Well, as we're antagonizing everyone already, I thought: time for part three of my review! You know the drill by now, and here’s a warning: if you think I am a pompous, arrogant @#$%&: don’t read any further as there’s some pompous, arrogant remarks from an @#$%&. I changed some reviews in order to be more precise and clear in my use of English. And why do I write these reviews? I don’t know. The glam, the fame, the attention, I don’t have anything else to do. You Choose! Rating: 1 is Nickelback-bad, 10 is Some Girls good.

1. Driving Too Fast: A truly excellent up-tempo rocker! I will say it in other song reviews as well, but this song again reminds me of the Undercover period (for you to know: I love Undercover and its outtakes. I feel the album is high in energy, it’s raw and mean, it features an incredible hot Wood and Richards, and it features Jagger at its best. You have to listen through the 80’s mix and production, but it’s a hell of an album). This sounds just like it could have been an outtakes from Undercover, rerecorded in 2005! I love how Watts pumps out the beat, and I love Jagger belting out the lyrics. Is this song based on a Wood-riff? This should have been the new single: if the Foo Fighters can get away with it these days, the Stones sure can! Excellent! 10/10

2. It Won’t Take Long: Good guitars, good melody, I love the chorus, this just simply rocks like vintage Stones should rock. Again, it reminds me of the Undercover period. It very well could be Jagger driving the song on the open G rhythm guitar. Finally Wood plays a good lead guitar again. This track won’t shake the world, and the open G guitar is so incredibly Stones that it is in danger of becoming corny, but it’s in my opinion real good Stones-anno-2005-music. I do miss Bill Wyman in these kind of songs, he was able to really make these songs lift-off. 9/10

3. Let Me Down Slow: Same tempo as Driving Too Fast, but it doesn’t work for me. It sounds like a Primitive Cool rocker, and it’s just too simple. The double stops, the chord changes, and especially Keith’s bends are just too unimaginative in my very humble opinion. Keith’s solo actually annoys me, it’s that predictable. It sounds like an average outtake to me, and should have stayed that way. 5/10

4. Look What the Cat Dragged In: I love it! Undercover of the Night meets Too Much Blood! Based on a bass riff just like Too Much Blood, and Wood seemed to have remembered his frantic guitar solo’ing on Undercover of the Night, and he really does some stellar guitar work on this track. I truly believed we had seen the best of Wood the last years, but I was wrong. The song reminds me of Carnival, the 1975 outtake with Clapton, it sounds like a true part going on in the studio. Just like Rain Fall Down, I bet this song originated out of a live jam. 9/10

5. She Saw Me Coming: Again it sounds like an Undercover-period, or maybe Dirty Work period track. It sounds like a live rehearsal to me. Keith had a great riff, and Jagger is trying to come up with some lyrics while the band’s running trough it a couple of times. The bridge is a bit corny, and the song finally just goes nowhere, it’s just too repetitive. I doubt this song would have been considered for release in 19 eighty-something. 6/10

6. Oh No Not You Again: On the press conference I really liked the rough sound of the guitars and I liked the drive of it. Unfortunately, the studio version sounds a bit lame and simple. It reminds me of Jagger’s solo Lonely at the Top, with a bit of Highwire thrown in. The lame lyrics don’t benefit the song. It’s nice, but quite forgettable. It’s better than She Saw Me Coming and Let me Down Slow and it grows on me, so 6/10 becomes 7/10.

7. Rough Justice: Good song with a good drive and it rocks in a good raunchy manner. It grew on me. I needed ten spins to over come the "just another" Stones track” feeling. It’s quite good in a sing-along manner. I still feel the Stones can write three RJ-songs a day, but once you accept that, it’s nice to play loud while driving a car. I like how the piano enters the end of the song. It rocks and it grooves, but somehow it can’t shake it’s simplicity off its back, just like Sparks Will Fly or I Go Wild. 7/10

8. Streets of Love: the biggest piece of shit ever released by the Stones. It absolutely beats everything ever released by Jagger solo. Goddess is horrible but I don't mind because it is Jagger solo and I couldn't care less, but now Jagger succeeded in having a Goddess outtake performed by the Stones, or at least have Charlie drum on it (I don't hear any other Stones playing). This song makes me feel embarrassed. Its American-slick Rob Thomas pop music, and I hate American-slick Rob Thomas pop music. It would have been 1/1, but the verse has something catchy with the ha-ha-ha-ha…. 2/10.

9. Back of My Hand: excellent song, excellent sound, I really like the guitars. But, I truly don't understand you want to put this on an album. It is an excellent outtake, maybe a B-side like The Storm (which in my opinion is a boring ballroom blues). The riff is an old Charley Patton riff, and it is something you warm up with in a studio to get the sound right, to warm up Jagger’s vocal chords and Charlie’s wrists. Riffs like this are the type every guitar player plays when he’s lying on a couch in front of the TV; all stolen from Robert Johnson, but nice to noodle with anyway. If they want, they can release two albums full of these kinds of jams. If my memory serves well, they also did parts of this song in Paris 1977. 5/10

10. Rain Fall Down: An absolute Jagger song, I bet Keith didn’t have anything to do with it. It has an excellent groove, and it reminds me of “Everything is Turning to Gold” in that the drive, groove and funk is more important than the actual melody. I bet it’s nice to play this track loud while driving late at night. It sounds like it evolved from a studio jam and Jagger wrote some lyrics to it, some studio trickery like the delay and phasing on the guitar riff (probably played by Jagger) does the rest. Good song. 8/10

11. This Place is Empty: I really like this song, and now after a week, I even feel it’s one of Keith’s best ever, up there with You Got the Silver, Sleep Tonight and especially Apartment No. 9 and We Had It All. The verses are excellent, but the change of mood in the chorus is almost genius-like beautiful (check the change at 2:08 “come on, simmer (?) down…” how incredible beautiful!). It has an excellent melody and truly excellent verses. Keith sings truly brilliant. Only minor point: the slide guitar at the end is a bit corny. This is the kind of song that Keith should make a solo album with. Invite some friends and guests, and make a good George Jones-style album. And please include his version of Love Hurts with Norah Jones that was hauntingly beautiful (on this version you can truly hear how musical Keith is, changing first and second voice with Norah Jones). The more I listen to it, the better it gets: 10/10

12. Sweet Neocon: Of course, as a liberal European I have to say the lyrics are good, but actually, it misses the mark completely. Musically, it is a Primitive Cool-type throw-away –I hate it when the vocals follow the main riff, that’s so corny-, and Jagger’s lyrics just sound hackneyed and fake. Second worse song of the album. 4/10

13. Infamy: Just a nice, reggae style song. Nothing noteworthy actually. Especially the harmonica sounds out of place to me. Further I find it just like You Don’t Have to Mean it: instantly forgettable. Time to get a beer. 5/10

14. Laugh, I Nearly Died: Best of the album, and actually the best thing the Stones (well, it’s a Jagger solo song, really) have released since Tattoo You. It reminisces Heaven and Out of Control, and in a way it also reminds me of Jah is Not Dead. Not the style, but the emotion of Jagger’s vocals. For the first time since 1981 Jagger’s emotions sounds convincing again. Listen to Charlie entering the verses! Listen to Jagger’s blaring it out (man, he’s 62!). This is Let it Loose-good. Chilling. 10/10.

So, six songs that I find incredibly good, six that are mediocre to good songs, and only two that I really dislike. Not a bad score after the horrible Alfie soundtrack and Goddess in a Doorway, and the fact that Keith hardly did anything in eight years. I like the album: It’s direct, raw, bold and punchy, and this really benefits the songs. It’s much more sincere than Voodoo Lounge in my humnble opinion, and it misses the over-production of some B2B tracks. It reminds me of the Undercover album: it’s the same straight-ahead dual guitar attack, some songs more relying on the groove than on the actual melody, and Jagger is again belting out lyrics instead of trying to sing “nice”. It’s not Tattoo You quality, and I do think Undercover as a whole is a better album than Bigger Bang, but this one comes close. I do think that this album is for 80% a Jagger effort. I do think Keith really didn’t have much to do with the writing part. It’s mostly Jagger’s lyrics, Jagger’s melodies, Jagger’s guitars.

Mathijs

Thanks for the review Mathijs. I look forward to hearing the album in its entirety when it released. Now, do mind telling me waht you doing here when you should be playing your guitar(s) young man?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-08-23 19:02 by ChrisM.

ah - but it will be at least 3-4 years before the "final" review - and all bets are off in terms of how the album will be regarded then.

nice review!!! I don't always agree with you Mathijs but I respect your ear for detail and your knowledge of music in general and particularly the Stones.

Just one question do you think RJ is more of a Jagger or Richards song? or was it both of them?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-08-23 02:19 by Ket.

Very nice review indeed! A great read. The only song I really can't get into yet is LWTCDI... At some points I think I'm going to like it, but then there's that kind of disco beat. I can't really describe it. The guitars sound really refreshing though...

Let Me Down Slow is a throwaway song IMO.. not even a 6 (but maybe I'll change my mind in a few weeks)

Mathijs Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, as we're antagonizing everyone already, I
> thought: time for part three of my review!

Thanks--interesting stuff. I appreciate the analysis.

Curious about something though: the pre-release hype generally referenced Exile, presumably because that is taken to be the epitome of the band's albums. Why do you think Jagger would hark back to the Undercover period of 80s, particularly a time when the band was not touring? Or is it less intentional: less Keith means less Exile-sounding stuff?

I really agree with the line somewhere "I miss Wyman who would lift these tunes to new heights". How true. I so miss Wyman's Bass playing.. The more time that passes since his departure, and the more I appreciate his subtle powerful Bass.

Hmmm... total 97 : 14 = 6.92 / 10. That's almost 7/10. Incredible for the measures of Mathijs, even i believe he is still underrating the album (for example, i believe RJ deserves 9/10 and Back of My Hand much more than 5/10, of course)

ChelseaDrugstore wrote: "I so miss Wyman's Bass playing.. The more time that passes since his departure, and the more I appreciate his subtle powerful Bass".

I have different personal taste, atleast when i show the band live. I think the band sounded on VL tour better than on SW/UJ, so, sorry Bill but i don't miss you...

Wow... Look What The Cat Dragged In gets a 9/10 but RJ and ONNYA get 7/10... LWTCD is the only filler track on the album...

Good review. Thoughtful and fulsome. Looking forward to some of your live reviews again too. won't remind you of the comments you made about the prospects of the new album about 6 months back - but let's just say that you were less than optimistic!

Re your point about Neo-Con: that you hate it when the vocals follow the main guitar riff, 'So corny'. I have to agree 100%.

It's why I've never been taken with IFYRM and SMU. Just plain obvious.

I also love the playing on Undercover and about 80% of the songs......but..as an album it just lacks a bit of balance from softer or bluesier numbers.

From your above review it sounds that if we'd still been in the Vinyl Age then the out-take quality tracks would not have shown up and that we might have had at least a minor classic - allbeit a rockier one in the style of Undercover.

Thanks for the review Matthijs. I'm looking forward to the album even more, now.

Thanks for the public service of telling everyone the real quality of the album. Great exercise in drival. Hopefully anyone who gives a shit have copied it into Word so they can reread it even if their ISP goes down.

I CAN SLEEP QUIET THANK'S. I LOVE THE PIECE OF SHIT "SOL"

> I have different personal taste, atleast when i show the band live. I think the band sounded on VL tour better than on SW/UJ, so, sorry Bill but i don't miss you...

Sorry stickydion, if you really think SW/UJ sounded bad because Bill plays bass and VL sounded su much better because Darryl showed up you definately have no clue of the Stones or even Music (I hate to say this but it's the truth!).

Mathijs, thanks again for your comprehensive analysis. It's always interesting to learn that different fans prefere different albums or areas why they love the Stones.

In the meanwhile I heard half of the album in CD quality and I can agree in most of your review.

Great review, Matt! Even if I yet not have heard the intire album I like they way look/listen at it.
And whatever people have to say about Mathijs - you can't just ignore his opinion.
The Stones have made very long albums since Steel Wheels. If they had cut down ABB to 10-12 song - had it been a classic then?

Great review, Mathijs. Thanks so much!

I'm guessing that the tracks "Dangerous Beauty" and "Biggest Mistake" remain unheard to date?

Ride like the wind at double speed.....

thanks for the review. I haven't heard the whole album, but "This Place is Empty" is my favorite of the 4 that are posted on rs.com - lot of atmosphere in that one.

Good review actually. Not sure I agree, but I'll let you know when I get the album. You never heard Dangerous Beauty Mathjis???

JumpingKentFlash

rknuth wrote:

"Sorry stickydion, if you really think SW/UJ sounded bad because Bill plays bass and VL sounded su much better because Darryl showed up you definately have no clue of the Stones or even Music (I hate to say this but it's the truth!)."


Sorry, but you seem to be unable to understand what I wrote …

I didn’t wrote that SW/ UJ Tour “delivered” a bad bass sound. Also i didn’t wrote that D. Jones is a better bassplayer than Bill, of course. I said the whole sound of the band to me was better on VL tour, so Bill WAS NOT UNREPLACED. That’s so simple. I think the others tour proved the same thing. For example: During SW/UJ I was hearing on Paint It Black a loud but a bit useless bass line. On Twicks version of PIB (2003) the guitar’s “grumble”(not the bass) dominated the song and I think the result was mush better.

I know, there is a kind of personality cult with Bill, but, rknuth, that’s not a good reason to lose your composure. And, you know, everyone can be rude and offensive but so proves nothing, my friend…

For me "Oh no not you again", "this place is empty" and "Biggest mistake" are the best songs on the album. I listened at least 6 times! "Laugh, I nearly died" is very good and refreshing, and together with "It won't take long" and "Take me down slow" they are one of the better songs on the album. "Rough justice" "back of my hand" and "Dangerous beauty" are good". The rest is mediocre, although i like the hypnotic rythm on "Rain fall down".
Can't undestand why you prefer "Driving too fast" above "Oh no not you again" or "take me down slow"? For me they can play "Oh no not you again" every night on the B stage.

stickydion Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> there is a kind of personality cult with
> Bill
>

This is funny. (And I really like Bill's playing.)