Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967) is regarded as a watershed in the oeuvre of The Rolling Stones. After a tumultuous year in which the musicians were routinely chased by British police for drug possession, the hunted band recorded the album that was to secure a place in the (then) thriving psychedelic movement. It turned out to be a glorious failure and was a wake up call for the band who
… realized it was on the wrong track. The album cover, a flashy copy of Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, was most criticized. Considering the bad reputation, the album is not too bad after all these years. The whole thing is admittedly a bit rudderless and the production (with many harpsichords, sitars and sound effects) now looks a bit dated. But just as often the band builds a glorious wall of sound. She's A Rainbow is still a beautifully compelling surreal love song, and The Lantern and 2,000 Light Years From Home remain special listening experiences. In this chaotic period bassist Bill Wyman was allowed to step out of the shadows for a while. Despite the artificial effect on his singing, his In Another Land is one of the better songs. (MS)more
