For those not in the know, this coming November 15th, 2019, ABKCO Music & Records will reissue the Rolling Stones‘ 1969 album Let It Bleed as a quite wondrous 50th Anniversary Deluxe Box-Set.

This 2 LP/ 2 Hybrid Super Audio CD set was entirely remastered in both stereo and mono by Grammy®-winning engineer Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering.

The collection also comes with a reproduction of the 1969 7” mono single of 'Honky Tonk Women'/ 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want,' in a picture sleeve.

Also included are three 12” x 12” hand-numbered replica-signed lithographs printed on embossed archival paper, and a full-color 23” x 23” poster with restored art from the original 1969 Decca Records package.

An 80 page hardcover book that includes an essay by journalist David Fricke and never-before-seen photos by the band’s tour photographer Ethan Russell is also part of the set.

FYI: ABKCO Records is also releasing the remastered stereo version of Let It Bleed as a stand-alone CD, vinyl LP, and digitally.

LP 1 – Stereo
Side 1
1. 'Gimme Shelter'
2. 'Love In Vain'
3. 'Country Honk'
4. 'Live with Me'
5. 'Let It Bleed'

Side 2
6. 'Midnight Rambler'
7. 'You Got the Silver'
8. 'Monkey Man'
9. 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want'

LP 2 – Mono
Side 1
1. 'Gimme Shelter'
2. 'Love In Vain'
3. 'Country Honk'
4. 'Live with Me'
5. 'Let It Bleed'

Side 2
6. 'Midnight Rambler'
7. 'You Got the Silver'
8. 'Monkey Man'
9. 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want'

Hybrid Super Audio CD 1 – Stereo
1. 'Gimme Shelter'
2. 'Love In Vain'
3. 'Country Honk'
4. 'Live with Me'
5. 'Let It Bleed'
6. 'Midnight Rambler'
7. 'You Got the Silver'
8. 'Monkey Man'
9. 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want'

Hybrid Super Audio CD 2 – Mono
1. 'Gimme Shelter'
2. 'Love In Vain'
3. 'Country Honk'
4. 'Live with Me'
5. 'Let It Bleed'
6. 'Midnight Rambler'
7. 'You Got the Silver'
8. 'Monkey Man'
9. 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want'

7” Vinyl Single – (Mono)
Side A – 'Honky Tonk Women'
Side B – 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want'

OK, so lets kick things off here with a review of the actual album, whether it be in Stereo or Mono, for either way it is a classic of the highest order; I think we can all agree.

One of the Stones' most beloved albums, 1969's Let It Bleed was a benchmark for several reasons. First, founding guitarist Brian Jones died during the recording process.

Second, the Stones take their last significant look at pure blues (Robert Johnson's spooky 'Love in Vain') and country ('Country Honk,' the two-stepping alter ego of 'Honky-Tonk Women') before folding both styles into a cohesive rock & roll vision.

Third, it contains some of the band's most eerie hits, such as the flame-enveloped 'Gimme Shelter,' the drug-reality anthem 'Monkey Man,' the epic 'You Can't Always Get What You Want,' and Mick Jagger's menacing 'Midnight Rambler.'

In addition to bridging the departure (and subsequent death) of Jones and the arrival of his successor, Mick Taylor, the latter is represented here on a couple of tracks ('Country Honk,' 'Live With Me'), just as Brian shows up on a pair of numbers ('You Got The Silver,' 'Midnight Rambler'), but this is really a Mick Jagger/Keith Richards creative showcase in every way possible.

From the first note to the last, and its most rootsy moment ('Country Honk') to the most elegant arrangements (the chorus on 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'), there's not a wrong note sounded anywhere on this album; which, as noted, was one of the landmarks of the group's entire output, steeped in bluesy decadence.

But lest we also forget that 'You Got The Silver' was also the first-ever Rolling Stones recording where Keith took on lead vocals while Mick manned the harmonica.

Furthermore, this is the rarest of albums where it didn't generate a huge amount of hit singles, but where the best tracks have definitely stood the test of time.

Indeed, this is never more evidenced than on 'Gimme Shelter,' a track that spoke of the uncertain future that was the late '60s as any and has been featured in several movies: 'Goodfellas' and 'Casino,' among them.

The carefree title track, the driving blues track 'Midnight Rambler,' and the reflective anthem 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' have endured just as well, with the breakdown during 'Midnight Rambler' still talked about and lauded today.

In all honesty though, I was hoping for some outtakes, demos, alternative tracks, unreleased live material and so forth, but none of that is to be found here.

I mean, with a ton of archived Stones material in the vaults, surely ABKCO could have grouped together different versions of the tracks associated with this album and added them as a rather delightful third vinyl LP, perhaps?

Regardless, the Hybrid Super Audio CDs are a nice touch and really enhance the tracks with a new crystalline soundscape. Although they have reissued these SACD Hybrids in DSD before (2002), their sound definitely has an edge over all of the competition, that's for sure.

Graphic designer Robert Brownjohn’s sketches for his original cover art depicting several random round items piled onto the spindle of an antique record player (including a cake with figurines representing the band members) is beautifully reproduced here in this 50th Anniversary Limited Deluxe Edition Box-Set.

The sketches are offered on two 12” x 12” lithographs, hand numbered, replica-signed and printed on embossed archival paper. A third lithograph of the finalized art, sans titles, completes the set housed in a foil-stamped envelope.

Brownjohn passed away less than a year after the release of the album; his estate granted ABKCO exclusive use to manufacture his images and signature.

The excellent, and heavy 80 page hardcover book contains both black and white and color photographs (all be it the former being more prevalent) taken by the band’s tour photographer Ethan Russell.

Inclusive of never-before-seen shots of Mick and Keith seated in the studio, guitars slung, heads tilted up at those speaking, seemingly absorbing the rights and wrongs of the recording studio process, they are rather darling in their own right.

The inclusive essay by journalist David Fricke is a welcome addition also and completely consumes us whilst captivating us with its detailed knowledge and revealing neve-told-before behind-the-scenes tidbits.

'Honky Tonk Women' (b/w 'You Can’t Always Get What You Want') was originally released four months ahead of Let It Bleed.

'Honky Tonk Women,' with its distinctive cowbell-centric intro, was a #1 hit in both the US and UK, and was reprised on the album in a countryfied manner as 'Country Honk.'

Eleven-time Grammy®-winning mastering engineer Bob Ludwig was tasked with remastering this edition of Let It Bleed and worked from Direct Stream Digital files taken from the original tapes at a 2.8 MHz sampling rate.

“When we did the first Let It Bleed remaster in 2002, our intention was to pay homage to the original work,” said Ludwig, who is no stranger to the Stones catalog, having mastered or remastered many of their classic albums over the past four decades.

"When we did this new version, the purpose was to make it as great as it could possibly sound. If you listen on a good set of speakers or good headphones, you’ll hear subtle things in the background that are now much more clear that were somewhat hidden before.”

The package also comes with a reproduction of the full color 23” x 23” poster that came with the original 1969 Decca Records UK version of Let It Bleed.

Pre-Order Purchase Links

Watch the Limited Deluxe Edition Unboxing!

Stream 'Monkey Man'

Watch the Official Lyric Video for 'Monkey Man'

www.abkco.com