angles. Basically, the Stones recorded the bulk of it in Jamaica - although the genesis of some of tracks go back to the Let It Bleed days - and the end result mirrors the state of the band at that time: one ongoing physical, emotional, and mental hangover from the last 4-5 years or so, when they probably needed a rest from it all. This sounds like it was composed by a group of guys high on very hard drugs, or coming down from them, which makes sense, as the rather repetitive yet pleasant-sounding ballad "Coming Down Again" features Keith Richards himself on lead vocals. And there seems to be more focus on sidemen, weird instrumentation, and rude, off-color gags ("Star Star") than ever before.

Sticky Fingers is the proverbial "Other Side of the Mountain", even though a decent-sized chunk of it was recorded in the 60's, rather than the 70's. Still, it is hard not to notice, from the "lips" logo to the presentation and aural content, that this is the Rolling Stones show once and for all, so no more hippie B.S., no more sneaky manager interference, no more stupid swinging London model chicks involved on the scene, and let's get down to brass tax. So then, why do I feel like these guys are already on the downside, whining and moaning about rock star problems, addictions, and letting it affect them a little bit prematurely? Or, it is a case of the run has been great since '65, and simply now is the time for it to start running dry? The one track I feel like no one can touch here is "Can't You Hear Me Knocking", where they take all of their energy and wits about them - including their session friends - and throw it wholeheartedly into a two-part masterpiece which I never, ever, get tired of hearing. Plus, there's the added touch of Mick Taylor's insanely, otherworldly, guitar solo, which blends effortlessly with the layers of excitement going on around him - he's the undeniable focal point of the second section, yet he never takes a thing away from the other players involved. Easily my favorite Stones track of all-time.

This is my favorite Stones album and quite possibly one of my favorite albums to listen to, from start to finish, bar none. There are any number of reasons for this, one of the major ones being the right marriage of band and producer (Jimmy Miller). Every passage seems pre-planned for maximum effect, and yet, every time I listen to the album I come away mind-blown at how effortless and natural the whole thing comes off. Another point - the musical flow of Let It Bleed is immaculate. Nothing ever feels out of place, out of left field, even where you could argue "Honky Tonk Women" should go in the slot where "Country Honk" is at on the record - guess what - "Honk" was the original take, so this ramshackle thing feels just as right as the massive bookends which start and end the album. And the sad irony? It was released two days after the Altamont debacle.

The obvious short answer here was that psychedelia was a failure, the Stones got back to basics, and as a result, started releasing the best albums of their career. The actual truth was more complicated. First of all, Brian Jones was rapidly losing his faculties and getting edged out of the band. Second, the decision to use Jimmy Miller as producer on this album (as well as the companion single "Jumpin' Jack Flash") was a wise one, because he played a part in bringing the band back into focus from their haze. Finally, it's not like the Stones' psychedelic era was radically different than this "roots" period - but with Jones going nuts and the group in a rudderless state - it was up to Mick and Keith to recommit themselves and lead the group back out of the wilderness…and that they did, and then some. Beggars Banquet is simply a fantastic, close-to-perfect record, combining rock, blues, country, some political intrigue, and even a strong whiff of the psychedelia that critics claim the album stomps all over. "Sympathy for the Devil" - by itself - is on my shortlist of greatest songs ever composed and performed. I would rate it 15 out of 5 if I could, but I am limited by the format. Another striking characteristic is the rural flavor of the album as a whole. Tracks like "Dear Doctor", "Factory Girl", and "Salt of the Earth" come off either as parodies and/or tributes to the hard-scrabble countryside lifestyle. Still, they comment on urban matters as well. "Jigsaw Puzzle" is just as far-out as anything from Satanic Majesties Request (just what in the hell is a "mentholated sandwich"), while "Stray Cat Blues" and "Parachute Woman" rank among their most brutal tracks.

The Stones' debut is a covers-heavy homage to 50s rock 'n' blues with a couple of originals thrown in for good measure. One of them ("Tell Me") definitely foreshadows the ironic/realistic British pop music they would master later in the decade, but the real burners are the covers of "Carol", "Route 66", and "I'm a King Bee". This is the Stones album you, your father, and your father's father rocks the hell out of.