Some Words from the Bird

 Aftermath is the first album from the Rolling Stones that we have encountered. In fact, due to the somewhat chronological nature of my list, we have a triple shot of Stones albums to listen to. They run into one another seamlessly, so it won't be too painful. I really like the raw sound of the early Rolling Stones. A disclaimer here, the album that is on the 500 Greatest Albums list is the American release of Aftermath. The most notable difference on the British release is the substitution of  "Mother's Little Helper" for "Paint it Black" and three other songs on the track listing. The American release included "Paint it Black" since it was the number one single at the time of release and presented a sleeker, better organized package as a whole.  "Paint it Black" is one of the Stones' most recognizable songs, and shows that they were ready to branch away from their bluesy roots, with the adventurous use of the sitar for the main r...

 This album is a perfect example of why this project is a worthwhile endeavour. From the first chunky guitar notes I found my interest was piqued. Then the horns came in. Wow! This is pure Stax magic. The background music is fantastic, yet Otis manages to capture center stage and keep the focus on the vocals. The album is mostly cover songs but he definitely makes them his own, and the result is outstanding.  There are eleven songs on the album, first of which is "Ole Man Trouble". This is an excellent song, the guitar riff is captivating, and then the horns come in and round out the tune. Otis is strong throughout, and manages to stay in the forefront at the end of the song, pleading for trouble to stay away. There is a lot of power in his delivery, and his pleas seem heartfelt. I like this song quite a bit.   "Respect" is next. The horns blare out and then we hear the familiar lyrics. I have to say that I like the Aretha Franklin version a little bit better...