Keno's ROLLING STONES Web Site
FANS ALBUM REVIEWS
ROLLING STONES NOW!
Twelve Reviews - Overall Average Rating - 8.9 Tongues
ROLLING STONES NOW!
by Timothy
Getz
January 24, 2013
Rating:
Despite its two Chuck Berries,
Now captures the churchiest side of the Stones by turning up the organ
and bass presence. This self seriousness makes it the most challenging pre
"Satisfaction" listen but also belies their coming of age as songwriters. If
Mickenkeef could write hooks in 1965 they could in 2005, too.
"Heart of Stone" and "Off the
Hook" show what kind of showmanship Mick Jagger has and while neither of them
gives women any power, the dance beat of the opening tune does. "So glad to be
here, so good to be back home," he raps, which of course raises the question,
Where has he come home to?
To listen to some sound clips from
THE ROLLING STONES NOW! or to buy it, click here:
The Rolling Stones Now!
More fan reviews:
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
by
Stynch13
June 18, 2012
Rating:
Now!, to put it simply, is the best of the Stones before they got serious. This album is a complete knockout, what I mean by that is each song carries the pace in a constant "up" (The other notable Stones album to do this is Exile). The album displays some delectable guitar from Richards-Jones, especially taking advantage of Jones' slide guitar. There is no theme and no real effort to make one, this album was before music got serious... in general. But that's ok, because there is none that it needed. Now! is a purely satisfying album full of grit and showmanship, and every time you listen to it, it just gets better. No complaints.
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
by
Rusty Ol' Timer
March 15, 2011
Rating:
All of the reviews written for this album so
far are right on the mark. This is masterful "white-boy Rn'B" and Bo, Chuck,
Muddy and the Wolf would all be pleased with what the Stones do here. But
there's one thing I feel other reviewers have neglected, and that's Bill Wyman's
fantastic bass lines on this album. He absolutely owns "You Cant Catch Me" and
"Down the Road Apiece", and its his sense of rhythm and creativeness that run
through the entire album.
I have to admit I lost much of my love for the
bands music after Brian Jones' departure, but this album still stands as one of
my top 25 in my collection of over 2,500. Buy it. Appreciate it. Love it.
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
by devilsadvocate
July 5, 2009
Rating:
Now is one of my favorite albums by the Stones. There isn't a single weak song
and there are a number of gems on this album. "Everybody Needs Somebody to
Love" gets things rolling. The song listing states that this song is 2:57 but in
actual fact it lasts over 5 minutes and I don't mind one bit, I love this song.
"Down Home Girl" is equally pleasant. "You Can't Catch Me" is yet
another fun Chuck Berry cover and it's one of my favorite Berry covers by the Boys.
"Heart of Stone" is undoubtedly the best Jagger-Richards composition up to this
albums's release. The song which follows, "What a Shame", is another offering
from the song writing pair, with some slide guitar from Brian Jones. He does a nice
job with it, but he positively shines on the following song, Bo Diddley's
"Mona". Bo himself was impressed with Brian's playing, saying that he was the
only white musician ever to get the Diddley sound right.
"Down the Road Apiece" comes next, followed by "Off the Hook", which
is one of the catchiest songs I've ever heard. It used to be credited to Nanker Phelge
(meaning that all 5 members of the band were being credited), but it has now reverted to
Jagger-Richards.
"Oh Baby (We Got a Good Thing Going)" is another pleasant song. It is followed
by what is by far and away the best song on this album, "Little Red Rooster".
This Willie Dixon song was first recorded by the great Howlin' Wolf. The Stones's
version was recorded at Chess Studios just like the original and is faithful to it.
Brian's masterful slide guitar is all over this song. It is one of his brightest moments
with the Stones, and it was apparently his personal favorite.
Another fun number, "Surprise, Surprise", closes out the album. It is
another Jagger-Richards song.
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
by Bob
November 17, 2005
Rating:
Whle the Stones may have advanced in technique over the years, this album captures the raw
energy of a Band that was on fire for that era. Keith Richards was very tuned into the
blues guitar scene, and Brian Jones was able to weave the band together with his vocal,
genius arrangements harmonica and slide guitar.
They were the literal bad boys of Rock and Roll, and still heavily influenced by Alexis
Korner and the Ealing mob of musicians. I wore out my mono LP and now have the cd, and can
still play and hear different things in "You Can't Catch Me". Bill Wyman is a
bass genius.
Oh yes, you can hear the mistakes on the single takes. I treasure them all. Its part of
the rawness of the Stones. While they shocked my dad, and he proclaimed they would
"never last", I knew in my heart this was the most exciting and real music I had
ever heard, and still this remains one of my favorite albums. It took the well
characterized older blues tunes, put insane energy in them, and even made the Beatles pay
attention.
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
by Clayton
June 29, 2003
Rating:
I too am a true believer that this LP is pure Chicago style R&B. If your into
listening to pure R&B at it's best....this is a must buy album! I bought it new in
1965 (the mono release) and in 30+ years, it's still as fresh as the day I first heard it.
"Down Home Girl" sums up this classic LP as it's driving force....listening to
this song is like a music machine....all the band is picking their thing, yet it all
jell's. Brian's influence is woven throughout all tracks. Buy the CD, plop it in the
player, dim the lights, turn up the volume....and groove. Chicago style, Now!
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
By GB
September 16, 2002
Rating:
This is another great Stones album. The focus of this album is on blues and rock n roll
numbers. There isn't anything hear that sounds overtly pop. Perhaps one of the more
interesting songs here is HEART OF STONE. This is one of the two Richards-Jagger
compositions. You can hear the Mick Jagger of the future, the brooding, narcissistic,
jealous, lover stomping on women's souls, seeking triumph. In short, a Don Juan of our
time. Maybe THE Don Juan of our times.
As for the rock numbers, I'm amazed at how much the early 60s Stones sound just like the
80s Stones who would play such songs as BLACK LIMOUSINE. It's a rough and tumble garage
band sound. Another perk to this album is hearing Brian's slide guitar on LITTLE RED
ROOSTER.
This is a great and listenable collection of songs which any Stones fan would love.
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
By the chipper
May 8, 2002
Rating:
The best of the early Stones albums, this features tremendous versions of Willie Dixon's
"Little Red Rooster", Solomon Burke's "Everybody Needs Somebody To
Love", Bo Diddley's "Mona", Otis Redding's "Pain In My Heart",
Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me" and, especially, Berry's arrangement of the
old '40's Weatern Swing tune "Down The Road Apiece". Also included are
worthwhile covers of Jerry Leiber's "Down Home Girl" and the happy-go-lucky
"Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing Goin')", written by one Barbara Lynn Ozen. The
boys also show some promise with their original material: the ballad "Heart Of
Stone", which would be the first Jagger-Richards tune to crack the U.S. top 20, the
pop-friendly "Off The Hook", the convincing Chicago blues number "What A
Shame", and the album's beat-heavy closer "Surprise, Surprise". A triumph
for all the Stones: Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman show why they were the '60's most
respected rhythmn section, Keith Richards lays claim to being spiritual successor to Chuck
Berry, Mick Jagger's vocals are much more assured than on the first two albums, and Brian
Jones is at his peak on harp and guitar- there's much more to his legend than blonde hair,
illegitimate children and swimming pools. Snag this CD and see what all the excitement was
about.
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
By Alex Short
November 15, 2000
Rating:
This is a bit of a mix match album, containing songs from the English albums The
Rolling Stones No 2 and Out of Our Heads. The album kicks off with an
extended version of 'Everybody needs some body to Love', which for the first three minutes
is great. However soon after this five minute song becomes quite frankly a bore. The album
then goes into great songs such as 'Heart of Stone', and the superb 'Down the road
Apiece'. The guitar on this is so good that once you've listened you have to do the same
again. Other highs on this overall fine album include 'Oh Baby' and the closing track
'Surprise Surprise' with its catchy pop hook, this a great rocker in the usual
Stones mould. 'Off the Hook' an English B side is a typical catchy Jagger/Richards
composition brushed of the usual Stones aggressiveness. 'Little Red Rooster' and 'Down
Home Girl' are in my opinions the two weak songs, as well as in my opinion a disappointing
rendition of the Berry song 'You cant catch me'. Its certainly not up to the standards of
'Around and Around' issued on the previous album 12x5. Overall though, this is an
album worth getting.
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
By Net Pimp
November 4, 2000
Rating:
A fine R & B workout here. They make it even finer than their first. Great covers,
great originals. The 5-minute version of "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love"
starts it, I like this version with funky guitar and bass. They give good treatment to
Leiber and Stoller's "Down Home Girl" where Mick twangs in a Southern accent,
supported with a chiming piano from Stu and the Chuck Berry riffs from Keef are
exsquistent. Same goes for their jiving version of Chuck's "You Can't Catch Me."
They give a classic original single with "Heart of Stone' a riveting tune that seems
to successfully meld pop sensibility and rhythm and blues. Though Mick's tambourine is
wildly out of rhythm, the rest is pure gold. "What a Shame" is okay, another
southern-flavored romp that shows their improving emulation of their American musical
heroes down south. "Down the Road Apiece" is also a fantastic Chuck Berry
imitation. Love to hear the great driving drums and bass work their magic in and out of
Keef's riffs. He picked em out just like the Chuckster could! "Mona (I Need You
Baby)" is a classic cover of the Bo Diddlety tune with treble high on the guitar so
that it overlaps onto the next chord. The beat is hypnotizing and it does justice to the
cheated musician of Bo Diddley. "Off the Hook" is a nasty-styled early pop
original, with a blues basis, but a pop sound that hits home. Again, the Southern-fried
guitar is a fine inclusion from Keith. They do justice on a soul song, Otis Redding's
classic ballad, "Pain in My Heart" where Mick's vocals are more accurate and
wrenching than usual and it sounds nice. Another Redding cover "Oh Baby (We Got a
Good Thing Goin')" is another southern rocker with a boogying piano again by Stu. A
surprise UK no. 1 came with the slide-drenched, bluesy cover of Willie Dixon's
"Little Red Rooster." A bluesy vocal from Mick provides the dramam to wonderful
slide acoustic guitar from none other than Brian. Also, we get a fast-paced mediocre song
to end it, "Surprise, Surprise."
A classic album, spare but awesome for their early days.
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
By Bobby Parker
December 20, 1999
Rating:
This album is excellent even with only two original Stones songs on it. Maybe this is
what's so cool about the album. You get an amalgam of blues, psychedelic and garage-rock.
You get to see the Stones early influences and like a truly great band, they take a cover
song and do it better than the original. The then modern but now vintage sound is just
amazing. Like on Mona there is so much tremolo on the guitar that the chords start to
overlap. Blanketed by the covers is the classic "Heart of Stone" which
inarguably is one of the Stones greatest early classics. It really stands out on the album
and exemplifies the Stones original sound. But getting to hear Mick sing , "I swear
the perfume you wear, smells like turnip greens" on "Down Home Girl" is
worth it all. And in the same song you see truly how ahead of his time Mick was when he
sings "Oh, you're so down, home-girl."
ROLLING STONES, NOW!
By: Bill Koggenhop
February 16, 1999
Rating:
I had the mono copy of this album which I bought in 1967 at the height of my Rolling
Stones mania. The recording sounded great in "glorious" mono (not that fake
stereo they came up with, although that would be interesting to hear again too). Probably
the most killer tune was "Down the Road Apiece", probably the closest to Chuck
Berry that Keith ever got to. I wish I still had this album: I lent my mono
copy to a guitarist who didn't like it and who I never saw again after the band we were in
broke up, in 1972. It was in perfect condition, too.
Keno's mini review, song list, lyrics and more info on ROLLING STONES, NOW!
To listen to some sound clips from
THE ROLLING STONES, NOW! or to buy it, click here: The Rolling Stones Now!