The Stones forsook psychedelic experimentation to return to their blues roots on this celebrated album, which was immediately acclaimed as one of their landmark achievements. A strong acoustic Delta blues flavor colors much of the material, particularly "Salt of the Earth" and "No Expectations," which features some beautiful slide guitar work. Basic rock & roll was not forgotten, however: "Street Fighting Man," a reflection of the political turbulence of 1968, was one of their most innovative singles, and "Sympathy for the Devil," with its fire-dancing guitar licks, leering
Jagger vocals, African rhythms, and explicitly Satanic lyrics, was an image-defining epic. On "Stray Cat Blues,"
Jagger and crew began to explore the kind of decadent sexual sleaze that they would take to the point of self-parody by the mid-'70s. At the time, though, the approach was still fresh, and the lyrical bite of most of the material ensured
Beggars Banquet's place as one of the top blues-based rock records of all time. [The 50th Anniversary Edition of
Beggars Banquet contains a remastered version of the original album. The vinyl edition pairs the album with a 12" single of "Sympathy for the Devil," along with a replication of the promotional flexi-disc of a
Mick Jagger interview designed for the Japanese market.] ~ Richie Unterberger