I really like that they don’t have Keith singing the last song. To have Tell Me Straight followed by Sweet Sounds of Heaven followed by Rolling Stone Blues… that is a masterclass in song sequencing.

To me the album starts off very strong, dips a little in the middle and absolutely kills it in the end.

JumpingKentFlash

Mick is a genius. The Stones are 80 and sound like younger than ever. Just so good.

Cdjapan hopefully deliver by next Tuesday, really thinking on purchasing the vinyl this weekend.

Pity no band photos in the standard edition booklet. The bigger 64 page booklet, many band shots? I'm sure an unboxing/unwrapping video will pop up on YouTube.

Such an exciting time to be a fan of this band. Loving the album.

I visted the Hackney bus today in Hannover (details => [iorr.org])

I listened to a little more than half of HD right there. My feeling was that most of the songs are somehow 'overproduced' and that the bass is too dominant in the mix. But maybe that's just an effect of the atmos thing and/or there place were I was standing at inside the bus.

Angry - dumb song, bad single

Get Close - could be a solo Mick Jagger track and no one would care about it then. Nothing much of note about it.

Depending On You - good track. Again, its a Mick Jagger solo song, in the same way Streets Of Love and Following The River are, but I like those and I like this one too.

Bite My Head Off - the de facto best song on the album. Excellent vocals from Mick, cool that it sounds live and that he name checks Paul. Kinda wimpy riff, or at least nothing that special, but at least it sounds like its trying to be a Stones riff. About the best I'd expect from them at this point.

Whole Wide World - Pretty pathetic lyrically and forgettable musically. I think my biggest issue so far with the record is there's nothing distinctively Stones about it at all beyond Mick's vocals. Otherwise, it could be all session musicians. I genuinely felt Keith was much more distinctive on A Bigger Bang, which makes sense cause most of those songs were just recorded with the core group, or Jagger or Richards. It sounds like them in a room trying to hammer stuff out. This sounds like Mick was ready to record and Andrew Watt made the band sound like any random backing band, and the Stones are not and have never been just Mick Jagger.

Dreamy Skies - Didn't love the track but I actually would have preferred more of this than what they ended up going for. I feel like this feels a lot more natural for them, and something that they could sell and write better tunes than this one in the vein of, but that this was a nice start to that.

Mess It Up - Sad that one of the two Charlie tracks was the dance track that feels like it could be played in a club. Hopefully Bill and Charlie on the next one can salvage some expectations.

Live By The Sword - Pretty underwhelmed. In an album of bad lyrics, I would say this is unequivocally the worst. Song itself wasn't anything fantastic either. I'd argue Elton John is the best part of it.

Driving Me Too Hard - In an album of not great songs, it doesn't say much (or it does) that this is up there as one of the better songs to me.

Tell Me Straight - easy Keith song and not in his upper echelon

Sweet Sounds Of Heaven - excellent track.

Rolling Stone Blues - Its fine. I get what they were trying to do, and its cute, but its more forced than it is authentic. But again, for historical purposes its fine.

Again, I'm happy they're still making music. I didn't expect much so I'm not judging them, but I'm also not gonna lie to myself and say its good.

Quote
RollingFreak
Angry - dumb song, bad single

Get Close - could be a solo Mick Jagger track and no one would care about it then. Nothing much of note about it.

Depending On You - good track. Again, its a Mick Jagger solo song, in the same way Streets Of Love and Following The River are, but I like those and I like this one too.

Bite My Head Off - the de facto best song on the album. Excellent vocals from Mick, cool that it sounds live and that he name checks Paul. Kinda wimpy riff, or at least nothing that special, but at least it sounds like its trying to be a Stones riff. About the best I'd expect from them at this point.

Whole Wide World - Pretty pathetic lyrically and forgettable musically. I think my biggest issue so far with the record is there's nothing distinctively Stones about it at all beyond Mick's vocals. Otherwise, it could be all session musicians. I genuinely felt Keith was much more distinctive on A Bigger Bang, which makes sense cause most of those songs were just recorded with the core group, or Jagger or Richards. It sounds like them in a room trying to hammer stuff out. This sounds like Mick was ready to record and Andrew Watt made the band sound like any random backing band, and the Stones are not and have never been just Mick Jagger.

Dreamy Skies - Didn't love the track but I actually would have preferred more of this than what they ended up going for. I feel like this feels a lot more natural for them, and something that they could sell and write better tunes than this one in the vein of, but that this was a nice start to that.

Mess It Up - Sad that one of the two Charlie tracks was the dance track that feels like it could be played in a club. Hopefully Bill and Charlie on the next one can salvage some expectations.

Live By The Sword - Pretty underwhelmed. In an album of bad lyrics, I would say this is unequivocally the worst. Song itself wasn't anything fantastic either. I'd argue Elton John is the best part of it.

Driving Me Too Hard - In an album of not great songs, it doesn't say much (or it does) that this is up there as one of the better songs to me.

Tell Me Straight - easy Keith song and not in his upper echelon

Sweet Sounds Of Heaven - excellent track.

Rolling Stone Blues - Its fine. I get what they were trying to do, and its cute, but its more forced than it is authentic. But again, for historical purposes its fine.

Again, I'm happy they're still making music. I didn't expect much so I'm not judging them, but I'm also not gonna lie to myself and say its good.

from what I heard at the HD bus I have to agree on almost everything you wrote

Finished listening to it.

My eyes area teary. Glad to be alive to hear this album.

Best album since 1978, for me.

My favorite ones:

-Whole Wide World
-Dreamy Skies
-Tell Me Straight
-Mess It Up

My top 10 stones albums would be:

Sticky Fingers
Let it Bleed
Beggars Banquet
Some Girls
Exile on Main St
Goats Head Soup
Hackney Diamonds
Blue & Lonesome
A Bigger Bang
Between the buttons

Quote
amg077
Finished listening to it.

My eyes area teary. Glad to be alive to hear this album.

Best album since 1978, for me.

My favorite ones:

-Whole Wide World
-Dreamy Skies
-Tell Me Straight
-Mess It Up

My top 10 stones albums would be:

Sticky Fingers
Let it Bleed
Beggars Banquet
Some Girls
Exile on Main St
Goats Head Soup
Hackney Diamonds
Blue & Lonesome
A Bigger Bang
Between the buttons

let's talk about your ratings and ranking in ten years

Quote
slewan

Quote
amg077
Finished listening to it.

My eyes area teary. Glad to be alive to hear this album.

Best album since 1978, for me.

My favorite ones:

-Whole Wide World
-Dreamy Skies
-Tell Me Straight
-Mess It Up

My top 10 stones albums would be:

Sticky Fingers
Let it Bleed
Beggars Banquet
Some Girls
Exile on Main St
Goats Head Soup
Hackney Diamonds
Blue & Lonesome
A Bigger Bang
Between the buttons

let's talk about your ratings and ranking in ten years

Sure, we do change with time

Quote
amg077

Quote
slewan

Quote
amg077
Finished listening to it.

My eyes area teary. Glad to be alive to hear this album.

Best album since 1978, for me.

My favorite ones:

-Whole Wide World
-Dreamy Skies
-Tell Me Straight
-Mess It Up

My top 10 stones albums would be:

Sticky Fingers
Let it Bleed
Beggars Banquet
Some Girls
Exile on Main St
Goats Head Soup
Hackney Diamonds
Blue & Lonesome
A Bigger Bang
Between the buttons

let's talk about your ratings and ranking in ten years

Sure, we do change with time

well, I'm always sceptical about rating – especially rating newly released stuff. Quite often people are overwhelmed by new stuff but quite often that new stuff does not stand the test of time. It also happens the other way round.
I was surprised to find out that Exile wasn't hailed as a masterpiece when it was first released…



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-20 01:09 by slewan.

Quote
slewan

Quote
amg077

Quote
slewan

Quote
amg077
Finished listening to it.

My eyes area teary. Glad to be alive to hear this album.

Best album since 1978, for me.

My favorite ones:

-Whole Wide World
-Dreamy Skies
-Tell Me Straight
-Mess It Up

My top 10 stones albums would be:

Sticky Fingers
Let it Bleed
Beggars Banquet
Some Girls
Exile on Main St
Goats Head Soup
Hackney Diamonds
Blue & Lonesome
A Bigger Bang
Between the buttons

let's talk about your ratings and ranking in ten years

Sure, we do change with time

well, I'm always sceptical abou rating – especially rating newly released stuff. Quite often people are overwhelmed by new stuff but quite often that new stuff does not stand the test of time. It also happens the other way round.
I was surprised to find out that Exile wasn't hailed as a masterpiece when it was frist released…

You know, Exile was my first Rolling Stones album not being a compilation that I bough in 2010 and was kind of disappointed. I was 20. But with time I learned to value the album, but I was suche a huge fan of Voodoo Lounge and Bridges to Babylon. With time, those two albums fell out of my top 10 (specially brides to Babylon)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-20 01:10 by amg077.

Quote
amg077

Quote
slewan

Quote
amg077

Quote
slewan

Quote
amg077
Finished listening to it.

My eyes area teary. Glad to be alive to hear this album.

Best album since 1978, for me.

My favorite ones:

-Whole Wide World
-Dreamy Skies
-Tell Me Straight
-Mess It Up

My top 10 stones albums would be:

Sticky Fingers
Let it Bleed
Beggars Banquet
Some Girls
Exile on Main St
Goats Head Soup
Hackney Diamonds
Blue & Lonesome
A Bigger Bang
Between the buttons

let's talk about your ratings and ranking in ten years

Sure, we do change with time

well, I'm always sceptical abou rating – especially rating newly released stuff. Quite often people are overwhelmed by new stuff but quite often that new stuff does not stand the test of time. It also happens the other way round.
I was surprised to find out that Exile wasn't hailed as a masterpiece when it was frist released…

You know, Exile was my first Rolling Stones album not being a compilation that I bough in 2010 and was kind of disappointed. I was 20. But with time I learned to value the album, but I was suche a huge fan of Voodoo Lounge and Bridges to Babylon. With time, those two albums fell out of my top 10 (specially brides to Babylon)

so be careful with 'Hackney Diamonds' (might turn out just broken glass pearls)

'brides to Babylon' – great Freudian slip of tongue!

Superb album Hackney Diamonds, I have told everything for dirty rock magazine in Spain

[www.dirtyrock.info]

Carlitos
Tenerife

A wonderful record. So much to enjoy, explore and smile at.

I'm giving it a 6.5 out of 10, which sounds like a low score but overall I'm happy and pleased with the album. There are 8 tracks that are keepers and 4 that I would pass on. Hopefully the ones I didn't care for will grow on me.

Angry - I think this is a solid song that rocks yet also has a bit of a wistful country vibe about it. I like that the last minute is just plain rock, when a lot of producers would want to switch up the instrumentation or add another bridge or something.

Get Close - I heard a little of it for one listen when it leaked, and that was under poor conditions. I initially didn't like "Get Close" and was worried when I saw how positively others here were reacting. Finally hearing the whole thing in a better version and under calmer circumstances, I liked it. Hearing it a second time, I really liked it, and by the third listen I was wondering how I lived without this song in my life. It's an excellent track that I seem to enjoy more each time I hear it. This is the next level ballad we were looking for. My third favorite song on the record.

Depending On You - I don't gravitate toward ballads, and there's nothing exceptionally novel or new about this one. But it's a pretty good song, so I would keep it on a playlist. I would maybe put it at the end of a custom CD because for me it feels like a chill out song in the vein of "Waiting On A Friend" or "Worried About You" and more appropriate for the end of the party than near the beginning.

Bite My Head Off - As big a fan I am of both fast punk numbers and of Paul McCartney, this one sounds too much like "Eazy Sleazy" for my liking, and "Eazy Sleazy" already sounded too much like the Sex Pistols's "Liar." I wish I could say I liked this track, but I don't. Hopefully my opinion will change in the future.

Whole Wide World - Loved it! This is my second favorite track on the album. Starts off as rock and gets very poppy. To me it sounded different, fresh, and youthful. I love the Stones out of their comfort zone, and this song felt new and modern. I sure do hope it becomes a hit.

Dreamy Skies - It sounds so much like "Short and Curlies" that it distracts me. I hope others like it, but this is another track I would pass on.

Mess It Up - My favorite track on the album. A+ from me here. The first time hearing the verse, I was afraid this song would be mediocre. But then the chorus hit and it did something to the primal, reptilian part of my brain that reacts to music. It just sounds so good to me in a way I can't quite describe. I think the song is deceptively well written. Just a sweet groove and top notch songwriting. The "really want to call a truce" melody is just a fantastic resolution for the preceding music. They should all be proud of this one. Mick's falsetto, just slammin'. And while I think Steve Jordan does a great job, Charlie's drumming really makes a difference here.

Live By The Sword - The lyrics are corny and the music similar to the '90's B side "Jump On Top Of Me." But "Jump On Top Of Me" is a top 10 Stones song in my book. If they're going to emulate another song in their back catalog, who am I to argue with choosing "Jump On Top Of Me?" "Live By The Sword" is not in the upper tier of songs for me, it's a little forced and uninspired but it's a fun performance and overall enjoyable enough to keep. I love the modern bridge. I wish there was more of that in the whole album. The rest of it is pretty meat and potatoes rock music like "Angry" was. Nothing at all wrong with that.

Driving Me Too Hard - It's a good ballad, well performed and produced. There's nothing explicitly bad about it. But it doesn't resonate with me for some reason. Part of it is my natural preference for more rocking songs. Maybe my opinion will change with more listens.

Tell Me Straight - I feel like the Grinch for bagging on Keith's only song, but I'm just so tired of mournful ballads. Again, it is a decent song and Keith sings it very well. He's in good voice and seems invested in the song. It's wonderful to hear Mick on backup vocals. It feels so rare to hear them sing together like that. The track has merit. It's good, but just not to my taste.

Sweet Sound Of Heaven - I think this is a masterwork. I've heard people say it sounds like a lift of Otis Redding's "I've Got Dreams To Remember" and certainly this song owes a debt to Redding's song. But I can accept it as it's own thing. To me it's different enough as to not be distracting or off-putting. And I can say it never, ever feels like 7 minutes. Every time I hear it it time just flies by. That's the sign of a truly great song. A 7 minute song should earn its running time, and imho this song succeeds.

Rolling Stone Blues - Just Mick & Keith eyeball to eyeball bringing the hardcore blues with nothing but a guitar and a harmonica. I always think of the young people for whom this will be not only their first real exposure to the Stones, but to real bare bones blues. Keith's playing is fantastic and Mick does some amazing harp work. 60 years of playing this music has made these two into a well-oiled machine, and you can hear it.

It helps to have something to celebrate in these times, a bit of escapism. Even though I will probably be more critical in the future, at the moment I cannot imagine what a Stones fan could wish for at this point other than a song like Live by the Sword or Driving Me Too Hard. Many things can be said and analysed. Lyrics here, production there. One thing is for certain: The album has energy, life and a certain urgency. Three things that are in the center of a good Stones album.

Quote
jahisnotdead
I'm giving it a 6.5 out of 10, which sounds like a low score but overall I'm happy and pleased with the album. There are 8 tracks that are keepers and 4 that I would pass on. Hopefully the ones I didn't care for will grow on me.

Angry - I think this is a solid song that rocks yet also has a bit of a wistful country vibe about it. I like that the last minute is just plain rock, when a lot of producers would want to switch up the instrumentation or add another bridge or something.

Get Close - I heard a little of it for one listen when it leaked, and that was under poor conditions. I initially didn't like "Get Close" and was worried when I saw how positively others here were reacting. Finally hearing the whole thing in a better version and under calmer circumstances, I liked it. Hearing it a second time, I really liked it, and by the third listen I was wondering how I lived without this song in my life. It's an excellent track that I seem to enjoy more each time I hear it. This is the next level ballad we were looking for. My third favorite song on the record.

Depending On You - I don't gravitate toward ballads, and there's nothing exceptionally novel or new about this one. But it's a pretty good song, so I would keep it on a playlist. I would maybe put it at the end of a custom CD because for me it feels like a chill out song in the vein of "Waiting On A Friend" or "Worried About You" and more appropriate for the end of the party than near the beginning.

Bite My Head Off - As big a fan I am of both fast punk numbers and of Paul McCartney, this one sounds too much like "Eazy Sleazy" for my liking, and "Eazy Sleazy" already sounded too much like the Sex Pistols's "Liar." I wish I could say I liked this track, but I don't. Hopefully my opinion will change in the future.

Whole Wide World - Loved it! This is my second favorite track on the album. Starts off as rock and gets very poppy. To me it sounded different, fresh, and youthful. I love the Stones out of their comfort zone, and this song felt new and modern. I sure do hope it becomes a hit.

Dreamy Skies - It sounds so much like "Short and Curlies" that it distracts me. I hope others like it, but this is another track I would pass on.

Mess It Up - My favorite track on the album. A+ from me here. The first time hearing the verse, I was afraid this song would be mediocre. But then the chorus hit and it did something to the primal, reptilian part of my brain that reacts to music. It just sounds so good to me in a way I can't quite describe. I think the song is deceptively well written. Just a sweet groove and top notch songwriting. The "really want to call a truce" melody is just a fantastic resolution for the preceding music. They should all be proud of this one. Mick's falsetto, just slammin'. And while I think Steve Jordan does a great job, Charlie's drumming really makes a difference here.

Live By The Sword - The lyrics are corny and the music similar to the '90's B side "Jump On Top Of Me." But "Jump On Top Of Me" is a top 10 Stones song in my book. If they're going to emulate another song in their back catalog, who am I to argue with choosing "Jump On Top Of Me?" "Live By The Sword" is not in the upper tier of songs for me, it's a little forced and uninspired but it's a fun performance and overall enjoyable enough to keep. I love the modern bridge. I wish there was more of that in the whole album. The rest of it is pretty meat and potatoes rock music like "Angry" was. Nothing at all wrong with that.

Driving Me Too Hard - It's a good ballad, well performed and produced. There's nothing explicitly bad about it. But it doesn't resonate with me for some reason. Part of it is my natural preference for more rocking songs. Maybe my opinion will change with more listens.

Tell Me Straight - I feel like the Grinch for bagging on Keith's only song, but I'm just so tired of mournful ballads. Again, it is a decent song and Keith sings it very well. He's in good voice and seems invested in the song. It's wonderful to hear Mick on backup vocals. It feels so rare to hear them sing together like that. The track has merit. It's good, but just not to my taste.

Sweet Sound Of Heaven - I think this is a masterwork. I've heard people say it sounds like a lift of Otis Redding's "I've Got Dreams To Remember" and certainly this song owes a debt to Redding's song. But I can accept it as it's own thing. To me it's different enough as to not be distracting or off-putting. And I can say it never, ever feels like 7 minutes. Every time I hear it it time just flies by. That's the sign of a truly great song. A 7 minute song should earn its running time, and imho this song succeeds.

Rolling Stone Blues - Just Mick & Keith eyeball to eyeball bringing the hardcore blues with nothing but a guitar and a harmonica. I always think of the young people for whom this will be not only their first real exposure to the Stones, but to real bare bones blues. Keith's playing is fantastic and Mick does some amazing harp work. 60 years of playing this music has made these two into a well-oiled machine, and you can hear it.

I could have written this...

Quote
schwonek
Mick is a genius. The Stones are 80 and sound like younger than ever. Just so good.

Exactamondo!

2 listens in so far, and pretty sure I like them all! Many seem to be expressing surprise, but based on recent output it's about what I expected... Keith's X-eyed Heart, Mick's Eazy Sleazy, and Doom & Gloom and Ghost Town ... all very good, imo.

Angry - Excellent single, definitely on par with Doom and Gloom and Ghost Town.

Get Close - Love the guitars and nice and catchy. No Bobby Keys, but still cool sax!

Depending On You - Nice country vibe, nice lyrics. Biggest Mistake is better but it's close.

Bite My Head Off - Great! Kick-ass rocker, Great lyrics/vocals, riff is great, drums kicking, and add that fuzzy bass ...great guitar solo! Did I mention "great" ??

Whole Wide World - reminds me a bit of Infamy, which to me is a very good thing. It's just a good solid song!

Dreamy Skies - I assume a Keith tune, sort of like Sweethearts Together, but minus the corny lyrics... a winner for sure, beautiful guitars!

Mess It Up - Decent rocker, somewhat awkward chorus, but it doesn't ruin it for me. I've read Dance, pt.3? I don't hear that at all.

Live By the Sword - Groovy rocker, nice keyboards on this one. I like Mick's singing, and another cool guitar solo!

Driving Me Too Hard - I get an Almost Hear You Sigh vibe, decent but maybe 1 too many slower/country'ish numbers.

Tell Me Straight - I really miss the Keith rockers, Happy, Before They Make Me, Little T&A, ect. That being said, he still kicks ass with slower tracks like This Place Is Empty, and this Tell Me Straight ditty. I'll allow it.

Sweet Sounds of Heaven - Not much to add on what many feel about this one, it's excellent!

Rolling Stones Blues - love the guitar and harp, song is great, it could have been a Blue & Lonesome b-side.

I'll be happily playing this album over and over!

Too many ungrateful so-called Stones-fans on here.
It’s pathetic to read all these so-called ‘reviews’ of music that hasn’t even been out for 3 hours (sic!).
You don’t deserve the music one bit. Play your old records instead.

Future Grammy award winning album


It actually sounds like a greatest hits album.


Powerful stuff here folks



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-20 04:22 by three16.

Quote
Topi
Better than ABB by a country mile.

I Agree.......much better

Very easy to divide the album into top vs. bottom half for me

Mess It Up
Get Close
Angry
Sweet Sounds of Heaven
Whole Wide World
Rolling Stone Blues

These songs are untouchable and legendary tier. I don't like the others as much even though I wouldn't say anything from the bottom half is skippable

First listen Mess It Up, Live By The Sword and Depending On You are leading the pack for me.

Bite My Head Off slaps too. Tell Me Straight is too short!

Thrilled it's this good. I'm a happy man today. Hope y'all are too!

Just listened to the entire album. My first thoughts are that it's very good. It has energy. I love the three closing songs and I agree Tell Me Straight could have been longer. Other than Sweet Sounds I think I like Get Close best. Like any Stones album I need to listen quite a few times. In six months or so it gets the real test. Initially I like it more than I remember liking A Bigger Bang and BTB. I don't know if it's the best since the 70's. I think SSOH could have been realeased in the seventies and stand up but not the rest. Mick and Keith do a nice take on Rollin STone Blues and I think being older Keith really gets the guitar right. Overall a really fun first listen.

Quote
keefriffhards

Quote
Topi
Better than ABB by a country mile.

Will you be saying that in 18 years time.

Don't count on me!

I had my first listen but will need to relisten few more times. It’s a awesome record. Great job guys. I like it very much.

It’s 6.45am in a very dark and wet Birmingham, England and I’m lying in my bed listening to Hackney Diamonds. It’s shed so much light on my morning, it’s so good to have the Stones back with excellent new material that sounds so good!

Tastes are subjective, and I think many people are too fond (obsessed!) with their great albums of the past.
I think it is objectively at least a good album, brilliant, really catchy and eclectic.
One can argue about whether it is "great" or "good" (only time will tell!) but to say that it is not a good album or that it is disappointing seems absurd to me.
Free to say so...but absurd.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2023-10-20 08:55 by HardRiffin.