Tattoo You starts off strong, very strong, even. Right from the opening track, Start Me Up, the Stones do what they do best, and despite your best efforts you'll be shimmying and tapping your foot to the rhythm in no time. The first part of this album, which was released in August 1981, follows suit with rock jams (Little T&A) as well as blues jams (Black Limousine), all of which are upbeat. The second part is like a well-earned rest after the amped-up first half. While it may seem a bit bland in comparison, some of the highlights are the atmospheric and surprisingly modern ballad, Heaven, and the more classic, Waiting On A Friend. The album nevertheless maintains a sense of coherence and is still considered one of the most iconic albums of the time – something that isn’t often said about the Stones’ later material – so it’s easy to forget it’s made up of recordings that didn’t make it into their previous albums. © Iskender Fay/Qobuz