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Doxa
What is this romantic bullshit about ”originality”? That technically some half-baked sketches based on old cliches and way-too circulated patterns is credited to some artist releasing a new product tells something about ”originality” or ”creativity”? My ass. I guess there is some sort of romantic myth based on the golden days of rock music that the performers are ”artists” that supposedly should release some novel ideas (in the form of ”songs”) every once in a while, no matter how long time the supposed artist has lost any inspiration to have anything to 'say' or 'add' what one has already done. To be "alive"? The 'new' songs are like some mcdonalds burgers the customers and producers are eager to have in market, no matter both sides have lost the point why to do it. It is just a habit, a custom. The romantic drive for 'authenticity', 'novelty', oh yeah, let's even talk about even the 'geniouses'.

There are songs in CROSS-EYED HEART that have originality as much as there is originality in the next BigMac. And as much artistic novelty. What there actually is a product based solely on the brand consisted of the personality and idiosyncratic musicianship of Keith Richards. If you like that brand – that is: you are so familiar with it – you most likely enjoy the product. In that scenario one starts to describe it by terms like its all about ”feeling” and ”sincerity” - in the vocabulary of Keith Richards brand believers that excuses the over-all laziness, the drive for easy musical decisions, the lack of discipline, mediocre, sloppy musicianship... The brand is strongly rooted that it excuses almost anything. It is the best brand in the history of rock and roll. It is actually so good that anyone buying it has in the case of it lost about any musical criterion established in everywhere else. It goes so deep that if the ”Keef” farts loud enough that will be an act of ”feeling”. So it is no a big surprise that to see the ”greatness” of CROSS-EYED HEART is a cult of of 'chosen ones' – for the ears and eyes trained by decades devotion. For the rest it is almost impossible to understand what there is more than an old legend doing the minimum, the obvious and playing for the brand. A tiresome experience to listen more than two-three times. But LIFE is much better and enjoyable product of the brand. No wonder it sold much more than the album.

The greatness, if there is any, of BLUE&LONESOME is that it doesn't have any ”artistic” or ”creative” pretensions. Just the band concentrating playing some old covers as good as they can. The miracle of it is that they end up sounding surprisingly inspired and probably fresher than they have for decades on record (or elsewhere). What is even more, and actually unbelieveable taking the ancient non-trendy form of Chicago blues, they succeeded sounding surprisingly good for non-devotees. Probably that kind of music is rooted in every rock fan's DNA, but actually making that sound good and catchy is almost unhearable in recent history. No excuses is needed, not even saying 'hey, it's the Stones, man', but just let the music in terms of its own do the talking. For many people - which explains its good numbers - it is good despite being made by the way too obvious and old brand called the Stones.

So forget all the bullshit about ”originality”, ”authenticity” and whatever romantic notions. Skip the creditions and just listen the music. That only matters.

- Doxa, a retired old grumpy man

Quote
Doxa

There are songs in CROSS-EYED HEART that have originality as much as there is originality in the next BigMac. And as much artistic novelty. What there actually is a product based solely on the brand consisted of the personality and idiosyncratic musicianship of Keith Richards. If you like that brand – that is: you are so familiar with it – you most likely enjoy the product. In that scenario one starts to describe it by terms like its all about ”feeling” and ”sincerity” - in the vocabulary of Keith Richards brand believers that excuses the over-all laziness, the drive for easy musical decisions, the lack of discipline, mediocre, sloppy musicianship... The brand is strongly rooted that it excuses almost anything. It is the best brand in the history of rock and roll. It is actually so good that anyone buying it has in the case of it lost about any musical criterion established in everywhere else. It goes so deep that if the ”Keef” farts loud enough that will be an act of ”feeling”. So it is no a big surprise that to see the ”greatness” of CROSS-EYED HEART is a cult of of 'chosen ones' – for the ears and eyes trained by decades devotion. For the rest it is almost impossible to understand what there is more than an old legend doing the minimum, the obvious and playing for the brand. A tiresome experience to listen more than two-three times. But LIFE is much better and enjoyable product of the brand. No wonder it sold much more than the album.

- Doxa, a retired old grumpy man

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Maindefender

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Doxa

There are songs in CROSS-EYED HEART that have originality as much as there is originality in the next BigMac. And as much artistic novelty. What there actually is a product based solely on the brand consisted of the personality and idiosyncratic musicianship of Keith Richards. If you like that brand – that is: you are so familiar with it – you most likely enjoy the product. In that scenario one starts to describe it by terms like its all about ”feeling” and ”sincerity” - in the vocabulary of Keith Richards brand believers that excuses the over-all laziness, the drive for easy musical decisions, the lack of discipline, mediocre, sloppy musicianship... The brand is strongly rooted that it excuses almost anything. It is the best brand in the history of rock and roll. It is actually so good that anyone buying it has in the case of it lost about any musical criterion established in everywhere else. It goes so deep that if the ”Keef” farts loud enough that will be an act of ”feeling”. So it is no a big surprise that to see the ”greatness” of CROSS-EYED HEART is a cult of of 'chosen ones' – for the ears and eyes trained by decades devotion. For the rest it is almost impossible to understand what there is more than an old legend doing the minimum, the obvious and playing for the brand. A tiresome experience to listen more than two-three times. But LIFE is much better and enjoyable product of the brand. No wonder it sold much more than the album.

- Doxa, a retired old grumpy man

It's an f'n Keith Richards solo album, seriously what did you expect? Funny though that you bought it and you still knew what you were going to hear. And you listened at least three times no less, makes no sense. Or maybe you didn't buy it and listened to the rough cut that came out beforehand.

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HMS
There are songs on CH that sound rather demo-like than finished takes... Some tracks seem to have no melody at all... some are almost ruined by unfitting fade-outs... some are plain boring... Personally I don´t like the background vocals and the sound of the drums...

Yes there are three or four very good songs, but somehow even those songs get kind of boring with time. Too many ballads, not enough catchy tunes. A solid but average album that gets more praise than it deserves imo.

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35love
I have a 'Crosseyed Heart'
love BOTH Mick and Keith
love BOTH B & L and Crosseyed Heart albums.
I refuse to defend myself.

I love Keith's production, meaning the EXQUISITE layering of sums (guitar, musical instruments)
It IS reminiscent of Exile on Mainstreet. That same timing from God, placed in Keith's soul and ears.

I don't think I need to state again (million times) how I feel about Jagger's voice, sexual presence, lyrics, etc. etc.

We can love both. One love. Rolling Stones. Different flavors of the same root meal.

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HMS
B&L isn´t their best album "since 81" but "their best album since 86".

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stone4ever

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HMS
There are songs on CH that sound rather demo-like than finished takes... Some tracks seem to have no melody at all... some are almost ruined by unfitting fade-outs... some are plain boring... Personally I don´t like the background vocals and the sound of the drums...

Yes there are three or four very good songs, but somehow even those songs get kind of boring with time. Too many ballads, not enough catchy tunes. A solid but average album that gets more praise than it deserves imo.

Haha this from a man who thinks Dirty Work is great.

Quote
Doxa
There are songs in CROSS-EYED HEART that have originality as much as there is originality in the next BigMac. And as much artistic novelty. What there actually is a product based solely on the brand consisted of the personality and idiosyncratic musicianship of Keith Richards. If you like that brand – that is: you are so familiar with it – you most likely enjoy the product. In that scenario one starts to describe it by terms like its all about ”feeling” and ”sincerity” - in the vocabulary of Keith Richards brand believers that excuses the over-all laziness, the drive for easy musical decisions, the lack of discipline, mediocre, sloppy musicianship... The brand is strongly rooted that it excuses almost anything. It is the best brand in the history of rock and roll. It is actually so good that anyone buying it has in the case of it lost about any musical criterion established in everywhere else. It goes so deep that if the ”Keef” farts loud enough that will be an act of ”feeling”. So it is no a big surprise that to see the ”greatness” of CROSS-EYED HEART is a cult of of 'chosen ones' – for the ears and eyes trained by decades devotion. For the rest it is almost impossible to understand what there is more than an old legend doing the minimum, the obvious and playing for the brand. A tiresome experience to listen more than two-three times. But LIFE is much better and enjoyable product of the brand. No wonder it sold much more than the album.

Quote
Doxa
The greatness, if there is any, of BLUE&LONESOME is that it doesn't have any ”artistic” or ”creative” pretensions. Just the band concentrating playing some old covers as good as they can. The miracle of it is that they end up sounding surprisingly inspired and probably fresher than they have for decades on record (or elsewhere). What is even more, and actually unbelieveable taking the ancient non-trendy form of Chicago blues, they succeeded sounding surprisingly good for non-devotees. Probably that kind of music is rooted in every rock fan's DNA, but actually making that sound good and catchy is almost unhearable in recent history. No excuses is needed, not even saying 'hey, it's the Stones, man', but just let the music in terms of its own do the talking. For many people - which explains its good numbers - it is good despite being made by the way too obvious and old brand called the Stones.

Quote
stone4ever

Quote
HMS
There are songs on CH that sound rather demo-like than finished takes... Some tracks seem to have no melody at all... some are almost ruined by unfitting fade-outs... some are plain boring... Personally I don´t like the background vocals and the sound of the drums...

Yes there are three or four very good songs, but somehow even those songs get kind of boring with time. Too many ballads, not enough catchy tunes. A solid but average album that gets more praise than it deserves imo.

Haha this from a man who thinks Dirty Work is great.

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35love
I have a 'Crosseyed Heart'
love BOTH Mick and Keith
love BOTH B & L and Crosseyed Heart albums.
I refuse to defend myself.

I love Keith's production, meaning the EXQUISITE layering of sums (guitar, musical instruments)
It IS reminiscent of Exile on Mainstreet. That same timing from God, placed in Keith's soul and ears.

I don't think I need to state again (million times) how I feel about Jagger's voice, sexual presence, lyrics, etc. etc.

We can love both. One love. Rolling Stones. Different flavors of the same root meal.

Quote
matxil
Doxa seems to be back with a vengeance. It's a bit curious though that everything he says about Crosseyed Heart you might as well say about Exile. Nothing particularly "new" or "original" to turn blues, soul and rock jams into songs, not even back in the early 70s.
What surprises me, now, as it did a year ago, is where Doxa's passionate dislike to people liking anything Keith does (mind: I am not saying *everything* Keith does) comes from. It sounds a bit like someone who has been forced to take his idol from his pedestal and now has gone to the other extreme.
And - ironically - he's right about B&L not having any pretensions, which - I agree - makes it a damn hell of a lot easier to listen to than most other Stones output of the last 30 years (let alone most Jagger solo work), but it also means the end of the band. What's a band without pretentions? Without pretentions the Stones never would have tried to be the best blues band of London, or compete with the Beatles, or be the greatest rock n roll band in the world.

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Spud
Maybe a talent shared with Keith.

Keith can always talk prize bullshit with extreme panache.

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Doxa
What is this romantic bullshit about ”originality”? That technically some half-baked sketches based on old cliches and way-too circulated patterns is credited to some artist releasing a new product tells something about ”originality” or ”creativity”? My ass. I guess there is some sort of romantic myth based on the golden days of rock music that the performers are ”artists” that supposedly should release some novel ideas (in the form of ”songs”) every once in a while, no matter how long time the supposed artist has lost any inspiration to have anything to 'say' or 'add' what one has already done. To be "alive"? The 'new' songs are like some mcdonalds burgers the customers and producers are eager to have in market, no matter both sides have lost the point why to do it. It is just a habit, a custom. The romantic drive for 'authenticity', 'novelty', oh yeah, let's even talk about even the 'geniouses'.

There are songs in CROSS-EYED HEART that have originality as much as there is originality in the next BigMac. And as much artistic novelty. What there actually is a product based solely on the brand consisted of the personality and idiosyncratic musicianship of Keith Richards. If you like that brand – that is: you are so familiar with it – you most likely enjoy the product. In that scenario one starts to describe it by terms like its all about ”feeling” and ”sincerity” - in the vocabulary of Keith Richards brand believers that excuses the over-all laziness, the drive for easy musical decisions, the lack of discipline, mediocre, sloppy musicianship... The brand is strongly rooted that it excuses almost anything. It is the best brand in the history of rock and roll. It is actually so good that anyone buying it has in the case of it lost about any musical criterion established in everywhere else. It goes so deep that if the ”Keef” farts loud enough that will be an act of ”feeling”. So it is no a big surprise that to see the ”greatness” of CROSS-EYED HEART is a cult of of 'chosen ones' – for the ears and eyes trained by decades devotion. For the rest it is almost impossible to understand what there is more than an old legend doing the minimum, the obvious and playing for the brand. A tiresome experience to listen more than two-three times. But LIFE is much better and enjoyable product of the brand. No wonder it sold much more than the album.

The greatness, if there is any, of BLUE&LONESOME is that it doesn't have any ”artistic” or ”creative” pretensions. Just the band concentrating playing some old covers as good as they can. The miracle of it is that they end up sounding surprisingly inspired and probably fresher than they have for decades on record (or elsewhere). What is even more, and actually unbelieveable taking the ancient non-trendy form of Chicago blues, they succeeded sounding surprisingly good for non-devotees. Probably that kind of music is rooted in every rock fan's DNA, but actually making that sound good and catchy is almost unhearable in recent history. No excuses is needed, not even saying 'hey, it's the Stones, man', but just let the music in terms of its own do the talking. For many people - which explains its good numbers - it is good despite being made by the way too obvious and old brand called the Stones.

So forget all the bullshit about ”originality”, ”authenticity” and whatever romantic notions. Skip the creditions and just listen the music. That only matters.

- Doxa, a retired old grumpy man

Quote
Doxa