The Rolling Stones Album: “A Bigger Bang [PA]”

Since the mid-80's, every time the Rolling Stones release a new studio album, a horde of yahoos publish reviews claiming the new disc is the best the band has done since Exile On Main Street. This is patently absurd and those reviewers need to be spanked.

A Bigger Bang is no Exile, it is not even in the league of Tattoo You but it is pretty darn good. I will go out on a limb and call it their best since Undercover.

Bigger Bang is a stylistically diverse set crowded with 16 tracks but other than one super-lame power ballad and a political rant thinly disguised as a song, none of the filler is really unwelcome and there are plenty of bright spots. How did they pull this off? It certainly is not due to any production magic by Don Was unless he was responsible for keeping it simple. This is the Glimmer Twins show 2005-style displaying enough confidence to bang out a record without an army of session guys and a mountain of overdubs.

The fun begins with the title and the "Fascination with the origin of the universe" press release. You can't call these guys snickering schoolboys anymore but a dirty joke from randy old goats is just as funny. More importantly, the music:

1) Rough Justice- An energetic rocker miles better than recent tripe like "You Got Me Rocking". Really good guitars. Although some of the verse-lyrics are stupid and despite the fact that Mick almost falls into his latter day habit of over-singing, the boys keep this one together marvelously. A good portent of things to come.

2) Let Me Down Slow- A well constructed mid-tempo pop rocker featuring good singing and reflective lyrics from an old dog still doing his thing. Features a lyric that could sum up this surprisingly good record: "Are you coloring your hair with some new kind of dye? Alternately, this could easily be a question that Mick, Keith or Ronnie asks each other over lunch.

3) It Won't Take Long- Let the filler begin. A pedestrian rocker with been-there-done-that ...I'm gonna dump my girl / I'm better off without you lyrics.

4) Rain Fall Down- This funky track was highly touted in the advance press and why not? Give them credit for trying something different. This enjoyable groover is not as good as say "Emotional Rescue" but better than "Harlem Shuffle". I'd love to see the band put this in the "Miss You" slot on the current tour.

5) Streets of Love- The one major mistake on the album. This super-lame Alfie soundtrack leftover (one would suppose) is a classic Mick attempt to cash in on the power ballad jackpot ala Aerosmith. Why does he feel compelled to produce this kind of pap? Does he actually enjoy listening to music like this? I am trying to imagine Mick Jagger cranking the soundtrack to a Meg Ryan movie while making the bed and tidying up around the house. I wonder if Keith and Joe Perry commiserate about having to appease their preening singers. Extra credit to Mick for incorporating "Cross the Rubicon" into syrupy dreck aimed at tweenage girls.

6) Back of My Hand- Interesting. This is a real-deal, straight-up blues track featuring uncluttered guitar work and stinging harp. I would imagine that this evolved out of a warm up rehearsal jam but was considered good enough to finish. This is the kind of song that has been turning up on B-sides from their 90's releases. Keb 'Mo has nothing to be afraid of but this is not at all unwelcome.

7) She Saw Me Coming- A guitar rocker with a bit of a groove to it. This is enjoyable filler that belongs in the "Fake-Reggae" sub-genre of tunes like "Luxury" and "Send It To Me" that the Stones own unto themselves. The lyrics are kind of funny and are the flip side to the misogynistic put down song. This time, she has the upper hand.

8) Biggest Mistake- This is the Mick Show. A lovesick pop song featuring a bed of acoustic guitars with the occasional electric lick added for accent and flavor. Filler.

9) This Place Is Empty- The kind of ragged, world-weary talk-sing crooner we have come to expect from Keith. A country-ish vibe (rather than a country track) telling a gentle, "I miss my girl..." story. Keith should do a solo album with nothing but ballads like this.

10) Oh No, Not You Again- An energetic rocker with great guitars featuring a bit of the fabled Keith / Ronnie "Weave" hearkening back to the Some Girls era. The lyrics are simple but funny. This is my favorite song on the album and I look forward to seeing it live, it has the potential to become an on-stage barnburner in the vein of Respectable.

11) Dangerous Beauty- A mid-tempo guitar rocker, definitely good filler but I suspect there might be something more here. This is potentially a hidden gem and might actually catch on with a good video. My only real criticism is that Mick sings in his "Fake-Tough" style, which almost sinks it.

12) Laugh, I Nearly Died- This slow groover featuring highly stylized Mick vocals is a very enjoyable album track and one of the highlights on the record. Give them credit for trying something different, especially when they break it down at the end. This could be fantastic in a live theater setting.

13) Sweet Neo Con- Right on Mick didn't see this one coming. Not really a song, this is a taunting rant veiled in a skeletal groove aimed squarely at the Bush administration direct from Mick Jagger. Not really a good song, (but hey, High wire was sort of weak too) I admire the sentiment, especially the "Sweet" emasculating aspect. Give Mr. Jagger credit for telling it like it is, I don't hear U2 or any other big name rock star getting down to it this directly.

14) Look What the Cat Dragged In- An energetic, rocking groover that is filler but in a really good way. I wonder if the lyrics were inspired by Keith rolling in late for a session.

15) Driving Too Fast- Generic rocker, inoffensive filler

16) Infamy- Interesting Keith song. Kind of a mid-tempo groover. I don't hate it and I don't love it. Maybe it will be better live. "...Got It In For Me", get it?

Other than Streets of Love, I am very happy with this release. Of course these greedy bastids are planning to re-sell this to us at Christmas with a bonus DVD. Think it will contain bonus tracks to make it worth it? Don't hold your breath.

Lots of people dismiss the band's recent studio work as; "Weak...their just going through the motions". While recent albums like "Bridges to Babylon" and "Voodoo Lounge" are not the band's best, they certainly aren't the worst either. Now, before I go any further, I have to make something clear. It's pointless to compare this current incarnation of the band to the band that recorded "Exile On Main Street". Yes, it IS the same people (well, sans Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor) but the band has changed over the years like anything else. One thing has remained over all of this time, however. They are still the Rolling Stones and they still know how to write some of the best rock and roll songs you'll ever hear. And, it's not JUST rock and roll. They have proven to us over the years that they also know how to write country, blues, funk (among other thing) and here they prove it once again.

1. Rough Justice - This song comes right out of the same stable as classics like "Brown Sugar" and "Start Me Up". It's an in your face rocker and after Keith starts that scratchy distorted riff and Charlie comes in with that drum roll, you can't help but move a little...or maybe even alot. 10/10

2. Let Me Down Slow - Alright, we're off with a bang now (A Bigger Bang, if you will) and this song is as infectious as anything the band has ever done. Pop rock with a country tinge and an infectious chorus in the same vein as something like 1966's "Out Of Time". 7/10

3. It Won't Take Long - Another song that starts off with that scratchy, distorted type riff that we all love to hear. Nice mid-tempo rocker with yet again another catchy chorus. This one has also got a nice guitar solo by Ronnie Wood. 8/10

4. Rain Fall Down - This one has got Mick written all over it. Sort of like an up to date version of 1978's "Miss You". Nice dance number with a funk edge to it. Very modern sounding. My only complaint is that I think it's a tad bit too long. 7/10

5. Streets Of Love - Another song that obviously came from Mick. When I first heard this song on the radio, I didn't know what to think of it. It had a catchy chorus but overall it sounded a little too sappy to be a Stones song. However, hearing it on the album has changed my opinion and now I can see that it's a nice power ballad. Acoustic guitar driven verses, dynamic chorus with a hook you won't soon forget and an epic sounding guitar bit in the middle. Not their greatest ballad, but not their worst. 7/10

6. Back Of My Hand - This is the band doing what they do best. Straight blues. No gimmicks, nothing. I'd love to hear the band write more songs like this. Sounds like it came straight out of the delta with it's swampy sound. Great. 10/10

7. She Saw Me Coming - This could be released as a single (who knows, maybe it will be). Catchy guitar riff, uptempo with a happy vibe throughout the whole track. Call and response chorus. Stones once again doing those 'Fun Tracks' that they do so well. This is one of those 'Summer Songs'. 7.5/10

8. Biggest Mistake - Not quite a ballad, more of a pop rock tune with a country tinge (However, not like "Let Me Down Slow"). Nice sounding tune that sound's like it could have been on one of Mick's solo albums. Keith can be heard on backing vocals throughout the song and that's an automatic plus right there. 7/10

9. This Place Is Empty - Piano based track sung by Keith Richards. It's a ballad, but that's okay because he does them so well! His voice sounds nice and husky and sets the mood of the song nicely. There have been complaints about Keith only doing ballads, but this is one of his better ones folks. This is another song on the album with a nice chorus. 7/10

10. Oh No Not You Again - My absolute favorite on the album. A fast paced hard rocker that would not have been out of place on their 1978 album "Some Girls". Mick spits out the vocals with venom and Keith and Ronnie play with that crunchy "Stones Guitar Sound". And Charlie Watts man, he's never been better. An excerpt from the chorus: "Oh No Not You Again, f*cking up my life!". 10/10

11. Dangerous Beauty - This a nice mid tempo rocker. It actually has a ZZ Top type of sound to it. This song was recorded with just Mick Jagger, Keith Richards & Charlie Watts (like a few others on the album) and it certainly does have a tightness to it. 7.5/10

12. Laugh, I Nearly Died - This song is destined to become a classic. It's not my favorite on the album, or even in my top 5, but it doesn't have to be. This is another one that sounds like it's got Mick all over it, but it's one of the man's greatest achievements. Slow paced with an epic/haunting vibe throughout. I was going to give it 7 points, but Mick's vocal performance alone (his strongest in quite some time) has convinced me to up it. 8/10

13. Sweet Neocon - The political tune. This one was talked about in the press due to it's obvious bashing of President Bush and some others in the White House. Does the song measure up? Sadly to say, not really. The lyrics could have held a strong message, but Mick could have done a whole lot better with these lyrics. An Excerpt; "There's bombers in my bedroom, it's giving me the sh*t's". It's almost laughable. What about the music? Well, there's sparse activity on this track. It's got a funk feel to it and is actually more harmonica driven than it is guitar driven. But, the song comes off sounding empty and unfinished. The chorus has also got a corny melody to it. A low point on the album for sure. 5/10

14. Look What The Cat Dragged In - Alright, now we're back on track! A fast paced rocker with a funk edge and a beat that can be compared to 1983's "Undercover Of The Night". That chorus is also another one that will get stuck in your head. Nice guitar licks by Ronnie Wood throughout the whole song. One of my favorites on the album. 8.5/10

15. Driving Too Fast - We still havn't lost any steam and this rocker keeps the train moving right along. Midtempo rocker with good guitar. It's one of those song's where if someone heard it on the radio they would say "That's the Rolling Stones". Not quite as good as "Rough Justice" or "Oh No Not You Again", but one of the best rocker's they've done in quite a while. 8/10

16. Infamy - The album closer with Keith Richards once again taking the mic. A nice groove track with a spacey guitar riff and a bluesy melody. I don't really know how to describe it anyway else. If your familiar with Keith's solo albums, this one sounds like it could have been on 1988's 'Talk Is Cheap'. In the same vein as his solo songs such as "Rockawhile", only better in my opinion. One of the best song's Keith has recorded on a Stones album in a long time. 8/10

And there you have it. Not the band's best album, but not their worst and it's certainly above average. You'll notice I gave the album 5 stars, but there arent many "10's" in my ratings. I rate albums based on the flow and how well the song's work within the album. Weather a song is a favorite of mine or not is something totally different. There is NOTHING unlistenable on here. This truly is their best album since 1978's "Some Girls". Mick steals the show on this one. You can tell he had a VERY large hand in the writing of these songs. He also plays guitar on pretty much every track and on some he plays keyboard, bass and harmonica. Pretty impressive. This album isn't as good as 1972's "Exile", but it can be considered as the modern stones "Exile". 2 thumbs up guys.

As much as I hate to admit it, I've been buying Rolling Stones albums and CD's since 1964! Yep, that's what 56 years old does to you. I remember seeing them in NY back in 1966 with The Standells and Ronettes at the old Forest Hills Tennis Stadium and Madison Square Garden in 1969 with Stevie Wonder and The Ike and Tina Turner Revue.

I've bought every Stones release and gotta admit that this is the best one I've heard since "Exile On Main Street" from 1972. This CD rocks, the energy level is high and it feels like the Stones I remember from back in the "Sticky Fingers" days.

I highly recommend it, good rocking stuff!

The Stones really kicked it up a notch on this disc. Bridges to Babylon seemed a bit overproduced but this returns the Stones to the raw edgy sounds of yesteryear. This disc has some of the best guitar work since Somegirls. Tunes such as "Let Me Down Slow", "Biggest Mistake", "Oh No Not You Again" and the hard driving rocker "Dangerous Beauty" really keep the pace going on this wonderful disc. Track 4 "Rain Falls Down" is fantastic funk in the Stones style. Mick, Keith and Ronnie's guitars sound like they have something to prove and Charlies drumming is the best it has been in years. I really do not know where this band get their energy. They sound fresh, dedicated and sounds like they have no intention to rest on thier laurals. Once again, the Stones prove that they still are relevant and are more than capable to put out a product that is far superior to anything else that being recorded these days. Way to go Boys!!!!! keep on rockin!!!!

Every Stones album since Some Girls has had 2 or 3 or more absolutely outstanding tracks, but often the albums have been spotty. I'm not sure this is the best since Tattoo You-- I'm still giving that nod to Voodoo Lounge-- but it is a far stronger album than anyone had any right to expect. There are two kinds of Stones songs; the ones that sound like the radio songs, and the great album tracks that many never hear. This one is jam packed with the latter kind; more "Always Suffering" than "Start Me Up." For me, though, those are the songs I'm buying the record for. Charlie Watts was recovering from throat cancer surgery during the formative stages of this record, and I think his brush with mortality had a profound effect on Mick and Keith, pushing them together for their closest working sessions in years. The urgency and proximity shows; this is a record that sounds like old rockers kicking back against mortality, and the result is uplifting; nothing new, but a hell of a take on the tried and true.

My haiku review:

old blues cats get down

no new ground broken; just old

ground, tastefully trod

"Rough Justice" will be immediately recognizable as Big Riff Stones Rocker Single. Like Motown, the Stones often kick off the records with the obvious single, rope you in right away. "Let Me Down Slow" is a sloppy (in a good way), propulsive shimmy reminiscent of "She's So Cold," with nice guitar work tastefully layered throughout. This one features the 5-man line-up of Mick, Keith, Woody, Watts and bassist Darryl Jones; Keith's shredded-voice backing vocals are a delight. That this is a better song than the opener is the reason you buy Stones albums; because there are great nuggets liberally dispersed throughout, songs like this.

"It Won't Take Long" would not be missed. "Rain Fall Down" will probably be a good live vehicle, as Woody will stretch out on guitar; on record it is a funk groove that they've done better before, but which works its way into your feet by the time it's over.

"Streets of Love" is the Jagger ballad, reminiscent of "Indian Girl" or "Already Over Me." The falsetto "Ha'ya-yas" on the chorus totally make the song; a very Emotional Rescue vibe. "Back of My Hand" is a straight one-chord blues, just Jagger, Richards and Watts, highlighted by Jagger's harp playing. Charlie's touch is especially light, and the feel is Muddy Waters, "I'm a Man."

"She Saw Me Coming" has some sweet Keith guitar simmering just underneath the surface, and his vocals-- I cannot in good conscious call them "harmony" vocals-- beef up Jagger's attack. A heavy riff away from being a classic Stones rocker. Funny lyric.

"Biggest Mistake" is the kind of Jagger tune that has been populating the second half of their albums for the last 25 years; easy and laid back, with a great hook; a little gem. "This Place is Empty" is the first of two Keith lead vocals, just Mick, Keith, and Charlie, with Don Was on piano; Jagger plays a nice slide guitar(!)

"Oh No, Not You Again" is a strutting rocker featuring the core fivesome that wants to be on the radio. The radio can have it. Familiar enough to appeal to the casual listener, but almost generic next to some of the richer work here. "Dangerous Beauty," also with just Mick, Keith and Charlie, is another straightforward rocker, a format that really is too easy for these guys at this point. Evocative of "You Got Me Rocking." "Laugh, I Nearly Died" is a softer, minor key song where Keith's guitar chording speaks with the eloquence of years. Charlie's rock steady beat anchors this one with deftness and ease. Jagger sort of overdoes it, but the song is a triumph.

"Sweet Neo Con" is the controversial track here. Bands like the Stones were political all the time in the 60s ("Street Fighting Man"), but nowadays such a blunt diatribe seems shocking (although nowadays there are a lot more cuss words.) Regardless of your political leanings, it remains difficult to both totally rock and espouse a political world view, unless you're the Clash. I can't help but think the same track with a different lyric would be a better song (and I agree with the politics); nice piercing harp and snarling lick from Keith. "Look What the Cat Dragged In" is a servicable enough but disposable uptempo rocker.

"Driving Too Fast," like "Brand New Car" and "Black Limousine," proves that the Stones can't make a bad song about cars; Woody and Keith get busy on guitar throughout. "Infamy," the second Keith vocal and album closer, is not the show-stopper that some of his other album closers were ("Slipping Away," "How Can I Stop.") Interestingly, Woody isn't on either Keith showcase. A good groove tune in the vein of his Talk is Cheap work, but it would probably play better in the middle of the record than at the end.

Basically, this is an extremely strong 45-minute album stretched out over 64 minutes. Like most recent Stones records, there are more than enough top-flight songs to make this worthwhile. It isn't earth shattering, but it is earth rump-shaking. Not bad for a bunch of old geysers. Ronnie Wood is less of a presence than usual (he says he cut his tracks in 4 days), which is unfortunate, but he is deployed quite judiciously on the songs he plays on, and as always is a perfect foil for Keith. And the groove which Jagger, Keith and Watts lock onto when they work together alone more than makes up for Woody's absence on several tracks.

Finally, Don Was produces by largely staying out of the way, which is right. These guys know how to make a record, know how to sound like they sound. The last one they did with Was, 1997's Bridges to Babylon, had too much affect; this one is just the Stones sounding like the Stones. So if you like the Stones, you'll like it.