Customer Reviews:
Voodoo One Of Stones Top 5 July 5, 2008 John W. Molvar 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This album is stunningly good with the 50 something year old Stones shockingly soaring to creative heights not seen in more than 15 years, and most assumed would never been seen again. Indeed the fans agreed as the album reached #2 in the charts (#1 in England) and would be 6th highest selling original studio album of the 25 they made. The tour that followed the release of the album remains by far the highest grossing tour in musical history. Some critics said the album was great but broke no new ground. They could not be further from the truth as the album features scores of great songs totally unlike anything the Stones had ever done before including "The Worst", "Moon is Up", "Brand New Car" and "Suck on the Jugular". The album opens with "Love is Strong" an instant classic in the long line of legendary opening songs such as "Rocks Off", "If You Can't Rock Me", "Start Me Up" and "One Hit to the Body". One of the amazing things on this record is Mick's singing is as good as any point in his career showing off tremendous range and featuring the most interesting lyrics since Some Girls. A critic for Rolling Stone Magazine at the time accurately called Mick's singing on this record as "sheer pleasure". It is followed by "You Got Me Rocking" for the best 1-2 hard rock punch to kick off a Stones album since Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street from the early `70s. Voodoo, which was named after a stray cat that wandered into the recording studio that was adopted by Richards, has 15 tracks without an ounce of filler, amazing for an album that would have been a double album back in the vinyl days. There are so many great songs, I can't cover them all, but they include Keith's soulful country ballad "The Worst" with Wood on slide guitar, which has more heart than anything you would hear all day listening to a Country Music station. "New Faces" and "Out of Tears" are 2 of the best Stones ballads ever, in the same league as "Tell Me", "Wild Horses", "Angie" and "Waiting on a Friend". "I Go Wild" is a blistering rocker with a lyrical tale that will have you on the ground laughing at the list of women that "the doctor" recommends avoiding and may in fact be a generic list of Mick's voluminous encounters over the previous half century. "Brand New Car" is one of the most original and cleaver songs ever by the Stones. To this day, most people including veteran rock DJs think this song is about a car. Let me tell you a secret, it has nothing to do with a car and you will be embarrassed when you finally figure it out. Again, Jagger's singing is phenomenal. "Suck on the Jugular" features a beat from drummer Charlie Watts that is unlike any musical style you have ever heard and it works great. "Thru and Thru" is another Richards vocal that is also quite unlike anything you have ever heard, except it doesn't work quite as well as some of the other highly originally crafted songs on this album. This Album is definitely in the Stones top 10 and possibly in their top 5 which is an amazing feat for the band at this advanced stage in the band's career with so many legendary albums in their wake. It did not go unnoticed by their peers as indicated by their comments just after the release of the album. Angus Young of AC/DC: "Wow, when they want to, they can rock with anyone". Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull: "They are still easily the best band in the world". Roger Waters of Pink Floyd: "If there were one band I wished I was in, it would be the Rolling Stones, because they are so sexy". Gene Simmons of Kiss: "You are talking about a band that continues to be the consummate Rock `N Roll band in the world." Voodoo Lounge and their other `1990s release Bridges to Babylon (1997) are both far superior to the bands 4 1980s releases and both were followed by massive awe inspiring tours. Voodoo is a must have album, especially for those of you who incorrectly assume Some Girls was their final legendary effort. Overall Grade: A Other Stones album ratings 1) Some Girls (1978) A+ 2) Let It Bleed (1969) A+ 3) Sticky Fingers (1971) A+ 4) Exile on Main Street (1972) A+ 5) Voodoo Lounge (1994) A 6) Beggar's Banquet (1968) A 7) Black and Blue (1976) A 8) It's Only Rock `N Roll (1974) A 9) Bridges to Babylon (1997) A- 10) Out of Their Heads (1965) A- 11) Goat's Head Soup (1973) A- 12) Aftermath (1966) A- 13) A Bigger Bang B+ (2005) 14) Between the Buttons (1967) B+ 15) Tattoo You (1981) B+ 16) Now! (1964) B+ 17) Emotional Rescue (1980) B 18) Steel Wheels (1989) B 19) Dirty Work (1986) B- 20) Undercover (1983) B- 21) England's Newest Hit Makers (1963)B- 22) December's Children (1965) B- 23) 12 X 5 (1964) B- 24) Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) C
High Praise June 3, 2008 Big Show (Greenville, SC) Many critics and fans, even the so called diehards refuse to acknowledge any Stones album post 1981 or even post 1973 as great. Voodoo Lounge is truly a great album. The one thing all Stones albums have in common is there at least 1 classic on each. You Got Me Rocking, I Go Wild, The Worst, and above all, Love Is Strong, are, if not classic, very very good tracks. Love Is Strong is just a classic. It's everything the Stones are about, bluesy, raunchy, and powerful. The video alone makes it memorable. You Got Me Rocking has become a live showstopper. As with many of the recent Stones albums, Keith's songs stand out above the rest. The Worst is just a beautifully written song that has meaning and is delivered in a way that is genuine. Voodoo Lounge deserves credit as one of the classic Stones albums. It's no "Exile..." or "Sticky Fingers", but it's better than anything they've put out since Tattoo You.
Another boring cd from a boring band ! December 29, 2007 Guy Campeau (Stoneham, Quebec Canada) 0 out of 4 found this review helpful
I have tried to listen to the Rolling Stones many times but the result is always the same, I just don't like their music. I don't understand why they are so big with so limited talent. Mick Jagger is not a signer, this band should consider themself very lucky to have been in the fisrt band in the history of Rock'n'Roll because I am sure they would never have such success if their career started in the 70's when there were many more bands to choose from.
They're rocking again October 11, 2007 J. V. Hennburg (San Diego, CA United States) This is the best Stones album since TATTOO YOU. It is much, much better than STEEL WHEELS was, there is a wider range of material and it is better. It seems like on their latest couple of albums they were going through the motions. This one is not that way. Especially songs like "Sparks Will Fly" really kick [...], there is no filler involved. Mind you, the Stones are now past the age of "Brown Sugar" and "Rocks Off." They are no longer in their prime, but for a bunch of aging icons this really does the job. ENJOY!
Hey, Get Some Ears June 1, 2007 John Ellis (New York, NY United States) 1 out of 2 found this review helpful
The Rolling Stones need ears. The unissued outtakes and alternate takes of these cuts are all superior, every one (same is true for "Steel Wheels"). Mostly it's a matter of Richards' guitar work being mixed way down in favor of Jagger's vocals. Strange and even fascinating odd sonic experiments are mixed down into mush. Either they work on it so hard they don't hear it any more, or Jagger's ego is the trump card on the take choices. Maybe a few decades from now the best takes will be issued and this will be tossed. An OK album as issued; brilliant if the best takes had been chosen, if not on the level of "Exile". I hate George Martin's stereo mixes of the Beatles (as opposed to their own mono choices) but it's a crime the Stones didn't have a George Martin in the 70s and 80s. Don Was on "Stripped" (an excellent overlooked album) showed what could happen if they did.
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