Rolling Stones: Rarities 1971-2003

Some albums smack of "contractual obligation." This is one of them. In fact, this may be the most odious offender to carry that mantle... EVER. Slap a bunch of best-forgotten crap all together on one disc, give it a completely innocuous name, ship it to stores, and pass it off to fans as something special. I played this CD once, about a week ago. I still have not managed to get the smell of crap off my CD player, even after multiple applications of the compilation seriesWhen the Sun Goes Down and Camper Van Beethoven's New Roman Times. Did the world really need the dance mix of "Miss You," or the insultingly horrid "NY Mix" of "Harlem Shuffle" (a middling Stones re-make anyway) in wide release? And if a song is already on an older album, and that older album is still in print and wide release, can it truly be considered "rare?" Apparently, if the song is "Wild Horses" and it comes from the mid-90's Stripped CD, it can.

Once again, the Rolling Stones have proven that the money is more important than the credibility, that the marketing savvy of Mick Jagger ranks higher than the musical integrity of Keith Richards. So, I hate to say it, since at heart I am a Stones fan, but because this album smacks of a band taking advantage of its fans, I'll have to give it one of these