For this 1966 album, one Stone asserted himself even more than Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, who for the first time wrote all the album's songs. Brian Jones is all over the opening "Paint It Black," which remains a dark ... more »classic more for its spooky sitar than for Jagger's dated psychedelia. Jones's marimba boosts the R&B-derived "Under My Thumb" and his harpsichord somehow makes the subject of "Lady Jane" more interesting. Though Charlie Watts's jazz-derived fills and Bill Wyman's bass continue growing into rock's greatest rhythm section, a disturbing misogyny creeps into Jagger's class-conscious lyrics, especially on "Under My Thumb," and "Stupid Girl." --Steve Knopper« less
For this 1966 album, one Stone asserted himself even more than Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, who for the first time wrote all the album's songs. Brian Jones is all over the opening "Paint It Black," which remains a dark classic more for its spooky sitar than for Jagger's dated psychedelia. Jones's marimba boosts the R&B-derived "Under My Thumb" and his harpsichord somehow makes the subject of "Lady Jane" more interesting. Though Charlie Watts's jazz-derived fills and Bill Wyman's bass continue growing into rock's greatest rhythm section, a disturbing misogyny creeps into Jagger's class-conscious lyrics, especially on "Under My Thumb," and "Stupid Girl." --Steve Knopper
"Like my friends, I really like the very long, eleven minutes long, "Goin Home." I actually have this song coming right after "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" by Bob Dylan, another eleven minute song, burning onto a CD that I play often when I have a long drive. Just two songs and twenty two minutes have flown by, I feel like I arrived in no time at all, almost like I got there before I left. Somehow I just seem to float along with these two songs, Mick's voice works so well with Mr. Dylan's.
Then there is the rocking and a bit strange "It's Not Easy," which tells us that it's not easy to live on your own, how true. "Lady Jane" is a bit strange, but I like it a lot. "Think," well all I can say about that song is "Wow!" "High and Dry" has such great guitar work on it, kind of reminds me of the guitar work on Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row." Maybe that harmonica is in that song on purpose. And I'd be remiss if I didn't say how much I loved "I Am Waiting" and "Goin" Home." How can anyone not love those songs." Like every record by this band, the Greatest Group on Earth, this record is a keeper."
Under My Thumb
Ophella Paige | Reno, Nevada | 06/11/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have to admit that I'm not wild about the songs "Think" and "Lady Jane," especially "Lady Jane." I don't know, maybe there is just a bit too much top sixty like production on "Jane" for me. However, the rest of the record is a knock your socks off, get up and dance type record. Plus, these songs really show off the Jagger/Richards song writing talents. Like my friend Tiffany, I really like "Goin' Home." It's a long and soulful song that moves me. But my favorite on "Aftermath" is "Under My Thumb." I know, as a woman, I shouldn't like that song, but I can't help it, maybe it's because of the kind of revenge aspect of the song. Anyway, I just like it, even though there is no way on God's green earth that I'll ever be under any man's thumb. Five stars for this record, because it's so good, even though I think a couple of the songs are a bit weak."
4 1/2 stars.
fluffy, the human being. | forest lake, mn | 03/30/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
""Aftermath," was the stones first album of all original material, and it has a vibe that's a bit different from their previous recordings. Brian Jones plays a mean sitar on the great opening track, "paint it, black," which is a classic piece of psychedelic rock. "Lady Jane," is a divine acoustic ballad, with a heavy english folk sound about it (trivia bit: on neil young's masterpiece "tonight's the night" he sings a song about borrowing a tune from the rolling stones for one of his songs, because he's too wasted to come up with his own tune. The melody which he borrowed from the stones for that tune is the melody from "Lady Jane."). The blues, as always, are a big part of the stones sound. "Doncha bother me," boasts a fine display of slide guitar wizardry, and "High and Dry," is an excellent acoustic blues piece with a strong sense of melody. "It's not easy," is another standout, with its splendid rhythmic drive. All in all, another fine stones album which i highly recommend. but please do yourself a favor: the original cd version of this thing has terrible sound. if you buy this album, make sure that you get a copy of the 2002 ABKCO records remastered version. the upgraded sound on that version is heavenly compared to the inferior quality of the 1st cd release."
Menacing
Steelers fan | Ashtabula, OH USA | 08/07/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Even in its truncated U.S. version with its blurry cover shot, 1966's "Aftermath," the first Stones album of all-original material, is indispensible. The record is the dividing line between the group as scruffy young Brit blues-and-R&B cover artists, and what would eventually become the most powerful and significant rock band in the world. A large portion of the credit for this is due to Brian Jones, who is at his artistic peak here. Jones' strength was his uncanny skill on all sorts of instruments besides guitar, and his marimba on "Under My Thumb," and sitar on "Paint It, Black" give those two signature Stones tunes, in their original versions, their unique flavor. The material ("Flight 505," "Stupid Girl") was getting dark and misogynistic; it would get much, much darker in the next few years. The U.K. version (which this isn't, by the way) puts good songs like "Out of Time," "What To Do," and the single "Mother's Little Helper" (an anti-drug message from a band which later became synonymous with drug excess) in their proper context as far as the group's history is concerned."