The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed

OG pressing of this classic rock masterpiece

Year Released: 1969

Genre: Blues Rock, Hard Rock, Country Rock, Roots Rock

Description:

Let It Bleed is the eighth studio album by The Rolling Stones, released on December 5, 1969, in the UK. Following their highly-acclaimed return to form with Beggars Banquet, this album solidified their position as the world's preeminent rock band. It is a darker, grittier, and more varied record than its predecessor, reflecting the turbulent end of the 1960s.

The album is a sonic masterpiece that blends blues, rock, and country, featuring some of the most iconic songs in the band's catalog. It opens with the apocalyptic "Gimme Shelter," featuring Merry Clayton's searing guest vocals, and concludes with the anthemic, choir-backed "You Can't Always Get What You Want." The album also contains the sprawling, blues-based "Midnight Rambler" and the country-tinged "Country Honk" (a version of the non-album single "Honky Tonk Women").

Let It Bleed is a landmark album in the band's history for several significant reasons. It is the last album to feature founding member Brian Jones, who, though his contributions were minimal due to his declining health and drug use, played on a few tracks before his death in July 1969. It also marks the debut of Mick Taylor, Jones's replacement, who contributed guitar to two tracks. The recording sessions were famously scattered, taking place over a year. The album's release coincided with The Rolling Stones' chaotic 1969 American tour, which culminated in the tragic Altamont Free Concert just a day after the album's UK release, a moment that for many symbolized the end of the "peace and love" generation. The album's surreal cover art, designed by Robert Brownjohn and featuring a cake baked by then-unknown cookery writer Delia Smith, was inspired by its working title, "Automatic Changer."

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