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FANS ALBUM REVIEWS
OUT OF OUR HEADS
Nine Reviews - Overall Average Rating - 9.0 Tongues
OUT OF OUR HEADS
by devilsadvocate
July 7, 2009
Rating:
Out of Our Heads contains what is arguably the best-known Stones song of all:
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". It is regrettable that Out of Our
Heads has the mono version of "Satisfaction", as opposed to the stereo
version found on The London Years. The stereo version has a much better
separation of the instruments, and the acoustic rhythm guitar can be heard distinctly,
thus enriching the listening experience.
The other riff-based song on this album is "The Last Time" and despite the fact
that "Satisfaction" is obviously the mega-hit, I think "The Last Time"
is the better of the two. The riff is completely compelling and certainly makes the song.
Whenever I hear the first notes of this song, I have to stop whatever it is I'm doing and
listen.
An oddity of this album is that Nanker Phelge (a pseudonym for all 5 Stones) gets
no less than 4 credits. "I'm All Right" is co-credited to Bo Diddley, who
was the actual writer of this song, which the Stones kept changing each time they played
it. This is a live number never recorded in the studio. It's fun, even more so on
video.
The second Nanker Phelge song is "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man".
Written to the tune of "Fanny Mae", it is hilarious, especially Mick's ad lib at
the end. Again, unfortunately, the version on The London Years is the one to get:
it is longer, with more ad lib at the end.
"Play with Fire" is the third Nanker Phelge song, but the only Stones to play on
it are Mick and Keith. It is a lovely slow tune. The fourth Nanker Phelge song
(co-credited to Jagger-Richards) is "The Spider and the Fly", another slower
song and very nice as well.
All in all a very strong album, from start to finish.
To listen to some sound clips from
OUT OF OUR HEADS or to buy it, click here: Out of Our Heads (US Version)
More fan reviews:
OUT OF OUR HEADS
by Jack Flash
June 7, 2005
Rating:
Out Of Our Heads is my favorite pre-1966 Stones album, and although it may not
purely be the raw Chicago R&B that fans has come to know on the previous three albums,
the songs are simply better than they ever were before. What's so great about this is that
7 of the 12 were originals, defying the band's previous tendency to lead on covers. Plus,
there is a new influence on the album - American soul.
Such songs as the surreally exciting "That's How Strong My Love Is", indicate
this, where you can hear the earlier, pure blues Stones battling against the later, more
mature Stones though a new vessel, soul. It's remarkable really, even though the song is
only better than average. But don't worry, there are plenty of better moments. The
electric opener "Mercy Mercy" arguably contains Mick's first great vocal on
record. The Stones then take Marvin Gaye's "Hitch Hike" and strip it down to
some up with an okay song. "The Last Time" is, in my opinion the Stones' first
true original classic. From Brian's great lead guitar riff to Keith's super solo to the
great, raw feel of the track, everything is powerful. "Good Times" is on the
softer side, and less engaging. A live cut, "I'm Alright," complete with
screaming girls, closes out side 1 in an exciting but undeveloped fashion.
If "The Last Time" was the band's first original classic, "(I Can't Get No)
Satisfaction" is obviously the second, and one of the greatest rock tracks ever. What
a dream Keith must have been having when he thought up the classic riff in his sleep! Mick
fills in the verses with pure teen angst. "Cry To Me" follows it up splendidly,
a soulful cover based around a nice lead riff from Keith. "The Under Assistant West
Coast Promotion Man" is a funny throwaway." "Play With Fire" is one of
the best written songs on the album, and its stark acoustic arrangement established that
the Stones were just a bunch of noisy rascals, in terms of early 60's standards (and
what's wrong with that anyway?). "The Spider And The Fly" is terrific, a saucy
tale spun by Mick to a nice, slow groove, what an atmosphere! Listen to what he says:
"my my my, don't tell lies, keep fidelity in your head." Wise words, Mr. Jagger
(especially in the case he sings about). "One More Try" is a ditty that closes
the album on a fun note. Not great, but cool to listen to.
When it was released, Out Of Our Heads established the Stones as a leading act in
music, and was responsible for the formation of thousands of garage bands- think The Doors
and such. The Rolling Stones' legacy never dies!
OUT OF OUR HEADS
By Cousin Cocaine
April 23, 2004
Rating:
Another very good early album from the greatest band of all time. Although I must admit my
feelings are a little conflicted - with this album the Stones have just began taking their
first steps toward focusing on their own style and songs, and exploring their
possibilities, but still quite highly rely on blues and soul covers.
The strongest songs are arguably "The Last Time" and "(I Can't Get No)
Satisfaction", of which the latter can be seen as one of the, if not the, ultimate
'60s rock songs with its legendary riff, provocative lyrics and great drumming. Altogether
the band delivers a strong effort on all instruments on this record, especially the guitar
weaving between Keith and Brian. My only complaint is that Jagger's voice, not yet quite
fully developed, sometimes is a little misplaced.
Even though I feel there is a little lack of consistency because of the reasons mentioned
above, this is still a very good record from what is, as you all know, the greatest
rock'n'roll band of all time.
OUT OF OUR HEADS
By Kryp
September 18, 2003
Rating:
The best of the early Stones albums and essential to any collection. I don't know if I
would have rated this album the same way before the SACD mastering. Andrew Loog's
producing on these early albums is abysmal; however, the new technology has managed to
overcome the muddy guitars and poor quality of the original mixes. The problem with this
album is that "The Last Time" and "Satisfaction" are two of the
greatest rock and roll songs ever. So naturally the rest of the album's songs are going to
struggle to compete. "The Under Assisant West Coast Production Man" is an under
appreciated early glimpse of the Stones sardonic humor. The cover songs are great as well.
This album has three hits including "Play With Fire".
Along with Rubber Soul and The Beach Boys Today, Out of Our Heads
says everything about the progression of Rock music in 1965 that needs to be said.
OUT OF OUR HEADS
By Patrick
April 27, 2003
Rating:
I have to give Out of Our Heads a 10.0 rating. The stone blistered ears with some
of the songs on this album that will never be forgotten until the end of time. Now as far
as my favorite track on this album goes, "Satisfaction" will never be forgotten.
The lyrics to that song and the double negative in that line, "I can't get no"
will live on forever for people in the future to blast out of their stereos while their
flying in their cars. But I believe I will have to agree with most of the other reviews
and say that "The Last Time" is the best track on this album. It just was
shunned away when "Satisfaction" came out. The main guitar riff to this song by
Brian Jones is amazing. The first time I heard it when I was younger, and I heard that
"slide" on the guitar, I loved it. And the lyrics are nothing to forget either.
I believe Mick is singing, although we'll never really know, about a guy having problems
with his girlfriend, some other relationship problems. Anyways, he belts out this tune in
such a powerful way that no one will forget it, even if big brother
"Satisfaction" is around.
OUT OF OUR HEADS
By Micaela
January 15, 2001
Rating:
This was the first Stones album I ever bought. It was after hearing a clip of "The
Last Time" on some sort of Top 100 countdown. From the very first note of Brian's
riff on THE LAST TIME, I was hooked. This is a staple for any Stones fan's album
collection; it's an ingenious blend of blues and blistering riffs, with some great vocals
from Mick. Although quite a few o the songs are covers, the boys do them with flair and
expertise. The songs that were written by the Stones, however, are the best songs on this
album. It starts out with "MERCY MERCY", a simple but catchy cover song. It
lacks some of the feeling of the other songs on this album, however. "HITCH
HIKE" is next, which doesn't sound totally unlike "MERCY MERCY". Once
again, rather simplistic. The best track on this album, in my opinion, is the next one,
"THE LAST TIME". Brian lays down some of his finest riffing ever, and Mick's
vocals will send shivers down your spine. He sings with chilling bravado, lecturing to a
former love. The backing vocals are top-notch, and the chorus will make you want to blast
your stereo and scream it out at the top of your lungs. "THAT'S HOW STRONG MY LOVE
IS" is next, a slower paced one than the previous three. Not my personal favorite,
but decent nonetheless. "GOOD TIMES" is what I consider to be the filler on this
album. Another cover song, it's too short (less than two minutes) to really escalate into
anything memorable, and has a sickeningly sweet early-sixties pop feel. I love "I'M
ALL RIGHT", the next one. Penned under the pseudonym 'Nanker Phelge", this was
also written by the boys. The songs builds nicely to a crescendo at the end, and is the
perfect lead-in for the masterpiece to follow. "SATISFACTION" has probably the
most memorable riff of any rock and roll song ever laid down on vinyl. Keith's guitar
snarls through this track, and Mick belts out what were considered to be very
controversial lyrics at the time. Brimming with sexual innuendo, this song capitalizes
upon its relatively long length (3:45) to the upmost. Not to be missed. "CRY TO
ME" is next, another cover. Mick is soulful on this one, and there are some good
guitar parts from Keith and Brian. "THE UNDER ASSISTANT WEST COAST PROMOTION
MAN" is probably the weakest track here, though it definitely has a passing grade. An
up-tempo blues song with some nice harmonica from Brian, but it just never appealed to me
for some reason. My parents said they used to dance to the next one, a beautiful ballad
called "PLAY WITH FIRE". The guitar on this is simply haunting, and Mick's
hushed vocals have a mysterious, almost arcane tone. Listen to this is your significant
other is pissing you off! The second to last song, "THE SPIDER AND THE FLY" is
another Jagger/Richards blues composition with a basic chord progression. Some interesting
lyrics, and a slow guitar solo contribute to the story-telling air of this song. "ONE
MORE TRY" is last. The greatest part of this song is the lyric "Sit down, shut
up, don't dare cry". Gotta love the no-bullshit attitude, showing up even in early
songs such as this. Great harmonica on this track as well. All in all, this is their best
effort from their early years, and is a nice companion for their first US release, ENGLAND'S
NEWEST HIT MAKERS.
OUT OF OUR HEADS
By Net Pimp
November 7, 2000
Rating:
Though some un"satisfying" filler brings it down a lot, this album is a
must-have. Their breakthrough into being the world's
greatest rock band and beyond. Their sound was starting to venture out here with some
breathtaking originals. There's R & B covers too. Most fill the need for Stones soul,
but some fail. The first song is covered very well . "Mercy Mercy"- The fuzzy
guitar sound here is vintage and Mick even finds those falsetto notes. Done with
enthusiasm and a bonafide jump start to this album. "Hitch Hike"- Though not
sprawling like Marvin Gaye's funky version, it still shows what soulful chops anyone
doubted they had. They put some Stones nastiness all over it with the convicting sound.
Good, but not very good. "The Last Time"- A 10.0. Fine, haunting J/R composition
that foreshadowed "Satisfaction" with the repeated riff. The song is chilling
and rocks well. They could even amaze more than the Kinks with their unheard-of power
chord style at the time. "Last Time" was a UK no. 1 and is a long-lasting
classic, seen as a heralding breakthrough into creativeness. "That's How Strong My
Love is"- The soulful vocal from Mick is his best pure soul singing, copying the
original artist Otis Redding. The band puts energy forth on this track and it is sweet,
yet rocking at the same time. "Good Times"- For some reason, although short,
this cover of Sam Cooke's "Good Times" is a true perennial in the soul field.
The Stones make you feel it too. Wow! The acoustic guitars are wonderful for no apparent
reason and the harmonies from Keith and Brian are quiescent. Then comes a rollicking,
group-written number, similar to the style of the Isley Brothers' "Shout"
titled "I'm All Right."- It's a live selection from a London Palladium
concert showing the way the Stones, in their own bad boy way, melted the girls. Well, at
least Keith and definitely Mick did. Dunno 'bout Charlie and Bill, but still they were
adored by girls with a penchant for bad boys. The girls loved Mick, hell the guys
(depending what kind) did too. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"- Another 10.0
Aaah. Their first transatlantic no. 1! A renowned rock song. Oh hell, I won't hype it so
much. Let's just commend it for being a goddamn dirty rock song with the nicest groove
going and playful, nasty lyrics that got it banned from BBC radio. But that just makes it
more successful, right? "Cry to Me"- One of the weaker covers over the Stones
career, especially up to this point. They barely ever stooped to a mediocre level like
this, but it's still excusable. "The Under Assistant West Cost Promotion Man"-
The Stones pay debt to the promo men of the rock world in this bluesy number that gives us
some more harmonizing harmonica from Brian. Not terribly good, but still an unforgettable
one. "Play with Fire"- Few rock songs before 1965 could match the eeriness of
this typically British-flavored quiet number with acoustic guitar from Phil Spector and
harpsichord from Jack Nitzche and Charlie played percussion. Nonetheless, it's a
wonderfully shameless song that echoes to the bone as a Stones gem. One of their best in
the early days "The Spider and the Fly"- Apparently another bluesy song about a
young rocker wondering whether or not to sleep with a groupie. A grooving, yet
disappointing and mediocre inclusion. "One More Try"-This last song is a little
shaky. The tempo is quick and there are loud, falsetto backup vocals from Keith (think of
the same thing on "Come on") I think. It clocks in at nearly 2 minutes, but it
is still a reminder that the Stones were getting better cutting quickly-made album tracks.
OUT OF OUR HEADS
By Alex Short
November 3, 2000
Rating:
Any album that includes 'Satisfaction', 'The Last Time' and 'Mercy Mercy' has to be a
classic. This album is very different to the
English release. That doesn't make this one any worse. In fact this one is better. My
favorite song on this LP is the
groundbreaking 'Satisfaction'. There is also the obscure 'One More Try', not released in
England until the 70s. I think on the
compilation Stone Age. The only song I'm not to keen on is 'The Under assistant
West Coast Promotion Man'. The rest is
practically flawless. I also like the Marvin Gaye song 'Hitch Hike', it's performed with
real conviction. Much like the rest of the album. Although a great album, I wouldn't rate
it a highly as Decembers Children because I feel the overall sound isn't so much
to my liking. That is however not including 'Satisfaction' and the 'Last Time'. Both
superb classics from the writing team of Mick and Keith
OUT OF OUR HEADS
By christophoros
April 10, 2000
Rating:
:
Has really nobody else reviewed this? That' s strange, as it is nearly always listed among
the essential Stones albums. A reason for this is already SATISFACTION, only one song, but
it' s THE Rolling Stones song (their most successful single), THE rock song, THE protest
song,... par excellence. I don' t know what especially makes this song so outstanding, and
it' s also hard to describe, as the Rolling Stones over the years of their existence
actually have done many songs that to some extent are similar to it. I think, it just hit
(and still hits!) the nerve of the time. How difficult it must be to come to such an easy
song title. (O.k., Keith is reported to have seen Mick singing it in a dream, which was
good luck anyway). THE LAST TIME was a #1 hit before SATISFACTION, but it is overshadowed
now. However, I also like this song, which shows the dark talent of the Rolling Stones
very much. Play With Fire (also its b-side) is more a cooling down song, as mysterious and
at the same time one of the most beautiful Stones songs. The live cut on this album, I'M
ALL RIGHT, shows, that they already had a lot of female fans even before their
breakthrough as songwriters (artistically as well as commercially). The selection of cover
tunes is better than on 12X5, and it' s very refreshing to hear them sing GOOD TIMES on a
way-marking milestone of their career.
Keno's mini review, song list, lyrics and more info on OUT OF OUR HEADS
To listen to some sound clips from
OUT OF OUR HEADS or to buy it, click here: Out of Our Heads (US Version) or Out of Our Heads (UK Version)