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liddas

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

Go listen to SHE'S THE BOSS or DIRTY WORK and say straight faced that they sound good.

They both sound very good!

You may not like those sounds, but they were very well recorded

C

That's no different than saying That's a great bad picture on that HD-TV!

I listened to a bit of Just Another Night recently and was terrified at how awful it was produced. And just like DIRTY WORK, you're right - they were very well recorded... with horrific production and incredibly horrendous results.

Just another night is perfect as it is.

Dirty Work, you are so exposed with your hate for that album, that you could never publicly admit that you like it. But deep down you know that it is a good album!

C

Ah, pushing a wheelbarrow of silliness in front of yourself. Are you taking over for the DIRTY WORK peddlers that are gone?

My exposed hatred for DIRTY WORK has nothing to do with how bad it is - that was accomplished before I hated the album. You are right - I couldn't admit that I like it because I don't. Deep down I know it's their worst album - and deep up I know it's their worst album.

An album like BRIDGES TO BABYLON has pretty much the same amount of garbage on it that DIRTY WORK does, it just happens to be surrounded by more good songs.

Just Another Night is horrible. There are some decent songs on SHE'S THE BOSS - Lucky In Love, Secrets, Running Out Of Luck and 1/2 A Loaf but that's it. It's weird how PRIMITIVE COOL is a much better album, production wise, and has some pretty good songs (and one that was left off for some inane reason) and yet it's still viewed as weak, obviously for Let's Work but there's too much Jeff Beck in the songs.

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

There's no way any/all of Mick's solo songs could've worked at Stones songs. There are plenty of Mick songs as Stones songs that give obvious clues as to why it wouldn't work: Might As Well Get Juiced and Streets Of Love are two of man perfect examples. The Stones cut tons of blues tracks - but because Mick got the Dust Brothers involved on a boring pedestrian bland blues song that a garage band of 12 year olds could do better, MAWGJ is some modern daring sonic adventure for the Stones? Keith laid a guitar track on it - it's a high end demo.

Keith about The Dust Brothers: Actually, I had very little to do with (the Dust Brothers). I'm like, What do you want me to do? And they're like, Oh, just do what you always do. I'm thinking, That's PRODUCING?

[www.timeisonourside.com]

For what matters, Stones LPs are mostly made of "jagger songs" since GHS. Can't say with bad results.

You're throwing around some things that are misleading on purpose ie alternative fakes aka fake news and argumentatively arbitrary: there are some Stones albums that are mostly Jagger made songs since GOATS HEAD SOUP.

There are probably quite a few that think, feel or know otherwise. A lot of people seem to not like EMOTIONAL RESCUE. Some don't like SOME GIRLS. But more don't like UNDERCOVER and a majority know DIRTY WORK is horrible. There are enough wincingly bad Jagger songs on VOODOO, BRIDGES and BANG to make a compilation.

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keithsman

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Rocky Dijon
While admittedly taken aback by lem's question, keithsman's indignation would go a lot further if you hadn't decided the million-selling SHE'S THE BOSS was rejected by Stones fans because Mick sang so effeminately you thought he was coming out as bisexual.

Man, you can't make this stuff up if you tried.

Somebody get Mike Love's brother in here to conduct sensitivity training.

Haha Rocky, you missed my dry sence of humour pointed towards Lem there, meaning if he sings like that then he must be gay lol.
Obviously that's not necessarily the case, STB is a little sissy sounding vocally comparred to Undercover but clearly it doesn't make him bisexual.

...but does being in bed with David Bowie make it so (Picardish sounding?)?

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

Go listen to SHE'S THE BOSS or DIRTY WORK and say straight faced that they sound good.

They both sound very good!

You may not like those sounds, but they were very well recorded

C

That's no different than saying That's a great bad picture on that HD-TV!

I listened to a bit of Just Another Night recently and was terrified at how awful it was produced. And just like DIRTY WORK, you're right - they were very well recorded... with horrific production and incredibly horrendous results.

Just another night is perfect as it is.

Dirty Work, you are so exposed with your hate for that album, that you could never publicly admit that you like it. But deep down you know that it is a good album!

C

Ah, pushing a wheelbarrow of silliness in front of yourself. Are you taking over for the DIRTY WORK peddlers that are gone?

My exposed hatred for DIRTY WORK has nothing to do with how bad it is - that was accomplished before I hated the album. You are right - I couldn't admit that I like it because I don't. Deep down I know it's their worst album - and deep up I know it's their worst album.

An album like BRIDGES TO BABYLON has pretty much the same amount of garbage on it that DIRTY WORK does, it just happens to be surrounded by more good songs.

Just Another Night is horrible. There are some decent songs on SHE'S THE BOSS - Lucky In Love, Secrets, Running Out Of Luck and 1/2 A Loaf but that's it. It's weird how PRIMITIVE COOL is a much better album, production wise, and has some pretty good songs (and one that was left off for some inane reason) and yet it's still viewed as weak, obviously for Let's Work but there's too much Jeff Beck in the songs.

Let's Work, for the choice as lead single, has to be amongst the worst decisions ever made by a Rolling Stone in or out of the band. Possibly only worse was to write, record and include it on the album.

Runner up worst choice for choice as lead single, Streets of Love. OMG.

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

Go listen to SHE'S THE BOSS or DIRTY WORK and say straight faced that they sound good.

They both sound very good!

You may not like those sounds, but they were very well recorded

C

That's no different than saying That's a great bad picture on that HD-TV!

I listened to a bit of Just Another Night recently and was terrified at how awful it was produced. And just like DIRTY WORK, you're right - they were very well recorded... with horrific production and incredibly horrendous results.

Just another night is perfect as it is.

Dirty Work, you are so exposed with your hate for that album, that you could never publicly admit that you like it. But deep down you know that it is a good album!

C

Ah, pushing a wheelbarrow of silliness in front of yourself. Are you taking over for the DIRTY WORK peddlers that are gone?

My exposed hatred for DIRTY WORK has nothing to do with how bad it is - that was accomplished before I hated the album. You are right - I couldn't admit that I like it because I don't. Deep down I know it's their worst album - and deep up I know it's their worst album.

An album like BRIDGES TO BABYLON has pretty much the same amount of garbage on it that DIRTY WORK does, it just happens to be surrounded by more good songs.

Just Another Night is horrible. There are some decent songs on SHE'S THE BOSS - Lucky In Love, Secrets, Running Out Of Luck and 1/2 A Loaf but that's it. It's weird how PRIMITIVE COOL is a much better album, production wise, and has some pretty good songs (and one that was left off for some inane reason) and yet it's still viewed as weak, obviously for Let's Work but there's too much Jeff Beck in the songs.

Curious - which is the good song IYO left off of PC?
I can't make up my mind which album I hate more "Cool" or "Boss". I think I may dislike "cool" more than 'Boss". On "Boss" Jagger sounds at least a little bit searching. On "Cool" he is IMO totally lost, but somehow comes across as if he thinks he knows what is what.
And it is true: on both albums there are a few songs that aren't half bad; that with the Stones as a band, and with better lyrics could have been alright. The production on the records is very off-putting.
This why "Spirit" and "Goddess" come across so much better - alot warmer and inviting.

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Palace Revolution 2000

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

Go listen to SHE'S THE BOSS or DIRTY WORK and say straight faced that they sound good.

They both sound very good!

You may not like those sounds, but they were very well recorded

C

That's no different than saying That's a great bad picture on that HD-TV!

I listened to a bit of Just Another Night recently and was terrified at how awful it was produced. And just like DIRTY WORK, you're right - they were very well recorded... with horrific production and incredibly horrendous results.

Just another night is perfect as it is.

Dirty Work, you are so exposed with your hate for that album, that you could never publicly admit that you like it. But deep down you know that it is a good album!

C

Ah, pushing a wheelbarrow of silliness in front of yourself. Are you taking over for the DIRTY WORK peddlers that are gone?

My exposed hatred for DIRTY WORK has nothing to do with how bad it is - that was accomplished before I hated the album. You are right - I couldn't admit that I like it because I don't. Deep down I know it's their worst album - and deep up I know it's their worst album.

An album like BRIDGES TO BABYLON has pretty much the same amount of garbage on it that DIRTY WORK does, it just happens to be surrounded by more good songs.

Just Another Night is horrible. There are some decent songs on SHE'S THE BOSS - Lucky In Love, Secrets, Running Out Of Luck and 1/2 A Loaf but that's it. It's weird how PRIMITIVE COOL is a much better album, production wise, and has some pretty good songs (and one that was left off for some inane reason) and yet it's still viewed as weak, obviously for Let's Work but there's too much Jeff Beck in the songs.

Curious - which is the good song IYO left off of PC?
I can't make up my mind which album I hate more "Cool" or "Boss". I think I may dislike "cool" more than 'Boss". On "Boss" Jagger sounds at least a little bit searching. On "Cool" he is IMO totally lost, but somehow comes across as if he thinks he knows what is what.
And it is true: on both albums there are a few songs that aren't half bad; that with the Stones as a band, and with better lyrics could have been alright. The production on the records is very off-putting.
This why "Spirit" and "Goddess" come across so much better - alot warmer and inviting.

Catch As Catch Can

PRIMITIVE COOL as this would make an excellent EP:
Throwaway
Kow Tow
Peace For The Wicked
Say You Will
Catch As Catch Can

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GasLightStreet

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Palace Revolution 2000

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

Quote
liddas

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GasLightStreet

Go listen to SHE'S THE BOSS or DIRTY WORK and say straight faced that they sound good.

They both sound very good!

You may not like those sounds, but they were very well recorded

C

That's no different than saying That's a great bad picture on that HD-TV!

I listened to a bit of Just Another Night recently and was terrified at how awful it was produced. And just like DIRTY WORK, you're right - they were very well recorded... with horrific production and incredibly horrendous results.

Just another night is perfect as it is.

Dirty Work, you are so exposed with your hate for that album, that you could never publicly admit that you like it. But deep down you know that it is a good album!

C

Ah, pushing a wheelbarrow of silliness in front of yourself. Are you taking over for the DIRTY WORK peddlers that are gone?

My exposed hatred for DIRTY WORK has nothing to do with how bad it is - that was accomplished before I hated the album. You are right - I couldn't admit that I like it because I don't. Deep down I know it's their worst album - and deep up I know it's their worst album.

An album like BRIDGES TO BABYLON has pretty much the same amount of garbage on it that DIRTY WORK does, it just happens to be surrounded by more good songs.

Just Another Night is horrible. There are some decent songs on SHE'S THE BOSS - Lucky In Love, Secrets, Running Out Of Luck and 1/2 A Loaf but that's it. It's weird how PRIMITIVE COOL is a much better album, production wise, and has some pretty good songs (and one that was left off for some inane reason) and yet it's still viewed as weak, obviously for Let's Work but there's too much Jeff Beck in the songs.

Curious - which is the good song IYO left off of PC?
I can't make up my mind which album I hate more "Cool" or "Boss". I think I may dislike "cool" more than 'Boss". On "Boss" Jagger sounds at least a little bit searching. On "Cool" he is IMO totally lost, but somehow comes across as if he thinks he knows what is what.
And it is true: on both albums there are a few songs that aren't half bad; that with the Stones as a band, and with better lyrics could have been alright. The production on the records is very off-putting.
This why "Spirit" and "Goddess" come across so much better - alot warmer and inviting.

Catch As Catch Can

PRIMITIVE COOL as this would make an excellent EP:
Throwaway
Kow Tow
Peace For The Wicked
Say You Will
Catch As Catch Can

LOL, thank you for not including "Party Doll".
I had forgotten about "Catch as Catch can" - totally right, a good song. Jagger had a knack of leaving some of the good ones on the cutting floor. "Blue", "If Things Could Be Different".
On a slightly different note: what was the song from B2B that Jagger had turned over to Babyface for production?

"Already Over Me."

The Babyface version doesn't circulate. Yet.

Throwaway is too 80s for me. All of it.

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DandelionPowderman
Throwaway is too 80s for me. All of it.

It is - but it's one of the better tracks! You know, it's very Stonesy, perhaps the most Stonesy sounding Jagger solo song ever. Jeff Beck's guitar playing on anything was a bad idea.

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Palace Revolution 2000

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GasLightStreet

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Palace Revolution 2000

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

Go listen to SHE'S THE BOSS or DIRTY WORK and say straight faced that they sound good.

They both sound very good!

You may not like those sounds, but they were very well recorded

C

That's no different than saying That's a great bad picture on that HD-TV!

I listened to a bit of Just Another Night recently and was terrified at how awful it was produced. And just like DIRTY WORK, you're right - they were very well recorded... with horrific production and incredibly horrendous results.

Just another night is perfect as it is.

Dirty Work, you are so exposed with your hate for that album, that you could never publicly admit that you like it. But deep down you know that it is a good album!

C

Ah, pushing a wheelbarrow of silliness in front of yourself. Are you taking over for the DIRTY WORK peddlers that are gone?

My exposed hatred for DIRTY WORK has nothing to do with how bad it is - that was accomplished before I hated the album. You are right - I couldn't admit that I like it because I don't. Deep down I know it's their worst album - and deep up I know it's their worst album.

An album like BRIDGES TO BABYLON has pretty much the same amount of garbage on it that DIRTY WORK does, it just happens to be surrounded by more good songs.

Just Another Night is horrible. There are some decent songs on SHE'S THE BOSS - Lucky In Love, Secrets, Running Out Of Luck and 1/2 A Loaf but that's it. It's weird how PRIMITIVE COOL is a much better album, production wise, and has some pretty good songs (and one that was left off for some inane reason) and yet it's still viewed as weak, obviously for Let's Work but there's too much Jeff Beck in the songs.

Curious - which is the good song IYO left off of PC?
I can't make up my mind which album I hate more "Cool" or "Boss". I think I may dislike "cool" more than 'Boss". On "Boss" Jagger sounds at least a little bit searching. On "Cool" he is IMO totally lost, but somehow comes across as if he thinks he knows what is what.
And it is true: on both albums there are a few songs that aren't half bad; that with the Stones as a band, and with better lyrics could have been alright. The production on the records is very off-putting.
This why "Spirit" and "Goddess" come across so much better - alot warmer and inviting.

Catch As Catch Can

PRIMITIVE COOL as this would make an excellent EP:
Throwaway
Kow Tow
Peace For The Wicked
Say You Will
Catch As Catch Can

LOL, thank you for not including "Party Doll".
I had forgotten about "Catch as Catch can" - totally right, a good song. Jagger had a knack of leaving some of the good ones on the cutting floor. "Blue", "If Things Could Be Different".
On a slightly different note: what was the song from B2B that Jagger had turned over to Babyface for production?

LOL! Party Doll is horrible.

Handing BabyFace Already Over Me, a song that was already gooey and cheesy (although musically it's pretty good), was such a great idea it got nixed.

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GasLightStreet

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DandelionPowderman
Throwaway is too 80s for me. All of it.

It is - but it's one of the better tracks! You know, it's very Stonesy, perhaps the most Stonesy sounding Jagger solo song ever. Jeff Beck's guitar playing on anything was a bad idea.

Jeff Beck, Simon Phillips and Dave Stewart would never sound Stonesy, even if they tried

Don't Tear Me Up is pretty Stonesy, without the all the «un-Stonesy» stuff, production-wise

In his defense, Jeff Beck played a terrific "Satisfaction" at the Waldorf Astoria in 1988. The problem is that with the exception of "Just Another Night," Jeff generally seems to sleepwalk through his sessions with Mick. He even plays a solo that sounds like Neal Schon on "Throwaway."

Simon Phillips is as far from Charlie as Mick could have wished.

Dave Stewart is hit and miss, quite literally when it comes to writing with Mick. Generally, I'd say he's Mick's most interesting songwriting partner outside of Keith.

As musical directors go, Mick should have stuck with Jimmy Rip for all his solo work.

I'd also say GODDESS IN THE DOORWAY would have been a heck of a lot easier on the ears if Stevie Salas had played on the album like he did the shows.

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Rocky Dijon
In his defense, Jeff Beck played a terrific "Satisfaction" at the Waldorf Astoria in 1988. The problem is that with the exception of "Just Another Night," Jeff generally seems to sleepwalk through his sessions with Mick. He even plays a solo that sounds like Neal Schon on "Throwaway."

Simon Phillips is as far from Charlie as Mick could have wished.

Dave Stewart is hit and miss, quite literally when it comes to writing with Mick. Generally, I'd say he's Mick's most interesting songwriting partner outside of Keith.

As musical directors go, Mick should have stuck with Jimmy Rip for all his solo work.

I'd also say GODDESS IN THE DOORWAY would have been a heck of a lot easier on the ears if Stevie Salas had played on the album like he did the shows.

Just to be clear, I didn't mean that any of them were poor or inferior in any way. All excellent musicians/songwriters (Stewart). It's just that their playing styles and the sound they're aiming for is far away from the Stones. They weren't exactly 80s hot shot musicians, either, so Mick must have thought he'd bring on board solid professionalism.

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DandelionPowderman
Throwaway is too 80s for me. All of it.

Agree, but I Like it!

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GasLightStreet

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Palace Revolution 2000

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GasLightStreet

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Palace Revolution 2000

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

Go listen to SHE'S THE BOSS or DIRTY WORK and say straight faced that they sound good.

They both sound very good!

You may not like those sounds, but they were very well recorded

C

That's no different than saying That's a great bad picture on that HD-TV!

I listened to a bit of Just Another Night recently and was terrified at how awful it was produced. And just like DIRTY WORK, you're right - they were very well recorded... with horrific production and incredibly horrendous results.

Just another night is perfect as it is.

Dirty Work, you are so exposed with your hate for that album, that you could never publicly admit that you like it. But deep down you know that it is a good album!

C

Ah, pushing a wheelbarrow of silliness in front of yourself. Are you taking over for the DIRTY WORK peddlers that are gone?

My exposed hatred for DIRTY WORK has nothing to do with how bad it is - that was accomplished before I hated the album. You are right - I couldn't admit that I like it because I don't. Deep down I know it's their worst album - and deep up I know it's their worst album.

An album like BRIDGES TO BABYLON has pretty much the same amount of garbage on it that DIRTY WORK does, it just happens to be surrounded by more good songs.

Just Another Night is horrible. There are some decent songs on SHE'S THE BOSS - Lucky In Love, Secrets, Running Out Of Luck and 1/2 A Loaf but that's it. It's weird how PRIMITIVE COOL is a much better album, production wise, and has some pretty good songs (and one that was left off for some inane reason) and yet it's still viewed as weak, obviously for Let's Work but there's too much Jeff Beck in the songs.

Curious - which is the good song IYO left off of PC?
I can't make up my mind which album I hate more "Cool" or "Boss". I think I may dislike "cool" more than 'Boss". On "Boss" Jagger sounds at least a little bit searching. On "Cool" he is IMO totally lost, but somehow comes across as if he thinks he knows what is what.
And it is true: on both albums there are a few songs that aren't half bad; that with the Stones as a band, and with better lyrics could have been alright. The production on the records is very off-putting.
This why "Spirit" and "Goddess" come across so much better - alot warmer and inviting.

Catch As Catch Can

PRIMITIVE COOL as this would make an excellent EP:
Throwaway
Kow Tow
Peace For The Wicked
Say You Will
Catch As Catch Can

LOL, thank you for not including "Party Doll".
I had forgotten about "Catch as Catch can" - totally right, a good song. Jagger had a knack of leaving some of the good ones on the cutting floor. "Blue", "If Things Could Be Different".
On a slightly different note: what was the song from B2B that Jagger had turned over to Babyface for production?

LOL! Party Doll is horrible.

Handing BabyFace Already Over Me, a song that was already gooey and cheesy (although musically it's pretty good), was such a great idea it got nixed.

You used to be my number one Skippy.

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treaclefingers

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GasLightStreet

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Palace Revolution 2000

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GasLightStreet

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Palace Revolution 2000

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

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liddas

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GasLightStreet

Go listen to SHE'S THE BOSS or DIRTY WORK and say straight faced that they sound good.

They both sound very good!

You may not like those sounds, but they were very well recorded

C

That's no different than saying That's a great bad picture on that HD-TV!

I listened to a bit of Just Another Night recently and was terrified at how awful it was produced. And just like DIRTY WORK, you're right - they were very well recorded... with horrific production and incredibly horrendous results.

Just another night is perfect as it is.

Dirty Work, you are so exposed with your hate for that album, that you could never publicly admit that you like it. But deep down you know that it is a good album!

C

Ah, pushing a wheelbarrow of silliness in front of yourself. Are you taking over for the DIRTY WORK peddlers that are gone?

My exposed hatred for DIRTY WORK has nothing to do with how bad it is - that was accomplished before I hated the album. You are right - I couldn't admit that I like it because I don't. Deep down I know it's their worst album - and deep up I know it's their worst album.

An album like BRIDGES TO BABYLON has pretty much the same amount of garbage on it that DIRTY WORK does, it just happens to be surrounded by more good songs.

Just Another Night is horrible. There are some decent songs on SHE'S THE BOSS - Lucky In Love, Secrets, Running Out Of Luck and 1/2 A Loaf but that's it. It's weird how PRIMITIVE COOL is a much better album, production wise, and has some pretty good songs (and one that was left off for some inane reason) and yet it's still viewed as weak, obviously for Let's Work but there's too much Jeff Beck in the songs.

Curious - which is the good song IYO left off of PC?
I can't make up my mind which album I hate more "Cool" or "Boss". I think I may dislike "cool" more than 'Boss". On "Boss" Jagger sounds at least a little bit searching. On "Cool" he is IMO totally lost, but somehow comes across as if he thinks he knows what is what.
And it is true: on both albums there are a few songs that aren't half bad; that with the Stones as a band, and with better lyrics could have been alright. The production on the records is very off-putting.
This why "Spirit" and "Goddess" come across so much better - alot warmer and inviting.

Catch As Catch Can

PRIMITIVE COOL as this would make an excellent EP:
Throwaway
Kow Tow
Peace For The Wicked
Say You Will
Catch As Catch Can

LOL, thank you for not including "Party Doll".
I had forgotten about "Catch as Catch can" - totally right, a good song. Jagger had a knack of leaving some of the good ones on the cutting floor. "Blue", "If Things Could Be Different".
On a slightly different note: what was the song from B2B that Jagger had turned over to Babyface for production?

LOL! Party Doll is horrible.

Handing BabyFace Already Over Me, a song that was already gooey and cheesy (although musically it's pretty good), was such a great idea it got nixed.

You used to be my number one Skippy.

It's not over yet. Besides, it's lonely at the top.

Revisiting those two eighties solo albums...

"Lonely at the Top" shows promise and with a radically different mix (bringing up Jeff and Pete's guitars and burying Guy Fletcher's synths), it might have worked. As it is, the track sounds flat as if we're listening to a pirated recording from the Soviet Union.

"Half a Loaf" is okay as far as Mick channeling Prince goes. My main problem is the title. Perhaps its an English expression that never traveled over the pond. It just seems clunky where we all know what he wanted to convey, but he needed a better lyrical hook to hang it upon.

"Running Out of Luck" is great to contrast with "Feel On, Baby." Both songs are stretching out in another idiom. The Stones track swings while the solo track never takes flight. Too much Golden Palominos/Material vibe? Maybe or maybe Mick needed someone like Keith to propel the music, no matter how much its down to Sly and Robbie in either case.

"Turn the Girl Loose" is the half-wit younger brother of "Emotional Rescue." If ever Mick had an Emperor's New Clothes moment it's this travesty with a bridge that sounds like he asked Herbie Hancock to play "Chopsticks." Dreadful from start to finish. And why bury Lenny Pickett behind the keyboards? No fire with the finish with Alfa Anderson either. Just awful.

"Hard Woman" has faded for me. I used to like it a lot. Now I could just say it's miles ahead of the version he cut with The Hooters. It's better than the last two tracks, but the whole first side is half-baked.

"Just Another Night" comes out of nowhere and shocks you with being (1) a natural follow-up to "Undercover of the Night", and (2) the only highlight of the entire album. Not a reason to leave the Stones, true, but still a very good Jagger song, regardless. Jeff Beck actually seems to care about what he's playing here. Both electric and especially acoustic are terrific. Herbie Hancock finally clicks with Jagger. Sly and Robbie are finally put to good use.

Then there's "Lucky in Love." There's a pretty good song in there if he had someone to rein in his excesses. It's too long for starters and too indulgent. The synclavier was a mistake, not just for this song, but any song that used it ever in music history.

"Secrets" is a worse missed opportunity than "Lonely at the Top." There's a good song here despite the "bad, bad, bad, bad, bad" finger-waving laziness. The problem is the musicians and the mix. It needed Pete and Jeff on this one, not G. E. Smith and Nile Rodgers. It needed Michael Shrieve and not Anton Fig. Then it needed a proper mix because yet again this sounds like a pirated copy of a sixth generation tape. The song wants to shout when it's muzzled instead.

"She's the Boss" is everything that's right and mainly wrong about this first solo album. When Mick went solo, I thought it made sense because "Too Much Blood" seemed to already have launched his solo career. I hate "Too Much Blood" but think it should have been the closing song on his solo album if the album had been darker and more honest about his lusts and anger. Instead, Mick just wants to have fun with his girlfriends at the mall. The synth farts all over this song with a flatulence that demanded medical attention. The one good bridge is lost in the self-indulgent mess of Mick left to his devices. He's right about one thing, he needed to keep his big mouth shut. There were moments on the 1981 and 1982 tours where the ending of "Miss You" seemed to go on forever with Mick going on about his bed. That's the problem with this one. It sounds like the earliest version of "Miss You" where all Mick had was the talking part. He needed to go back and actually write a proper song, instead he had an idea that he dressed up with expensive add-ons and then started prattling on endlessly in what remains the final studio appearance of his street character. He would never again channel this voice that had been such a part of his repertoire since SOME GIRLS. A sad finish, though, I suppose a bravura one since he never shuts up for six and a half minutes. Perhaps the spirit left his body at that point. Regardless, he never found the character again.

Speaking of indulgent messes and counting my own buttons before doing them up, I'll stop while I'm ahead and possibly consider PRIMITIVE COOL and the stray eighties singles another time.

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Rocky Dijon
Revisiting those two eighties solo albums...

"Lonely at the Top" shows promise and with a radically different mix (bringing up Jeff and Pete's guitars and burying Guy Fletcher's synths), it might have worked. As it is, the track sounds flat as if we're listening to a pirated recording from the Soviet Union.

"Half a Loaf" is okay as far as Mick channeling Prince goes. My main problem is the title. Perhaps its an English expression that never traveled over the pond. It just seems clunky where we all know what he wanted to convey, but he needed a better lyrical hook to hang it upon.

"Running Out of Luck" is great to contrast with "Feel On, Baby." Both songs are stretching out in another idiom. The Stones track swings while the solo track never takes flight. Too much Golden Palominos/Material vibe? Maybe or maybe Mick needed someone like Keith to propel the music, no matter how much its down to Sly and Robbie in either case.

"Turn the Girl Loose" is the half-wit younger brother of "Emotional Rescue." If ever Mick had an Emperor's New Clothes moment it's this travesty with a bridge that sounds like he asked Herbie Hancock to play "Chopsticks." Dreadful from start to finish. And why bury Lenny Pickett behind the keyboards? No fire with the finish with Alfa Anderson either. Just awful.

"Hard Woman" has faded for me. I used to like it a lot. Now I could just say it's miles ahead of the version he cut with The Hooters. It's better than the last two tracks, but the whole first side is half-baked.

"Just Another Night" comes out of nowhere and shocks you with being (1) a natural follow-up to "Undercover of the Night", and (2) the only highlight of the entire album. Not a reason to leave the Stones, true, but still a very good Jagger song, regardless. Jeff Beck actually seems to care about what he's playing here. Both electric and especially acoustic are terrific. Herbie Hancock finally clicks with Jagger. Sly and Robbie are finally put to good use.

Then there's "Lucky in Love." There's a pretty good song in there if he had someone to rein in his excesses. It's too long for starters and too indulgent. The synclavier was a mistake, not just for this song, but any song that used it ever in music history.

"Secrets" is a worse missed opportunity than "Lonely at the Top." There's a good song here despite the "bad, bad, bad, bad, bad" finger-waving laziness. The problem is the musicians and the mix. It needed Pete and Jeff on this one, not G. E. Smith and Nile Rodgers. It needed Michael Shrieve and not Anton Fig. Then it needed a proper mix because yet again this sounds like a pirated copy of a sixth generation tape. The song wants to shout when it's muzzled instead.

"She's the Boss" is everything that's right and mainly wrong about this first solo album. When Mick went solo, I thought it made sense because "Too Much Blood" seemed to already have launched his solo career. I hate "Too Much Blood" but think it should have been the closing song on his solo album if the album had been darker and more honest about his lusts and anger. Instead, Mick just wants to have fun with his girlfriends at the mall. The synth farts all over this song with a flatulence that demanded medical attention. The one good bridge is lost in the self-indulgent mess of Mick left to his devices. He's right about one thing, he needed to keep his big mouth shut. There were moments on the 1981 and 1982 tours where the ending of "Miss You" seemed to go on forever with Mick going on about his bed. That's the problem with this one. It sounds like the earliest version of "Miss You" where all Mick had was the talking part. He needed to go back and actually write a proper song, instead he had an idea that he dressed up with expensive add-ons and then started prattling on endlessly in what remains the final studio appearance of his street character. He would never again channel this voice that had been such a part of his repertoire since SOME GIRLS. A sad finish, though, I suppose a bravura one since he never shuts up for six and a half minutes. Perhaps the spirit left his body at that point. Regardless, he never found the character again.

Speaking of indulgent messes and counting my own buttons before doing them up, I'll stop while I'm ahead and possibly consider PRIMITIVE COOL and the stray eighties singles another time.

I enjoyed your assessment Rocky, thank you kindly.

Quote
Rocky Dijon
Revisiting those two eighties solo albums...

"Lonely at the Top" shows promise and with a radically different mix (bringing up Jeff and Pete's guitars and burying Guy Fletcher's synths), it might have worked. As it is, the track sounds flat as if we're listening to a pirated recording from the Soviet Union.

"Half a Loaf" is okay as far as Mick channeling Prince goes. My main problem is the title. Perhaps its an English expression that never traveled over the pond. It just seems clunky where we all know what he wanted to convey, but he needed a better lyrical hook to hang it upon.

"Running Out of Luck" is great to contrast with "Feel On, Baby." Both songs are stretching out in another idiom. The Stones track swings while the solo track never takes flight. Too much Golden Palominos/Material vibe? Maybe or maybe Mick needed someone like Keith to propel the music, no matter how much its down to Sly and Robbie in either case.

"Turn the Girl Loose" is the half-wit younger brother of "Emotional Rescue." If ever Mick had an Emperor's New Clothes moment it's this travesty with a bridge that sounds like he asked Herbie Hancock to play "Chopsticks." Dreadful from start to finish. And why bury Lenny Pickett behind the keyboards? No fire with the finish with Alfa Anderson either. Just awful.

"Hard Woman" has faded for me. I used to like it a lot. Now I could just say it's miles ahead of the version he cut with The Hooters. It's better than the last two tracks, but the whole first side is half-baked.

"Just Another Night" comes out of nowhere and shocks you with being (1) a natural follow-up to "Undercover of the Night", and (2) the only highlight of the entire album. Not a reason to leave the Stones, true, but still a very good Jagger song, regardless. Jeff Beck actually seems to care about what he's playing here. Both electric and especially acoustic are terrific. Herbie Hancock finally clicks with Jagger. Sly and Robbie are finally put to good use.

Then there's "Lucky in Love." There's a pretty good song in there if he had someone to rein in his excesses. It's too long for starters and too indulgent. The synclavier was a mistake, not just for this song, but any song that used it ever in music history.

"Secrets" is a worse missed opportunity than "Lonely at the Top." There's a good song here despite the "bad, bad, bad, bad, bad" finger-waving laziness. The problem is the musicians and the mix. It needed Pete and Jeff on this one, not G. E. Smith and Nile Rodgers. It needed Michael Shrieve and not Anton Fig. Then it needed a proper mix because yet again this sounds like a pirated copy of a sixth generation tape. The song wants to shout when it's muzzled instead.

"She's the Boss" is everything that's right and mainly wrong about this first solo album. When Mick went solo, I thought it made sense because "Too Much Blood" seemed to already have launched his solo career. I hate "Too Much Blood" but think it should have been the closing song on his solo album if the album had been darker and more honest about his lusts and anger. Instead, Mick just wants to have fun with his girlfriends at the mall. The synth farts all over this song with a flatulence that demanded medical attention. The one good bridge is lost in the self-indulgent mess of Mick left to his devices. He's right about one thing, he needed to keep his big mouth shut. There were moments on the 1981 and 1982 tours where the ending of "Miss You" seemed to go on forever with Mick going on about his bed. That's the problem with this one. It sounds like the earliest version of "Miss You" where all Mick had was the talking part. He needed to go back and actually write a proper song, instead he had an idea that he dressed up with expensive add-ons and then started prattling on endlessly in what remains the final studio appearance of his street character. He would never again channel this voice that had been such a part of his repertoire since SOME GIRLS. A sad finish, though, I suppose a bravura one since he never shuts up for six and a half minutes. Perhaps the spirit left his body at that point. Regardless, he never found the character again.

Speaking of indulgent messes and counting my own buttons before doing them up, I'll stop while I'm ahead and possibly consider PRIMITIVE COOL and the stray eighties singles another time.

Doing some paradox math from your write-up, we end up with an underdone quarter of a loaf, LOL.
But I also really enjoyed, and agree with that review. yes, the Synclavier has no business interacting with music.