No Security (1998)
1.Intro
2.You Got Me Rocking
3.Gimme Shelter
4.Flip the Switch
5.Memory Motel
6.Corinna
7.Saint of Me
8.Waiting on a Friend
9.Sister Morphine
10.Live With Me
11.Respectable
12.Thief in the Night
13.The Last Time
14.Out of Control
By this point, it had become something of a ritual. The Stones go on tour, and a live album dutifully follows. This tradition, which began back in 1981, was now expected—as much a part of the experience as the tour posters and overpriced T-shirts. But by the time No Security appeared, there was a problem: what was left to include? Flashpoint had already scooped up most of the obvious warhorses, and anything left over had already shown up on Still Life from the earlier tour.
The answer, in retrospect, was refreshingly simple—skip the hits and shine a light on the deep cuts. Not necessarily the obscure, but the underappreciated. No Security focuses on the overlooked corners of the band’s vast catalog, drawing selections from across their career, many of which had rarely—if ever—been properly captured live. There’s a strong showing from their two most recent albums at the time, but wisely, the choices lean toward the best of that batch rather than the most promoted.
It’s a document aimed squarely at fans who already knew the essentials. The kind of listener who didn’t need another version of Jumpin’ Jack Flash, but who might be curious to hear how something like Memory Motel or Out of Control had matured on stage. With the advent of the iPod and the homemade CD-R, many fans were already curating their own ideal setlists—this release simply saved them a bit of trouble.
As far as live albums go, this one makes a strong case by not trying to make one. It's less of a victory lap and more of a side-step, and that, oddly enough, is what makes it feel necessary. A good choice all around.
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