Audio CD review:
The Rolling Stones - Stripped

The Rolling Stones - Stripped

Band: The Rolling Stones Title: Stripped Rating: Release Date: 14 November, 1995 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Street Fighting Man 2: Like A Rolling Stone 3: Not Fade Away 4: Shine A Light 5: The Spider And The Fly 6: I'm Free 7: Wild Horses 8: Let It Bleed 9: Dead Flowers 10: Slipping Away 11: Angie 12: Love In Vain 13: Sweet Virginia 14: Little Baby

Customer Reviews Far Better Musicianship Than Get Your Ya Ya's Out "Got Live (if you want it)", "Get Your Ya Ya's Out!" and "Stripped". I own three live releases by the Rolling Stones. As a musician who has been playing for over 40 years in various bands from reggae to rock to jazz I can tell you that Stripped is a far better set of performances than those on Get Your Ya Ya's Out and, to state the obvious, "Got Live. . . ". For some reason, many people think Ya Ya's is the greatest live record of all time. That's highly debatable - see my "Get Your Ya Ya's Out" review that gives the reader an objective dose of reality (and people, I AM right about Get Your Ya Ya's Out). I'm pleased to tell you that Stripped has far better musicianship and the sound, while preserving that "loose" Stones feel, is much tighter that the performances on Get Your Ya Ya's Out. These guys used THIS release to strut their musicianship and it is excellent. Better than I'd thought, that's for sure. Most of the tracks on Stripped were recorded in front of a live audience but some are taken from rehearsals. This is basically an "unplugged" release (though there is plenty of electricity). In general, this release has an acoustic flavor to it though it's by no means a couple of guys strummin' guitars with Jagger singing. Some of the tracks on Stripped are actually better performances than the originals, Shine a Light for example. The version of Street Fighting Man is by far the best live rendition I've heard though no live version will ever remotely even approximate the original from Beggar's Banquet. In summary, there are no "stinker" tracks on Stripped, they are all very good and some I dare say are truly great (and I don't tend to like the Rolling Stones' live releases)! There's even some friendly word play among the performers between tunes and a humorous false start of "Love in Vain". Stripped is far more entertaining and enjoyable than Ya Ya's in my opinion - regardless of what all those Ya Ya's die hard fans might tell you. Ya Ya's is good but this is much better. . Is Good Like most live albums from these guys, you get a combination of spendidly done covers (by the world's most underrated cover band) and Stones standards. Yet another live Stones album, but it's good. My favorites are: the grinding rendition of Street Fighting Man, the fresh delivery of Shine A Light, and the must-have pairing of iconic band with iconic title on Like A Rolling Stone. If you are looking at this with any consideration at all, go ahead - you can't lose. This also comes with the reassurance that even though this band really hasn't given us much new worth listening to in about 25 years, at least they haven't lost their ability to put it out on stage (at least, as of the mid-90's when this was done). Cool CD of Lesser Known Works It still stands on its own merits after the intervening years very nicely, thank you. A decade ago, the Rolling Stones put out their "Stripped" CD. What sets this apart from other of their live albums is some of the lesser heard music. First and foremost, a Dylanesque version of "Like a Rolling Stone. " The Stones cover Bob Dylan's iconic tune--and do it well. If done poorly, this would be a joke; but the Stones do it well and it becomes something of a tribute to one of the greatest songs in rock `n roll history. Other songs that the Rolling Stones have covered over time make this a most enchanting CD: Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away," Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain (and notice the banter here)," and Willie Dixon's "Little Baby. " Then, of course, is the Rolling Stones' own music: "Street Fighting Man," "Shine a Light," "I'm Free" (a golden oldie that wears well with time), and "Angie," among others. What is especially nice about this CD is that the spotlight is not so much on the iconic songs as on lesser played and known treasures (and that includes other tunes such as "The Spider and the Fly," "Wild Horses [not one of my personal favorites]," and the wonderful "Sweet Virginia"). Instead of just playing the Top 10 hits from their library, they branch out and focus on a broader representation of their work. All in all, one of their best live albums. . . . . . You can see a complete list of all The Rolling Stones discography, or go back to the The Rolling Stones tabs