| August 22nd, 2005 05:46 PM |
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| Mathijs |
Well, as we're antagonizing everyone already, I thought: time for part three of my review! You know the drill by now, and here’s a warning: if you think I am a pompous, arrogant asshole: don’t read any further as there’s some pompous, arrogant remarks from an asshole. I changed some reviews in order to be more precise and clear in my use of English. And why do I write these reviews? I don’t know. The glam, the fame, the attention, I don’t have anything else to do. You Choose! Rating: 1 is Nickelback-bad, 10 is Some Girls good.
1. Driving Too Fast: A truly excellent up-tempo rocker! I will say it in other song reviews as well, but this song again reminds me of the Undercover period (for you to know: I love Undercover and its outtakes. I feel the album is high in energy, it’s raw and mean, it features an incredible hot Wood and Richards, and it features Jagger at its best. You have to listen through the 80’s mix and production, but it’s a hell of an album). This sounds just like it could have been an outtakes from Undercover, rerecorded in 2005! I love how Watts pumps out the beat, and I love Jagger belting out the lyrics. Is this song based on a Wood-riff? This should have been the new single: if the Foo Fighters can get away with it these days, the Stones sure can! Excellent! 10/10
2. It Won’t Take Long: Good guitars, good melody, I love the chorus, this just simply rocks like vintage Stones should rock. Again, it reminds me of the Undercover period. It very well could be Jagger driving the song on the open G rhythm guitar. Finally Wood plays a good lead guitar again. This track won’t shake the world, and the open G guitar is so incredibly Stones that it is in danger of becoming corny, but it’s in my opinion real good Stones-anno-2005-music. I do miss Bill Wyman in these kind of songs, he was able to really make these songs lift-off. 9/10
3. Let Me Down Slow: Same tempo as Driving Too Fast, but it doesn’t work for me. It sounds like a Primitive Cool rocker, and it’s just too simple. The double stops, the chord changes, and especially Keith’s bends are just too unimaginative in my very humble opinion. Keith’s solo actually annoys me, it’s that predictable. It sounds like an average outtake to me, and should have stayed that way. 5/10
4. Look What the Cat Dragged In: I love it! Undercover of the Night meets Too Much Blood! Based on a bass riff just like Too Much Blood, and Wood seemed to have remembered his frantic guitar solo’ing on Undercover of the Night, and he really does some stellar guitar work on this track. I truly believed we had seen the best of Wood the last years, but I was wrong. The song reminds me of Carnival, the 1975 outtake with Clapton, it sounds like a true part going on in the studio. Just like Rain Fall Down, I bet this song originated out of a live jam. 9/10
5. She Saw Me Coming: Again it sounds like an Undercover-period, or maybe Dirty Work period track. It sounds like a live rehearsal to me. Keith had a great riff, and Jagger is trying to come up with some lyrics while the band’s running trough it a couple of times. The bridge is a bit corny, and the song finally just goes nowhere, it’s just too repetitive. I doubt this song would have been considered for release in 19 eighty-something. 6/10
6. Oh No Not You Again: On the press conference I really liked the rough sound of the guitars and I liked the drive of it. Unfortunately, the studio version sounds a bit lame and simple. It reminds me of Jagger’s solo Lonely at the Top, with a bit of Highwire thrown in. The lame lyrics don’t benefit the song. It’s nice, but quite forgettable. It’s better than She Saw Me Coming and Let me Down Slow and it grows on me, so 6/10 becomes 7/10.
7. Rough Justice: Good song with a good drive and it rocks in a good raunchy manner. It grew on me. I needed ten spins to over come the "just another" Stones track” feeling. It’s quite good in a sing-along manner. I still feel the Stones can write three RJ-songs a day, but once you accept that, it’s nice to play loud while driving a car. I like how the piano enters the end of the song. It rocks and it grooves, but somehow it can’t shake it’s simplicity off its back, just like Sparks Will Fly or I Go Wild. 7/10
8. Streets of Love: the biggest piece of shit ever released by the Stones. It absolutely beats everything ever released by Jagger solo. Goddess is horrible but I don't mind because it is Jagger solo and I couldn't care less, but now Jagger succeeded in having a Goddess outtake performed by the Stones, or at least have Charlie drum on it (I don't hear any other Stones playing). This song makes me feel embarrassed. Its American-slick Rob Thomas pop music, and I hate American-slick Rob Thomas pop music. It would have been 1/1, but the verse has something catchy with the ha-ha-ha-ha…. 2/10.
9. Back of My Hand: excellent song, excellent sound, I really like the guitars. But, I truly don't understand you want to put this on an album. It is an excellent outtake, maybe a B-side like The Storm (which in my opinion is a boring ballroom blues). The riff is an old Charley Patton riff, and it is something you warm up with in a studio to get the sound right, to warm up Jagger’s vocal chords and Charlie’s wrists. Riffs like this are the type every guitar player plays when he’s lying on a couch in front of the TV; all stolen from Robert Johnson, but nice to noodle with anyway. If they want, they can release two albums full of these kinds of jams. If my memory serves well, they also did parts of this song in Paris 1977. 5/10
10. Rain Fall Down: An absolute Jagger song, I bet Keith didn’t have anything to do with it. It has an excellent groove, and it reminds me of “Everything is Turning to Gold” in that the drive, groove and funk is more important than the actual melody. I bet it’s nice to play this track loud while driving late at night. It sounds like it evolved from a studio jam and Jagger wrote some lyrics to it, some studio trickery like the delay and phasing on the guitar riff (probably played by Jagger) does the rest. Good song. 8/10
11. This Place is Empty: I really like this song, and now after a week, I even feel it’s one of Keith’s best ever, up there with You Got the Silver, Sleep Tonight and especially Apartment No. 9 and We Had It All. The verses are excellent, but the change of mood in the chorus is almost genius-like beautiful (check the change at 2:08 “come on, simmer (?) down…” how incredible beautiful!). It has an excellent melody and truly excellent verses. Keith sings truly brilliant. Only minor point: the slide guitar at the end is a bit corny. This is the kind of song that Keith should make a solo album with. Invite some friends and guests, and make a good George Jones-style album. And please include his version of Love Hurts with Norah Jones that was hauntingly beautiful (on this version you can truly hear how musical Keith is, changing first and second voice with Norah Jones). The more I listen to it, the better it gets: 10/10
12. Sweet Neocon: Of course, as a liberal European I have to say the lyrics are good, but actually, it misses the mark completely. Musically, it is a Primitive Cool-type throw-away –I hate it when the vocals follow the main riff, that’s so corny-, and Jagger’s lyrics just sound hackneyed and fake. Second worse song of the album. 4/10
13. Infamy: Just a nice, reggae style song. Nothing noteworthy actually. Especially the harmonica sounds out of place to me. Further I find it just like You Don’t Have to Mean it: instantly forgettable. Time to get a beer. 5/10
14. Laugh, I Nearly Died: Best of the album, and actually the best thing the Stones (well, it’s a Jagger solo song, really) have released since Tattoo You. It reminisces Heaven and Out of Control, and in a way it also reminds me of Jah is Not Dead. Not the style, but the emotion of Jagger’s vocals. For the first time since 1981 Jagger’s emotions sounds convincing again. Listen to Charlie entering the verses! Listen to Jagger’s blaring it out (man, he’s 62!). This is Let it Loose-good. Chilling. 10/10.
So, six songs that I find incredibly good, six that are mediocre to good songs, and only two that I really dislike. Not a bad score after the horrible Alfie soundtrack and Goddess in a Doorway, and the fact that Keith hardly did anything in eight years. I like the album: It’s direct, raw, bold and punchy, and this really benefits the songs. It’s much more sincere than Voodoo Lounge in my humnble opinion, and it misses the over-production of some B2B tracks. It reminds me of the Undercover album: it’s the same straight-ahead dual guitar attack, some songs more relying on the groove than on the actual melody, and Jagger is again belting out lyrics instead of trying to sing “nice”. It’s not Tattoo You quality, and I do think Undercover as a whole is a better album than Bigger Bang, but this one comes close. I do think that this album is for 80% a Jagger effort. I do think Keith really didn’t have much to do with the writing part. It’s mostly Jagger’s lyrics, Jagger’s melodies, Jagger’s guitars.
Mathijs
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| August 22nd, 2005 05:57 PM |
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| Gazza |
Three 10/10's. Christ almighty.
as Mick said one time "I dont do things by halves..". Many songs seem to be either love/hate ..lol
Agree with you on "Laugh.."....to me, the only songs in the last 25 years that the Stones have done that are in the same league as this are "Slave" and "Continental Drift" - and none of the three of them are what could be called conventional-sounding Rolling Stones songs.
You havent heard "Biggest Mistake", then? I think its a gem, maybe my 2nd favourite. My other two favourites are "It wont take long" and (over the last few days) "driving too fast". I like what i hear of "Dangerous beauty" although ive only heard the short clip.
"This place is empty" really grew on me after I heard it on rs.com the way its meant to be heard. I wouldnt say its the best theyve done with keith on vocals (Before they make me run has that honour for me) but its a very nice track
[Edited by Gazza] |
| August 22nd, 2005 06:03 PM |
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| glencar |
I've heard the 4 on Rs.com & Rain Fall Down on BBC2. I give that and It Won't Take Long 9/10's, RJ an 8/10, SOL 7/10 & This Place Is Making Me Sleepy a 3/10. |
| August 22nd, 2005 06:25 PM |
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| pdog |
I'm glad everyone is liking and not liking different songs. Shows that were not all the same when it comes to our tastes. |
| August 22nd, 2005 06:28 PM |
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| Mathijs |
Nope, I don't have Biggest Mistake and Dangerous Beauty in normal studio quality, I only have the 30 second clips and that's not enough to judge a song.
Mathijs |
| August 22nd, 2005 07:01 PM |
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| Gazza |
I've just mailed you "Biggest mistake" in lo-fi quality |
| August 22nd, 2005 07:05 PM |
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| beer |
I have complete versions of all the songs except for "Dangerous Bueaty", where's it at? whos got it?
- |
| August 22nd, 2005 07:22 PM |
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| BlindLemon |
Far from being a direct expectation, it is more like a plea, I cannot hold myself back: So far, I have only heard ONNYA, RJ, SOL, BOMH and RFD in full. Any posting of files or directions as to how to get to files would be greatly appreciated. This waiting is killing me, really. Today I was trying to figure out the thread over at some other messageboard, following a link from here, and the whole alt. thing never worked for me. I feel the Stones fan community has boarded the scoop train, and all I get to see are the two lights on behind.
For any help from you well-informed people, thanx in advance. |
| August 22nd, 2005 08:50 PM |
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| gotdablouse |
Yes, everyone has gone very secretive all of a sudden, it's ok we can wait ;-)
Hey what happened, you barely sound arrogant in v3 ! Pretty much agree with you except on DTFast, that sounds like a Don Henley/Bon Jovi/Bryan Adams (Run to You chorus), BOMH, best blues song they've done since...hum, Aftermath or You Gotta Move, none of their blues outtakes comes closes (The Storm, Wish I'd Never, Cook Cook, etc..) and SOL that is their best ballad since FTCry IMHO, actually having a catchy hook, not somethin that OOtears had for instance. |
| August 22nd, 2005 09:21 PM |
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| Gazza |
quote:
BlindLemon wrote:
Far from being a direct expectation, it is more like a plea, I cannot hold myself back: So far, I have only heard ONNYA, RJ, SOL, BOMH and RFD in full. Any posting of files or directions as to how to get to files would be greatly appreciated. This waiting is killing me, really. Today I was trying to figure out the thread over at some other messageboard, following a link from here, and the whole alt. thing never worked for me. I feel the Stones fan community has boarded the scoop train, and all I get to see are the two lights on behind.
For any help from you well-informed people, thanx in advance.
you've heard basically what most people have heard. Only a small number of folks got to a listening party and/or snagged a low-fi copy of a recording from one (or acquired a tape of one)
Your e-mail address isnt in your profile, so please contact me... |
| August 22nd, 2005 09:23 PM |
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| Gazza |
quote:
gotdablouse wrote:
Yes, everyone has gone very secretive all of a sudden, it's ok we can wait ;-)
no-one's gone secretive, mate
we uploaded a short sample of almost every song. Legally it would be to risky for us to upload complete versions of the songs in advance of their release date |
| August 22nd, 2005 09:28 PM |
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| Angiegirl |
I agree with you mostly Mathijs. I don't have Dangerous Beauty, but I have the other 15 in full versions.
Album order
RJ - Still have to get used to it. It rocks, but I still feel it's a bit Status Quo-ish.
6/10
Let Me Down Slow - bleh. Nothing stands out. Boring, standard, trivial.
2/10
It Won't Take Long - I liked it immediately. Tight, catchy, real Stones. Clean and guitar-driven, it grabs my attention. I like it miles better than RJ.
9/10
Rain Fall Down - funky, nice build-up. I loved it from 1st listen. I like Mick's rap-like lyrics-deliverance too.
8/10
SOL - catchy but unworthy. Irritating lyrics too. Too bad it couldn't be the first or last song on the album, would've made it easier to skip it...
1/10
BOMH - it's a beautiful blues. I don't think it sounds more like a blues-jam outtake so much, but I don't think it fits in the rest of the album for some reason. It distracts me and it interrupts my listening-flow sense of the album. But in itself I think it's a nice song. I liked the live version too.
7/10
She Saw Me Coming - don't like it. Repetitive it is, it lacks structure. Filler.
4/10
Biggest Mistake - love it. Musically it's a kind of easy-listening ballad, not very special. But it has nice lyrics and it does more to me emotionally than SOL for example. Nice one!
8/10
This Place Is Empty - love it too. Thru & Thru and How Can I Stop (even The Worst) still will be my other fav more recent Keef ballads, but this one sounds really sweet and sincere. It's beautiful. It took me some re-listenings to get the depth so to speak. Already one of my favorites of the album.
9/10
ONNYA - didn't like it from the PC days on. Still don't particularly love it, but it's ok. Won't play it more often than other songs though. Not exactly a filler, but it doesn't stand out for me.
6/10
Laugh, I Nearly Died - I have said it before, and many agree, this is wonderful. I love it so much, I find myself repeating this song again and again when listening to the album. The flow, the structure, the sound. It's beautiful. Mick's singin is so lovely, haunted and emotional. It does sound familiar sometimes, like OOC, but that doesn't bother me. The "been travelling for a while etc" bit completes the song so nicely, it's the icing on the cake. Delicate, climactic, and emotional. Long Live The Stones!
11/10 
Sweet Neo Con - rubbish. I agree with the statement as a lefty, but that's not the point. The lyrics are cringe-worthy, Mick's nasal vocals are cringe-worthy, the music is ugh. Apart from the 'controversy' it's a filler. It wants to be danceable and funky, but I just find it completely annoying.
3/10
Look What The Cat Dragged In - 3 points for the title, brilliant  . A dance beat, but with a raw edge. Nice melodies, nice tempo. Especially the fast-paced chorus. I like it a lot.
8/10
Driving Too Fast - another great rocker. Way better and more original than RJ and ONNYA imo. With a recognisable trademark riff. It reminds me of another Stones song, but every time I listen to it, it doesn't click. Tip-of-the-tongue thing. It has a bit of a darker bluesy edge to it, which makes it more original. Way to go!
9/10
Infamy - Keith's required reggae-inspired piece. Nice, but it doesn't do it for me. Bit of a filler. Maybe it will grow on me when heard live several times. I doubt it however.
4/10
I will get the album the first day I can get it in 2 weeks, no doubt. This is the first time I have been able to familiarise myself with almost all of the new songs on a Stones album before they come out. It's nuts really . But I have no doubt the songs will sound differently over the next months when I can play them all in perfect sound. I can't wait!
[Edited by Angiegirl] |
| August 23rd, 2005 06:38 AM |
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| gotdablouse |
quote:
Gazza wrote:
no-one's gone secretive, mate
we uploaded a short sample of almost every song. Legally it would be to risky for us to upload complete versions of the songs in advance of their release date
Yes, sorry I'd missed a few threads, makes sense. Would be great if someone could pass on Laugh, BM and DB to me here webvan [@] gmail.com - cheers |
| August 24th, 2005 07:15 AM |
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| Mathijs |
Thanks Gazza, for sending me the missing song. Haven't heard it yet, it'll be tonight when I can listen.
Mathijs
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| August 24th, 2005 07:20 AM |
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| Jumacfly |
Angie rating: 6.3/10 |
| August 24th, 2005 07:21 AM |
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| egon |
mathijs,
out of curiosity; why did FLIP quit?
according to the dutchies here you were very good.
i tried to look it up on the website, but seems
no longer online...?
[Edited by egon] |
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