Pros: Great songs from beginning to end. For the first time, they're all originals too.
Cons: Changed unforgivably from the British version by removing four tracks.
The Bottom Line: The first album that truly showcased the near unmatched songwriting team of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. An absolutely indispensable album.
ilash's Full Review: Aftermath [Remaster] by The Rolling Stones
Aftermath was a tremendously important album for the Rolling Stones. After two-or-so years and five-or-so albums, the band was finally ready to leave its old-blues-covering past behind. The Rolling Stones clearly noticed that the Beatles were making a name for themselves by relying on their own Lennon/McCartney penned material rather than someone else’s and decided quite wisely to follow suit. What we have then is the first Stones album comprised of nothing but Jagger/Richards originals. And thank goodness for that. Now, I don’t mean to belittle their earlier period because, frankly, I don’t actually own any pre-Aftermath albums (yet) so it’s hardly fair for me to rag on something that I’ve never heard. Besides, from what I can tell these early albums were really quite impressive in their own right. No, the point is that Jagger and Richards were to become most probably the greatest songwriters this side of Lennon and McCartney and more so than any of their earlier classic self-penned tunes, it was Aftermath that proved to be the thing that would point them in that direction. While songs like the Last Time and (of course) Satisfaction showed that the Stones could write some fantastic material, they were still in a style that the band was most comfortable with: Chuck Berry-styled, riff-based rock and roll. With Aftermath, Jagger and Richards started to make it abundantly clear that their was – and is – far more to them than simple, if mind-numbingly superb- simplistic rock and roll. The year was 1966, a year that saw the release of Revolver, Pet Sounds and Blonde and Blonde and it was becoming clear that rock and roll was expanding wildly and bands needed to adapt if they wanted to survive. The Stones responded to this by producing an album that could best be described as a mix between sixties pop music, old-time rock and roll and even some rhythm and blues. In retrospect, Aftermath is not nearly as much a departure from the band’s 50s rock past as the following albums but it does show the band in the midst of a very obvious maturation. It is because of this that many people call Aftermath the Rolling Stones’ Rubber Soul: just as Rubber Soul caught the Beatles in a period of transition between their earlier, simpler days and their later more experimental days, Aftermath documents a period when the Stones were in a similar state of transformation.
Another and perhaps more important similarity between the two albums is this: they are both packed to the rim with nothing but the most impressive, enjoyable pop/rock music ever released, with nary a duffer in sight. And that apparently refers to both versions of Aftermath. Yes, both versions. Yet again a Rolling Stones album fell victim to being chopped up and rearranged by the American record companies for its release in that country. The version that I am reviewing – the American release – replaces four tracks (Mothers Little Helper, What To Do, Out of Time and Take It Or Leave It) for the better known Paint it Black. Now, I love Paint it Black as much as the next guy – which is to say that I think it rules but you knew that – but shortening the album by no less than three songs is very simply uncool, no two ways about it. As for what you, dear reader, are supposed to do about these other tracks, I recommend the following two options: either buy the recently reissued British versions of the Stones 60s albums and fill in the missing hits with a good greatest hits compilation or buy the American albums, which includes Flowers, a compilation which includes most of the songs left off the American albums. And for all the rest of the tracks that you will inevitably not manage to get on Flowers or anywhere else but the British releases, I say this: download the bleeding things, there is only so much you should be expected to put up with!
Anyway, evil record companies aside, lets take a look at the wonderful eleven tracks that we do have. The album starts off with Paint it Black, a classic song that actually works as an album opener even if it wasn’t originally meant to be one. It’s a darkly menacing, eerie, “pop” rocker punctuated by a ferocious rhythm session (listen to this through a pair of good headphones, you should be in for a shock) and some utterly brilliant sitar work courtesy of Brian Jones. Stupid Girl one the other hand is a more simple, straightforward pop song but with some viciously misogynistic lyrics along with a pounding beat, highly energized Jagger vocals and some subtle guitar work. While I do admittedly find myself somewhat embarrassed when I listen to this song (especially in public), it is catchy enough to keep me coming back for more. Just to show us that Jagger isn’t actually a real woman-hater, the beautiful Victorian (Elizabethan? I don’t really know) ballad, Lady Jane comes next. Hearing the Stones try out something this odd is a tad disconcerting but they do actually manage to pull through and give us the albums most beautiful moment and ample proof that they can actually succeed at any musical genre, no matter how “out there” it may be. Rounding off the four songs that many consider to be among the best four-song-runs the Stones ever committed to tape is a song that is both another hit single and yet another misogynistic pop song, Under My Thumb. What can I say, it’s ingenious, it’s hook-filled and it is really, really gross. Business as usual for the Rolling Stones, in other words.
I have to admit that I used to be terribly unimpressed by the rest of the album but fortunately time and perseverance has changed my tune. Doncha Bother Me is a fairly simple pop song that didn’t do much for me and though I still consider it to be one of the album’s weaker moments, I’ve come to enjoy it for Charlie’s unforgettable drumming, cool harmonica solo and the great little guitar bits that come after each verse. The album’s next track, Think is better though. It’s simply a much more interesting song, what with its twist and turns, interesting instrument arrangements and a truly unforgettable chorus. Flight 505 is one of the albums most simple songs, being nothing more than a straight rock and roll song but it’s enjoyable enough do I don’t mind. More interesting is the very countryish High and Dry, which after listening to a mere one time, you most certainly won’t confuse it with Radiohead’s song of the same name. The Rolling Stones have always been good with mock country (and for that matter real country too) songs and High and Dry is no exception. Even better than that though are the album’s next two songs, It’s Not Easy and I Am Waiting. The former seems like a deceptively simple rock and roll song but this highly enjoyable song is taken to a new level by some exceptional vocal interplay between Mick and whoever it is that backs him up. The latter is probably my favourite album track here. It’s hard to explain why it works as well as it does because yet again it seems quite unspectacular on first listen. The more you listen to it though, the more you appreciate the little details that they put into the song, be it the instrumentation or the way the very lively choruses stand in such perfect contrast to the quite, restrained but thoroughly interesting verses. Unfortunately though, the album ends on a weak note. Going Home is an enjoyable enough blues-pop song with some wonderfully innovative Mick Jagger singing but at eleven minutes, it is very simply just too long. Still, it’s not too bad and if you’re in the right mood you might actually find yourself enjoying it all the way through. Most of the rest of the time though, it does try my patience.
On the whole Aftermath is a very definite success. In fact, I have been led to believe that it is actually the very first truly, unquestionably superb Rolling Stones ever. It does take a while to get into everything past the first four songs and the murky, rather monotonous production certainly doesn’t help matters but give it time and it should grow on you. The Stones would go on to release even better albums but this is (seemingly) where it all begins and only a true idiot would skip over this album. Maybe get their other pop albums first but do get this.
Okay, I’ve decided to add a new feature to my reviews as a nice simple summary (not that that’s an excuse not to read the whole review of course).
Best Song: Paint It Black
Worst Song: Going Home
Most Underrated Song: I Am Waiting
Most Overrated Song: Nah, this album doesn’t have anything even remotely overrated.
Who shines the most: Mick Jagger or perhaps Brian Jones
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