Rolling Stones
Let It Bleed

THE REVIEW

The '68 and '69 were the turning years for the Stones.

After the excellent "Beggars Banquet," the Stones did not stop. "Let It Bleed" opens with the apocalyptic "Gimmie Shelter," one of the greatest Rock tracks of the '60s. The piece is absolutely epic, full of vitality: it's simply the magic of Rock'n'Roll! "Country Honk" is a hilarious Country-Rock track, perfectly performed by Mick Jagger and featuring Keith Richards' first vocal appearance. The wild, obsessive, and frantic Blues of "Midnight Rambler" simply makes you want to have fun without thinking about anything. Keith Richards' guitar riff in "Monkey Man" remains unique in his repertoire, biting and lethal. The album closes with an acoustic piece: "You Can Always Get What You Want." The track is played with an acoustic guitar by Keith Richards, added to a keyboard and a French horn played by Al Kooper, plus a choir, which gives even more zest to an already original piece. Obviously, it was Mick Jagger who sang it, in all his splendor.

"The real producer was Mick," said Kooper: "He knew what he wanted, and he practically did everything." The album marked an era for the Stones and for Rock. Perhaps the group's most successful album, along with "Exile on Main Street," released later in 1972.