Today we have the Rolling Stones' seventh studio album Between the Buttons. Released in 1967, the album is their second consisting entirely of original material written by Jagger/Richards. Unlike their previous albums, it shows the influence of pyschedelic music and baroque pop (prominent piano or organ basically). As with their last album Aftermath, Brian Jones played a wide variety of instruments on the tracks instead of guitar, which also contributed to the different sound.
Aftermath was the Stones's mastering of the hard and blues rock they introduced on their debut; this is their true artistic step forward. Challenging themselves in a different genre, the Stones flex their melodic songwriting and with Jones's multi-instrumental talent and Jack Nitzsche and Ian Stewart's piano and organ, the band create a new, inviting atmosphere. "Ruby Tuesday" and "She Smiled Sweetly" showcase the melodic, baroque rock and "Let's Spend the Night Together" and "Complicated" blend together their hard rock, edgy side with this new sound. Jagger's vocal on "Something Happened to Me Yesterday" sounds Dylan-inspired and the horns as well as the spoken word outro are pleasant and carry the album out on a high note. Aftermath is the better album, but this one has my respect. None of the songs are exceptionally strong, which holds it from an A-, but this may be the strongest B+ I've given all year. B+
