Just like their counterparts in The Beatles, The Rolling Stones early US records were a bit of a mix bag. Following up their first US album, England’s Newest Hit Makers, their second release was 12 X 5. Named after the band’s 5 x 5 UK EP, this release takes those five songs and adds seven more including cover songs and three credited to Mick Jagger/Keith Richards.
The band gets the joint rocking with a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Around and Around”, includes some great piano playing from Ian Stewart and the sweet honey vocals of Jagger. The band’s first US top ten hit appears in the cover “Time Is On My Side” based on the Irma Thomas rendition. The version that appears here is a bit more raw than the version that they would later record and include on compilations over and over again.
Of the three tracks credited the iconic duo, “Good Times, Band Times” is the pick. A slower, bluesy R+B number does the band good basing it on the music they have been covering. Their first UK #1 closes out side one with their version of “It’s All Over Now”. A bit of a country and western twang with some terrific bass playing courtesy of Bill Wyman and pained vocals of Jagger. Good stuff.
The second side starts with an instrumental band jam “2120 South Michigan Avenue” credited to their moniker, Nanker Phelge. The side also has a couple of cover versions of popular songs including “Under The Boardwalk” released in the same year as The Drifters’ classic version and “Susie Q” that is a rough and ready version with handclaps thrown in for good measure. 12 X 5 does a solid job of featuring some classic Rolling Stones songs and a few other great turns but with a few others that that are better left to the originals.
9/10
The Light Appears 