Just been listening to this album over the last few weeks and I love it
(still).
I recognize its "late" status" as an album but it still kills me as a great album. Why don't more people recognize it as one of the band's better post some girls works?

It must be hell trying to promote it. I think it kicks ass.

.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-05-31 04:32 by camper88.

I love Undercover - great album. Different. Very interesting sounds overall. A lot of different styles and things going on.

Here, you'll enjoy this! Somebody here pointed me to this - so let me return the favour! Even Goldmine says it's the last truly great LP:

[www.goldminemag.com]

imo undercover is defo better than emotional rescue, dirty work, steel wheels, bridges to babylon, and a bigger bang.

I dunno if its better - it is really dark, the dubby funk like a funhouse mix approapriate to the music and mix that are quite harsh, dense and rarley warm or inviting. So it coheres as a reflection of sexual/emotional as well as geopolitial violence, paranoia, confusion, helplessness, and panic as the narrator fights encroaching numbness; all this leavened by occasional hilarity (TM and stark, smart if less than reassuring narrative analysis that as always shies from prescription (MBH).....still sounds powerful. But imo DW is better articulated. And VL, & B2B especially touch me more deeply, have more range and are more generous in their attempts to reach out to the listener be it with a groove or texture or just plain heart (songs that honestly and without pandering connect, which makes living more bearable, i.e. Thru & Thru, Too Tight, Juiced, How Can I Stop, and many many others)

A frickin' great record!

Their last album while all cylinders still on. There is a strong band cohesion still there, and they are not scared of making riskies. Anyway, personally I remember that at the time of its heyday I was quite disappointed after having fallen love the band with TATTOO YOU, and my expectations were, of course, very high.

The years have shown that the album has a stronger identity of its own than it was then perceived. For example, it is one of their most rocking albums; there is no ballads in the flipside of UNDERCOVER at all as a total opposition to TATTOO YOU! But I still have the impression that the band tries a bit too hard but is not quite content what they are doing. More drive than actual good ideas. And the mixes of the album are so muddy; that is, the bad influental aspects of the 80's were truely be showing. Everytime when I listen to the album (not very often I need to admit) and get to "It Must Be Hell", with its too obvious and familiar main riff, I think the band sounds tired and out of ideas. The song somehow closes the whole period and the sound of the band from SOME GIRLS on, the last absolutely awesome phase of the band. But they are totally out of that creative (Pathe Marconi) gas by then.

To me UNDERCOVER sounds the last Stones album where Jagger heart is still there. Perhaps that also means that it is the last album the band tries really be a relevant, a living and a current band.

- Doxa

Good post Doxa.
I must admit, i didn`t listen to the album for about 25 years or so.
For me also the album was a bit disapointed at that time, to much ``80`s`` sound.

i love undercover as well

my fav songs off the album too tough,all the way down,pretty beat up,tie you up the pain of love

Feel The Fear
And Do It Anyway

about half of a near-great album. There's a strong sonic concept from the start that goes awry with "Wanna Hold You," which is a nice change of pace but IMO comes 1 or 2 cuts too early. Then the last few songs on the album--which are the only ones some conservative fans like--seem out of place and uninspired. The beginning of "It Must Be Hell" is potentially great: just keith, charlie, and mick, then the bass enters (can't remember who it is at the moment, it might even be bill). A real stripped down jam. But the song itself is flat, and mick's lyrics don't make much sense. There's a comment on timeisonourside where he says something like, "yeah I was trying to say something with that song, and I actually listened to it the other day [after the album was released], and it didn't come out right. Oh well!"

I never listen to that album which I consider as the low point of The Stones music. No inspiration at all transpires thru it. Can UnderCover be listened as a Stones song !!! It is still a mystery for me. Bad years to come.

She Was Hot, Wanna Hold You, It Must be Hell, Too Tough, All the Way Down are excellent songs.
Undercover, Tie You Up and Too Much Blood are very good songs.
Feel on Baby and Pretty Beat Up are good songs.

I think Undercover a great album. I really love it!

It's not one of my fave.I don't like it .


I don't listen it often.May be should I .

I found Charlie was really good .Great riffs .Provocative lyrics ." You get a rise from it, Feel the hot come dripping on your tighs from it"

But for me it was the reflect of Mick and Keith's relationship .
“Undercover of the Night” is a good song, for sure, but I didn't like the "echoes guitar sound ".



I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .

Great album, except for the last number "Hell". Even if it were not a recycled riff, it sounds lame and tired. But the rest of the album to me is very good. Also think Sly Dunbar is used with great effect.
Listening to outtakes from this album is once again a lesson how tight the Stones are.Besides the obvious production numbers "Undercover", "Too Much Blood", "Feel On Baby" the verses on "Too Tough" are insane. Those two chords, on and on with no dressing...I love that.

Charlie is barely on this record.
Its all electronics.

Too Much Blood is embarrassing.

Great LP though.

"We are heaven bound" ends the whole thing...

What does 'all electronics' mean ? They have Sly's additional trax mixed fairly prominent on 3 numbers. But Charlie is as much on this record as on every Stones record: namely on every track; behind the kit.

It Must Be Hell is just Soul Survivor version 2 but I love the way Mick sings it. He sounds, I dunno, a bit snobby, a bit cynical, a bit sarcastic...

Mick was wrong though about the album being all new original material. Too Tough was started out as Cellophane Trousers from the Black And Blue sessions.

The mixing of the album is a bit odd at times - the guitars are oddly placed. She Was Hot is a good example.

Charlie's drum sound is excellent. There is some 80s sounds on it but nothing like what was to come with Winning Ugly, Back To Zero and Mick's awful solo albums - the pinnacle of shite being Let's Work.

Stand out songs - Tie You Up, She Was Hot and All The Way Down without a doubt. It's too bad they have not played more of it live, just the three - and one of them way too much.

I actually think that "Pretty Beat Up" on some of Ronnie's solo recordings from recent years is much better than the Stones version. The different sections are more defined. I think he has Bernard singing on it.

last album with a musical aproach. it has his own character and sound. at least they tried something. didnt like it too much back then but listenin to it nowadays i really like it alot...

Their last good album, very inventive

the first album that clearly suggested the song-writing muse had hit a stone wall. a shame for both this and DW, cos the guitar players still had their chops, but there was nothing really to rally around. a handful of keepers, most notably pain of love.

To me it's the first Stones album that had the typical riff rock numbers not working.

Quote
Doxa
Their last album while all cylinders still on. There is a strong band cohesion still there, and they are not scared of making riskies. Anyway, personally I remember that at the time of its heyday I was quite disappointed after having fallen love the band with TATTOO YOU, and my expectations were, of course, very high.

The years have shown that the album has a stronger identity of its own than it was then perceived. For example, it is one of their most rocking albums; there is no ballads in the flipside of UNDERCOVER at all as a total opposition to TATTOO YOU! But I still have the impression that the band tries a bit too hard but is not quite content what they are doing. More drive than actual good ideas. And the mixes of the album are so muddy; that is, the bad influental aspects of the 80's were truely be showing. Everytime when I listen to the album (not very often I need to admit) and get to "It Must Be Hell", with its too obvious and familiar main riff, I think the band sounds tired and out of ideas. The song somehow closes the whole period and the sound of the band from SOME GIRLS on, the last absolutely awesome phase of the band. But they are totally out of that creative (Pathe Marconi) gas by then.

To me UNDERCOVER sounds the last Stones album where Jagger heart is still there. Perhaps that also means that it is the last album the band tries really be a relevant, a living and a current band.

- Doxa

great analysis of undercover .i agree 100%. esp the part about closes out the some girls phase (also this period was where ronnie really shined his light on the band)

The albums is pretty good, the ouutakes and working versions available on boots are imho pretty horrible.

I think it's a fine album. Like guitarbastard said, it has its own character and identity. I think it's a fair bit better than Emotional Rescue, which was mostly generic second-rate Some Girls-like stuff.

Undercover shows the Stones trying to be "current" and actually succeeding decently. Some don't like the new wavish 80s style, but I think it fit the Stones fairly well, a little bit in the same vain as the punk-soul of Some Girls. It's more catchy and fresh than the sludgy material that made up much of their mid-70s work.

My favourite tracks are the title track, She Was Hot, Tie You Up and actually Too Much Blood which I think is very catchy and fun.

Quote
Palace Revolution 2000
I actually think that "Pretty Beat Up" on some of Ronnie's solo recordings from recent years is much better than the Stones version. The different sections are more defined. I think he has Bernard singing on it.

Thats true, Rons "Slide On Live" cd version shredds the Undercover one but then it was probably his song anyway! I dont get this album really. She Was Hot is the only song that rocks for me. It IS so 80s but then again I'm a child of the 60s and 70s so I'm sure that has a lot to do with how I feel. But for those of you who like it,more power to ya!

Oh to be so bold and like something that is not the Big Four or Some Girls or Tattoo You and say it's 'good'. Include GHS and Aftermath as well.

It's DIFFERENT. Probably their most out of the way album of their catalogue. It's way better than the next record - and the one after. It's inventive. It's got all kinds of attitude on it.

So they didn't like it after it was out for a while. They all operate on sales - until Bridges anyway. Now Keith says (not to quote but to paraphrase) 'I've got one of my time bombs tucked away on that one. It will be something in a few years.' Something like that. Mick, of course, is still a bitch about the 'good' of a record based on sales. He's a bit of twat that way.

That's obivously how Keith feels about one song on Bridges (How Can I Stop) but that's still their most inventive album SINCE Undercover. Even though that's only 4 albums before. But a lifetime for some people.

So there you go.

Undercover is a masterpiece. I'm even growing to love the last 3 of side 2.

It's in the same league as Exile. It's not gentle, it's not what the critics want the stones to sound like. But its badass GROOVE.

Once again, please let me know where the drum machines are, because I don't hear them. Since we are in the skins section: the percussions are worth a standing ovation.

Keith can say what he wants, but his guitarwork on Undercover was truly inspired. And Ronnie? Old Wood's best effort with the stones. Dirty riffing from start to finish.

Unfortunately it didn't get as much live representation as it deserved. Some incredibly strong songs. In fact, not a weak one.

C

Quote
liddas
Undercover is a masterpiece. I'm even growing to love the last 3 of side 2.

It's in the same league as Exile. It's not gentle, it's not what the critics want the stones to sound like. But its badass GROOVE.

Once again, please let me know where the drum machines are, because I don't hear them. Since we are in the skins section: the percussions are worth a standing ovation.

Keith can say what he wants, but his guitarwork on Undercover was truly inspired. And Ronnie? Old Wood's best effort with the stones. Dirty riffing from start to finish.

Unfortunately it didn't get as much live representation as it deserved. Some incredibly strong songs. In fact, not a weak one.

C

I have to ask, is this comment serious? I mean, if Undercover is a masterpiece comparable with Exile...oh dear.

Quote
Svartmer

Quote
liddas
Undercover is a masterpiece. I'm even growing to love the last 3 of side 2.

It's in the same league as Exile. It's not gentle, it's not what the critics want the stones to sound like. But its badass GROOVE.

Once again, please let me know where the drum machines are, because I don't hear them. Since we are in the skins section: the percussions are worth a standing ovation.

Keith can say what he wants, but his guitarwork on Undercover was truly inspired. And Ronnie? Old Wood's best effort with the stones. Dirty riffing from start to finish.

Unfortunately it didn't get as much live representation as it deserved. Some incredibly strong songs. In fact, not a weak one.

C

I have to ask, is this comment serious? I mean, if Undercover is a masterpiece comparable with Exile...oh dear.

I agree with liddas. Ok it's not Exile but it is a masterpiece in its own way (Charlie's drumming is great).. it's a very fresh and inspired album and I think they succeeded in making the absolute best album they possibly could in the early 1980s. It's an 'honest' and 'real' Stones album, there's no pretence of going through the motions as with the later albums.

As liddas says the songs weren't played much live. In Ronnie's recent book the recording of this album get's barely a mention!

<Once again, please let me know where the drum machines are, because I don't hear them.>

On Undercover, Too Much Blood and Feel On Baby. But I wholeheartedly agree in your praise of this great, great album