Universal      

Recorded while the band were in nothing less than a purple patch, Exile On Main St has come to represent, to many, the quintessential Rolling Stones album. That’s probably because of the nature of its 1971 recording (in tax exile, mostly at Keith’s rented mansion Villa Nellcôte on the waterfront of Villefranche-sur-Mer in the Côte d'Azur region of the South of France, with heroin dealers and hangers-on aplenty).

        The infamous, sprawling LP, threw up gems such as Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice, Sweet Virginia, Happy and Shine A Light, just to reel off a few (or for argument’s sake, five). The band has had diverse opinions of it over the years, but have been smart enough to see what it means in the eyes of their fandom. Which brings us to this digitally remastered re-release, with a bonus disc of unreleased/incomplete tracks from the sessions.

        Of those, opener, Pass The Wine (Sophia Loren) has the loping funk feel more attributable to 1976’s Black N’ Blue than Exile. Alternate takes of Loving Cup and Soul Survivor (both on the completed album) seem a little sparer than their better-heard counterparts, while Good Time Women is an early version of Tumbling Dice, with the band in a simpler, driving groove, and Mick Jagger eliciting good-time-gal-lyrics quite possibly off the top of his head. Title 5 is an instrumental, with Richards and Mick Taylor riff-running, sounding oddly like The Doors’ LA Woman.

        The (bonus) stand-outs here are So Divine (Aladdin Story) a hypnotic song with a motif that echoes Paint It Black, possibly why it never saw the light of day. Then there’s Following The River, a ballad with a Jagger vocal that is clearly present-day. The touch-ups on these songs have caused a little controversy, but this is still fascinating listening, even for bootleg collectors.

BOB GORDON