The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.

Greeted with decidedly mixed reviews upon its original release, Exile on Main St. has become generally regarded as the Rolling Stones' finest album. Part of the reason why the record was initially greeted with hesitant reviews is that it takes a while to assimilate. A sprawling, weary double album encompassing rock & roll, blues, soul, and country, Exile doesn't try anything new on the surface, but the substance is new. Taking the bleakness that underpinned Let It Bleed and Sticky Fingers to an extreme, Exile is a weary record, and not just lyrically. Jagger's vocals are buried in the mix, and the music is a series of dark, dense jams, with Keith Richards and Mick Taylor spinning off incredible riffs and solos. And the songs continue the breakthroughs of their three previous albums. No longer does their country sound forced or kitschy -- it's lived-in and complex, just like the group's forays into soul and gospel. While the songs, including the masterpieces "Rocks Off," "Tumbling Dice," "Torn and Frayed," "Happy," "Let It Loose," and "Shine a Light," are all terrific, they blend together, with only certain lyrics and guitar lines emerging from the murk. It's the kind of record that's gripping on the very first listen, but each subsequent listen reveals something new. Few other albums, let alone double albums, have been so rich and masterful as Exile on Main St., and it stands not only as one of the Stones' best records, but sets a remarkably high standard for all of hard rock. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Al Perkins Guitar (Steel) Amyl Nitrate Marimba, Marimba, Percussion Andy Johns Audio Engineer, Engineer B. Preston Organ, Piano B.B. Keys Percussion, Saxophone Bill Plummer Bass, Bass (Upright) Bill Wyman Bass, Vocals, Synthesizer, Keyboards Billy Preston Organ, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals Bob Ludwig Digital Remastering Bobby Keys Horn, Saxophone C. Watts Drums, Arranger Charlie Watts Drums Clydie King Vocals, Vocals (Background) Dr. John Organ, Vocals Glyn Johns Audio Engineer, Engineer Ian Stewart Piano, Keyboards Jack Price Trombone, Trumpet Jeremy Gee Engineer Jerry Kirkland Vocals (Background), Vocals Jim Price Trombone, Piano, Organ, Trumpet, Horn Jimmy Miller Drums, Percussion, Producer Joe Green Vocals (Background), Vocals Joe Green's Novelty Orchestra Vocals (Background) Joe Zagarino Engineer John Van Hamersveld Design John VanHammersveld Design Kathi McDonald Vocals, Vocals (Background) Keith Richards Vocals, Piano, Guitar, Keyboards, Bass Kendrew Lascelles Story M. Taylor Arranger, Guitar, Bass Mac Rebennack Vocals (Background) Merry Clayton Vocals Mick Jagger Keyboards, Harp, Vocals, Harmonica, Guitar Mick Taylor Bass, Vocals, Guitar Nicky Hopkins Piano, Keyboards Norman Seeff Design, Director, Photography Robert Frank Cover Photo, Photography, Concept Shirley Goodman Vocals (Background), Vocals Tamiya Lynn Vocals (Background) Tammy Lann Vocals Vanetta Field Vocals (Background) Venetta Fields Vocals, Vocals (Background)