Quote
nonfilter
This song is really blowing me away! Soul! I’m not interested in any critiques of how high Mick’s voice is in the mix, how some other female could’ve done it better than Gaga, how Steve Jordan didn’t drum it as good as Charlie would have…this is The Rolling Stones right now and they sound as powerful and spine chilling as they’ve ever sounded! I don’t hear guitars buried in the mix, I hear beautiful, unique guitar parts from Keith and Ronnie that subtly fit the song then get heavier as the song builds to its climax! I don’t hear an imitation of The Black Crowes. I hear my favorite band (and The Black Crowes’s favorite band, obviously) doing what they can instinctively do better than any imitator could ever do! I don’t hear a new version of an Otis Redding cover off of a bootleg of outtakes from the last couple of decades. I hear my favorite band harnessing the power and soul of one of their favorite styles of music and doing it in a way that only they could ever do it! That’s why they are so good on Otis Redding covers. It is why they are so good on Chuck Berry covers. If embracing a particular beat and style, and creating a groove and melody around that beat and style, and writing lyrics to that melody and recording that combination of chords, melody, and lyrics very loosely with great passion means you are just remaking another song, then, hardly anyone has ever written an original song.

This song is truly glorious! Gaga does an amazing job! She obviously totally loses herself in the performance! She has NEVER sang like this before! She does flub a couple of words, and that makes it sooooooo much better in this age of “perfect” autotuned vocals. This is a “real” recording! She has said as much in an interview that I can’t re-find to quote. She was talking about how cutting a track with the whole band playing live is an anomaly in this day and age. Steve isn’t Charlie. Nobody is. But Charlie is no longer available to do what he did better than anyone ever, so Steve is doing an amazing job allowing Mick and Keith to continue doing what they can do better than any imitators could ever get close to doing! And Steve is quite amazing himself! I honestly hated the idea of Andrew Watt producing when I first heard about it. Then I saw the credits from ASCAP showing he was a cowriter on 3 songs and became REALLY discouraged. But, these first two singles have made a believer out of me. He must be a true fan, who really knows their real talents, the things they can do that give you chills, the things that no other band can even come close to doing, and had the balls to tell them! I’ve read in different places that either Keith or Andrew played bass on this song. If it is Keith, it is abnormally restrained for him, but it fits the song well. If it is Andy, then my compliments Mr. Watt. It fits the song well.

I won’t even get started on Stevie Wonder! Best choice available today! Nicky and Billy aren’t available, so who would’ve thought of calling this guy??? I’m ecstatic that they did! He is absolutely BRILLIANT!! Back to the guitar work, at first listen, in my car, the second it was released on Spotify, I had a little trouble picking out what the guitars were playing. Each listen gave me more insight. Then, I got home and listened on better speakers and was brought to my knees by the guitar exchanges! This is true Keith and Ronnie interplay at its best! Keith is even doing the subtle one string lead lines, then hitting that razor sharp hard chord on the beat like he did in his absolute prime. Breathtaking stuff to say the least! Ronnie is playing perfect soul licks throughout, but my favorite part is when he almost goes into a different key to hit a couple of Berryesque double stops where they wouldn’t even seem to fit. This is the beauty of a living breathing band recording a song as a band.

And Mick Jagger. He is timeless. This is Mick doing what he was born to do. His delivery is sublime and flawless. Nobody can sing like this. Never could before, and never will. This isn’t Mick chasing pop music trends. It isn’t Mick trying to sound current. This is just Mick Jagger. And it is perfect. It’s everything he ever should be. Nobody can adlib lyrics like Mick Jagger when they run out of words on their lyric sheet. I loved it from the very beginning, but he totally slaughtered me when he hit the falsetto in the call and response with Gaga toward the end.

Ladies and Gentlemen. The Rolling Stones. This is a very special moment in time. Don’t miss it by focusing on or arguing about tiny details that you think could have been done in a slightly different way to improve things minimally. This is our favorite band delivering greatness.

Quote
Gangster-of-love

Quote
nonfilter
This song is really blowing me away! Soul! I’m not interested in any critiques of how high Mick’s voice is in the mix, how some other female could’ve done it better than Gaga, how Steve Jordan didn’t drum it as good as Charlie would have…this is The Rolling Stones right now and they sound as powerful and spine chilling as they’ve ever sounded! I don’t hear guitars buried in the mix, I hear beautiful, unique guitar parts from Keith and Ronnie that subtly fit the song then get heavier as the song builds to its climax! I don’t hear an imitation of The Black Crowes. I hear my favorite band (and The Black Crowes’s favorite band, obviously) doing what they can instinctively do better than any imitator could ever do! I don’t hear a new version of an Otis Redding cover off of a bootleg of outtakes from the last couple of decades. I hear my favorite band harnessing the power and soul of one of their favorite styles of music and doing it in a way that only they could ever do it! That’s why they are so good on Otis Redding covers. It is why they are so good on Chuck Berry covers. If embracing a particular beat and style, and creating a groove and melody around that beat and style, and writing lyrics to that melody and recording that combination of chords, melody, and lyrics very loosely with great passion means you are just remaking another song, then, hardly anyone has ever written an original song.

This song is truly glorious! Gaga does an amazing job! She obviously totally loses herself in the performance! She has NEVER sang like this before! She does flub a couple of words, and that makes it sooooooo much better in this age of “perfect” autotuned vocals. This is a “real” recording! She has said as much in an interview that I can’t re-find to quote. She was talking about how cutting a track with the whole band playing live is an anomaly in this day and age. Steve isn’t Charlie. Nobody is. But Charlie is no longer available to do what he did better than anyone ever, so Steve is doing an amazing job allowing Mick and Keith to continue doing what they can do better than any imitators could ever get close to doing! And Steve is quite amazing himself! I honestly hated the idea of Andrew Watt producing when I first heard about it. Then I saw the credits from ASCAP showing he was a cowriter on 3 songs and became REALLY discouraged. But, these first two singles have made a believer out of me. He must be a true fan, who really knows their real talents, the things they can do that give you chills, the things that no other band can even come close to doing, and had the balls to tell them! I’ve read in different places that either Keith or Andrew played bass on this song. If it is Keith, it is abnormally restrained for him, but it fits the song well. If it is Andy, then my compliments Mr. Watt. It fits the song well.

I won’t even get started on Stevie Wonder! Best choice available today! Nicky and Billy aren’t available, so who would’ve thought of calling this guy??? I’m ecstatic that they did! He is absolutely BRILLIANT!! Back to the guitar work, at first listen, in my car, the second it was released on Spotify, I had a little trouble picking out what the guitars were playing. Each listen gave me more insight. Then, I got home and listened on better speakers and was brought to my knees by the guitar exchanges! This is true Keith and Ronnie interplay at its best! Keith is even doing the subtle one string lead lines, then hitting that razor sharp hard chord on the beat like he did in his absolute prime. Breathtaking stuff to say the least! Ronnie is playing perfect soul licks throughout, but my favorite part is when he almost goes into a different key to hit a couple of Berryesque double stops where they wouldn’t even seem to fit. This is the beauty of a living breathing band recording a song as a band.

And Mick Jagger. He is timeless. This is Mick doing what he was born to do. His delivery is sublime and flawless. Nobody can sing like this. Never could before, and never will. This isn’t Mick chasing pop music trends. It isn’t Mick trying to sound current. This is just Mick Jagger. And it is perfect. It’s everything he ever should be. Nobody can adlib lyrics like Mick Jagger when they run out of words on their lyric sheet. I loved it from the very beginning, but he totally slaughtered me when he hit the falsetto in the call and response with Gaga toward the end.

Ladies and Gentlemen. The Rolling Stones. This is a very special moment in time. Don’t miss it by focusing on or arguing about tiny details that you think could have been done in a slightly different way to improve things minimally. This is our favorite band delivering greatness.

Same to me.
And we can be blessed that they release new material in their ages.

Quote
Rip This
BEING NEGATIVE JUST TO BE DIFFERENT OR BE CONTROVERSIAL IS BORING AND A WASTE OF TIME.....SORRY BUT CRITICISM OF WATT IS UNWARRANTED...HE MADE 80 YEAR OLDS SOUND RELEVANT...THEY HAVE A HIT...SO JUST STOP. THANKS.

btw here's a great article with A Watt

[www.billboard.com]

Quote
Doxa
Just thinking the relationship between Gospel and the Stones...

Before the new song, they haven't really done Gospel stuff that much. But there is one huge exception: EXILE ON MAIN STREET. There they had two pieces pretty directly gospel-influenced, "Shine A Light" and "Just Wanna See His Face". Plus the use of female, black church-like back vocs all over the album ("Let It Loose" and "Tumbling Dice" in particular) is a part of EXILE appeal. Even some pure rock tracks, such as "Rocks Off", "All Down The Line" and "Soul Survivor" there is a kind specific positive joy and energy that stems from like some Afro-American church mass, as much from the joints the blues dudes once played.

Makes me wonder that when I saw Aretha's wonderful AMAZING GRACE movie, and spotted Mick and Charlie there at the church, and knowing they were finishing up EXILE in L.A. at the time - did that concert affect on the gospel-spirit of EXILE? Or was it that they had that already in mind, but just wanted to find some inspiration from the Real Thing? Can be a pure co-incidence for sure, but still I tend to think that there was some kind of cause and effect there. Something was in the air. The bulk of those over-dubs of EXILE, such as all those gospelish female choruses, were then done in L.A. and those had an important role to the over-all specific feel and sound of EXILE.

So decades later, Mick, like we all, saw AMAZING GRACE and he discovered the gospel spirit in himself again?

Anyway, "Sweet Sounds of Heaven" is their purest Gospel attempt so far. Both musically and lyrically. The EXILE gospel tracks, although formally okay, are still are a bit suspicious lyrically - like with early country & western songs done tongue-in-a-cheek, they Stones-like do not take that serious and authentic attitude. "Just Wanna See His Face" sounds like a pretty skeptical and secular stance..

- Doxa

Quote
Redhotcarpet
It’s not terrible. Nothing spectacular, nothing memorable. 5/10

Quote
Rip This
BEING NEGATIVE JUST TO BE DIFFERENT OR BE CONTROVERSIAL IS BORING AND A WASTE OF TIME.....SORRY BUT CRITICISM OF WATT IS UNWARRANTED...HE MADE 80 YEAR OLDS SOUND RELEVANT...THEY HAVE A HIT...SO JUST STOP. THANKS.

btw here's a great article with A Watt

[www.billboard.com]

Quote
Doxa
Just thinking the relationship between Gospel and the Stones...

Before the new song, they haven't really done Gospel stuff that much. But there is one huge exception: EXILE ON MAIN STREET. There they had two pieces pretty directly gospel-influenced, "Shine A Light" and "Just Wanna See His Face". Plus the use of female, black church-like back vocs all over the album ("Let It Loose" and "Tumbling Dice" in particular) is a part of EXILE appeal. Even some pure rock tracks, such as "Rocks Off", "All Down The Line" and "Soul Survivor" there is a kind specific positive joy and energy that stems from like some Afro-American church mass, as much from the joints the blues dudes once played.

Makes me wonder that when I saw Aretha's wonderful AMAZING GRACE movie, and spotted Mick and Charlie there at the church, and knowing they were finishing up EXILE in L.A. at the time - did that concert affect on the gospel-spirit of EXILE? Or was it that they had that already in mind, but just wanted to find some inspiration from the Real Thing? Can be a pure co-incidence for sure, but still I tend to think that there was some kind of cause and effect there. Something was in the air. The bulk of those over-dubs of EXILE, such as all those gospelish female choruses, were then done in L.A. and those had an important role to the over-all specific feel and sound of EXILE.

So decades later, Mick, like we all, saw AMAZING GRACE and he discovered the gospel spirit in himself again?

Anyway, "Sweet Sounds of Heaven" is their purest Gospel attempt so far. Both musically and lyrically. The EXILE gospel tracks, although formally okay, are still are a bit suspicious lyrically - like with early country & western songs done tongue-in-a-cheek, they Stones-like do not take that serious and authentic attitude. "Just Wanna See His Face" sounds like a pretty skeptical and secular stance..

- Doxa

Quote
Rip This
BEING NEGATIVE JUST TO BE DIFFERENT OR BE CONTROVERSIAL IS BORING AND A WASTE OF TIME.....SORRY BUT CRITICISM OF WATT IS UNWARRANTED...HE MADE 80 YEAR OLDS SOUND RELEVANT...THEY HAVE A HIT...SO JUST STOP. THANKS.

btw here's a great article with A Watt

[www.billboard.com]

Quote
paulspendel
Artists in their 'late days' tend to minimalise their sound. Look at Cash, look at Solomon Burke. An intimate, warm sound with a basic band. Downplaying to get the opposite effect, if you get my drift. From the two first songs I derive they opted for a more orchestral, big sound.Nothing wrong with that. I would have preferred a smaller bang instead of a bigger bang looking at the phase their career is in.

Quote
paulspendel
Artists in their 'late days' tend to minimalise their sound. Look at Cash, look at Solomon Burke. An intimate, warm sound with a basic band. Downplaying to get the opposite effect, if you get my drift. From the two first songs I derive they opted for a more orchestral, big sound.Nothing wrong with that. I would have preferred a smaller bang instead of a bigger bang looking at the phase their career is in.

Quote
marcovandereijk
How about Saint of me as a gospel inspired song?
I think Billy Preston (he went to church in Brussels?) is the first one to bring some
gospel into the music, as he did on Shine a Light and Saint of me.
And isn't Salt of the Earth also an example of the Stones flirting with gospel?

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
marcovandereijk
How about Saint of me as a gospel inspired song?
I think Billy Preston (he went to church in Brussels?) is the first one to bring some
gospel into the music, as he did on Shine a Light and Saint of me.
And isn't Salt of the Earth also an example of the Stones flirting with gospel?

Indeed. There is certainly a gospel-vibe (especially) in the beginning of Saint Of Me. Both Salt Of The Earth and YCAGWYW are gospel-tinged.

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StonesCPA
"No I'm not, not going to hell
In some dusty motel" - is such a cool line from old rock stars and the way both Mick and Gaga say "motel" is a real highlight of the song.

Quote
goingmad

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
marcovandereijk
How about Saint of me as a gospel inspired song?
I think Billy Preston (he went to church in Brussels?) is the first one to bring some
gospel into the music, as he did on Shine a Light and Saint of me.
And isn't Salt of the Earth also an example of the Stones flirting with gospel?

Indeed. There is certainly a gospel-vibe (especially) in the beginning of Saint Of Me. Both Salt Of The Earth and YCAGWYW are gospel-tinged.

The ones I remember are:

Salt of the earth
YCAGWYW
Shine a light
Let it loose
I just wanna see his face
Saint of me
Sweet sounds of heaven

Quote
paulspendel
Artists in their 'late days' tend to minimalise their sound. Look at Cash, look at Solomon Burke. An intimate, warm sound with a basic band. Downplaying to get the opposite effect, if you get my drift. From the two first songs I derive they opted for a more orchestral, big sound.Nothing wrong with that. I would have preferred a smaller bang instead of a bigger bang looking at the phase their career is in.

Quote
retired_dog

Quote
goingmad

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
marcovandereijk
How about Saint of me as a gospel inspired song?
I think Billy Preston (he went to church in Brussels?) is the first one to bring some
gospel into the music, as he did on Shine a Light and Saint of me.
And isn't Salt of the Earth also an example of the Stones flirting with gospel?

Indeed. There is certainly a gospel-vibe (especially) in the beginning of Saint Of Me. Both Salt Of The Earth and YCAGWYW are gospel-tinged.

The ones I remember are:

Salt of the earth
YCAGWYW
Shine a light
Let it loose
I just wanna see his face
Saint of me
Sweet sounds of heaven

I would add "Continental Drift" to the list. It's not gospel in the traditional western sense, but still..