Disc One: 1. Nobody’s Perfect, 2. Trouble’s A Coming, 3. I ve Got Dreams To Remember, 3. Don’t Lie To Me, 5. Fiji Jim, 6. Eliza Upchink, 7. Deep Love, 8. She’s Doing Her Thing, 9. Putty In Your Hands, 10. Dog Shit, 11. 20 Nil, 12. Tell Her How It Is, 13. (You Better) Stop That, 14. Scarlet, 15. Walk With Me, Wendy, 16. Never Make You Cry, 17. Part Of The Night, 18. Low Down.

Disc Two: 1. It’s A Lie, 2. I Can’t See No One Else, 3. Not The Way To Go, 4. Giving It Up, 5. Hands Off, 6. Built That Way, 7. Keep It Cool, 8. Can’t Find Love, 9. You Win Again, 10. Blood Red Wine, 11. Fast Talking Slow Walking, 12. Cooking Up, 13. Every Time I Break Her Heart, 14. Dream About, 15. Flip The Switch.

Disc Three: 1. Sanctuary, 2. Desperate Man, 3. Prairie Love, 4. Living In The Heart Of Love, 5. Still In Love With You, 6. I Tried To Talk Her Into It, 7. Might As Well Get Juiced, 8. Too Many Cooks, 9. Curtis Meets Smokey, 10. Covered In Bruises, 11. Ivy League, 12. Too Tight, 13. Criss Cross, 14. Strictly Memphis, 15. It’s Only Rock’n’ Roll (But I Like It), 16. Extreme Western Grip (Studio Jam Session om cover), 17. Well Well (Studio Jam Session on cover).

News of this treasure trove appeared out of the blue in Europe on Saturday 20 February 2021 through a low-resolution scan of the covers, it had to pass 5 days until a better resolution copy was posted on a Japan boots news website, but this is a European release rather than a ‘Japan fan club one’ as claimed, in fact the address of such Japanese Fan Club reported on back cover Nishi-Shinjuku, is dummy and refers to a skyscraper business district in Tokyo. Now, according to some Japanese reports BFR is a spinoff of Crystal Cat label, well known for being a Scandinavian company, however regardless from where the discs were printed, they seem to come from Germany; as usual on many underground releases on tracks [U1]   listings there are evident mistakes (Chirelles instead of Shirelles) let alone the reported recording dates, most of which are questionable. This is one of the few bootlegs to have been reviewed on major media like The Sun, among the many speculations on the origin of these tracks due to the quite modern production style they all seem to have is that were taken from the Stones’ digital archives, most likely by a hacker; some other rumors say that w hat has surfaced now is a part of the infamously stolen Don Was files or that several of these are songs that may have been spruced up for potential deluxe/expanded reissues and were ultimately rejected. The funniest one is that the Stones themselves put them out for copyright reasons! So in order to prevent bootleggers to put it out, they released them on a bootleg, just hilarious. Some thoughts/hints here collected come from posts from many Stones collectors who have shared their know how in various fields all over the major boards. For those collectors who whined about these files being lossy, it should be remembered that a low bit resolution file converted to wav format and then burned to cd is still better sounding than converting it back to 162 resolution mp3 since that second conversion further degrades even the original low res sound quality. In other words, even though the original file and the conversion file from wav back to low res mp3 are of the same bit rate, they are not equivalent in sound quality because further degradations took place during the second conversion to mp3. If these tracks had been converted to 320kbps from the wav file they would theoretically sound better than being converted to the lower bit rate file, not as good as the original low res mp3 but better than if they were reconverted back to low res from the wav file.
The key word here is "loss", once something is lost in conversion, reconverting it back to its original format does not "find" what was lost. However, these sound pretty good, so it is doubtful all this lossy conversion had gone on somehow. It is plain that bootleggers work with what they got rather than what we wish they had. Other comments found out there are at least 2 types of tracks in this compilation: very low bitrate tracks with a very straight cut off above 15k Hz (typical of a 128kbps mp3) and tracks with a little higher bitrate with a gradual cut off around 17k Hz (it looks like a 190~220kbps mp3). This may be (or may be not) a hint at two different sources for this compilation. The lower bitrate tracks with the straight cut off are mostly the older ones (Blood Red Wine, She's Doing Her Thing, Scarlet, Living In The Heart Of Love, It’s Only Rock’n Roll demo, etc.), which may have been planned to be officially released (someone mentioned the 2000 compilation Memory Motel that was later scrapped), while t hese 5 songs seem to have been overdubbed quite recently and show the same piano player, allegedly Chuck Leavell: Can't Find Love, Keep It Cool, Part of the Night, Still in Love With You, I Can't See No One Else.
Regardless of that, what is inside has fired most people’s imagination, since even the names of many of these tracks were virtually unknown to the large mass of Stones collectors, let alone that all 3 discs are about as full as possible. Now, instead of a track by track review we decided to go session by session and if there is a critic it just pertains the scattered order these songs have been presented, let alone the wrong recording dates provided on the back cover:

3 Oct. 67: She’s Doing Her Thing is Title 5, definitely from 1967, possibly from the early Satanic Sessions, with N. Hopkins on organ, but has vocals contrary to Title 15/Dream Pipe.

12/23-5-68: Blood Red Wine here is 2 seconds shorter with regards to the version we all know, the only thing noticed is the extreme stereo separation.

23-4-69: As for Curtis (Mayfield?) Met Smokey (Robinson?) this is said to be from the Jamming With Edward 1969 sessions; it is hard to get personnel on this song, in fact the guitar can well be Ry Cooder or Keith Richards, Nicky Hopkins (Edwards) is for sure on piano; anyway this is a fantastic take with a well defined soul groove, Jagger’s falsetto and pecussions. It would be interesting to know the lyrics.

16-6/27-7-70: Walk on Wendy from the Sticky Fingers era is just a jam with Mick yelling over it, but has a fantastic 1970s feel and Taylor’s guitar solos shine.

28-5-73: Criss Cross is the 4th version featuring 2 saxes and spoken reprise vocals, no overdubs.

4/6-12-73 : It’s Only Rock ’n Roll is the very first 1973 demo version featuring David Bowie and Ron Wood on backing vocals, the latter also on acoustic guitar and bass, which was later overdubbed at Stargroves, Newbury in the spring of 1974 by Willy Weeks; attending this session were Kenny Jones on drums and like I said D. Bowie (handclapping but that can also be heard, although buried, especially at 3.40 and 4.05-4.08 singing backing vocals). Funny that although being a demo take this sounds so finished, with background vocals that include Jagger and a nice guitar solo, maybe this was taken into consideration too to be officially released at some point? This has always been thought one of the Holy Grail recordings by Stones collectors and its presence here highlights how significant this release is.

18-12-73: Too Many Cooks should probably not be here, since it was solo Jagger with J. Lennon from late 73, however this version is different from the one offically released on Jagger’s The Best Of, much cleaner, lacking the funky guitar but with brass upfront, that is strange since it was claimed the master take could not be located. Too bad the other recorded track from this session, Bring It On Home To Me, has not surfaced yet.

8-2-74/ 94: Living in The Heart Of Love is not the version that is featured on lots of bootlegs, but a second shorter attempt, with a different mix and vocals redone maybe 20 years later, with K. Richards backing vocals erased.

8-2/3-74: Fast Talking, Fast Walking comes Munich, so it is the 2nd version, always with N.Hopkins on piano, but sporting a different bridge and vocals.

4-10-74: Another point of satisfaction for Stones fans is the chance to hear original versions even of recently released tracks with no overdubs, like Scarlet that presents tasty guitar exchanges between Richards and Jimmy Page.

6/9-2-75: Built That Way was previously known as Boogie Jam, possibly inspired by Martha & The Vandellas song Heatwave which is how the instrumental take was called at those times that was featured on many Stones bootlegs over the years, but of course here we have vocals as well as Billy Preston on piano, hard to say if there is Jeff Beck on guitar though, it could be from after he left (9 Feb.) and thus have Robert A. Johnson playing.

10-10-77/3-78: Covered in Bruises is a song that will be later given to Ron Wood and become 1,2,3,4 and here is in its early version, sung by Jagger & Wood sharing the microphone. Everytime I Break Her Heart has been said to come from the 1977 sessions. Some fan saw in this the blueprint for Faraway Eyes, however lyrics are completely different. Fiji Jim is version 3, Never Make You Cry also version 3 has clearer mix, being shorter than version 2 but with more developed lyrics; You Win Again is version 2 with redone vocals and less instruments at about 0.47

5-9-78: Not The Way To Go is the 2nd version presenting an earlier fade out.

22-1-79: Trouble’s A Coming is version 2 (version 1 being Break Away)

10/19-6-79: It’s a Lie is 4.19 m. long, 26 seconds longer than the previously known version and has harp intro (Sugar Blue?), however I disagree with those saying this could be their very first attempt.

11-11/19-12-82: I’ve Got Dreams To Remember is a variation on the theme of the Otis Redding tune of the same name lasting 7.43 m. with great ad lib Jagger vocals. Eliza Upchink is version three, (You Better) Stop That is version 4, Part of the Night is 5.37 m. long, longer than the known version and is in fact Golden Caddy with vocals. Keep it Cool here in version 3 also known as So Smoothe lasting just 5.24 m. much shorter than all the previously known takes. Can’t Find Love is the definitive all band version lasting 7.22 m. long, longer than previously known versions. The fifth version of Cookin’Up   is shorter and basically is a different stereo mix of version 4. Still In Love With You is version six of the well known outtake Still In Love and lasts 4.25 m. It has fully deveploped lyrics with piano still leading the melody and pedal steel guitar added as well as K. Richards backing vocals. This take of I Tried To Talk Her Into It is the second one without echo, but with pedal steel guitar and still Jim Barber on twelve strings guitar. Don't Lie To Me was at first thought to come from the 1972 Burbank rehearsals, but then ascertained to be coming from 1982 although sounding like a rehearsal; Jagger vocal seem to be straight out of the late 70s, but definitely this post Some Girls tour and there is Keith chugging away underneath, if not definitely in the first solo.

1-4/8-83: Dog Shit is 6.05 m. long, provided with vocals and with the brass in the background.

5-4/17-6-85: Putty In Your Hands is a cover of the Shirelles (mispelled) 1962 song which was tried in 1985 at the Pathè Marconi sessions in Paris, hard to tell who played drums on this. I Can’t See No One Else is no.3 and comes from the Dirty Work sessions, previously called Beside You, is 2 minutes shorter here.

16/17-8-85: Nobody’s Perfect which features some guitars hard to say played by whom, is the most Jagger solo track that seems to come from the Primitive Cool sessions; Deep Love has Jagger vocals that sound new RE "Deep Love" I vs II and the bunch of 1997 tracks sung by Keith and you can clearly hear its impact on the structure of Deep Love: the bridge is earlier and not only once. Strictly Memphis version 5 is much shorter than the other known version, but always with B. Womack backing vocals, this time also with brass from the Uptown Horns .

29-3/5-5-89: Giving It Up version 2 is a nostalgic ballad furnished with an additional piano, clearly from the Steel Wheels sessions and is exactly as the known version, just shorter

13-3/7-97: 20 Nil: this one sounds very much like an early version of Low Down, so it clearly comes from the B2B sessions, although someone stated that can also be heard some Love Is Strong licks with Keith's guitar which could mean it originally was tried in '93. Lowdown, Flip The Switch & Might As Well Get Juiced are all 1st versions, the former 2 with KR on vocals. Dream About has a very modern feel, with Darryl Jones bass upfront and some vocal melodies that remind those heard on Streets of Love. Sanctuary is one of the most surprising song here, featuring assorted percussions by Kenny Aronoff and Blondie Chaplin on a futuristic take with a prominent organ by Billy Preston and backing vocals by Bernard Fowler, Blondie Chaplin, Darryl Jones and possibly Waddy Wachtel. Someone compared it to Zulu fun mix grown version from the Voodoo Lounge sessions but actually it comes from the 97 Bridges to Babylon sessions as well as Desperate Man, which can be considered in the same musical range of that and of Dream About. Prairie Love too is from these sessions: in a way it remindes Rain Falls Down from ABB, but here Darryl Jones bass provides a funky groove over which Jagger develops descriptive spoken vocals, rather than just singing the lyrics, until the melody starts unfolding; there are remarkable guitars that lead the tune coupled with the driving bass and the percussions in the background that create an almost sci-fi atmosphere. Too Tight is sung by K. Richards and features a fiddle, possibly by Frankie Gavin which underlines a different riff deviation that was left out in the final version.

9-7/12-93: Concerning Ivy League many collectors may have thought hard to believe there could be anything this well done left from the huge amount of tracks from the Voodoo session we already have, but this is a really finished version that has been speculated it could be something they picked up again for Babylon/40 Licks, actually this version is the third one and has full vocals.

3-11/11-12-93: Hands Off too is the 2nd finished version, used to be called Get Your Hands Off on Voodoo Residue and It’s Alright on Voodoo Brew with Darryl Jones upfront;

13-5/7-6-02: The 2 Studio Jam Sessions that end the third disc, however, are exactly the same as the officially published versions on the Four Flicks DVD set and can rightfully be called fillers.  

20-9-09/17-10-70: As said before a few things sound like they were considered for the deluxe/expanded versions but not used - especially Tell Her How It Is. Modern vocals made to sound old over a Trident Outtake track, which was formerly known as Potted Shrimp which were sung for the Exile 2009 Reissue, but still featuring Steven Stills on guitar. The song seems to have been reconsidered at a later stage but then left out again.

What can we say about this release then? It can rightfully be called the best of the century so far and be only surpassed ife ver the full flac version will appear. Meanwhile all Stones collectors and fans can enjoy this fabulous compilation, wondering why on earth the band never put some of these out, probably the Glimmer Twins could not agree and thus deprived their fans of such stunning outcome. Rumors say there are still 3 other sets to come, for a total 12 volumes/discs to see the light of day. Never has the future look more exciting for Stones fans.