I listen, and have listened fairly regularly to the whole album since it came out, and I often play it on shuffle, so I get surprised by the tracks. There has been much negative press for the album on here, but the other night I finally decided that it is a superior album on several levels.

I really enjoy the close playing style, and the stripped down quality of the band, although I think the mix could be improved on(I'd like to hear the Remaster), I think the energy of the band is pretty fantastic, and it excites me, in the way that is unique to the Rolling Stones, and precisely what made me a fan.

What I want to emphasise is that I think that A BIGGER BANG is a very superior provocative piece of work from a mature band that has immaturity and is 'wild at heart' as core values.

It is a very political album, arguably one of the most political of all: see Rain Fall Down, with its contemporary Britain portrait, Laugh for its wanderlust soulsearch, backofmyhand for prophetic doom, shesawmecoming for its sexual politics, itwon'ttakelong for its succinct analysis of aging and time, sweetneocon, dangerousbeauty, and of course undertheradar.

I love the melodic progression, and chorus, and bittersweet melody of letmedownslow, I always liked streetsoflove, since the live version I love it. I always really liked "I think I just made the biggest mistake of my life" as a chorus, and I love the thoughtfullness of "tits" in thisplaceisempty, which I think is a great song, and of course ohnonotyouagain which for me is pure fantastic wild rockn'rollingstones anarchic energy, great at any time but astonishing from this age band....for a while I dreamt that it was about George Bush's second term, still not sure it isn't...!

When it came out this album got great great reviews then everyone turned on it, I hope in time it will be held up as a fantastic portrait from this unique band!

All other thoughts are very welcome, supportive, critical even malign!

BTW I'm listening to it as I write.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-10-10 10:23 by bv.

hello. you're right. just fantastic. as big as exile. I love it.

I listened to it on my way home from work. A great piece of work.

Political angle aside, the album suffered from the exclusion of "We Don't Wanna Go Home" and "Under the Radar". UTR would've been the perfect closing track. I love this album, and it doesn't deserve the criticism that was heaped upon it by some folks on this forum.

Finally! Some good minds on a damned good album.

I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE A Bigger Bang~! I think it's a fantastic record and you reviewed it beautifully. Thanks for the support!
I know people bash it, but that is how it is with Stones records, people hate it at first, and then they realize after a few listens that it's great!
I think its one of their greatest records of all time.
I don't know what people expect when they hear a new STONES record, I expect greatness, and I dont feel let down! Some records aren't perfect but its better than no record! Right!?!
Ahh and sweetneocon is about the Buch/Cheney admin. And how evil the republicans are. They have ruined America,(not to mention Iraq,and in the process skrewed the whole wide world into a huge depression and denied it!)
And now 'fox' propaganda machine, they call 'news' are trying to blame this mess on President Obama! OH! God! I gotta stop now, cause I will go on and on about how much I hate fox news and the lies they spew, and how evil the republicans are and how Ron Reagan started this all those years ago, and...
anyway...the hope of Obama has come along, I have faith!

I just cant wait till the next tour! Yeah!!!!

Lurv it ........
Still album of the decade in The Bunker...Raw..Smokin' Hot and built for these times ...


Sure Radar shoulda been on there but that's just one of those Stones Precious Love surprises ....
Kinda like findin' a snake in a kids junk-box ....

Comic battering of Rough Justice .... Classic Rain Fall Down funk-sex-chaos....
Sheer brutality of It Wont Take Long .... Ghost of Elder J.J Hadley
in Back Of My Hand ...Punk grind of She Saw & Oh No .... The kid hanging
over the fence cheek of Neocon... Was Jagger listening to Once He Loved Me by the Gaytones when he wrote it? ...
Bare-bones raunch of Dangerous Beauty... Wonder if Lynndie girl plays it LOUD when she's alone & naked? .....

ALL Might Mighty STONES STUFF



ROCKMAN

A Bigger Bang, from my first listen, was a great album, and many listens later, I think it's even better.

It´s got a good sound but there only bullshit songs (except 2-3 sons)
It´s the worst stones album ever
wht a big dissapointment!!!!

I always thought that it's a great album!

Yeah I got my bang! Great disc, and the boys pulling close and looking each other in the eyes again. Some raw and nuanced riffs, with beautiful layers. The Glimmer twins back in the ring with each other.
Rough Justice is rough, and a class stones grind ala Faces. Ronnie is oozing in every second of that track.
Highly underrated guitar on the entire disc! SO much bitching about this and that, and keith having carked it, but on the contrary he is on fire. Boy to grow old rocking gracefully.
It Won't Take long is such a killer groove. She Saw Me Coming, full on flat in your face. Jagger spitting the lyrics.
It is a natural progression from Bridges, and strange it took so long. TIght stuff and full of swing.

Cracker album. Agree with Bassplayer re "Radar" but not so much WDGH being added.
"you look like a lepar dressed as sgt pepper". hahahaha classic line.

Quote
Bitches Brew
I always thought that it's a great album!

Dito.

not a great album, only listenable when you are a die hard.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-10-10 15:10 by stoneswashed77.

I don't listened to it that much .May be I had the involuntary reflex to compare it with all of their others.
But it shows the Stones can still deliver surprises.

Rough Justice is excellent ,energic , catchy choruses , ang great riffs.
Back of my Hand is aa kind of return to their "Blues roots", .



I am a Frenchie ,as Mick affectionately called them in the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 .

My main problem with the album is that it is simply too long. It includes a handful of mediocre tracks (and omits Under The Radar and We Dont Wanna Go Home at the same time). There is simply not enough great material to give it a double vinyl albums length. Strip it down, throw away the stinkers and include at least Under The Radar, and it could have been a later day classic.

Also, the electric "band" version of Back Of My Hand is much more interesting and thrilling than the released studio take, which sounds a bit like a demo. Not bad, but all in all a bit out of place on this album.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-10-10 16:51 by alimente.

An even better Bigger Bang:

Rough Justice
Let Me Down Slow
It Won't Take Long
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
Driving Too Fast

I like the album. A lot. But the songs I left off, as you can see how I have my own version that I listen to, are awful. The album is too long and they should have put Under The Radar and We Don't Wanna Go Home on it instead of, I dunno, space wise, Sweet Neo Con and Streets Of Love. But it does have a lot of energy to it - more so than Bridges and Voodoo. I still listen to the album a good bit. Still not sure where it sits overall in their catalogue as far as where I'd rank it.

I Always said it was in my top 5 Stones Albums. Just love it. It's been in my car since it came out. In fact this is the only Uni version that I bought so far. I don't see the harsh statements at all. Great R n R in all forms. I hope the next CD is ABB part 2.

"Rough Justice
Let Me Down Slow
It Won't Take Long
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
Driving Too Fast"

there are still stinkers in that list.
i have an idea, make it even shorter!

Not so good

A Bigger Bang have been banged over and over by the fans opinions.
To me it's just pure rock and roll tempered by wisdom of a band that
still have the energy to up a great album.
To those who don't like this album, well bad luck.
To the rest of us who likes it, lucky us.

A bigger bang shouldn't be changed to a shorter or longer version.
It's great as it is. First album in a long time which I still do enjoy
even if it's 4 years since it were released.

Play it loud and it'll make your heart beat faster!

Been Stoned since 1964 and still am!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-10-12 19:41 by Fan Since 1964.

Quote
Shezeboss
hello. you're right. just fantastic. as big as exile. I love it.

finaly your provocation worked ;-)
as good as exile? well thats the funniest thing i've read for a longlong time! i recommend this thread i once started:

[www.iorr.org]

i dont hate ABB, but it's way too long and has at least 5-6 awfull songs!
and streets of love destroys everything...

***** i'm a cold italian pizza *****

ABB is a good album, yet it is not great. Unfortunately most songs were not performed often, so many songs did not get the chance to be remembered.

I love ABB! There are a couple of lame tracks, for example, Streets of Love.

I love to hear them play it all live, ain't gonna happen of course.

Alright then, this would make it as best as possible then:

Rough Justice
Let Me Down Slow
It Won't Take Long
Back Of My Hand
She Saw Me Coming
This Place Is Empty
Oh No Not You Again
Dangerous Beauty
Laugh, I Nearly Died

Quote
stoneswashed77
not a great album, only listenable when you are a die hard.

not even then

Quote
More Hot Rocks
I hope the next CD is ABB part 2.

oh, the humanity!

I love the album except Neocon and SOL suck. Under the Radar should have been on the album!

The first Rolling Stones album since Tatoo You. What is in between does not count to my opinion. My unique regret is the real lack of a Keith solo and obviously of a warhorse which could have propelled that album high into the charts and be listened to by more than a pair of fans. Anyway if The Stones terminate on this one, I would be "Happy".

hey mixchix keep ya political rantings to yourself!!!