MOG

Reaction as the last song plays.... ok... there are some good songs... there are some interesting sounds.... on the other hand I really don't care for all the backing singers... they are a little much, and really they are backing singers... so put them in the back... Also all the horns and what not, all the "soul" production... it seems a bit dated and a little forced. Now my fave Stones stuff is the their Psych and their Beat stuff, followed by their country tunes... I don't know that this listen is going to make me any more likely to give this album a full spin again any time soon.

Would you try listening to a CD by playing it on a phonograph? Listen to a cassette by holding it to your ear? My advice would be to try "Exile" again when you are smashed on whiskey and/or on drugs. The album needs to be decoded with the same equipment with which it was encoded.

I went through something similar several years ago--had never listened to it, played it once (sober, sadly) and kind of couldn't see what the big deal was. But then I found it had kind of burrowed into my brain, and I needed to hear it again. And again. And again. I'll bet you find it improves on future listens.

Whats up Iren,

I would def recommend giving it another listen or 2, or 5. My parents are big Stones fans so I grew up on them as many have, but it was mostly their Flowers album and greatest hits being played 100 times a day in my household. I myself remember I wasn't too impressed w/Exile after the first listen either. I gave it multiple tries though cuz the guy I worked with at the time wouldn't shut up about it. I'm glad I did though because it's easily one of my favorite albums of all time now. In my opinion, Let it Bleed, Beggar's Banquet, Exile, Sticky Fingers and Get yer ya yas out are just plain essential Stones albums. It really doesn't get any better than Mick Taylor era Stones. Exile is one of the few albums on the critics lists that lives up to the hype.

when the los angeles times pop music critic, robert hilburn first reviewed the album, upon its release in 1972... he slagged it. years later, it is the rock n roll vibe record against which he measures all others... his favorite criticism of any rock record is: "it lacks the shadowy, late night compulsion of the rolling stones 'exile on main street'. " that pretty much explains what is good about exile - its a VIBE album... shadowy late night compulsion...

exile is my fave stones album

"shine a light" is a brilliant performance by the band and easily mick jagger's best ever vocal - so soulful without pretense.

i would agree with gritty mcscruff on the essential stones albums but don't overlook the brian jones era.. the psych stuff is indeed cool and their early white boy garage blues interpretations set the bar for oh so many rock n roll bands

i also like quite a lot of goats head soup and black n blue. no one likes black n blue it seems but it has some gems on it - like "memory motel" - the mick n keith dissonant harmonies are killer.

exile on main street WILL come back and get you.

Good call Anna,

I love goats head soup. I love everything up to It's only rock n roll which has some bangers, then it gets a bit dicey from there i guess by stones' standards, though some girls is money.

Agree about shine a light, such a great song. I just read that they played the song for the first time live last year. Sounds strange to me.

I love the chuck, redding, and all the old blues covers from the early records.

I would put Exile fourth on my Stones list (after Sticky Fingers, Let it Bleed and Some Girls) It does take a few listens to appreciate it but it is a great record IMHO.

"GrittyMcScruff says: 'Agree about shine a light, such a great song. I just read that they played the song for the first time live last year'"

...For Scorsese's new flick "Shine A Light"?