Let It Bleed - The Rolling Stones

I've always had the sneaking suspicion that The Rolling Stones were...well at little bit crap. Sure I liked their Greatest Hits albums but when it came to individual albums they couldn't hold a light to their 'rivals' The Beatles. Not even close, in my eyes anyway. I don't want to spark off a joyless debate about the worthy merits of either band but I'll just say that The Stones had to resort to covering Lennon / McCartney tracks. The Beatles never needed to return the favour as it were.

I would be on very safe ground with these opinions were it not for 'Let It Bleed'. B'Stard. It is, as someone might say, a corker. From the cover inwards it is a triumph in blues tinged rock.

The opener 'Gimme Shelter' is a lesson in how to take a guitar hook and craft a rock classic from simple materials. Then to follow this with the slow blues of 'Love In Vain' is brave and jolting. Blues, country and rock sit side by side.
If Side A (remember them!) is the bluesy side then the Side B is it's rockier alter ego. 'Midnight Rambler', 'Monkey Man' and the epic closing track 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' dominate the side and I doubt there is a better collection of blues rock anywhere in popular music. Quite a claim?

As I was raised on The Beatles, this album is never going to hold a special place in my affections but if I had to nominate desert island discs then it would certainly be a contender.