Album Details

Audio CD (September 3, 2002)

Original Release Date: 1965

Number of Discs: 1

Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered

Label: Abkco

ASIN: B00006AW2T

Album Description

The covers on this 1965 gem are a bit more obscure than on the Stones’ first two long-players, not a bad thing for a band still getting its writing chops together (if admirably; “Heart of Stone” and “Surprise, Surprise” are particularly strong). If there were still doubts that these London kids had any business playing this music, a casually scorching “Down the Road Apiece” should have allayed them; the stomp they lay on Bo Diddley’s “Mona” and Jagger’s lazy drawl on the New Orleans obscurity “Down Home Girl” make for canny mood changes. –Rickey Wright

Customer Review

Like most of the other early Stones albums, there’s good music here, but not enough of it. A couple excellent singles: Little Red Rooster is by far the best of their early blues covers, thanks to Brian’s slide and harp and Mick’s dead-on bluesman vocals; and Heart of Stone, a sullen R&B-infused rocker. A few of the originals here are derivative lyrically, but still fun: What a Shame is packed to the brim with clever hooks; Off the Hook has an entertaining harmonica part, and Surprise Surprise is pretty much all Charlie. That guy could drum, all right, why did he never take a solo? Anyway, Mona is also a solid tune, one of their best (and most underrated) early covers. As usual, though, I can’t really speak for much of the rest: There’s a good reason why songs like Everybody Needs Somebody to Love; Down Home Girl; You Can’t Catch Me and the ridiculously over-the-top Pain in My Heart disappeared like they did. So there’s filler galore here, but patient Stones fans will find a lot to like aobut Now!

TrackLists

1. Everybody Needs Somebody to Love

2. Down Home Girl

3. You Can’t Catch Me

4. Heart of Stone

5. What a Shame

6. Mona (I Need You Baby)

7. Down the Road Apiece

8. Off the Hook

9. Pain in My Heart

10. Oh Baby (We Got a Good Thing Goin’)

11. Little Red Rooster

12. Surprise, Surprise