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11 Comments

  1. Mick Shrimpton
    July 27, 2016 @ 5:29 pm

    It’s hard to appreciate the greatness of this album when your head is firmly planted between your gluts! The energy level of these songs is off the charts and are some of the best recordings the Stones ever made! Mick Tayor and Keith Richards provide killer riffs and flashy solos all over the album. Charlie and Bill show why they are considered by many to be “the best rhythm section in the world” and Jagger is in fine voice throughout! What difference does it make that other musicians played on some of the songs? Mick and Keith wrote most of the songs and the rest of the musicians provide outstanding support! This album is a strong contender for The Best Album of All-time!

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  2. Albert Flynn
    February 27, 2018 @ 5:47 pm

    I was in high school when Exile was released. Our self- designated student music guru
    didn’t like it much and seemed to poison it’s standing among the other students (he
    obviously copped his opinion from a Rolling Stone Magazine review damning the record).
    I thought it was great and said as much, later to be vindicated when the Stones played
    our local venue (the Forum), and basically blew Inglewood, CA apart supporting the
    album.

    Reply

  3. doug
    June 5, 2020 @ 11:47 am

    What an idiotic review.Rip this joint is “average”?Soul Survivor is “uninspired”?Are you on drugs or what?But yet some of the weakest songs on Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy ,like D’yer Maker and The Crunge you find “interesting” or “original”or what ever.How about they suck and Exile on main street is one of the greatest rock albums ever recorded.You should go review Michael Jackson records or The Village People since you’re so knowlegable.

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  4. JumpinJack
    June 27, 2020 @ 10:55 am

    Well, finally some open-eared and reasonable review of this boring, overdone, mostly uninspired album. In a way it is a sort of ‘canonical’ rock’n’roll album – but in a sense that it’s the perfect example of middle-of-the-road, perfectly safe and unimaginative, generic blues’n’rockers. It’s waaaay far less interesting than three previous and two future Stones albums.

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    • Arno
      November 14, 2020 @ 6:36 am

      Thank you sir, at last somebody stating the King is naked! Love the Stones, loved them for 30+ years. Exile is indeed an underproduced , half cooked compliation of songs, some decent ,3 greats, some completely forgettable. This album is dull and pretty much frustrating , as it falls into “almost great” category in my book. Some Stones’ LP’s have of course lesser quality songs , but have a better listening flow overall ( even stuff like Undercover, that I listen to much more than Exile).Rock critics are pretty much all in the Punk, post Punk matrix . They cannot , and don’t want to aknowledge a high production quality as being integral part of what makes an album great. It’s a widespread mentality among rock critics. They love Exile and Some Girls , and will shit on GHS, B&B, and it’s only R’R which have a far superior listening quality. People nowadays are listening pretty much to crap all day, and are being used to inferior quality in everything + Exile must be the one album cherished by all non -Stones , casual fans.

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  5. Casper
    September 8, 2021 @ 6:48 am

    Its a great album i love the fact ithat it sounds rugged and almost brokn, but ets face it it could have been cut down to about ten tracks…

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  6. David
    November 10, 2021 @ 3:21 pm

    I remember purchasing this album on Yonge Street in Toronto. While I’ll agree with those feeling “overrated” is more realistic an assessment than “classic”. But then I catch my breath and remember that at least 6 albums prior to Exile were as close to perfect any form of art can be. Let the games begin ladies & gentlemen!

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  7. Innocenzo
    March 25, 2022 @ 3:53 pm

    I agree with this review. In my opinion, except for 4 or 5 very beautiful songs, “Exile On Main St.” is one of the most overrated rock albums of the early Seventies. Best musicians who played on the double lp: Nicky Hopkins, Bobby Keys, Al Perkins and Billy Preston. Greetings from Italy.

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  8. ddb
    July 11, 2022 @ 6:27 pm

    I don’t give a damn about a very well produced song: if it’s bad it stays bad.
    Raw, intense, chaotic.. and the songs still stand.. For me, it is the best R&R album ever.
    It’s like is recorded on the spot, somewhere in a club.. Pure. The essence of R&B.

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  9. Puneet Tanwar
    April 16, 2023 @ 10:39 am

    This review reminds me of the saying “What Do They Know Of Cricket Who Only Cricket Know?”

    Exile is more then the sum of its parts as has never been matched.

    Reply

  10. Terry
    July 17, 2023 @ 11:23 pm

    I love this album. However, it took me thirty years to appreciate it’s greatness. I was listening to it while working outside one day and it just hit. Everything you dislike about it is what I love.

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