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matxil

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keefriffhards

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matxil

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StonedRambler

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Bjorn
And once again, I had to read that Thief in the night is a masterpiece...I need to go to Czechia, book a room and breathe some mountain air...

Also amazed by that, it's by far the weakest track on B2B for me.

Try playing along with it on an acoustic guitar to get the "feel" of it. It's rather simple, just three plain chords (although probably Dandelion can correct me here, maybe there are all kinds of diminished chords involved, I don't know about that). It's not a song with technical fireworks, but there's something about the "rhythm", the "flow", the "cadence" (or whatever the word is), the chord changes just a bit later than you normally would, the interchange between main and backing vocals (very well done in the live version posted earlier), indeed, similar to what he does in solo stuff like Illusion, where main and backing vocals do some kind of "weaving".
It's no rocker (Mick's voice is better for rockers than Keith's) but it's such a gentle, quite-off-the-beat trance-like thing, hardly a song, more a "mood".
Of course, all of the above could also be considered a negative thing for some people.

It's like explaining quantum physics to Monkeys.

No, it isn't.
And there's no need to be insulting.

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treaclefingers
Thinking about this today...if you took off two of the best songs, let's say the last two, SSoH and RsB what would you rate the album?

Still a great album right?

4 stars maybe, 4.5? So how do you rate it with SSoH and RsB which are monuments on their own?

It's a hot album.

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keefriffhards

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matxil

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keefriffhards

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matxil

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StonedRambler

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Bjorn
And once again, I had to read that Thief in the night is a masterpiece...I need to go to Czechia, book a room and breathe some mountain air...

Also amazed by that, it's by far the weakest track on B2B for me.

Try playing along with it on an acoustic guitar to get the "feel" of it. It's rather simple, just three plain chords (although probably Dandelion can correct me here, maybe there are all kinds of diminished chords involved, I don't know about that). It's not a song with technical fireworks, but there's something about the "rhythm", the "flow", the "cadence" (or whatever the word is), the chord changes just a bit later than you normally would, the interchange between main and backing vocals (very well done in the live version posted earlier), indeed, similar to what he does in solo stuff like Illusion, where main and backing vocals do some kind of "weaving".
It's no rocker (Mick's voice is better for rockers than Keith's) but it's such a gentle, quite-off-the-beat trance-like thing, hardly a song, more a "mood".
Of course, all of the above could also be considered a negative thing for some people.

It's like explaining quantum physics to Monkeys.

No, it isn't.
And there's no need to be insulting.

Sorry about that i didn't want to come across as insulting, it's just that you beautifully explained the science of the song, but alas i don't think you can change someone's mind about how you hear music with words.

I think that is a problem with music, you can get some prolific writers on iorr over the years analysing the Stones sound, painstakingly opening it up and studying it to see what makes it tick, but you can't, as our Keith said it's from the neck down.

When i played the new album i made the mistake of listening to it from my mind, studying its parts desperately trying to understand it. It didn't work, it wouldn't connect to me.
One night when my wife was out after a few too many drinks i blasted Hackney Diamonds at full volume, got out my air guitar out and it hit me, it clicked, this album is about fun and letting your hair down, paint the town red , and bless the Stones for still doing that for us at 80 years of age, getting the old to think they're young again.

I think that is what this album is about, sure it's sided towards Mick's Rock as opossed to Keith's Roll but it connects with most Stones fans and that is Mick, he doesn't like to take chances, that's why we get the warhorses at all live shows he gives the audience what they came for and that above all else is the reason for this band's 60 years of success

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amg077

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RobertJohnson
I once created my current order of released studio albums. 'Current' because the preferences can always change within certain limits. However, the numbers 26 and 25 will never get away from these places. Listed from the worst to the best album.

26. Their Satanic Majesties Request
25. Between the Buttons
24. Emotional Rescue
23. Aftermath
22. Dirty Work
21. Undercover of the Night
20. Tattoo You
19. December's Children
18. Black and Blue
17. Hackney Diamonds
16. Steel Wheels
15. Bridges to Babylon
14. Voodoo Lounge
13. England's Newest Hitmakers (US)/The Rolling Stones (EU)
12. The Rolling Stones No. 2 (EU)/ The Rolling Stones, Now! (US)
11. 12 x 5
10. Out of our Heads (EU)/Out of our Heads (US)
09. Blue & Lonesome
08. Some Girls
07. Goat's Head Soup
06. It's Only Rock'n Roll
05. A Bigger Bang
04. Let It Bleed
03. Beggar's Banquet
02. Sticky Fingers
01. Exile on Main Street

For me the post 1989 albums (not the absolute truth, just my opinion), from worst to best:

6. Steel Wheels
5. Bridges to Babylon
4.Voodoo Lounge
3. A Bigger Bang
2. Blue & Lonesome
1. Hackney Diamonds

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James Kirk
The Rolling Stones had the best selling album in the world this week and it wasn’t even close.

[www.mediatraffic.de]

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laertisflash
For those who have an interest in statistics: As I see on Mediatraffic Global chart, "Hackney Diamonds" is #1 worldwide with 386.000 "equivalent sales" this week.

There are two new entries on Top 10. The Stones and Blink - 182 (#2, with 196.000 "equivalent sales").

Some decades ago, I couldn't imagine the Stones coming top in the Global Chart,
at the age of 80, by a new studio album...

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stonesstein
Is there even a chart these days considered to be "the" chart like Billboard was when records were king?

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Big Al

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treaclefingers
Thinking about this today...if you took off two of the best songs, let's say the last two, SSoH and RsB what would you rate the album?

Still a great album right?

4 stars maybe, 4.5? So how do you rate it with SSoH and RsB which are monuments on their own?

It's a hot album.

I'm giving Hackney Diamonds are respectable 3.5 stars. It's not quite a 4; at least yet. 4 stars is Tattoo You territory, and it's not as good at that. With the two songs mentioned, I'd still rate it 3.5

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Big Al

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treaclefingers
Thinking about this today...if you took off two of the best songs, let's say the last two, SSoH and RsB what would you rate the album?

Still a great album right?

4 stars maybe, 4.5? So how do you rate it with SSoH and RsB which are monuments on their own?

It's a hot album.

I'm giving Hackney Diamonds are respectable 3.5 stars. It's not quite a 4; at least yet. 4 stars is Tattoo You territory, and it's not as good at that. With the two songs mentioned, I'd still rate it 3.5

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Big Al
I haven’t contributed very much to the Hackney Diamonds discussion, as I don’t believe I have anything particularly unique to say. I will refrain from offering a full-on review, here, but would like to say that I do think Hackney Diamonds is a relatively strong release. It does seem to me that it’s Andrew Watt’s production, and the overall sound, that the detractors have issue with. I say this because, whilst one may not find the song-writing remarkable, I struggle to see how anyone can think these are ‘bad songs’ There’s tuneful, pleasing melodies throughout, and the record has a conciseness that, for me, only makes the likes of A Bigger Bang feel that much more bloated. I’m not too sure where I would place Hackney Diamonds in an overall album-ranking, but I would say it’s their best since Steel Wheels. Okay, actually, here’s how I would rank the albums from the 80’s to present:

1. Tattoo You
2. Undercover
3. Steel Wheels
4. Hackney Diamonds
5. Voodoo Lounge
6. Bridges to Babylon
7. Emotional Rescue
8. A Bigger Bang
9. Blue & Lonesome
10. Dirty Work

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floodonthepage

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Big Al
I haven’t contributed very much to the Hackney Diamonds discussion, as I don’t believe I have anything particularly unique to say. I will refrain from offering a full-on review, here, but would like to say that I do think Hackney Diamonds is a relatively strong release. It does seem to me that it’s Andrew Watt’s production, and the overall sound, that the detractors have issue with. I say this because, whilst one may not find the song-writing remarkable, I struggle to see how anyone can think these are ‘bad songs’ There’s tuneful, pleasing melodies throughout, and the record has a conciseness that, for me, only makes the likes of A Bigger Bang feel that much more bloated. I’m not too sure where I would place Hackney Diamonds in an overall album-ranking, but I would say it’s their best since Steel Wheels. Okay, actually, here’s how I would rank the albums from the 80’s to present:

1. Tattoo You
2. Undercover
3. Steel Wheels
4. Hackney Diamonds
5. Voodoo Lounge
6. Bridges to Babylon
7. Emotional Rescue
8. A Bigger Bang
9. Blue & Lonesome
10. Dirty Work

Interesting. I agree that HD is best album since 'Steel Wheels'. Best original album anyway, as I have B & L in there between SW and HD.

My list would be....

1. Tattoo You
2. Undercover
3. Emotional Rescue
4. Steel Wheels
5. Blue & Lonesome
6. Hackney Diamonds
7. Bridges to Babylon
8. A Bigger Bang
9. Dirty Work
10. Voodoo Lounge

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SomeTorontoGirl
Here’s the Album Talk we all need! A few familiar - and knowledgeable - faces discussing it track by track. The superb IORR band leader, Bård Anderson and the delightful Gazza / Gary are front and centre! Enjoy.