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Monsoon Ragoon

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Harlem Shuffler
There's nothing great on it and most of it is either nothing special or crap.

It's sad to think that this might be their last album of original songs.

It's a half-baked album (compared with the classics) with some "outtakes" which had never been released in the LP-era. But I'm pretty sure the next album won't be better. They are not able to record classics anymore (exceptions like Laugh I Nearly Died are seldom), they're soon 71-77 years old. They don't need good new songs for the concerts because they wouldn't play them anyway (except if they are bad enough like One More Shot). What do you expect?

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Harlem Shuffler

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Monsoon Ragoon

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Harlem Shuffler
There's nothing great on it and most of it is either nothing special or crap.

It's sad to think that this might be their last album of original songs.

It's a half-baked album (compared with the classics) with some "outtakes" which had never been released in the LP-era. But I'm pretty sure the next album won't be better. They are not able to record classics anymore (exceptions like Laugh I Nearly Died are seldom), they're soon 71-77 years old. They don't need good new songs for the concerts because they wouldn't play them anyway (except if they are bad enough like One More Shot). What do you expect?

What do you mean "What do I expect"? You seem to be agreeing with me but end up questioning me.

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kowalski
A Bigger Bang is too long, has too many fillers, no really stand out tracks and a so so sound but it's the Stones back to the basics, doing what they're doing best : playing straightforward rock 'n roll, with no fancy arrangements, loops or samples. Also add to it the 2 bonus tracks (under the radar & don't wanna go home) and you get a quite alright 18-track album from a band that at that time had not released a full album for 8 years (since Bridges...). Don't focus on the songs, focus on the band, that's what counts on ABB.

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KevinLocksPerm
You were probably really excited in 2005. You probably ripped the wrapper off when you got the album. But how many times have you listened to it since 2005?

And, again being honest, is this not the fate of any new Stones album that we get this year or next?

You know in your hearts that within a week of release this forum will be full of distaste for the previously much anticipated album

So, what's the point?

There's no value in listening to the Stones singing as if they were still 30. Maybe they should sing about issues faced by people in their mid 70s? But who wants to listen to songs about adult diapers, Saga Holidays, free bus passes and daytime TV?

Perhaps another album of blues covers is the only way now.

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DandelionPowderman

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KevinLocksPerm
You were probably really excited in 2005. You probably ripped the wrapper off when you got the album. But how many times have you listened to it since 2005?

And, again being honest, is this not the fate of any new Stones album that we get this year or next?

You know in your hearts that within a week of release this forum will be full of distaste for the previously much anticipated album

So, what's the point?

There's no value in listening to the Stones singing as if they were still 30. Maybe they should sing about issues faced by people in their mid 70s? But who wants to listen to songs about adult diapers, Saga Holidays, free bus passes and daytime TV?

Perhaps another album of blues covers is the only way now.

Here's the album talk-thread.

A good album, but with too many tracks.

Unfortunately, the production, and the mixing in particular, is not up to par, imo.

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KevinLocksPerm

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DandelionPowderman

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KevinLocksPerm
You were probably really excited in 2005. You probably ripped the wrapper off when you got the album. But how many times have you listened to it since 2005?

And, again being honest, is this not the fate of any new Stones album that we get this year or next?

You know in your hearts that within a week of release this forum will be full of distaste for the previously much anticipated album

So, what's the point?

There's no value in listening to the Stones singing as if they were still 30. Maybe they should sing about issues faced by people in their mid 70s? But who wants to listen to songs about adult diapers, Saga Holidays, free bus passes and daytime TV?

Perhaps another album of blues covers is the only way now.

Here's the album talk-thread.

A good album, but with too many tracks.

Unfortunately, the production, and the mixing in particular, is not up to par, imo.

Thanks for the thread Dandelion but do you mind if we discuss it here too? If you read the original post you will see that the gist was not actually about ABB but about applying many people's attitudes and feelings about ABB to the possibility of a new album.

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KevinLocksPerm
Personally I don't recall it as being a bad album. I just haven't listened to it in full since around 2006. It just fell off the radar. Maybe that would be a great album title "Off The Radar"

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keithsman
Being totally honest iv'e played it possibly the least amount of times of any Stones album, 40 or 50 times so far.

That's not because its the worst Stones album, it's because as i get older i listen to CD's less and less, i'm gradually falling out of love with the band too.
Still think they are beyond comparison to any other band in history and i love to listen to their various live recordings and YouTube clips more these days.
But it's so obvious they have sold out, it's become a love hate relationship nowadays, nothing can tarnish what they have given and achieved but the greed of them now just gets in the way, especially Mick and Ronnie.

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Rocky Dijon
The mastering is the main flaw. The production itself is fine, I suspect. I don't think it's a situation like DIRTY WORK or GIMME SHELTER where the production is off. I think it's mastered for maximum loudness which detracts from my enjoyment. The Universal reissues have the same problem.

The length of an album is irrelevant to my enjoyment. I made a CD-R of the Special Edition and added "Hurricane" from the Red Cross CD and had a 19 track version which I played regularly for 5 or 6 years.

The sequencing was a problem (as it was with GODDESS IN THE DOORWAY). The songwriting wasn't consistent. I don't really have a problem with the performances. A little more variety might have helped or the sequencing might have alleviated that a bit.

There was a more soulful version of "It Won't Take Long" cut that was replaced with the more "garage band" version because the thinking was it sounded too close to "Gimme Shelter." I suspect I would have preferred that version.

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Monsoon Ragoon

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kowalski
A Bigger Bang is too long, has too many fillers, no really stand out tracks and a so so sound but it's the Stones back to the basics, doing what they're doing best : playing straightforward rock 'n roll, with no fancy arrangements, loops or samples. Also add to it the 2 bonus tracks (under the radar & don't wanna go home) and you get a quite alright 18-track album from a band that at that time had not released a full album for 8 years (since Bridges...). Don't focus on the songs, focus on the band, that's what counts on ABB.

? What a nonsense

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MWasilewski
As a guy who was 15 years old at the time of the album premiere I want to add opinion from a bit different angle.

At the time, I was basically listening to the bands from the so called new rock revolution (The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, etc.) and let's say that I rather didn't adore all these rock dinosaurs from 60s and even 80s.

The first song of the Stones that I listened consciously to was probably Rain Fall Down. I was amazed, because the sound was fresh, even with comparison to the aforementioned young bands. I was really amazed that these old guys can make something that is not irrelevant. The whole album was even more delight. I really enjoy even the Streets of Love, I know that you despise it (but it's hard for me to conclude why).

So the first impression was very good. But after some time it turned out that I forgot about The Strokes, I forgot about Franz Ferdinand and other guys in skinny jeans and completely sank not only in ABB but other albums too. As I'm thinking about it right know, the reason for my enjoyment was unequalled quality of the Glimmer Twins songwriting; the sound was more or less fresh and appealing to younger me, but the quality of the bare songs was the key reason for me to love it.

Of course, I wonder what I would think about Bigger Bang if I listened to more acclaimed RS albums earlier. I don't know. I am aware that, because that was my first album of the band, I can't be objective about it. I really like it and from my perspective it is not only good album in comparison to other ones from 2005 but also in comparison to the whole RS discography.

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kowalski

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Monsoon Ragoon

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kowalski
A Bigger Bang is too long, has too many fillers, no really stand out tracks and a so so sound but it's the Stones back to the basics, doing what they're doing best : playing straightforward rock 'n roll, with no fancy arrangements, loops or samples. Also add to it the 2 bonus tracks (under the radar & don't wanna go home) and you get a quite alright 18-track album from a band that at that time had not released a full album for 8 years (since Bridges...). Don't focus on the songs, focus on the band, that's what counts on ABB.

? What a nonsense

Maybe you are the non sense? I don't think I expressed anything different from what most people are saying here : a rather enjoyable album, well played but with no stand out songs and a very raw production that doesn't make things easier...

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Monsoon Ragoon

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kowalski

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Monsoon Ragoon

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kowalski
A Bigger Bang is too long, has too many fillers, no really stand out tracks and a so so sound but it's the Stones back to the basics, doing what they're doing best : playing straightforward rock 'n roll, with no fancy arrangements, loops or samples. Also add to it the 2 bonus tracks (under the radar & don't wanna go home) and you get a quite alright 18-track album from a band that at that time had not released a full album for 8 years (since Bridges...). Don't focus on the songs, focus on the band, that's what counts on ABB.

? What a nonsense

Maybe you are the non sense? I don't think I expressed anything different from what most people are saying here : a rather enjoyable album, well played but with no stand out songs and a very raw production that doesn't make things easier...

Come on. Wasn't meant so harshly. You say ABB is too long, but that they should have added the two "DVD" songs. Isn't that strange?

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kowalski

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Monsoon Ragoon

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kowalski

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Monsoon Ragoon

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kowalski
A Bigger Bang is too long, has too many fillers, no really stand out tracks and a so so sound but it's the Stones back to the basics, doing what they're doing best : playing straightforward rock 'n roll, with no fancy arrangements, loops or samples. Also add to it the 2 bonus tracks (under the radar & don't wanna go home) and you get a quite alright 18-track album from a band that at that time had not released a full album for 8 years (since Bridges...). Don't focus on the songs, focus on the band, that's what counts on ABB.

? What a nonsense

Maybe you are the non sense? I don't think I expressed anything different from what most people are saying here : a rather enjoyable album, well played but with no stand out songs and a very raw production that doesn't make things easier...

Come on. Wasn't meant so harshly. You say ABB is too long, but that they should have added the two "DVD" songs. Isn't that strange?

OK, now I see what you mean... Harshness on my part was indeed unnecessary It's too long but when you add the 2 bonus songs it makes a different album. I listened a lot to this 18-track album and enjoyed it a lot... Maybe because it reminded me of another 18 songs long album...