The best

Not sure about that bloomer. Exile was my second Stones album. I was in 8th grade, and was at the record store and thought a double album would be a bargain because more songs. I didn't recognize any of the song titles. I was a neophyte. But curious.

After returning from the record store I hurried back to my room, shut the door and put the needle down...I was in a trance from the opening lick of Rocks Off and the glorious rock n' roll orgasm cry of "oooh yeah!". I didn't stop. I flipped to the next side until the final fade out of Soul Survivor. And I played it again! This time with my head phones on. And just soaked in every Stones celebration of Americana. It was a lesson. An imprint. And caused me to look at every word on the inner sleeves. Amyl Nitrate? What is that? The scribbles, pictures of rock n'roll waste and debauchery.

That album, more than any other album up to that point, inspired me to search out American blues and learn it. Exile is a majestic tribute and original statement of reverence. It is perfect.

Good album.

Great album.

Their best?

No.

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DoomandGloom

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Thrylan

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HMS

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Thrylan
The day you start to dig Just Wanna See His Face, is the day you'll get it.

Maybe not even the Stones dig Just Wanna See His Face

It's my best metaphor for the whole thing- to most, it is the most inaccessible track. I like others skipped around the 4 sides a lot for awhile. Then it happened, I was probably stoned, and wham! I realize I am groovin like a Mofo to this and other deeper cuts. Then you start picking up on the nuances- The way TD rls, and sort of "summarizes" the first side......etc.

it is the turning point brilliant observation.

Hilarious. It's probably the only track that hasn't grabbed me at one time or another but after hearing your description I'm guessing it's only a matter of time.

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whitem8
Not sure about that bloomer. Exile was my second Stones album. I was in 8th grade, and was at the record store and thought a double album would be a bargain because more songs. I didn't recognize any of the song titles. I was a neophyte. But curious.

After returning from the record store I hurried back to my room, shut the door and put the needle down...I was in a trance from the opening lick of Rocks Off and the glorious rock n' roll orgasm cry of "oooh yeah!". I didn't stop. I flipped to the next side until the final fade out of Soul Survivor. And I played it again! This time with my head phones on. And just soaked in every Stones celebration of Americana. It was a lesson. An imprint. And caused me to look at every word on the inner sleeves. Amyl Nitrate? What is that? The scribbles, pictures of rock n'roll waste and debauchery.

That album, more than any other album up to that point, inspired me to search out American blues and learn it. Exile is a majestic tribute and original statement of reverence. It is perfect.

Yes it is perfect and you were ahead of me on that score, whitem8. But, then I've always been a late bloomer.

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Naturalust

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DoomandGloom

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Thrylan

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HMS

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Thrylan
The day you start to dig Just Wanna See His Face, is the day you'll get it.

Maybe not even the Stones dig Just Wanna See His Face

It's my best metaphor for the whole thing- to most, it is the most inaccessible track. I like others skipped around the 4 sides a lot for awhile. Then it happened, I was probably stoned, and wham! I realize I am groovin like a Mofo to this and other deeper cuts. Then you start picking up on the nuances- The way TD rls, and sort of "summarizes" the first side......etc.

it is the turning point brilliant observation.

Hilarious. It's probably the only track that hasn't grabbed me at one time or another but after hearing your description I'm guessing it's only a matter of time.

Thanks D&G! I'm surprised NL, but it will. It may have came naturally to me because on a completely ironic level, it's exactly what I want to tell most Christians! The groove is so deep and heavy. It meanders and builds and simmers until the title is snarled out by Mick, and boils back down- straight into LIL, it's like watching yourself die and be reborn.

Interesting that side 3 begins with Happy because it is not the"happy" feeling side. Wow

Played this so often as a kid I had to replace the record twice. Loved it all and never had any album meant quite as much. Fantastic sloppiness in places especially in the harmonies and that's the Stones at their best.

I got this as a birthday gift from a girlfriend in '72. Every time I listen to Exile I'm taken back to that summer. Every track--yes, even I Just Wanna See His Face--stirs up a memory. I'd just turned fifteen, and not only did I have a cool girlfriend, but I was in love with the Rolling Stones. It was never this good again.

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Naturalust
I also think this was the last real genius we got of Keith and that it was very much his baby musically. Sure he has written a couple of gems since then but nothing compares to these days when he was the de facto musical boss and everything he touched was golden.

Keith and the band at the height of their powers.

Not the Stones greatest album - that's Let It Bleed- but still the greatest party record ever made. You want to rock, get high, get in the mood for going out on the town....well look no further because everything you could possibly want is contained within these four sides.

This is an album that makes you want to scream at the world "The rolling Stones are the greatest goddamn rock'n'roll band in the world".

From the first sound of that 'oooh yeah' on Rocks Off to the magnificent Charlie driving the final charge in Soul Survivor you are in for the most uplifting, joyous experience in rock music.

Good album, could have been great had Wood joined the band some years earlier

C

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Silver Dagger
Not the Stones greatest album - that's Let It Bleed- but still the greatest party record ever made. You want to rock, get high, get in the mood for going out on the town....well look no further because everything you could possibly want is contained within these four sides.

This is an album that makes you want to scream at the world "The rolling Stones are the greatest goddamn rock'n'roll band in the world".

From the first sound of that 'oooh yeah' on Rocks Off to the magnificent Charlie driving the final charge in Soul Survivor you are in for the most uplifting, joyous experience in rock music.

That see-saws for me between LET IT BLEED and STICKY FINGERS.

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liddas
Good album, could have been great had Wood joined the band some years earlier

C

Ha! Ronnie hanging around Nellcote? It was already a big party, probably even less work would have happened.

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GasLightStreet

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Silver Dagger
Not the Stones greatest album - that's Let It Bleed- but still the greatest party record ever made. You want to rock, get high, get in the mood for going out on the town....well look no further because everything you could possibly want is contained within these four sides.

This is an album that makes you want to scream at the world "The rolling Stones are the greatest goddamn rock'n'roll band in the world".

From the first sound of that 'oooh yeah' on Rocks Off to the magnificent Charlie driving the final charge in Soul Survivor you are in for the most uplifting, joyous experience in rock music.

That see-saws for me between LET IT BLEED and STICKY FINGERS.

I know exactly what you mean. Exile was my favourite for the whole of my life until a few years ago. I bought Exile in the week it came out and it got me through every hard time I ever had in my life. It is a desert island disc, an album I couldn't live without but pound for pound Let It Bleed Isd better.

For starters Let It Bleed is Keith's great masterpiece. He played more or less all the guitars on it with the exception of a few taylor overdubs.

Exile has that wonderful campfire, made up on the spot, let's get the acoustics out ramshackle feel to it. That's what makes it so great.

Let It Bleed on the other hand has epic after epic - from Gimme Shelter, Midnight Rambler, You Got The Silver, Monkey Man and You Can't Always Get What You Want. And I haven't even mentioned Love In Vain or the title song.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-07-28 10:00 by Silver Dagger.

sticky fingers hasn't aged as well with me. it was probably my favorite stones album for a while. i feel it's the most dated of the "big 4". it sounds like the early 70s. but still big 4.

let it bleed and beggar's banquet get even better with time.

exile was always, and will be, great to my ears.

right now by ranking of the big 4 (changes every 6 months or so):

- beggar's
- exile
- let it bleed
- sticky fingers

it's possible i've been influenced by all the irrational taylor fans on the board, though. i hope not.

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Turner68
it's possible i've been influenced by all the irrational taylor fans on the board, though. i hope not.

Ha! Stay away from the Taylor thread and you'll be fine.

Exile come on my pool stereo last night at the tail of a heavy drinking and eating sweltering day. Our band had just finished a grueling run of gigs an we were plastered. We danced to Rocks, Shook Our Hips and praised Nicky and Charlie to no end. First time listeners and hard core Stones fans celebrated Exile here in NY's countryside. There is no album like it.

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DoomandGloom
Exile come on my pool stereo last night at the tail of a heavy drinking and eating sweltering day. Our band had just finished a grueling run of gigs an we were plastered. We danced to Rocks, Shook Our Hips and praised Nicky and Charlie to no end. First time listeners and hard core Stones fans celebrated Exile here in NY's countryside. There is no album like it.

what does your bass player think of keith's bass on the album?

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Turner68

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DoomandGloom
Exile come on my pool stereo last night at the tail of a heavy drinking and eating sweltering day. Our band had just finished a grueling run of gigs an we were plastered. We danced to Rocks, Shook Our Hips and praised Nicky and Charlie to no end. First time listeners and hard core Stones fans celebrated Exile here in NY's countryside. There is no album like it.

what does your bass player think of keith's bass on the album?

that didn't come up, really it's all about Charlie, listening to him on Exile is a treat. It's all a treat. It's a rock opera like Tommy, the price of major stardom following Sticky. Jim Price and Bobby at their most creative.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2015-07-28 05:17 by DoomandGloom.

Rocks Off 10/10
Rip This Joint 10/10
Shake Your Hips 9/10
Casino Boogie 8/10
Tumbling Dice 10/10
Sweet Virginia 10/10
Torn and Frayed 10/10
Sweet Black Angel 10/10
Loving Cup 8/10
Happy 10/10
Turd on the Run 8/10
Ventilator Blues 8/10
I Just Want to See His Face 9/10
Let It Loose 9/10
All Down the Line 8/10
Stop Breaking Down 10/10
Shine a Light 10/10
Soul Survivor 10/10

Rocks Off 10/10
Rip This Joint 10/10
Shake Your Hips 8/10
Casino Boogie 8/10
Tumbling Dice 9/10
Sweet Virginia 10/10
Torn and Frayed 9/10
Sweet Black Angel 10/10
Loving Cup 10/10
Happy 9/10
Turd on the Run 9/10
Ventilator Blues 8/10
I Just Want to See His Face 8/10
Let It Loose 10/10
All Down the Line 10/10
Stop Breaking Down 10/10
Shine a Light 9/10
Soul Survivor 6/10

Ventilator Blues, only 8/10? Way off, an easy 10.

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LeonidP
Ventilator Blues, only 8/10? Way off, an easy 10.

It's running a bit out of steam for my liking, but a great song indeed – as every 8/10-song would be.

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DandelionPowderman

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LeonidP
Ventilator Blues, only 8/10? Way off, an easy 10.

It's running a bit out of steam for my liking, but a great song indeed – as every 8/10-song would be.

I also stand by my 8/10, which is higher than any track on Black and Blue so, yes, Ventilator Blues is a great song ;-)

Personally I am dismayed, no, actually *shocked* at the 6/10 for "Soul Survivor". This is the song that holds the whole album together and makes sense of it all!

So Turner you been up at Exile church this fine (not so fine, raining) Sunday morning? The rain keeps me inside which is outside o' my usual Stones revival.
Somehow I must get my communion in today.
How easy is this?

Rocks Off 10/10
Rip This Joint 10/10
Shake Your Hips 8/10
Casino Boogie 8/10
Tumbling Dice 10/10
Sweet Virginia 10/10
Torn and Frayed 9/10
Sweet Black Angel 10/10
Loving Cup 10/10
Happy 10/10
Turd on the Run 9/10
Ventilator Blues 10/10
I Just Want to See His Face 10/10
Let It Loose 10/10
All Down the Line 10/10
Stop Breaking Down 8/10
Shine a Light 10/10
Soul Survivor 10/10

Well, that does it. Exile up next.

Ventilator Blues, for me an easy 10 ... the hesitating drum beat, the great riff, the fantastic chorus, with possibly some of Mick's strongest vocals ever, with the explosive instrumentation! ... Most other albums it would easily be a favorite, but on Exile, it has to compete w/ the likes of All Down The Line, Rocks Off, Sweet Virginia, etc.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-12-21 17:42 by LeonidP.

Raining here too 35Love! Have fun.

Ventilator Blues is one of the core songs from the Album. It is truly a steam pressure cooker blues number perfectly describing the 60s. Everybody's stepping on their accelerators! Sure enough! A great layered blues song that sounds like it lives in an alley near cauldron of bums soaking up drink like a sponge. Some fantastic slide on this and great snarling snare shots. Mick sounds incredible on this songs! One if his finest vocals when he gives the blood-curdling sustain at the end of the chorus. This song, Like Turd on the Run, is an open window peering into the inner workings of Exile on Main Street. Keith, smack, Nellcott, Mick's New Orleans blues strut, Charlie and Bill...and all the dressing room parasites. Yeah, Ventilator Blues is part of the crucial hard wiring of Exile. For sure.

Rocks Off 10/10
Rip This Joint 7/10
Shake Your Hips 9/10
Casino Boogie 8/10
Tumbling Dice 10/10

Sweet Virginia 10/10
Torn and Frayed 9/10
Sweet Black Angel 9/10
Loving Cup 9/10

Happy 9/10
Turd on the Run 8/10
Ventilator Blues 9/10
I Just Want to See His Face 9/10
Let It Loose 9/10

All Down the Line 8/10
Stop Breaking Down 9/10
Shine a Light 8/10
Soul Survivor 9/10


Basically, it's impossible to rate the songs separately, I wouldn't want to miss a single one of them. It's like rating scenes of your favorite movie.

I think it's a singular album and has a stand- alone quality to it. One that is difficult to describe especially in these times.

How different the conditions, for the band, when recording Exile! What a mix of strange circumstances.. to look back on it, just with the little snapshot knowledge we have of what it must have been like for them..

Makes me love the album more and more, and the great performances captured after a lot of hard work.

Solid Album made up of 18 good songs. Don't think any other album anywhere at anytime could say that.