Can You Feel the Magic?
Sara Hackett | from the Darkside | 06/11/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is obviously another one of those Rolling Stones' records you just gotta love. In my opinion there is a subtle, mellower sound here than on the four Jimmy Miller records that preceded "Soup." "Dancing with Mr. D." is kind of a mellow rocker, if a song about carrying on the Devil can be considered mellow under any circumstances. You can slow dance to "Coming Down Again" and my man Jack and I have done so on several occasions. "Heartbreaker" will get your blood moving a bit," then the album slows down again for "Angie," and does anybody really care if the song was about David Bowie's wife, Keith's gal pal Anita or just some girl Mick made up in his head, it's a beautiful song. "Silver Train" is just simply a super song, but my favorite song on the record is "Can You Hear the Music." Can you hear it? Can you feel the magic? I can."
Sex 'n' satanism
Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 03/30/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
""Goats Head Soup" doesn't quite reach the same heights as it predecessor, the magnificent "Exile On Main Street", but it is a good album in its own right.
It opens with the self-conscious aren't-we-bad-tune "Dancing With Mr D." (the gentleman in question being the devil), followed by the solid, folkish "100 Years Ago" and the slow, slightly eerie "Coming Down Again" ("I really like the [songs] I did when I was on smack", Keith Richards once said. "I wouldn't have written Coming Down Again without that".)
One of the best songs on "Goats Head Soup" is undoubtedly the acoustic ballad "Angie", but the slide guitar-driven "Silver Train" rocks very well also, and "Hide Your Love" is a good, swinging blues tune.
There is really nothing bad on "Goats Head Soup". The slower, slightly, eh, alternative tunes like "Can you Hear The Music" and "Coming Down Again" may not appeal to everybody, but fortunately "Goats Head Soup" closes with one of the Stones' best, toughest rockers.
It hasn't gotten a lot of publicity, and even less airplay, but "Star Star" (as it was prudently re-titled on the cover) grooves with a vengeance, opening with a Chuck Berry-esque riff, and culminating with the supremely catchy chorus. Not everybody may be inclined to sing along (the song's actual title is "Starf***er"), but it certainly rocks with its own mean vulgarity.
And, honestly, who doesn't love mean vulgarity? Eh?"
Makes Me Feel Like I'm Dancing on Air
Ophella Paige | Reno, Nevada | 06/12/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"One of my favorite records, I play the CD in my car constantly, listen to it on my iPod all the time when I jog in the early morning, listen to it on my iBook with headphones on when I write in the evening. "Goats Head Soup" is one of those records that begs to be listened to in the order the band and producer intended. Every song works as part of the whole, from the dancing with the Devil song to that miss-named song about the girl who can make you scream all night and will do anything, and I mean anything, for a star. Keith's vocals on "Coming Down Again" are just about his best ever. Mick Taylor shines throughout, but is especially good on "Winter." Mick Jagger pulls out all the stops on that song too. I can hear the music in all the songs. I feel it in my bones. It flows in my blood. This record makes me feel like I'm dancing on air, even when I'm stuck in rush hour traffic. This record lifts me up when I'm down, makes me feel glorious when I'm just happy. This is one of the best records ever made, I can't praise it highly enough."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1