The Rolling Stones - Flowers

Dismissed as a rip-off of sorts by some critics as it took the patchwork bastardization of British releases for the American audience to extremes, gathering stray tracks from the U.K. versions of Aftermath and Between the Buttons, 1966-1967 singles (some of which had already been used on the U.S. editions of Aftermath and Between the Buttons), and a few outtakes. Judged solely by the music, though, it's rather great. "Lady Jane," "Ruby Tuesday," and "Let's Spend the Night Together" are all classics (although they had all been on an LP before); the 1966 single "Mother's Little Helper," a Top Ten hit, is also terrific; and "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" making its first album appearance, is the early Stones at their most surrealistic and angst-ridden. A lot of the rest of the cuts rate among their most outstanding 1966-1967 work. "Out of Time" is hit-worthy in its own right (and in fact topped the British charts in an inferior cover by Chris Farlowe); "Backstreet Girl," with its European waltz flavor, is one of the great underrated Stones songs. The same goes for the psychedelic Bo Diddley of "Please Go Home," and the acoustic, pensively sardonic "Sittin' on a Fence," with its strong Appalachian flavor. Almost every track is strong, so if you're serious about your Stones, don't pass this by just because a bunch of people slag it as an exploitative marketing trick (which it is). There's some outstanding material you can't get anywhere else, and the album as a whole plays very well from end to end. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alisa Ritz Repackaging Art Direction Andrew Loog Oldham Producer Bill Wyman Vocals, Keyboards, Bass, Synthesizer Bob Ludwig Mastering Brian Jones Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards Charlie Watts Drums Gus Skinas Engineer Guy Webster Photography Iris Keitel Repackaging Art Direction Jack Byrne Archive Research Jack Nitzsche Keyboards, Percussion Jody Klein Restoration Supervision Jon Astley Digital Transfers Keith Richards Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals Laura Walton Production Assistant Lenne Allik Concept Maria Papazahariou Production Assistant Mick Jagger Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica, Keyboards Mick McKenna Tape Archivist, Archive Research Nicole Monea Design Production Assistant Paschal Byrne Digital Transfers Steve Rosenthal Restoration, Archives Coordinator Teri Landi Archive Research, Digital Transfers The Rolling Stones Arranger Tom Wilkes Original Graphics