the rolling stones' first album of entirely self-penned material also showcases both strands of their development from 1966 to 1972, their peak period. the louder, raucous element of their r&b is largely sacrificed here in favour of a more sophisticated approach to the genre, typified by the 11-minute 'going home'. though this track doesn't match up to later classics such as 'midnight rambler' or 'sympathy for the devil', it points toward that kind of direction. on the other hand, gentler pop-oriented material such as 'take it or leave it' (covered by the searchers) and the spellbinding 'lady jane' presaged the direction taken on the next album, 'between the buttons' which ultimately led to the cul-de-sac that was 'satanic majesties'.