This is the Hackney Diamonds "Album Talk" thread. Feel free to talk about the new Stones album as released on Friday Oct 20, 2023.

For the old now closed pre-release Hackney Diamonds thread see this link:

Hackney Diamonds - New Rolling Stones album due out Oct 20, 2023

For the editorial Hackney Diamonds pages, with album details, see the link:

The Rolling Stones Hackney Diamonds Album 2023 (IORR)

For track comments please use these "Track Talk" threads:

Angry

Get Close

Depending On You

Bite My Head Off

Whole Wide World

Dreamy Skies

Mess It Up

Live By The Sword

Driving Me Too Hard

Tell Me Straight

Sweet Sounds Of Heaven

Rolling Stone Blues

Bjornulf



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-19 20:58 by bv.

U.S. Limited edition black vinyl in exclusive artwork jacket designed by Paul Smith





Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-20 20:20 by schillid.

Not a single band member photo on the cd version, yeesus



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-19 20:56 by dedospegajosos.

10 hour countdown for me!

Man, if someone told me the day I bought A Bigger Bang that in 18 years I'd have a follow-up, I'd have laughed.

Not sure why so many people love the Paul Smith variant. Seems so generic and non-descript. A fan with Photoshop could have done as good.

Great to see reactions start to trickle in from fans and reviewers and how some songs are so universally praised and others so divisive.

Adding to the discourse after two listens on YouTube this morning:

1. Whole Wide World - I don't know, it's just so catchy. A fun and rare look into the past, catchy chorus, and that break where Mick really turns on the think accent all make it a treat.
2. Depending on You - Man, hits on a lot of different levels. Lyrics are also some of the most thoughtful.
3. Live by the Sword - This could change, but a lot of early reviews said this wasn't great, and I couldn't disagree more. That rhythm section, the fun Mick seems to be having, and that honky tonk piano make this incredibly fun. Somewhere Mark Bolan is smiling.
4. Sweet Sounds of Heaven - A masterpiece that may deserve to be higher. Lady Gaga doesn't come off as a guest just dropped in, and it builds to something so unique and classic.
5. Angry - Again, I keep coming back to fun, with some clever lines thrown in. The breakdown leading into the extended outro is infectious.
6. Mess it Up - Funky and a unexpected. Almost like they listened to Sex Drive and decided to try again.
7. Get Close - A tinge of introspection? Maybe? The sax solo is wonderful and it sounds like a BAND firing on all cylinders.
8. Driving Me Too Hard - Not a huge fan when I heard the clip on Planet Rock, but probably my most pleasant surprise on my first listen. Always Suffering meets Tumblin Dice.
9. Dreamy Skies - It'll grow on me, but hasn't left a mark yet.
10. Tell Me Straight - A slight disappointment. Love the lyrics and sparse orchestration, but just feels a little "been here before".
11. Bite My Head Off - Huge disappointment when I heard the Planet Rock clip, pleasantly surprised by the full version. Sounds like a bunch of guys having fun, and I'm sure it'll grow over time.

Rolling Stones Blues gets it's own category, because going in, I thought I knew what to expect from this track, and it completely blew me away by somehow being the exact opposite. A lived in song where you can hear and feel every moment, every lick, everything you love about this band, in 3 minutes of glory.

Overall, it feels like a cohesive album, feels like the band is invigorated and having fun. This isn't a "we need an excuse to tour" record and it shows. It feels modern in a way that isn't forced and timeless in a way only a band with this much history and continued vitality can pull off.

The 25 x 25 cm (10") HACKNEY DIAMONDS CD + BLU-RAY BOXSET has got some posters, but more important a great 68 pages book with all the details of the tracks, lyrics, band pictures (no Charlie pictures), and a tribute to Charile saying:

DEDICATED WITH LOVE
TO CHARLIEWATTS

Bjornulf

First impression after a few listens on YouTube (with VPN set to New Zealand): it's great fun, classic Stones and a fantastic addition to their catalogue. To me, however, it's certainly NOT their best album since Some Girls, as so many professional reviewers suggested. As such, it's a bit of a let-down, but again, this is only my first impression. I expect it to grow on me.

I know Darryl Jones was on tour, but it seems odd he isn’t on the album, at all. Like he couldn’t postpone some shows? It took only a few weeks to record the album. Something is being left unsaid, unless I missed it.

I would like a special order: a CD with the Paul Smith cover?

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schillid
U.S. Limited edition black vinyl in exclusive artwork jacket designed by Paul Smith

Really cool

Album, as expected, is fine. Not bad, not fantastic, it just kinda is. Some really good songs, a lot of forgettable ones we'd only give the time of day because they are who they are and its been so long since an album has come out. Listen, I'm glad they're still making music, but it'll most likely join every album since Tattoo You where I can't imagine listening to it after giving it a 5th try. Thats usually about enough for these releases.

But if people are truly enjoying, very happy for them.

Great album from start to finish filled with many catchy songs and some true gems. I don't think it should be compared to albums the Stones made 40 years ago... but to albums made this year by other artists and it's easely among the best albums released in 2023.

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kowalski
Great album from start to finish filled with many catchy songs and some true gems. I don't think it should be compared to albums the Stones made 40 years ago... but to albums made this year by other artists and it's easely among the best albums released in 2023.

You must not have listened to much this year.

I like it too but I'm not going to rank it in the classic album catalog. Maybe it's too early for me to give an accurate opinion, but it is at least fun. Lots of energy. Hard to believe this is old guys.

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Bastion

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kowalski
Great album from start to finish filled with many catchy songs and some true gems. I don't think it should be compared to albums the Stones made 40 years ago... but to albums made this year by other artists and it's easely among the best albums released in 2023.

You must not have listened to much this year.

Listened to many great albums in every styles this year - really a good year for music fans - and this album stands among the best to me.

I’m beyond excited to listen to the album, starting tomorrow!! The antagonizing posts of Bastion remind me why I stay off message boards these days. Peace and ROCK ON STONES

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kowalski
Great album from start to finish filled with many catchy songs and some true gems. I don't think it should be compared to albums the Stones made 40 years ago... but to albums made this year by other artists and it's easely among the best albums released in 2023.

You're so right!!
What did people expect? Another Sticky Fingers, Some Girls or Tatoo You part. 2 ?!
I really don't understand how anyone could expect anything better than such a good album!

...by experience (near 60 years) I know we need a long time to judge a Rolling Stones album or songs ....remember that before too sharp advices....!

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kowalski

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Bastion

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kowalski
Great album from start to finish filled with many catchy songs and some true gems. I don't think it should be compared to albums the Stones made 40 years ago... but to albums made this year by other artists and it's easely among the best albums released in 2023.

You must not have listened to much this year.

Listened to many great albums in every styles this year - really a good year for music fans - and this album stands among the best to me.

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gavin95
I’m beyond excited to listen to the album, starting tomorrow!! The antagonizing posts of Bastion remind me why I stay off message boards these days. Peace and ROCK ON STONES

No that's a fair point from both of you, sorry.

Angry did nothing for me but Sweet Sounds of Heaven was refreshing and at least something different. I'll give it a listen tomorrow

Better than ABB by a country mile.

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Topi
Better than ABB by a country mile.

Different era, different producer, some different musicians... Not sure it can be compared to ABB.

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jp.M
...by experience (near 60 years) I know we need a long time to judge a Rolling Stones album or songs ....remember that before too sharp advices....!

This is definitly truth! Time will tell. At the very moment I like it a lot. Not every song but most of them. And to me it seems to be a grower.

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Topi
Better than ABB by a country mile.

Agree..

If I'm comparing albums, this one still has "Some Girls" vibe all over it for me.
The sound, the excitement, the singles, the varied styles.. Lovin' it so far.

So far to me the stand out tracks are living by the sword and mess it up but all are excellent. Subtle work on the backing vocals of many songs.

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schillid
I would like a special order: a CD with the Paul Smith cover?

Love this cover.. In a jewel case, it would always look cracked

Damn this album is better than I expected.

They are still snarling their way through life and I love it.

Gold rings to them all

the shoot 'em dead, brainbell jangler!

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Topi
Better than ABB by a country mile.

Will you be saying that in 18 years time.

Won't be able to hear it in full until tomorrow when I can buy it. But it's already better than their last two albums from Angry and Sweet Sounds of Heaven alone. They're both hit singles to me, and they're really good. BTB didn't have a hit single, and ABB only had Rough Justice.

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keefriffhards

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Topi
Better than ABB by a country mile.

Will you be saying that in 18 years time.

No even in one year.
The new Stones album is always better than the previous one.
New album after HD and here we go again !

***
I'm just a Bad Boy Boogie

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rattler2004
Damn this album is better than I expected.

They are still snarling their way through life and I love it.

Gold rings to them all

You could almost say they were zippin' through the days at lightnin' speed.