ROLLING STONES: The First British EP

Original released on EP Decca DFE 8560

(UK 1964, January 10)

At this point the Stones were still trying to straddle the line between being blues enthusiasts and scoring a hit. The four tracks included on the band's first EP manage to be both respectful covers while having a commercial gloss, so as a whole this is probably more representative of the early group than their first two singles. The Searchers' "Poison Ivy" is done in fine style, although it's lacking a certain something in the vocal; Jagger's still the band's weak point here. Nothing wrong with Keith's enthusiastic Chuck Berry imitation on "Bye Bye Johnny", and it's fun to hear the group cover "Money" in a much dirtier style than the Beatles, with Brian Jones' banshee harmonica the standout. The real winner, though, is the gorgeous cover of Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On", which is the first indication that the Stones' real future lay in soul, not blues, and Mick's first truly great vocal. (in RateYourMusic)