Aftermath (1966)


 

  1.Paint it Black
  2.Stupid Girl
  3.Lady Jane
  4.Under My Thumb
  5.Doncha Bother Me
  6.Think
  7.Flight 505
  8.High and Dry
  9.It's Not Easy
 10.I Am Waiting
 11.Going Home

 

Wow. After slowly building a dedicated global following of rebellious teens and disapproving parents alike, The Rolling Stones took a massive leap forward with Aftermath, their 1966 release—and the first to feature all original material. No more blues standards or Chuck Berry covers to lean on. This was the band, in full creative stride, planting their flag. The music here is wildly diverse, yet somehow never strays from the band’s core appeal. Even today, it sounds urgent, polished, and weirdly timeless.

The album kicks off with a seismic jolt—Paint It Black and its swirling sitar-driven tension. Few opening tracks have ever captured the chaotic swirl of the coming cultural storm quite like this one. Just a few songs later, the band pivots completely with Under My Thumb, which is arguably the most lighthearted-sounding song they ever put to tape. The fact that both songs not only coexist on the same record but actually feel like they belong together is a testament to how far the band had come in such a short amount of time.

But it’s not just the hits that make Aftermath so essential. The deep cuts are equally thrilling. Sure, there’s some of the band’s trademark cheeky (and sometimes wince-inducing) misogyny on Stupid Girl, and a track like Think wouldn’t feel out of place on one of their earlier records. But nothing ever feels phoned in. Even the 11-minute-plus jam Going Home works, somehow. It meanders, sure, but it never loses steam. Who else was laying down 11-minute tracks in 1966?

Elsewhere, they’re experimenting with texture and tone—Lady Jane brings in the harpsichord to great effect, and High and Dry takes a charming detour into country twang. And let’s not forget the rising instrumental influence of Brian Jones, who was starting to carve out his identity as the band’s secret weapon.

Simply put, Aftermath is a landmark album. It’s not just a big step forward—it’s a giant, confident stride into the future.


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