Forty Licks

by

The Rolling Stones

Edit

FORTY LICKS is by far the recommended choice for those who only want one Stones set in their collection. Fans and collectors will only need the four new tracks (which are solid albeit non-essential cuts), but they may appreciate the novelty of having a career-spanning collection, all with upgraded sound quality. Taken as a whole, FORTY LICKS shows that the Stones absorbed a lot of influences, both inside and outside of the rock genre. The Stones manage the rare feat of maintaining a consistent albeit evolving group sound, usually without slipping into a predictable formula. Few artists with four decade-long careers have maintained this level of vitality for so long: as recently as 1997 they still could cut an outstanding, contemporary-sounding track (ANYBODY SEEN MY BABY?)

I would have preferred the tracks be presented in chronological order, but at least the 1960s-vintage tracks are on disc one, 1970s-present on disc two. If I counted correctly, FORTY LICKS manages to include 16 of 21 tracks on the HOT ROCKS collection, 15 of 23 out of the two THROUGH THE PAST DARKLY sets, and 12 of 18 from the JUMP BACK 1971-1993 anthology...and still squeezes in 7 recent-to-new cuts. While such key cuts as AS TEARS GO BY, MIDNIGHT RAMBLER, WAITING ON A FRIEND, HOT STUFF, 2000 LIGHT YEARS FROM HOME, LADY JANE, and TIME IS ON MY SIDE are missed, there just isn't enough room. In other words, it's impressive that most of the key tracks from past anthologies are now collected in one place.

I've been a die-hard Stones fan for many years and was excited to have all these great songs in one collection. But be advised, many songs on the second disc are EDITED VERSIONS!!!! Call me a ... music geek, but when I listen the the world's greatest Rock & Roll band, I wanna hear the songs the way they were intended to be heard!!! The WHOLE song, not some EDITED version!!!! The new songs are real good and maybe "Dont Stop" will come out as a single; Keith's ballad is great, too! But it's hard for me to listen to songs that I know have more to them! I hate when they EDIT songs just so they can cram a bunch onto one disc!!!! Forty Licks shoulda been 3 discs, it's that simple. And even if someone is new to the Stones, they should hear the REAL, ORIGANINAL versions!!! Disc one is okay, but disc two, not so much!! Just wanna let people know; fair warning . . . . . .