ABB or Dirty Work?


Sorry I've had a few beers - couldn't resist

I like 'em both, and can't choose beecause they're (unlike "Buttons" vs "Flowers" or "Beggars" vs "Bleed") SO different. DW has a schizoid Mick vs Keith/Ron identity, linked thematically by acrimony, anger (some intra-Stones, come social commentary), and funk, plus some great grooves and guitar work. Bill's barely there, Charlie strung out on speed & heroin can't look the camara in the eye but plays well on the 8 or 9 (of 10) tracks he appears on. More real feeling than on SW. ABB is the Stones - especially Mick, Keith, & Charlie, but Ron adds some superb parts - together, different era, and the production is stripped down. I like it, it dispenses with the sometimes unnecessary backing choruses of DW, and has more substance than the Licks material (except 'Losing My Touch'). Quite a different animal from, say, Bridges to Babylon.

A Bigger Bang, Fight live would be kick ass!

I like big drums. Drum shops generally don't have old stuff. To me, the second-hand stuff is part of the fun of drums. That natural kit that I use-that's an early Gretsch kit with the round logo on it.
Charlie Watts

No doubt: A Bigger Bang is better.

But why do you compare exactly these two albums?

c'os they are 2 of the 3 worst albums in the Stones catalogue - SW being the other. But, aside from that - tough to rate - DW is an all-KR affair; ABB is all-Mick and they both demonstrate the problem of having only one of the two key members of the band committed and involved in a project.

Actually, I compared them just to see what you all think...

Personally, I love ABB and (sorry Keith!) just cannot get into DW (same with B2B, their only other total stinker. Apart from much of Emotional Rescue of course).

OT I know but anyone seen the remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre? I just saw that on DVD. GUess I better catch the prequel now!

Oh I don't agree they're 2 of the worst. I like most of the studio albums, and would consider as 'lesser' IORR & Steel Wheels, and I wont argue with those who dig them.

john r Wrote:
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> .....and would consider as
> 'lesser' IORR & Steel Wheels, and I wont argue
> with those who dig them.


So I'll have to shut up about It's Only ROck'n Roll then.....damn.

Well, to me IORR has its merits, but frequently sounds like less inspired return to SF/Exile ground musically (tho it hints at the interest in funk explored on B&. Also they sound a bit defensive, like they're trying to prove they can 'still' rock at the advanced age of 31 or so. Sound is weird, too compressed? Lumpy is the adjective that comes to mind. Sound - cold, digital - was a big problem I had w/ SW too.

....no contest A Bigger Bang is worlds better than Dirty Work...c'mon Winning Ugly and Had it With You....pretty lame IMO, there's a few good tracks but, on the other hand, ABB has a lot of variety (Look What the cat Dragged In, Back of my Hand, Won't Take Long, etc)and also sounds like they actually cared when they recorded it....

ABB, by far.

I think Too Rude is a lot better than Infamy.

they're both serve equally well as drinks coasters . . .

you can't catch me!

I think DW is by far a better drink coaster, though...my drinks seem to slide off ABB on occasion....

ABB by a wide wide margin MEZ

A Bigger Bang!

"She's got a mind of her own, yeah, and she use it mighty fine..."

ABB is a million times better...

JumpingKentFlash

Is Undercover a Stones album ?

ABB by a bit

StonesTod Wrote:
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> ABB is all-Mick


Really? From what I hear SOL, BM, LIND (with the possible choir by Keith) and LMDS are Mick's entirely. RJ, TPIE and Infamy are Keith's. The rest is both of them I think.

JumpingKentFlash

Close call!

Both are good albums. ABB is IMO a bit more consistant, but DW has a couple of songs that are better than anything on ABB (One Hit, Dirty Work).

DandelionPowderman Wrote:
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> Close call!
>
> Both are good albums. ABB is IMO a bit more
> consistant, but DW has a couple of songs that are
> better than anything on ABB (One Hit, Dirty Work).


I agree to that, especially if we add Sleep Tonight to that list.
Dirty Work has some baaaad ones, for sure, but the brilliant songs are among the best work since 81.

I'm always prefer an album incl. 'ol Bill, but not this time....

2 1 2 0

ABB by far. The best album since '78--'83 (can debate which album). I haven't gotten tired of it yet. Sure, it pales to '68-'78.

As far as albums being created entirely by either Mick or Keith--I cannot agree. Maybe Keith and Ron wrote a lot on DW but Mick brought in the lousy production ideas and some stinkers of songs. If DW was all Keith it would have been much more like Talk Is Cheap.

Like someone else said if ABB was all Mick it would sound more like Alfie or Goddess--much cleaner.

To compare perhaps the worst studio album the Stones ever made - Dirty Work - which was done at the bands' worst phase, with Jagger distracted with a solo career and Watts in a sad drug miasma and not even playing on most tracks, with the resurgent and excellent A Bigger Bang - in my opinion their most cogent and compelling studio album in nearly 25 years - is absurd.

Which is better, a kick in the balls or someone licking them? Have another beer and come back with a better question.

ABB by far. Whenever Stones Lps are released ( post 1978 ) , I'm very critical and it usually takes some time to "warm up " to them . I genuinely liked ABB right away with one exception " Sweet Neo - Con " . That one sucks !

Even though most posts here say that ABB is the best out of the two....
it's quite strange that these 2 albums are measured against each other, I remember the threads here when ABB was released...95% of the posts were very positive about the new album.

Erik_Snow Wrote:
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> it's quite strange that these 2 albums are
> measured against each other, I remember the
> threads here when ABB was released...95% of the
> posts were very positive about the new album.


Yeah. People have become more bitchy.

JumpingKentFlash

For those who didn't realise, my original question was tongue in cheek...

OF COURSE a Bigger Bang is way better than lousy old Dirty Work... there's no comparison!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not everybody agree to that