ABKCO US Vinilo y CD

Review: It's not everyday you release an album that goes on to inspire the name of a record label that goes on to be one of the defining UK music institutions of the late-20th Century. And early-21st. Whether The Rolling Stones quite knew how special their seventh studio LP would be when it first dropped in 1968 is something we can ponder until the cows come home, but it certainly represented a musical turning point back then.

Moving on from their previous psychedelic excursions (aurally, if not behaviourally), Beggars Boutique saw the seminal rock 'n' rollers dive two-feet-first into the sound of America's southern states, returning to the old stomping grounds of influences they had originally made a name for themselves with. And by that we mean blues and roots rock.

Review: The Rolling Stones put out plenty of albums full mostly of cover versions other favourite blues, soul and rhythm & blues tunes and this one, Out Of Our Heads, is one of them from 1986. It was a number two album in the UK charts but marked the band's first ever Billboard 200 number one (maybe because at the time only the American version contained their biggest ever tune, '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction'). Here the mono version gets reissued and contains songs made over a six month period including the top ten hit 'The Last Time.' Though these are covers, they are newly done in a guitar-based, thoroughly contemporary (at the time) style.

Review: This newly reissued album is a second collection of classic singles from The Rolling Stones spanning a crucial time in their evolution, namely 1966 to 1971, when they made their transition from the experimental and psychedelic sounds of 'We Love You' and 'She's a Rainbow' to the rootsy, blues-based rock of 'Honky Tonk Women' and 'Wild Horses.' During this time, guitarist and founding member Brian Jones was replaced by Mick Taylor, marking the first lineup change since the group's inception. Despite stylistic shifts and internal turmoil, the Stones achieved seven Top Ten singles on both sides of the Atlantic, including four number ones.