The Rolling Stones
Stripped

THE REVIEW

We are in 1994, the Stones have just emerged from the treacherous maze called the '80s, they've dusted off their old vintage guitars, and released 'Voodoo Lounge', an album with a rock-blues rhythm that shapes the sound of the "new" Stones.

In 1995, the Voodoo Lounge tour kicks off, featuring concerts in stadiums, arenas, but also in small clubs; and it is precisely in these settings that the band decides to record an album. Indeed, 'Stripped' alternates between studio and live renditions of old tracks. It is necessary to mention that most of these tracks are from the '60s and '70s.

During the listening experience, one can feel the warm atmosphere of the small clubs and the (slightly) more relaxed vibe of the studio. The album highlights the very Stones-like rendition of Bob Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone, the revisitation of Blues and R&B tracks from their early albums (Little Baby, The Spider and The Fly, Not Fade Away), and some ballads like Wild Horses, Love in Vain, and Angie, which are made even more beautiful than on record, thanks in part to a superb Richards on guitar, who dominates here, because these sounds are his, and these sounds are the sounds of the Stones.

The rest of the band complements this sound, with notable mentions of the great Charlie Watts on drums, the grace of Ron Wood, and the ever-present Jagger on vocals. After years of waiting, this is the great return of the Stones and, at least for now, their last great work.