This time I will review the American version of
Between The Buttons, released by the Stones in February 1967. This album follows the line of
Aftermath, deepening on a more pop and less bluesy sound. Thus, the record is quite different from the traditional raw sound of the band, and maybe that's why it's usually ignored by some fans; even Mick Jagger considered it to be not so good. But why don't we judge the album by ourselves?
Let's Spend The Night Together. An important hit and one of the catchiest songs the band ever recorded. Nice piano intro combined with hilarious group vocals. I especially love the slower middle part, where the backing vocals sound quite trippy. The lyrics may be inoffensive nowadays, but its suggestive message was something controversial at the time the song was released.
Yesterday's Papers. This song is a perfect example of the elaborated pop sound the band was producing around the time. The backing vocals are surprisingly effective. Brian Jones plays a vibraphone and Keith Richards adds a distorted guitar. Very good track.
Ruby Tuesday. A famous song and one of my very favorite Stones' recordings. This is a charming ballad that perfectly reflects the spirit of early 1967. The mellow verse is contrasted by the upbeat chorus, and Brian's baroque recorder is a beautiful touch. The lyrics describe the anti-conformist attitude of the character named as the song title. These nasty guys could be sweet when they wanted to.
Connection. Now this sounds like an unimaginative filler. It's jumpy and poppy, with similar condiments as those used in other songs of the album; but it's quite repetitive, with an unvarying drum pattern, and the rhymes sound forced. It's not awful neither special.
She Smiled Sweetly. The nice surprise of the album. This is the kind of song that noone would have expected the Stones to record. It's an intriguing melodic ballad with a mysterious ambient given by an omnipresent organ plus intrusive bass and drums. I love it.
Cool, Calm And Collected. I think this track was clearly influenced by the Kinks. Words and music recall character assassination songs like "Well Respected Man" and "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion". A good exercise, though noone can beat Ray Davies in his own game.
All Sold Out. Fantastic. This is a very entertaining song flavored with distorted guitars and weird drumming. I like Mick's voice here; and the backing vocals show the band's limitations, but they are funny. I always enjoy this track.
My Obsession. This is more of the same, including distorted guitars, unconventional drumming, and impertinent backing vocals; but the result is not so effective this time, probably because the songwriting is uninspired in first place. However, I've read that Brian Wilson appreciates this song, can you believe that?
Who's Been Sleeping Here?. This song is said to be influenced by Bob Dylan, and I can see why. It's a folk rock tune featuring a gentle acoustic guitar and a rustic harmonica, apart from the usual rock & roll instruments. The lyrics are interesting, with the singer trying to guess who has been visiting his wife while he was away, mentioning a wide range of people. Thumbs up.
Complicated. A lesser effort in the context of the album. The harmony vocals seem to be there to remind us that we are not listening to the Beach Boys. Beyond that, it's not a bad song, but it's just a decent filler anyway.
Miss Amanda Jones. A fast rocker, closer to the traditional sound of the band, with a moving guitar riff that is repeated throughout the song. Good.
Something Happened To Me Yesterday. A kind of comedy song that should be taken with humor. The verses are sung by Mick, but curiously Keith sings the lead vocal in the chorus. Brain plays saxophone, trombone, clarinet, and he also whistles. The track (and the album) ends with some spoken words that serve as a goodbye.
The British version of the album does not include the songs "Let's Spend The Night Together" and "Ruby Tuesday", which were released together as a single. However, in UK the album included other two fine songs that were absent in the US version: the acoustic ballad "Back Street Girl" and the acidified rocker "Please Go Home".
Overall,
Between The Buttons may not be as strong as
Aftermath, but it's still a very good successor. The Stones were still in the shadow of the Beatles at this point; and other bands like the Byrds, the Doors and Jefferson Airplane were reaching higher peaks in early 1967. Nevertheless, lovers of mid-'60s rock music are guaranteed to be satisfied with
Between The Buttons, while those who are looking for the Stones' sound from 1968-72 will be disappointed. The band still had to immerse deeply into psychedelia before returning to their blues roots, but that's another story.
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Topic: Microscope: Between The Buttons (The Rolling Stones) (Read 20411 times)