Beggars Banquet

NME - 8 (out of 10) - "...Psychedelia gives way to the swamp blues of the Mississippi Delta....'Sympathy For The Devil' is still as scary as it was the first time anyone ever heard it while 'Street Fighting Man' remains the greatest song that Noel Gallagher wishes he'd written..." Rolling Stone - Ranked #57 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" Entertainment Weekly - "...Always one of their finest hours...now featuring magnificent retweaked sound. Rarely has digital separation served songs better..." - Rating: A Uncut - Included in Uncut's "100 Best Albums of the Year" Uncut (1/03, p.97) - Included in Uncut's "100 Best Albums of the Year" Entertainment Weekly (9/20/02, p.103) - "...Always one of their finest hours...now featuring magnificent retweaked sound. Rarely has digital separation served songs better..." - Rating: A NME (7/8/95, p.46) - 8 (out of 10) - "...Psychedelia gives way to the swamp blues of the Mississippi Delta....'Sympathy For The Devil' is still as scary as it was the first time anyone ever heard it while 'Street Fighting Man' remains the greatest song that Noel Gallagher wishes he'd written..." Classic Rock (04/06, p.59) - "...transformed The Rolling Stones from juvenile delinquents inspired by the blues, into an innovative band who were about to create the stadium rock era."

Retreating from the psychedelia of THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES REQUEST, the Stones released the roots-rock single "Jumpin' Jack Flash", and then the album BEGGAR'S BANQUET. It was hailed as a rock masterpiece, and remains the favourite of many Stones fans.
BEGGAR'S BANQUET played to the Stones' strengths. The ironic lead-off ("Sympathy For The Devil") led many rock-baiters to conclude that singer Mick Jagger actually was the devil, or at least a satanic follower. Many of the other tracks, particularly the hit "Street Fighting Man", highlighted the solid rhythm section interplay of Wyman and Watts, while Jones contributed a typically down-home slide guitar part to "No Expectations", and the writing team of Richards and Jagger summoned up images of their deep blues roots.|