The Rolling Stones - 12 x 5 (Japanese Vinyl Replica Edition) (CD 2006)

Back in the sixties when this was recorded at the Chess studios in Chicago (2120 South Michigan Avenue) we in the UK were only able to purchase the rather excellent 5X5 EP that was put out by Decca UK. Stones fans States side were priveliged to have the fuller 12X5 album while we were only able to dream on.Today thanks to the net and the ease of purchase of vitually anything available on the planet I have finally decided to pick up a copy in the mini vinyl replica CD format.These little 5 by 5 gems are for those who don't know exact replicas of the larger LP and come complete with all the original artwork,running order and any inserts etc that were available when the LP originally came out.
So,to the music. How would it stand up after all these years? Would there be dissapointment? The only way to find out is to play it and see...
What better place to start any album than with a Chuck Berry classic. Around And Around is given a more bluesy treatment tah Chucks yet sounds as if it always belonged in Chicago.Track two is even more bluesy and laid back,full of reverb and great harmonica from Brian Jones,showing just what a great blues band the Stones really were.The formula continues on the Stones self penned Empty Heart,another blues romp through familiar territory for the Stones yet maintaining the great blues feeling of the album.The soon to be famous track Time Is On My Side is up next with a great vocal from Jagger and lovely harmonies from the other members of the band,class written all over it! The mood continues with a nod to the Delta region on Good Times,Bad Times typical of the old blues songs which bemoaned times of trials and tribulations.Again great harmonica from Brian and lovely almost lazy slide guitar work from Keith,obviously finding his way on the delicasies of blues guitar playing.Final track on side one is a return to the more uptempo blues with the chart topping single Its All Over Now,where the bluesy feel of the song sits nicely among the other tracks an the album,a great end to side one.
Side two kicks off with another blues romp on the instrumental 2120 South Michigan Avenue featuring superb bass lines from Bill Wyman, churning almost Brooker T.Jones style keyboard runs and even more fine harmonica playing,topped off with a great guitar solo to chase the fade.On the slower Under The Boardwalk the Stones make no real attempt to add or detract from the original,it is a very nice interpretation of a classic song.The tempo remains much the same on the self penned song Congratulation with the overall feel similar to the previous song. Next up Grown Up All Wrong kick off with a slide guitar into Grown Up All Wrong another Stones nod to the Blues scene they would have found in Chicago at the time. Last but one track is the plaintif love song If You Need Me, half sung, half spoken but with great feeling and emotion. The album end on the uptempo Suzie Q,great drums and guitar work with Jagger singing his heart out for Suzie Q.Even more great guitar solo on the fade.
Overall a great album. The covers work really well and some of the self penned stuff shows these English boys could cut a blues song in the masters back yard.
Glad there were no bonus tracks on this one as they would have detracted from the original album,which is all you really need.