Stars: 5/5
The Rolling Stones are back at it again in 2020 with a rerelease of a 1973 album, which shows us it’s an act that may be old but is still very relevant to the music scene. With three unreleased songs and a ton of new live versions, the 2020 deluxe edition of “Goats Head Soup” gives a new take on a Stones album that fell flat in the ‘70s.
Originally recorded in Jamaica, “Goats Head Soup” was one of the less popular albums to come from the band. One success of the album was the single “Angie” which did well on the charts upon its release. This updated version of the album gives a raw, live take on the song from a 1973 concert in Brussels.
When it came out, “Goats Head Soup” followed a very successful album “Exile on Main Street.” “Goats Head Soup” didn’t quite get as much praise as the album that came before it. I think the Stones are doing right by giving new light to an album that may have been looked over when going through the Stones’ discography.
One highlight of this reissue is the addition of three unreleased singles: “Scarlet” “Criss Cross” and “All the Rage.” The one that stood out to me from this trio was “Scarlet” which was written for the album but never made the final tracklisting. This song was a standout in particular to me due to the band bringing in Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. It’s a match made in rock ‘n’ roll heaven, and it definitely deserves praise even if it is long overdue almost 40 years later.
Along with live versions and unheard songs, the 2020 version of “Goats Head Soup” offers outtakes and demos that give you a musical glimpse into what was going down in the recording studio in the early years of the ‘70s. The choice to include live versions along with these alternate cuts gives the listener a more intimate experience. The new release also has live versions of some of the band’s more popular songs like “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and “Midnight Rambler,” which is definitely a song that is best heard when it’s live.
Trust me, I know the feeling you get when you see some old band rereleasing an album from its glory days. It almost seems like a sellout or a money grab so that these old rockers can put some kind of content out there, but I don’t think that’s quite the case here.
I think The Rolling Stones is genius for bringing back this album. When I first got into this band in high school, “Goats Head Soup” was an album I skipped over unless I was listening to “Angie.” I never really took the time to dig deeper into this album, and this rerelease gives me an excuse to do so. The 2020 deluxe version of “Goats Head Soup” brings unheard content which makes the album all the more relevant 47 years later. This album lets people know that The Rolling Stones is still kicking and is anything but past its prime.