'Beggars Banquet' is the Stones' dirtiest album, and not just for the album cover. 'Sympathy For The Devil', its best known track, emphasises the image the band were cultivating, something which returned to bite them when the tragedy of Altamont followed. It isn't one of my favourite Stones tracks, although I like it more than I used to. Its hypnotic groove suggests a band in the process of selling its soul which at least gives it a chilling atmosphere. 'Street Fighting Man' is the second famous track here and has one of rock's better intros. The call to arms of this track and the rallying cry of the gospel-backed 'Salt Of The Earth' are reminders of rock's 'revolution' era. Most of the other tracks have an acoustic flavour mixed with slide guitar, giving them an earthy feel. They tend to focus on ruined or debauched individuals apart from 'Jigsaw Puzzle', which in asking, but not answering questions about the world, acts as a mirror to 'Sympathy'. This, the first of the Stones' classic quartet of albums from 1968 to 1972, not only set them back on course after the mistake of 'Satanic Majesties', but is one of their most satisfying releases.