Re: Dirty Work--anyone here think it's underrated?
Date: May 27, 2013 02:17
This was my review of Dirty Work from a few years ago:
Dirty Work – 1986 (US #4; UK#4)
One Hit (To The Body) • Fight • Harlem Shuffle • Hold Back • Too Rude •
Winning Ugly • Back To Zero • Dirty Work • Had It With You • Sleep Tonight
Stones Fan – **
Casual Listener - *
Dirty Work is a record of The Rolling Stones at their lowest, both artistically and commercially. It was supposed to be a new beginning on Columbia records. But as clearly documented on its horrible day-glow cover, Mick and Keith’s relationship was at rock bottom, and The Stones appear miserable. With Mick seemingly pre-occupied with his solo career (which was part of the new record contract), Keith and Woody take the helm, heavily aided by hot producer Steve Lillywhite. The fact that there’s two covers, two Keith lead vocals (for the first time ever), only three Jagger/Richards tunes and four Jagger/Richards/Woods tracks, all is clearly not good in the Stone’s camp. Interestingly, this was the first Stones album to print the lyrics, and they’re absolutely brutal in some cases.
The album opens with strummed acoustic guitars, suddenly sideswiped by the rawest, blood thirsting electric guitar chainsaw riffing possibly ever heard on a Stones record. Charlie and the band kick in extremely hard and powerfully. The lyrics match the brutality of the music as Jagger sings, “I don’t need no security, I just need me some peace” or “You did me some permanent harm, It’s hurting me”. Yet at the end “I can’t clean you out of my veins, it’s a life long addiction that has damaged my brain”. Along with it’s dark, angry video that at points looks like Jagger and Richards want to kill each other, One Hit (To The Body) is one of the most powerful, monster opening tracks The Stones have ever done.
The one / two punch literally continues with Fight, another brutal hard rock assault as Jagger screams “Gonna pulp you to a mass of bruises ‘cause that’s what you’re lookin’ for”. The Stones music has always been built around the guitar, but outside producer Steve Lillywhite created a massive drum sound on Dirty Work. The guitars are slashing away viciously here, but Charlie’s drums are equally big in the mix. These two opening tracks are not pretend. This is the Stones savagely attacking and with the matching lyrics, it’s a difficult, yet tremendously potent experience.
The Stones chose for the first time since the early 60’s, to release a cover as the lead single. Listening to the album, it was a wise choice as Harlem Shuffle (an old Bob and Earl song) is the only commercial track on the album, and it gave The Stones a hit, peaking at #5 in the States and #13 UK. Unfortunately the song is too slick and overproduced, and although The Stones substitute keyboards for the originals horns, they play it with little originality. Instead of “stonesifying” a cover, here they simply sound like a great cover band.
The Stones thrash back in with Hold Back, an overwhelming attack of hard rock and screaming vocals. Charlie’s drums are so loud and powerful, that it barely sounds like The Stones. It’s an uncompromising mess of loud, noisy mush that leads nowhere except as an onslaught. Jagger’s not holding back, but some dynamics and fine-tuning finesse are desperately needed here.
Keith takes his first lead vocal on the album on Too Rude, The Stones most authentic and successful take on reggae. Keith’s vocal as well as much of the musical interplay is heavily echoed, and although Charlie’s drums are again way upfront in the mix and powerful, this time it all comes together to great effect. Charlie’s echoed/repeated snare shots are super tasty, as are the guitar licks. Keith does a great live version of this on his solo shows.
After the wonderfully authentic vibe of Too Rude, side two’s opener comes on to jarring effect. Carried by a wonderful bass groove and Charlie’s loud snare (but little else from the drums – where’s the cymbals?), Winning Ugly is ruined by the heavy synth sound overlaying the track. Some nice guitar licks interweave throughout, and Jagger sings powerfully, but Winning Ugly sounds more ‘80’s Jagger solo than Rolling Stones, and is especially lost sounding amidst this hard rocking album. Today it especially sounds dated.
This problem is even worse on the next track Back To Zero. It’s a super funky vibe, carried by great plucking bass playing and Charlie’s dominating snare, aided by lots of percussion and echoed vocal effects. But the track is excessively noisy and has a feel that makes it more Jagger solo-like. Chuck Leavell gets a credit on this song, yet instead of organic piano, it’s the 80’s synth sound that sounds dated. The music needs to be toned down, with a warmer mix and natural sounding groove.
The title track Dirty Work instantly jars, as this sounds like classic hard rock Rolling Stones. Again, Charlie’s snare is so loud, it distracts, but the electric guitars are equally powerful here, including a super solo lead break. Jagger’s vocals are seething with anger as he scorns someone who lets others do the dirty work. It’s a great vocal performance matched by great music. The song pitters away at the end, but Dirty Work is a powerful track that makes a perfect threesome with One Hit and Fight.
Had It With You is a strange mixture. It initially has a nice rockabilly feel, but it’s played and sung way to hard. There’s a nice harp solo and a downright weird section, where the song stops to a slow crawl only to pick up to the original torrid pace. To make it more interesting, there’s no bass but any sense of feel and taste is lost due to the overwhelming snare sound and hard rock production, instead of a more natural organic groove. Had It With You has potential as a lost opportunity.
Keith takes his second vocal on Sleep Tonight. In the context of the proceeding album, the production is grand and more widescreen. This time, the large drum sound fits perfectly with the almost symphonic sound lead by glorious piano and soulful background vocals. Unlike most of the album, Sleep Tonight sounds organic and naturally soulful, though highly produced. This is genuine music with a beating heart and wonderfully heartfelt vocal by Keith. Sleep Tonight is the first time, although now it’s almost a tradition, in which Keith closes the album in crooning style. He’ll do even better next time.
After that highlight, we get a tasty remembrance of Ian Stewart boogying on piano on a hidden outro memorial to the lost Stones member. It’s a classy way to end a disjointed, jarring, mismatched, un-uniformed Stones album thankfully unlike any other. The dismal state of the fractured band fighting and overall bad-feelings are all here in this exceptionally loud production. There are still some great tracks here, although as an album, Dirty Work doesn’t work.