This is the remastered super audio CDs (SACD) of the Stones ABCKO catalog (which includes all the early Decca/London material. ABCKO acquired the Stones' catalog after Allen Klein became their manager in 1965. The legal battles during the 70s produced releases that the Stones opposed (they took out full page adds asking fans not to buy them), including the controversial Metamorphosis releases (which are now available on CD for the 1st time ever). But the sad fact is that the Stones lost control of their great early material. With these remastered SACD releases, we at last have some idea of what they really sounded like in the studio. I guess if we had these 40 years ago they would have ended up Greatest Rock And Roll Band in the Universe instead of just our tiny little World.

This is the Stones 2nd US album, released Oct 23, 1964. It cemented the early blues band legend with tracks from their famous Chess Studios session in Chicago during the 1st American tour (Muddy Waters helped carry their gear into the studio) and tracks recorded at Regent Sound in London. Essentially, this is the album that finalized their status as champions of Chicago blues.

The album starts with Check Berry's Around And Around, which the Stones had been doing as a show stopper in the UK, the big hits Time Is On My Side and It's All Over Now, and the great slow blues numbers Confessin' The Blues & Good Times Bad Times. Although they used to do a lot of instrumentals, 2120 S. Michigan seems to have survived as the only memory of this part of the early Stones familiar to most fans. Personally I always liked Congratulations, but never cared for their version of Susie Q, although it was very popular at the time.

The tracks recorded June 10-11, 1964 at Chess Studios in Chicago were:

This album was never released in the UK, however the tracks on it were released in the UK as follows:

6-26-64 It's All Over Now, Good Times Bad Times

8-14-64 Five by Five EP - If You Need Me, Empty Heart, 2120 S. Michigan version 1, Confessin' the Blues, Around and Around

1-16-65 The Rolling Stones No. 2 - Time Is On My Side version 1, Grown Up Wrong, Under The Boardwalk, Susie Q

Congratulations was not released in the UK until 10-5-73 on the album No Stone Unturned

This information comes from "It's Only Rock And Roll: The Ultimate Guide To The Rolling Stones" by Karnbach and Bernson and from my own collection.

Despite being their second American album, 12x5 *completely* outshines the rest of the Stones' early work in the sound quality department. A good part of this album is made up of the '5x5' EP that had been released in the UK; recorded primarily at the legendary Chess Studios, the EP's tracks sounded far, far better than the material the Stones were recording in the UK at the time. Yet while previous issues of 12x5 included the Chess tracks in mono, this new disc presents their inaugural appearence in stereo on CD. Heck, as an extra bonus, the "long" version of 2120 South Michigan Avenue makes an appearence. Cool, eh?

...however, there is still a problem, here. This is still just 12x5, which I personally have never been too impressed by. The version of "Time" here is the organ-intro version, which I prefer less than the guitar-intro version, and the rest of the material is the "standard" that the Stones were performing at this point. And with no liner notes (and only 12 tracks), buying 12x5 AGAIN might test someone's patience. That said, the vastly improved sound quality makes this the preferred album introduction to the "early Stones," and it's definately a valuable entry in the new reissue series.

I bought this album brand new,in mono, in 1964 when I was 12. Like another reviewer, Russell Scott, I played it until the grooves wore out. I used to lay in the dark, on the floor of my bedroom, with my ear against the speaker of my father's portable Emerson, and I memorized every lick, every pause and every breath of this amazing and astounding album. Over the years, I've purchased several replacements, including the phoney-baloney "stereo" vinyl and one CD. Now, all these years later it appears on the market as an SACD (whatever THAT is - or hopes to be) and asks me to buy it AGAIN.

Well, I'm happy to report that I have and that it was WORTH EVERY PENNY! Somebody finally found the work tapes and mixed REAL STEREO to 6 of the tracks - and what a revelation they are! Around and Around, Confessin' the Blues (which features, IMO, the best vocal of Jagger's career), the exquisite and sublime, but annoying MESS of Empty Heart, It's All Over Now, 2120 South Michigan (with an extended surprise), and If You Need Me are presented the way they SHOULD have been 38 years ago.

Only (the single version of) Time Is On My Side, Good Times,Bad Times, Under The Boardwalk, Congratulations (which has always been a favorite of more people I've known than I can count, and is still spelled wrong on the cover), Grown Up Wrong and Suzie Q are in mono.

I can't help but wonder why, if these tracks are available in stereo NOW, weren't they originally? Why was London Records compelled to LIE about it with their "Electronically Rechannelled" garbage?

I suppose I should count my blessings and be happy with 6 out of 12, but I can't help being suspicious that in another 38 years the others will surface "after an exhaustive search", of course, and I'll be too DEAD to care.

Only a big handful of British Invasion albums really MATTERED to me and "12X5" has always been, and will ever be, NUMBER ONE.

The Stones 2nd US album, released Oct 23, 1964. It cemented the early blues band legend with tracks from their famous Chess Studios session in Chicago during the 1st American tour (Muddy Waters helped carry their gear into the studio) and tracks recorded at Regent Sound in London. Essentially, this is the album that finalized their status with Chicago blues forever.

The album starts with Check Berry's Around And Around, which the Stones had been doing as a show stopper in the UK, the big hits Time Is On My Side and It's All Over Now, and the great slow blues numbers Confessin' The Blues & Good Times Bad Times. Although they used to do a lot of instrumentals, 2120 S. Michigan seems to have survived as the only memory of this part of the early Stones familiar to most fans. Personally I always liked Congratulations, but never cared for their version of Susie Q, although it was very popular at the time.

The tracks recorded June 10-11, 1964 at Chess Studios in Chicago were (Around And Around, Confessin' The Blues, Empty Heart, Good Times Bad Times, It's All Over Now, 2120 S. Michigan version 2, If You Need Me). Tracks recorded at Regent Sound in London were done on Feb 25, 1964 (Susie Q), June 24-26, 1964 (Time Is On My Side version 1, Congratulations), and Sep 28-29, 1964 (Under The Boardwalk, Grown Up Wrong).

This album was never released in the UK, however the tracks were released in the UK as follows:

6-26-64 It's All Over Now, Good Times Bad Times

8-14-64 Five by Five EP - If You Need Me, Empty Heart, 2120 S. Michigan version 1, Confessin' the Blues, Around and Around

1-16-65 The Rolling Stones No. 2 - Time Is On My Side version 1, Grown Up Wrong, Under The Boardwalk, Susie Q

Congratulations was not released in the UK until 10-5-73 on the album No Stone Unturned

This is the Stones 2nd US release and this displays the band in the early stages of their classic raw Blues/R&B sound. This one is loaded with great tunes like Time Is On My side, Congratulations, Empty Heart, Grown Up Wrong, Chuck Berry's Around And Around, Under The Boardwalk and their classic instrumental tribute to the Chess Studios in Chicago 2120 South Michigan Avenue. The covers are excellent and Mick and Keith's original compositions are also exploding with sound and new direction. This is a must and I highly recommend it. Original release date of vinyl is 1964.