Doxa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Most of them are based on pastishe songs: The
> Stones try to sound as the band as the masses know
> them. Musically they don't add anything to their
> legacy, and the true inspiration has obviously
> left them. The albums are like their current
> performances and setlists: play it safe and sure;
> give people what you think they want. I think for
> that reason all the albums since Steel Wheels are
> to be remembered nothing but soundtracks or
> excuses for their tours, (the term 'soundtrack' is
> bad, because they seeminlgly don't care the
> contents of those albums to really paly them
> live). There is no a singular song that is going
> to be a classic.
>
> Perhaps lot is to do with the guys getting older,
> and being so goddamn rich and popular; thereby,
> they are not that hungry for artistic success
> anyomore. They don't need to prove anything, or
> care about muses. Jagger seems to treat band as
> his money-machine, and accepts the conservatism
> needed to keep the motor running, and Keith just
> loves to be Keef. Because they are naturally so
> talented, and there is always a special spark in
> their playing, that will guarantee that the
> products always will be at least quite okay. But
> nothing to be remembered, even though every new
> album is rated 'best since Exile', and the band
> 'best Stones ever'.
>
> I think the last 'inspired' Stones album is
> Undercover. There you find The Twins still quite
> hungry and able, and the band looking forward, not
> backwards.
>
> - Doxa
I respectfully disagree. Undercover, to me, isn't the last time they were inspired (That was A Bigger Bang), but it was the last time they sounded like many people want them to. I like it of course, but I'm also glad that they parted with the way they sounded and found the core of a new sound. Shows what they can do. There's nothing wrong with looking backwards. David Bowie did it on his Hours. Paul McCartney does it every time. It's cool. It's like they're taking all their legacy into account and then make something that sounds like it, but also is very refreshing. Like Mick Jagger said: "You have to balance it so it's true to it's roots, while also being something new" (From a 1994 Voodoo Lounge interview"). And by the way: Undercover has a lot of looking back if you ask me. The whole "looking back" thing started with Some Girls I think. Some Girls doesn't sound all that different from Exile On Main Street in terms of composition. But the whole sound and "image of the music" (If I may be so free) is completely different. Exile On Main Street's overall sound is "bluesy decadence", while Some Girls is "New York cool at it's finest".
People say they play it way too safe at concerts and on albums. I must disagree here also. Yes of course it's kindda playing it safe when they do Jumping Jack Flash at every gig. I just don't see it that way. It's totally defendable if you see it like that, but I just don't see it that way. To me it's great songs I wouldn't do without. Why should The Stones care if you saw one gig too many? Now to the albums (And this is where I find it least defendable to say that they play it safe). To me there's a very different feel in the last four studio efforts. Steel Wheels (The most dated of them) has that late 80s feel (That I'm not particularly keen of). Vooodoo Lounge is very acoustic. I get this image when I hear it. I can see the voodoo doctor going hand in hand with a New Yorker to the swamp (Almost the same picture I get when hearing Beggar's Banquet). Bridges To Babylon is late 90s cool. This one is the most experimental out of them all, although their most experimental track ever is Continental Drift. A Bigger Bang: What can I say other than I dig it. I have yet to see how time will judge it for me, but I like it. It sounds like the perfect standard Stones album. They haven't done that before. Not in that way. I don't think it's done on purpose either. It's just the way I see it.
You say that there's no song that is about to become a classic. Other than You Got Me Rocking, which is a live warhorse, you're right. But one thing is what is not about to become a classic, and another thing is what derseves to become a classic. The '89 - '07 songs that I would like to become classics are:
Sad, Sad, Sad.
Mixed Emotions.
Almost Hear You Sigh
Rock And A Hard Place.
Continental Drift.
Break The Spell.
All of Voodoo Lounge except for BRAND NEW CAR 6.8 7.0
SWEETHEARTS TOGETHER
SUCK ON THE JUGULAR
BLINDED BY RAINBOWS
BABY BREAK IT DOWN
MEAN DISPOSITION
(Loving the cut and paste feature here).
The Storm
Flip The Switch
Already Over me
Out Of Control
Saint Of Me
How Can I Stop
Don't Stop
Rough Justice
Rain Fall Down
Streets Of Love
This Place Is Empty
Back Of My Hand
Under The Radar
Laugh I Nearly Died.
Not classics like JJF, but classics like Miss You and Waiting On A Friend. These are just as good I think. If people could just get over themselves and see the latter day albums for what they are: Great albums with great music, excuse for touring or not.
JumpingKentFlash