Rough and Twisted - mixing, sound and mastering

This is the first day of the official release of Rough & Twisted (b-side of In The Stars). Before that, it was released on an extreme limited edition on vinyl single under the name Cockroaches. Many people complained about the sound and brickwalling. I wanted to wait for the official release, maybe the sound would be better on the real release. Now, as I've heard it thru diffrent speakers, I can't stand the sound. I hear the song itself is good, the band is playing well. But the bass drum of Steve Jordan sounds like gunshots. Ronnies slide guitar is pure pain in the ear. It's just too loud. I don't get it. It's painful. Turned up to the max and peaking. Listen to Black Limousine from Tattoo You. That is how its supposed to sound. Rough and Twisted is SCREAMING at you. What is this mixing and mastering? Where is Chris Kimsey or Bob Claremountain? Now, real rough and tough was Brown Sugar and Bitch. Attitude without exaggerating. Dangerous, but chill. This track could have been so good, so epic, so thumbs up. But unfortunately, because of the mix/mastering I can't listen to it. The sound is like a loud, trebling screaming infant. Who approved of this?

IORR EDITOR UPDATE:

"Rough And Twisted" is the B-side of the single "In the stars", both released to the public Tuesday May 5. Also, it was released in an extremely limited quantity of 1,000 12" singles worldwide on Saturday April 11, at selected vinyl record stores.

For older comments related to "Rough And Twisted", please see the now closed threads:

The Cockroaches single sold out - New Stones album "Foreign Tongues" due out July 10 (Thread started April 11, 2026)

The Cockroaches are back (Thread started April 1, 2026)



Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 2026-05-06 13:22 by bv.

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The Worst.

I am sorry if a thread already exist, but I couldn't find it.

"Brickwalling hurting your ears" - [iorr.org] . 'Screaming sounds' - [iorr.org] , [iorr.org] .

Rough And Twisted - mixed by Serban Ghenea at MixStar Studios (Virginia Beach, VA), Mastering Engineer: Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound (Edgewater, NJ).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026-05-06 02:00 by Irix.

it's not the mix it's the terrible no good awful brickwall mastering that's let down a rather good song

hopefully the vinyl will sound less harsh or the blu-ray

For the first time in my life, there is a Stones single I can't play loud.

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ProfessorWolf
it's not the mix it's the terrible no good awful brickwall mastering that's let down a rather good song

hopefully the vinyl will sound less harsh or the blu-ray

it is indeed also the mix. you can hear how every individual sound is compressed to the max and fighting to survive, not just the master (that‘s also brickwalled).

Willie Dixon said it well:

“Too many cooks are gonna spoil the stew
Ain’t nobody cooking’ but me and you
Too many cooks tryin’ to get in your kitchen
The first thing you know there’s something missing”

[youtu.be]

And even Mick says it another way “In the Stars”

“I feel a heavy hand, tangling with my plans… There’s a poisonous cloud….”

What this team brings is precision, polish, layering and modern streaming era production. If Mick wants the Stones to sound more like Taylor Swift or Bruno Mars, this song seems headed more in that direction. The people working on these records are some of the biggest names in contemporary pop and rock production, where the goal is to make records sound huge, clean, punchy and optimized for earbuds, cars and streaming platforms.

To me, that’s part of why the new material feels different from the classic Stones sound. The older records often sounded loose, imperfect, raw and spontaneous… almost like you were hearing a band playing together in a room with a producer capturing the moment. There was space, bleed, swagger and unpredictability.

I may be wrong, but it seemed like in the past, they would play the song live over and over and over again, and then the Glimmer Twins, with the assistance of a key engineer, like a Jimmy Miller or Don Was, would collaborate to nail it down.

The new songs sound much more constructed and managed. There are multiple engineers, assistant engineers, digital editors, mixers and mastering specialists shaping every layer of the recording.

The other difficulty for me is I can’t put my finger on why it doesn’t quite click for me, but maybe it’s because Andrew Watt also plays a much larger creative role than past Stones producers, contributing instruments, vocals and songwriting input almost like an additional band member.

The result is a sound that is bigger, brighter and more polished… but to me, it can also feel less dangerous, less mysterious and less like the messy chemistry of five unique musicians colliding in a room together.

I guess this is maybe the compromise we have to make in order to get new music, and I do kind of like it, but there’s a big difference between “kind of” and “wow”.

I’ve been digging a ditch in my backyard and have played nothing but these two songs over and over again all day. They’re still in the 4-6 out of 10 range, but I’m happy to have new music.

I hope all is well with Keith.

CHELSKEITH



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026-05-06 03:57 by MizzAmandaJonez.

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MonkeyMan2000

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ProfessorWolf
it's not the mix it's the terrible no good awful brickwall mastering that's let down a rather good song

hopefully the vinyl will sound less harsh or the blu-ray

it is indeed also the mix. you can hear how every individual sound is compressed to the max and fighting to survive, not just the master (that‘s also brickwalled).

good point

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MizzAmandaJonez

The other difficulty for me is I can’t put my finger on why it doesn’t quite click for me, but maybe it’s because Andrew Watt also plays a much larger creative role than past Stones producers, contributing instruments, vocals and songwriting input almost like an additional band member.

The result is a sound that is bigger, brighter and more polished… but to me, it can also feel less dangerous, less mysterious and less like the messy chemistry of five unique musicians colliding in a room together.

I guess this is maybe the compromise we have to make in order to get new music, and I do kind of like it, but there’s a big difference between “kind of” and “wow”.
CHELSKEITH

Many good points but look where the previous "method" had taken the band... the very lackluster ABB and even worse, nearly nothing for 15+ years. They got their mojo back and that's priceless and quite unexpected!

--------------
IORR Links : Essential Studio Outtakes CDs : Audio - History of Rarest Outtakes : Audio

I much prefer "In the Stars" to “Rough and Twisted,” which is overproduced, with Mick going overboard (in my opinion), for a song that ultimately goes nowhere. A massive sound that ends up drowning out the song. I don’t like the Stones when they try to sound young at all costs, losing themselves along the way.

Sometimes, the groove and the energy is enough to enjoy a song. Rough And Twisted is a song like that. Lots of cool details in there as well, if one really listens.

Mick's harp is amazing. Steve's playing, too. And I love the guitars. Ronnie's six string slashing is drowning Keith's guitar at times, though. It's a racket!

However, I agree that it doesn't really go anywhere, and the sound is a tad too "noisy". It's surprising that it is the album opener, especially after hearing In The Stars.

It's an okay blues song...but I wouldn't think it's worth buying it for $700 from some scalpers.

It’s amazing what these guys can still pull off after 62 years of playing music with just three chords—and they’re all in their 80s.
It’s pure energy. The songs vary in style and sound, yet they’re unmistakably the Stones. The magic is that they keep evolving. You keep hearing something new, and it sticks with you—it’s addictive. It wouldn’t be good if all the songs sounded the same. Bring on the full album.

Translated with DeepL.com

I really like Rough and Twisted as the first track. It gives a rough and bluesy familiar start to the album. I really like it back to back with In The Stars. Two different sounding songs.

Just love it! Steve's excited smile when he rolls the path to the chorus is exactly mine when I listen to R&T.

Is it a modern production? Hell, yes! We are in year 2026. Doesn't bother me at all!!! For years I have listened to my Stones through crappy penny turntables, mono radios, cracked speakers, noisy tapes, shitty earbuds of my early walkmans ... How can I complain?


C

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NilsHolgersson
It's an okay blues song...but I wouldn't think it's worth buying it for $700 from some scalpers.

those people are either f‘ckn rich or need therapy

It's okay and would fit in Blue & Lonesome II if the sound would be more transparent. The actual mixing and mastering turns the track into a lot of noise unfortunately. Andrew Watt is not the man for the blues but for music by numbers. And so it sounds. It's okay as I said – nothing less, nothing more.

<Andrew Watt is not the man for the blues but for music by numbers>

Really?





[www.youtube.com]

Blues with a punk attitude. Great opening for their new album.
It's good to see that after all those years, blues still can be played with a rough edge. Jack White recently showed the same.

Andrew Watt ....

The ghost of John Lee Hooker gallops thru Rough & Twisted ......



ROCKMAN

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DandelionPowderman
Really?

I believe Robert is referring to Rough and Twisted. As the producer, Andrew has to answer for the soundscape which is rather constipated/brickwalled.

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skytrench

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DandelionPowderman
Really?

I believe Robert is referring to Rough and Twisted. As the producer, Andrew has to answer for the soundscape which is rather constipated/brickwalled.

Some old farts cannot accept when blues gets a modern interpretation with a modern soundscape, they want it to sound like 60 years ago

Some younger wanabees think they know it all

Age has nothing to do with anything. It's a ridiculous argument. Especially - needless to say - on a forum about the Rolling Stones, who are in their 80s.

(I might add that it's equally ridiculous to judge their output positively or negatively because of *their* age)

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matxil
Age has nothing to do with anything. It's a ridiculous argument. Especially - needless to say - on a forum about the Rolling Stones, who are in their 80s.

(I might add that it's equally ridiculous to judge their output positively or negatively because of *their* age)

I find it incredible that these men in their 80s can make music comparable to my early 60s.

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skytrench

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DandelionPowderman
Really?

I believe Robert is referring to Rough and Twisted. As the producer, Andrew has to answer for the soundscape which is rather constipated/brickwalled.

So it is. The peer group of Rough and Twisted is Back of My Hand, Black Limousine, Cook Cook Blues, Wish I'd Never Met You, Keep Up Blues, The Sun is Shining, Fancy Man Blues. And Blue & Lonesome of course. And in relation to those Rough and Twisted falls short, a lack of feeling like on Rolling Stone Blues on HD.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026-05-06 14:05 by RobertJohnson.

Some seem to be judging by how it looks in Audacity (or whatever program people are using). Just listen and enjoy it, it's a great tune!

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matxil
Age has nothing to do with anything. It's a ridiculous argument. Especially - needless to say - on a forum about the Rolling Stones, who are in their 80s.

(I might add that it's equally ridiculous to judge their output positively or negatively because of *their* age)

Well it’s a pretty common thing that older people aren’t as open for new approaches and ideas anymore and want everything to remain as it was when they were young.

You can observe that in all areas of life, not just music

Good thing is, the Stones aren’t like that and they‘re working with a young producer to keep things fresh

It´s too rough "at the edges", downright noisy.

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noughties
It´s too rough "at the edges", downright noisy.

That’s why the song is ROUGH and twisted, not smooth and straight

[youtu.be]