THE ROLLING STONES/ROLLING STONES NO.2 LK 4661 (-65) UK MONO

 The hardest thing to do for a band after releasing a strong and successful debute album is to make the follow-up as strong or even better. That might show if they're serious and not just a mayfly, a one hit wonder. The Beatles sure did it with "With The Beatles" and, at least to my taste, Rolling Stones showed with this that they were here to stay. I get good covers of US classics as "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love", "Pain In My Heart", "Under The Boardwalk", "Time Is On My Side" and five more, coupled with three self-penned. I've seen opinions these cover versions can't measure up to the originals though I don't think such thoughts are needed. Maybe the originals still sound better to many ears, but the versions here are so coloured with that special Rolling Stones feeling and thus come out so different it's hard to compare. I've also always liked the three Jagger/Richards compositions - "Off The Hook", "What A Shame" and "Grown Up Wrong". The latter may seem a little sketchy, but they all have a feeling that always gets me. The audio on this UK mono is superb - big and strong yet natural - making it very good listening. In short - a top album! Issued and reissued all over the world on every possible format , some with differing names and/or cover design and/or tracking. I can't count them all. A few of the first UK copies had labels with "Made In England" only at the top. This hasn't, but as it got the original 2A/1A matrices and 1/1 mothers on ridged label in a laminated flip/back cover with the handling/playing inner plus the uncensured "blind man" text on rear (see below), early enough.  (RÅ*)