You gotta roll with it! (Rolled Gold - The Rolling Stones)

Member Name: ~*pink-pilgrim*~

Product:	Rolled Gold - The Rolling Stones
Date:	02/12/07 (107 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A good group with a lot to offer most people

Disadvantages: Obviously not to everyones taste, a few weak tracks on the album

INTRODUCTION
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The other week my partner took great pleasure in explaining that he had ordered two albums offline and that I was welcome to open the package but not play with them until he got home. I was most surprised that he had ordered something offline as he has been very scared of ordering offline. It wasn't until he explained that the albums were on USB and then I understood his excitement.

I had never heard of USB albums until then and was quite curious myself. He had been browsing the Hadouken site and decided to get the album. A few days later the Rolling Stones album arrived.

Without wanting to offend anyone I must admit that I have never been a fan of the Stones myself as they were a bit before my time. I have heard a few of their songs on the radio and they do feature in my mums record collection so wouldn't say I hate them. My partner on the other hand has grown up around the Stones and is a fan of them so I guessed we would be listening to it over the next few days. This review is based on the USB album, although the album is available in CD and LP format from most record stores and online stores such as Play.com and Amazon.

USB ALBUM
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A USB album is a very new concept with The Stone being the most famous band to release the first album (after Hadouken). In fact last year at a careers fair I did notice that some companies were giving away USB sticks with information/ music/ videos on and my university started giving out USB sticks with the prospectus on.

The introduction of MP3 players and better technology there is a requirement for USB sticks, it definitely makes uploading tracks onto MP3 players a lot easier. The arrival of digital frames with movie and sound capabilities means that these USB sticks can be played without the use of a computer.

As with most new items and new technological advances there are few hitches along the way and as of yet you cant just pick up a memory stick and shove it in a slot in the car so to listen to the tracks away from computer or other suitable appliance the files would need to be transferred to a CD or MP3 player. I am sure however that in a few months when other companies can see a market for USB albums they will start to create USB players and adaptors/hubs for these items.

The album is Black with a golden pleated title. It does look highly effective and it does stand out. The album was first released in 1975 but was released again this month on CD and USB format.

ROLLING STONES
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The Rolling Stones were formed in 1962 by Brian Jones and the other members were Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ian Stewart, Dick Taylor and Tony Chapman. Dick Taylor later left the band and they were then joined by Bill Wyman.

In the early days the music was inspired by the Beatles and chuck Berry. They soon started releasing hit after hit. And a few of their tracks were banned for inappropriate language and content.

The band dabbled in drugs and in 1969 Brian Jones died of a drug overdose but the band continued as normal. The band still enjoyed many successful hits and have continued to sell vast amounts of hits. There is no one out there to have not heard of the Rolling Stones.

Today the members of the group are Mick Jagger, Ron Wood , Keith Richards and Charlie Watts.

TRACKS
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There are 40 tracks on this USB stick and they seem to go in a chronological order. It is easy to see the progression from amateur band to mega stars. The tracks on the USB stick almost tell a story about the groups past.

Track 1: Come on
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I thought this track was very basic. The song has a very 60's feel to it and I thought it was a great first track to introduce the album. This track reminded me a lot of some of Buddy Holly's work. Today however the song would be a very weak one and would not feature too high in the charts. I liked the song purely for the vintage value but would not consider it as a great song for continuous listening pleasure. The harmonica at the beginning has a slightly haunting feel to it but the lyrics are quite funny. I did get the feeling that the lyrics were there for rhyming value rather than for thought provoking reasons.

Track 2: I Wanna be Your Man
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This track reminded me a lot of the Beatles although slightly more 'rocky' and to be quite mean very plain and boring. The lyrics are simply 'rubbish' with 'I wanna be your man, I wanna be your lover baby' being repeated over and over. In comparison to the Beetles I would say that the tedious, repetitive lyrics lacked any kind of story or meaning, compared to the more emotive Beetles lyrics.

Track 3: Not Fade Away
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Has a country type of feel with the harmonica. Again the track has that real 60's feel and in places is quite toe tappingly good with some good rhyming lyrics. I wouldn't describe them as 'thought provoking' but they do that that sing-a-long factor.

Track 4: Carole
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Having grown up around Status Quo I must admit that I liked this song it had that toe tapping beat and I did feel the urge to do air guitar to the guitar solo. The Lyrics were good and the tune overall was quite upbeat and jazzy I liked this song. In places the song could be easily confused with Chuck Berry's song 'Johnny be Good'.

Track 5: Tell Me
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I liked this song and the lyrics had a lot more meaning than their previous songs. I liked the tambourine beat throughout and the guitar melody was really effective. The song has a nice 60's feel and reminds me a lot of the Beetles. It's quite a nice 'poppy' ballad.

Track 6: It's all over Now
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This is another song with a predominant 'country' feel. I quite like the guitar solo in the middle. I can just imagine this song being played in the background of a 60's Country and Western drama with line dancers and cowboys.

Track 7: Little Red Rooster
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I wasn't so keen on this song. It was a little too slow and dreary. I didn't think the lyrics were too good, they had little meaning. The song has a 'blues' style and I can't say I am into the 'blues' so it was a little too dull for me personally.

Track 8: Heart of Stone
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I just didn't get this song at all. It seemed a bit too dreary and slow for my liking. It was another song with a 'blues' feel and didn't appeal to me. I did think the lyrics were there to rhyme more than for creating an emotive feeling. They were not really thought provoking and to be quite honest were very dull and meaningless.

Track 9: Time is on my Side
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This song is very slow and dreary. It has a 60's feel but the lyrics are slightly repetitive and boring. The two different harmonies high vs low throughout the last section of the song seems quite effective and did make the song a little less boring.

Track 10: Last Time
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I quite liked the upbeat lyrics in this song the opening 'I've told you once and I've told you twice, but you never listen to my advice' was quite a good line to open the song.

Track 11: Play with Fire
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Although the tune and vocals are quite dreary I do like the lyrics and did think the song was quite unique. The line 'Don't play with me. Cause you're playing with fire' is an interesting one and is most upbeat part of the song then it seems to go back to dreary, low vocals. I am quite undecided on this song.

Track 12: (I can't get no) Satisfaction
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Until I heard the songs this was the only 'Rolling Stones' song that I knew of. I have always liked this song as it is quite a well known one and is rather up beat. The start of the song is very up beat and quite toe-tappingly good.

Track 13: Get off of My Cloud
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The tune is very upbeat but to be quite honest I really don't understand the lyrics at all. It was apparently a response to (I can't get no) Satisfaction. I personally thought the lyrics were too 'shouty' but it does have a good rocky tune.

Track 14: I'm Free
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The song is quite rocky and I get the impression that it is to do with being free to do whatever you want. I didn't like the song as it was a little too rocky for me and I didn't think the lyrics were as strong or effective as they could have been.

Track 15: As Tears Go
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I thought this song was very nice. It is a ballad with some thought provoking lyrics. I thought it was quite sad in the way that it described children playing from an elderly person's perspective...it's almost as if it describes regrets and missed opportunities.

"I sit and watch the children play; doing things I used to do"

It has a lovely gentle guitar melody in the middle which adds to the emotive lyrics, it is a really beautiful song and one that would invoke feeling in most people. I sometimes sit and wonder what may have been.

Track 16: Lady Jane
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The song has a beautiful tune and emotive lyrics. I find the song quite relaxing and the guitar melody is beautiful. I found the lyrics rather bizarre as the language seems old terms such as 'Wedlock is nigh my love' and 'pledged my troth to Lady Jane' seems very old. Whilst I don't understand them they are beautiful.

Track 17: Paint it Black
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I loved this song; it seemed very 'Latino' and was upbeat. I have heard the song on a movie (I think Devils Advocate) and when I heard it I instantly started tapping my fingers on the top and dancing happily around my room.

It seems like a very jolly song, but a closer look at the lyrics painted (no pun intended) a different picture. They do not seem 'happy' or 'jolly' and feature symbolic colours to portray a different meaning although the tune seems to tell a completely different story. A very strange song with an upbeat tune but thought provoking lyrics. I believe it has just been released by that Joseph guy Lee and has been featured on a few adverts recently.

Track 18: Mothers little helper
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This is a weird song with a catchy beat. The song is about a little 'yellow pill' which helps a mother get though the day. I love the beat and vocals in this song. It is quite funny in places, with lines such as 'if you take more of those, you will get an overdose' or 'Men just aren't the same today'. Whilst these lines are quite humorous it is also a serious song about addiction to a prescription drug. It is quite a thought provoking song...I like it.

Track 19: 19th Nervous Breakdown
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This song is very upbeat and is not actually about having a nervous breakdown but is spoilt people who have everything and still moan and complain. The beat is quite jazzy and reminds me of the Status Quo style. The temptation to rock around the room with an air guitar is quite high.

Track 20: Under my Thumb
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The song seems to be about a girl who is 'under the thumb'. I am not too keen on this song as the beat is a little over the place and the vocals seem quite weak and 'shouty'.

Track 21: Out of Time
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I like this song and the lyrics are rather strong. The beat throughout it catchy and quite toe tappingly good. The repetitive line 'I said baby, baby, baby you're out of time' is good and very catchy....hear it and you will be singing it all day long!

Track 22: Yesterdays Papers
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This song is a little dull, and reflects the 60's era in style. I was very bored by the end. The song is about Jaggers ex-girlfriend, Chrissie Shrimpton. There is a beat throughout which does result in a bit of toe/finger tapping and an occasional bell sound. I didn't like this song much at all really.

Track 23: Let's Spend the Night Together
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I like the beginning of the song where it starts with a 'badda badda ba ba', the song is fairly catchy. The song uses a piano and sounds a little like one of Elton John's songs. It is quite a good song although not my favourite stones song.

Track 24: Have You Seen Your Mother Baby Standing in the Shadow
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This is a very upbeat song. It starts with a rumble on the guitar which sounds very effective. I like the way the wind instrument is used almost as an echo within the song. This is not my favourite song as the lyrics are a little peculiar and don't really make great sense.

Track 25: Ruby Tuesday
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I quite like this song, I am not quite sure why it just has a lovely melody. There is a soothing wind instrument in the background (possibly a flute/recorder) it sounds beautiful and is a great addition to the strong. The song has a rhythm that results in a bit of toe tapping (like many of their songs).

Track 26: Dandelion
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The melody seems all over the place in this song. The lyrics are weird with no real meaning. It is a very psychedelic track which seems to fit in well with the 60's. I am not sure if I like this song or not. The instruments seem to be all over the place with no real structure although I do feel this is what adds to the disorganised, psychedelic and peculiar melody, which would greatly appeal to some.

Track 27: She's a Rainbow
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This track is used in the Sony Bravia (Plasticine rabbits) advert. I loved this song when I first heard it on the advert. It has been used for a few other adverts describing colour. I like the drum beats in the background and the simplistic notes which could easily be played on a keyboard. The song is very alike some of the tracks by the Beatles.

Track 28: We Love You
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I loved the start of the song with a heavy jail door closing, following a drug scandal. The wobbly beat and haunting 'we don't care' muttering in the background is very effective. I thought it followed on brilliantly from the previous track 'She's a Rainbow'. The repetitive 'We Love You' is sung in a haunting, almost psychedelic way. I quite liked this song although it can get a little dull after a few plays.

Track 29: 2000 Light Years from Home
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This is a very psychedelic track with haunting echoed sound effects and low drum beats. It is very 'space' orientated with satellite sounds throughout. The song is very weird but was either thought of whilst Jagger was high on drugs or was inspired by the increase in Space travel in the 60's. I personally don't like this song as its very hard to get into and the silly sound effects throughout are quite off-putting.

Track 30: Jumpin' Jack Flash
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The track is quite 'rocky' and up beat. I have no idea what the song is about or what inspired it although it's probably drug orientated as many of them were using drugs at the times and Jagger had just been released on drug charges. It's a good song with an interesting tune but I didn't quite understand or 'get' the lyrics. I didn't find the lyrics thought provoking or useful at all.

Track 31: Street Fighting Man
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I really don't like this song. It was the first of the Rolling Stones songs to make a political statement. I find it a little too rocky and the lyrics are a bit shouted. It just sounds like a drunk walking home feeling disgruntled on a Saturday night!

Track 32: Sympathy for the Devil
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I quite like this song as it is done from the viewpoint of the devil (Lucifer) it was featured in the film Interview With The Vampire. I like the almost hypnotic beat and the 'ooh ooh' vocals throughout the song. This is another of the better known songs by the Rolling Stones and until I heard the album wouldn't have associated the popular song with the Rolling Stones.

Track 33: No Expectations
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This is a very slow relaxed track. With some good guitar solos, the song has a few similarities to David Gray. I quite like this song when I have had a tough day and I want to relax in peace.

Track 34: Let It Bleed
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This one has a slight Country and Western feel to it. I can imagine a group of people doing a line dance to this song. This song was recorded shortly after the death of Brian Jones and the song reflects this tragic event but in a more upbeat way than most 'tribute' songs.

Track 35: Midnight Rambler
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When I first heard this track it reminded me of Staus Quo and I really liked it. The air guitar can be played fully throughout this track. The harmonica is also a great addition to the song. A very good rocky track!

Track 36: Gimme Shelter
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I thought this song reminded me of some of Eric Clapton's songs. I really liked this tune, the guitar and drum beat throughout the song seems to drive it forward and portray meaning and feeling. The song has a strong link to the Vietnam war and is quite sad really on reflection. It discusses all the bad things like rape, murder and war.

Track 37: You Can't Always Get What You Want
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This is another well known song (or at least its one I knew about). I used to like this song alone but compared to their other songs it's not as strong. It's another song where the instruments seem disorganised and the vocals seem weak. Still on its own it's a great song, just not my favourite out of the others.

Track 38: Brown Sugar
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I love this song, I have heard it a few time but never associated it with the Stones. It is a really strong rock and roll track and lyrics are very good. I thought for a very long time that the song was actually about 'sugar' but it is in fact about the slave trade in New Orleans.

Track 39: Honky Tonk Women
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This is a song about a prostitute and the vocals are quite strong. I like the beat in the background and it reminds me of some of the rock style anthems from the 70's. I quite like this song. It is a very strong Rock and Roll song for any fans of that genre.

Track 40: Wild Horses
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This is a fairly sad song with a Country and Western overtone. It describes how 'Wild horses couldn't drag me away' and this was supposedly the words muttered by Marianne Faithfull when she awoke from a drug induced coma.

OVERALL OPINION
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I thought the USB stick was a great way to present such an album. I personally hate two disk CDs as it means fumbling around with fiddly cases and the risk of losing CD's or scratching them. It also means that I can easily drag and drop from one file to another so I don't have to spend hours converting and ripping music from my CD.

The USB stick contains some great tracks from the early days of the Rolling Stones to some of their more modern tracks. I thought I would hate the tracks and that I would be forced to listen to rubbish when in fact my partner has lost his USB stick as it is now stuck in the back of my computer. My favourite tracks are the more upbeat ones such as 'She's a rainbow', 'Carole', 'Satisfaction' and 'Paint it Black' although I can't help but enjoy the emotive lyrics of 'As Tears Go' and the soothing melody of 'Lady Jane'. Overall this is a great album obviously for Rolling Stones fans but it also makes great listening to fans of Status Quo, Buddy Holly, The Beatles and other 60's artists.

AVAILABILITY
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The USB is available from online shops such as Play.com, Amazon and HMV for £15-£25. The USB is reasonably priced compared to the CD which retails at about £10-£19 in most stores.

SUMMARY
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I thought I would hate the Rolling Stones, but I liked most of their songs. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Country and Western, Rock and Roll or Blues. There seems to be a little something of everything on this album so a very worthwhile purchase! Especially if you area fan of the Stones!

Summary: A review on the USB format of the Rolled Gold album!