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keefgotsoul
Regarding the "lack of discipline" that doxa mentioned about Keith on CE...
I'd say that a lack of discipline is just the thing Jagger needs! Mick needs to come out of his comfort zone and not be afraid to get a little sloppy. That is after all, what made the Stones so great in my opinion. All the best Stones moments show a major lack of discipline and a general rough around the edges charm. Gimme the Glimmer Twins a little juiced up and sloppy instead of sterile any day.
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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.
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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
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TheflyingDutchmanQuote
Doxa
There are songs in CROSS-EYED HEART that have originality as much as there is originality in the next BigMac.
While I agree with your statements on CROSS-EYED HEART I'm a bit confused about your enthusiasm re Blue&Lonesome. To me that superfluous album feels like 12 BigMacs in a row.
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HMS
B&L will never win a prize for it´s "creativity" or "originality". Forget about that terms when listening to it. It´s not WHAT they do - it´s THE WAY they do it. They obviously had more fun doing it than they had when recording their last couple of albums of original material. The band sounds tight and refreshed, that is what makes B&L exciting, not so much the songs. I was afraid a Blues-album would be a very boring kind of thing, but much to my surprise B&L isn´t boring at all. It´s fun. I love it. Great interplay and Mick shines all over the place. Did they add anything new to the Blues genre? Definitely NO. Did they deliver an enjoyable fresh sounding passionate album? Definitely YES, imo.
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Rockman
Charlie mentioned in some interview that if a song didn't work they dropped it and moved on to the next ..... wonder what other numbers they had a crack at .....
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DandelionPowderman
The Crosseyed Heart-track (or a similar one) would have made a nice album closer, imo.
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DandelionPowderman
The important thing is to awake younger musicians and remind them of this treasure (the old songs), and enjoy the Stones doing them in the process.
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hopkins
"To celebrate the imminent release of The Stones blues covers album ‘Blue & Lonesome’, Not Now are releasing an album of original blues classics that have been covered by The Stones over the years, including original versions of tracks featured on the new Stones album. You may know the artists on this comprehensive package of blues greats and you will certainly know the songs. They are the songs Mick, Keith and Brian Jones grew up listening to. All the blues giants are commemorated in this collection, including Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Howlin’ Wolf."
[www.youtube.com]
Got Blues If You Want It
1. Howlin' Wolf Little Baby
2. 00:02:46 Little Walter I Hate To See You Go
3. 00:05:04 Muddy Waters Mannish Boy
4. 00:07:56 Otis Rush I Can’t Quit You Baby
5. 00:11:03 Jimmy Reed Honest I Do
6. 00:13:45 Chuck Berry Confessin' The Blues
7. 00:15:54 Lightnin' Slim Hoo Doo Blues
8. 00:18:14 Ray Charles I’m Movin’ On
9. 00:20:44 Muddy Waters I Just Want To Make Love To You
10. 00:23:30 Little Walter My Babe
11. 00:26:03 Robert Johnson Stop Breakin’ Down Blues
12. 00:28:20 Howlin' Wolf The Red Rooster
13. 00:30:44 Big Bill Broonzy Tell Me Baby
14. 00:33:44 Dale Hawkins Suzie Q
15. 00:35:59 The Will Bradley - Johnny Guarnieri Band Down The Road A Piece
16. 00:38:50 The Staple Singer This May Be The Last Time
17. 00:40:59 Muddy Waters I Can't Be Satisfied
18. 00:43:42 Bo Diddley Road Runner
19. 00:46:25 Bo Diddley I’m A Man
20. 00:49:12 Wynonie Harris Confessin’ The Blues
21. 00:51:58 Howlin' Wolf I Ain’t Superstitious
22. 00:54:48 Muddy Waters Look What You’ve Done
23. 00:57:11 Jimmy Reed Little Rain
24. 01:00:22 Slim Harpo I'm A King Bee
25. 01:03:16 Little Walter I Got To Go
26. 01:06:01 Bo Diddley Who Do You Love
27. 01:08:32 Muddy Waters I Want To Be Loved
28. 01:11:07 Robert Johnson Love In Vain
29. 01:13:28 Big Bill Broonzy Keys To The Highway
30. 01:16:36 Howlin' Wolf Just Like I Treat You
31. 01:19:24 Little Walter Just Your Fool
32. 01:21:49 Eddie Taylor Ride Em On Down
33. 01:24:40 Muddy Waters Still A Fool
34. 01:27:56 Jay McShann Confessin’ The Blues
35. 01:30:49 John Lee Hooker (Money) I Need Some Money
36. 01:33:14 Chuck Berry Don’t You Lie To Me
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Rockman
Okay I got a buck for ya
so where do you live ?????????????
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stone4everQuote
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.
DW isn´t great but very good. And better by far than CH.
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GasLightStreetQuote
HMSQuote
stone4everQuote
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.
DW isn´t great but very good. And better by far than CH.
Stone4ever, obviously some wires never connected... hence the lack of quality.
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hopkins
"To celebrate the imminent release of The Stones blues covers album ‘Blue & Lonesome’, Not Now are releasing an album of original blues classics that have been covered by The Stones over the years, including original versions of tracks featured on the new Stones album. You may know the artists on this comprehensive package of blues greats and you will certainly know the songs. They are the songs Mick, Keith and Brian Jones grew up listening to. All the blues giants are commemorated in this collection, including Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Howlin’ Wolf."
[www.youtube.com]
Got Blues If You Want It
1. Howlin' Wolf Little Baby
2. 00:02:46 Little Walter I Hate To See You Go
3. 00:05:04 Muddy Waters Mannish Boy
4. 00:07:56 Otis Rush I Can’t Quit You Baby
5. 00:11:03 Jimmy Reed Honest I Do
6. 00:13:45 Chuck Berry Confessin' The Blues
7. 00:15:54 Lightnin' Slim Hoo Doo Blues
8. 00:18:14 Ray Charles I’m Movin’ On
9. 00:20:44 Muddy Waters I Just Want To Make Love To You
10. 00:23:30 Little Walter My Babe
11. 00:26:03 Robert Johnson Stop Breakin’ Down Blues
12. 00:28:20 Howlin' Wolf The Red Rooster
13. 00:30:44 Big Bill Broonzy Tell Me Baby
14. 00:33:44 Dale Hawkins Suzie Q
15. 00:35:59 The Will Bradley - Johnny Guarnieri Band Down The Road A Piece
16. 00:38:50 The Staple Singer This May Be The Last Time
17. 00:40:59 Muddy Waters I Can't Be Satisfied
18. 00:43:42 Bo Diddley Road Runner
19. 00:46:25 Bo Diddley I’m A Man
20. 00:49:12 Wynonie Harris Confessin’ The Blues
21. 00:51:58 Howlin' Wolf I Ain’t Superstitious
22. 00:54:48 Muddy Waters Look What You’ve Done
23. 00:57:11 Jimmy Reed Little Rain
24. 01:00:22 Slim Harpo I'm A King Bee
25. 01:03:16 Little Walter I Got To Go
26. 01:06:01 Bo Diddley Who Do You Love
27. 01:08:32 Muddy Waters I Want To Be Loved
28. 01:11:07 Robert Johnson Love In Vain
29. 01:13:28 Big Bill Broonzy Keys To The Highway
30. 01:16:36 Howlin' Wolf Just Like I Treat You
31. 01:19:24 Little Walter Just Your Fool
32. 01:21:49 Eddie Taylor Ride Em On Down
33. 01:24:40 Muddy Waters Still A Fool
34. 01:27:56 Jay McShann Confessin’ The Blues
35. 01:30:49 John Lee Hooker (Money) I Need Some Money
36. 01:33:14 Chuck Berry Don’t You Lie To Me