For a long time before ABB, there was often debate about which was better ABB or B2B... So now, all these years after even ABB... how does this debate still hold up? And anyone think ABB is better than either? I'm about to start playing all three... The new remasters... I'm putting on Bridges first, the VL, then(gulp) ABB... I'm even going to throw Steel Wheels into the fray, just to see how it is holding up... Even though the production on it, like Dirty Work has that Icky 80's stink on it, that can remind me of chewing aluminum foil...

After it came out, I said on here that ABB was their best album since Tattoo You. I felt that way for a few months afterwards.

Time maybe gives a different perspective. Still a mostly very good album, despite a couple of turds (as one would expect on a CD featuring 18 songs) but a few absolute gems. With hindsight, I prefer BTB - by some distance their best work post-1981. Certainly their most consistent and most interesting musically.

VL (also a bit overlong, but when they go several years between releases it would be a bit churlish to complain about getting two or three extra songs) could maybe have been improved by ditching two or three clunkers in favour of some of the stronger b-sides and with Mick spending a bit more time on binning some of his more banal lyrics. Still a very worthy release though.

The main 'what if'  from that period though is that we could have got a really outstanding Stones album in 1992 had they pooled their collective muses on a band project instead of devoting them to solo releases. In the space of three or four months from late 1992 into early 1993, Mick released his best ever solo album 'Wandering Spirit', Keith put out 'Main Offender' - a record that I personally think was the better of his two strong solo releases , and even Woody showed a return to his mid 70's form with 'Slide On This', which was a really good CD too.

All fine albums in their own right, but with all three of them somewhat creatively rejuvenated after the 1989-90 Steel Wheels album and tour, it's a case of the Great Stones Album That Got Away for me.

i just want to start off by saying i own all three and all three of them have some great songs on them.  i am going to have to agree with edith grove in terms of best to worst, even if there really is such a thing.

Like Gazza. I actually would go a step further and initially I thought A Bigger Bang was the best since Some Girls. Even better than Tattoo You.

Now, after time has passed, I must say ABB is still a great album. It was what The Stones needed. A matter of fact someone just told me tonight when discussing it it was what The Stones "needed to release then". That was from a 23 year old who understands music but is not a Stones fan. He simply can appreciate them. ABB revived The Stones. It was a make or break album for them it seemed after the hit and miss reviews of Bridges and the eight long year span between albums. It was what was needed to just rock hard, as a group, minus all the filler people, and turn out a stripped down, in your face, rock album.

That is exactly what ABB is. Now, My personal favorite since Some Girls is Voodoo Lounge. It has more strong songs in places. It is a special album. However I realize it is not as "solid" in a song by song basis as A Bigger Bang.

Still my favorite of the three, after a good time has passed now goes to Voodoo Lounge. Initially I thought A Bigger Bang was until about a year passed. Then VL started to come back to memory as possibly over all a better release....  simply for a handful of strong, strong singles (Love Is Strong, You Got Me Rockin, I Go Wild, and Out of Teas ...as well as a strong Keith song, Thru and Thru). Now Voodoo Lounge to me has emerged as the victor over all. However I still feel A Bigger Bang is easily the most "solid" since Some Girls. Every song is at least good or fairly decent enough (with most being pretty good). Like I say it revived The Stones not only because of the solidity of the album but just how freakin great it sounds and they, as a band sounded again. It was "alive sounding" and in your face in the production.

Bridges takes last spot. A good album over all but it isn't all my personal cup of tea as far as Stones albums go. Still it was a step in a different direction and that was a good thing to try right around that time so I have no qualms about it.

Ian

Well they're all good.

Bang was supposed to be "raw" but still it's polished.

Voodoo, BB, B2B.

Of course all 3 could be a bit better.

Hey babe.

Just listened to ABB tonight, for the first time in years, probably listened to it too much when it came out...well it's not as dull as I remembered, I was happy to hear songs I'd forgotten about like "Rain Fall Down" or "Back of my Hand" or SOL, actually I listened to all of it up to "LWTHCdragged in", that one and "Driving too Fast" are not worthy of the Stones, oh and I skipped "SSMComing", worst track ever on a Stones record IMHO. Infamy was not as bad as I remembered.

I'll stand by my opinion that they could have used some input from other musicians like they did on B2B. What's up with Mick playing bass on several tracks, it's a bit hard to understand the reason for that. I also counted only 10 tracks where Ronnie played, that has to be his worst count ever since B&B. Another nice touch is to see Mick play and sing (hard to recognoze though) on Keith's tracks, on B2B he was reportedly sulking when Keith's tracks got recorded, he doesn't appear on the them at all for sure.

Not bad, but some horrible songs, the playing is "so-so" and the sound is generally "mushy", lacking compared to B2B.

Not sure I'll listen to VL, that one bores me, Voodoo Stew on the other hand and Keith's stellar "Make it Now" is another story.

Voodoo Lounge is the best of the bunch. 

In fact - here is where I always get into argumente - Voodoo Lounge is their best album since Exile.  It's better than GHS.  Better than Some Girls.  Better than Tattoo You. 

No.  That honor belongs to 'Let It Bleed'.  Fuck the "Exile Mafia".

mojoman wrote on Aug 29^th, 2009 at 12:42am:


That will be more than just another album. It will allow the possibility to make people aware of the gut wrenching place that this planet can sometimes be. Also, I want one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Mens-Three-Short-Sleeve/dp/B002HJ377A
Having wore it, you might think twice about buying a fur coat, no?

Big 4:
SF
LIB
EOM
BB

Last 4:
ABB
VL
SW
BTB