Sixteen songs, 64 minutes of new Jagger/Richards compositions. It's been eight years since their last album, with the group members now all in their sixties, what price would you give me if I said this is almost certainly the last new studio album we'll see from The Rolling Stones? Well, with these guys, you never know, do you? Still, if it is going to wind up being their last album, they've gone out with a bang. Indeed, a bigger bang, ha ha! Ah, well. Impressions are favourable before you've even placed the CD in the tray. The artwork is great, older faces aside, like a 60s/70s iconic Stones record sleeve. The guys are looking across at each other, with reflections of themselves staring up. It gives the impression that there is actually more than just the four of them. I like it. A quick scan over the album, a first few plays if you will, also prompt favourable responses within me. The sound seems simpler. If 'Voodoo Lounge' was attempting to get back to basics, they are trying the same kind of thing here, only more successfully, it would seem. The sound of the record is good. I mentioned I wanted a blues thing during the review of their last album? Well, here we've got 'Back Of My Hand', harp work included! It's a classy moment that reveals a real back to the roots approach. Oh, and riffs? There are songs on this record with lots of riffs! Keef gives a great performance throughout 'A Bigger Bang'. Not necessarily one of the highlights, but even a track such as 'Look What The Cat Dragged In', buried towards the end of the album, sparkles with good guitar riffs and much attitude from Jagger in the vocal department. In a similar vein is 'Driving Too Fast', opens with a riff! Jagger does a great vocal performance in classic Stones style and the song reaches further heights when the chorus is reached. That so many tuneful and memorable and not at all embarasing Stones moments are included on the same LP, this late into their career? Well, it pleases me.
The record kicks off with 'Rough Justice', a good Stones rocker with much attitude. 'Let Me Down Slow' has some lovely Jagger vocal moments and a very nice melody indeed, an uptempo rocker, and although not as aggressive as 'Rough Justice', an even better song. It really reaches fruition during the second half of the song where Jagger does his vocal "oh no no no" section. Beautiful! 64 minutes long, 16 tracks. Well, problems with recent Stones LPs has been the fact they've been overly long. It's not as troublesome here, although there are still a few generic Stones by numbers moments that could have been left out. 'She Saw Me Coming', 'It Won't Take Long'. The power ballad 'Laugh, I Nearly Died'. Sorry, the vocals sound strained rather than the passion I presume they are meant to indicate. Oh, a couple of other highlights. I adore the harmonies during 'Biggest Mistake'. The dirty riff laden 'Dangerous Beauty' contains one of the meanest Jagger vocals. All is well in Stones land. Whoever would have thought it? A rating is difficult, though. There is nothing new here, the album is slightly too long and without quite enough variation. Well, expectations aren't for The Stones to innovate, but even so. The largely homogeneous sound of the LP, with a few exceptions but not enough, do irritate during the albums less than brilliant moments. An 8 seems fair, I think. A more than worthy effort overall, but not quite touching the ultimate Stones classics of yesteryear. Still, ROCK N ROLL!!
Rough Justice / Let Me Down Slow / It Won't Take Long / Rain Fall Down / Streets Of Love / Back Of My Hand / She Saw Me Coming / Biggest Mistake / This Place Is Empty / Oh No, Not You Again / Dangerous Beauty / Laugh, I Nearly Died / Sweet Neo Con / Look What The Cat Dragged In / Driving Too Fast / Infamy
The record kicks off with 'Rough Justice', a good Stones rocker with much attitude. 'Let Me Down Slow' has some lovely Jagger vocal moments and a very nice melody indeed, an uptempo rocker, and although not as aggressive as 'Rough Justice', an even better song. It really reaches fruition during the second half of the song where Jagger does his vocal "oh no no no" section. Beautiful! 64 minutes long, 16 tracks. Well, problems with recent Stones LPs has been the fact they've been overly long. It's not as troublesome here, although there are still a few generic Stones by numbers moments that could have been left out. 'She Saw Me Coming', 'It Won't Take Long'. The power ballad 'Laugh, I Nearly Died'. Sorry, the vocals sound strained rather than the passion I presume they are meant to indicate. Oh, a couple of other highlights. I adore the harmonies during 'Biggest Mistake'. The dirty riff laden 'Dangerous Beauty' contains one of the meanest Jagger vocals. All is well in Stones land. Whoever would have thought it? A rating is difficult, though. There is nothing new here, the album is slightly too long and without quite enough variation. Well, expectations aren't for The Stones to innovate, but even so. The largely homogeneous sound of the LP, with a few exceptions but not enough, do irritate during the albums less than brilliant moments. An 8 seems fair, I think. A more than worthy effort overall, but not quite touching the ultimate Stones classics of yesteryear. Still, ROCK N ROLL!!
Rough Justice / Let Me Down Slow / It Won't Take Long / Rain Fall Down / Streets Of Love / Back Of My Hand / She Saw Me Coming / Biggest Mistake / This Place Is Empty / Oh No, Not You Again / Dangerous Beauty / Laugh, I Nearly Died / Sweet Neo Con / Look What The Cat Dragged In / Driving Too Fast / Infamy