For a protracted whereas, the response to every new Rolling Stones announcement has been much less in regards to the music and extra to do with their age. Even at 50, it was stated (on the duvet of this very journal) that the nonetheless sprightly legends have been pushing the boundaries of rock and roll propriety. However by the point they’d hit half a century as a band, in 2012, that wryly amused tone had modified to one in every of real concern. How may Mick Jagger, quickly to turn into a great-grandfather, be working 12 miles each evening on-stage whereas belting out ‘Paint It, Black’ with the identical elastic power he exuded as a snake-hipped teen? It wasn’t pure, it wasn’t regular.
Quick-forward to 2023, nonetheless, and the ageless rock gods have began to look fallible. In 2019, Jagger was admitted to hospital for an emergency coronary heart operation. Not lengthy after that the unthinkable occurred: drummer Charlie Watts, eldest of the unique members, died at 80 following a brief sickness. Even Keith Richards, as soon as listed by Robin Williams alongside cockroaches as the one creatures that might survive a nuclear apocalypse, admitted that his docs had made him surrender smoking (not booze although, by no means booze). The Stones had been came upon. They weren’t immortal in spite of everything – and the tip of the street is perhaps nearer than we predict.
Into this final dance environment comes ‘Hackney Diamonds’, the blootered blues pirates’ twenty fourth album. It’s their first in 18 years, since 2005’s less-than-essential ‘A Larger Bang’, and proved significantly tough to get proper. They’d hit the studio on a number of earlier events to chop one other document (therefore Watts’ presence on two tracks, elsewhere changed by Steve Jordan) however nothing spectacular had emerged. Ultimately, Mick misplaced his rag and set a Valentine’s Day deadline to get the factor executed. “That’s a bit optimistic,” Keith advised him, earlier than committing. The fat-lipped frontman has lengthy been the engine of the Rolling Stones machine – the clockwork mechanism that retains all of it working to schedule, whereas Keith lounges coolly within the shadows. If we have been going to listen to ‘Hackney Diamonds’ and, hopefully, get pleasure from it (not a given within the band’s fashionable period), we’d have Jagger to thank. And possibly producer Andrew Watt, who additionally coaxed a rowdy album out of Iggy Pop final 12 months.
Because it occurs, ‘Hackney Diamonds’ is very gratifying. Fiery opener ‘Offended’ makes for a traditional Stones joint boasting a bone-crunching riff. They’ve a historical past of frontloading tracklists (‘Begin Me Up’ kicks off ‘Tattoo You’, ‘Brown Sugar’ begins ‘Sticky Fingers’) and the early high quality continues right here through sensible barroom sing-a-long ‘Get Shut’. For half of the songs, Jagger seethes with repressed rage (both on the institution, as on Paul McCartney-featuring political romp ‘Chew My Head Off’; or a pushy companion, see ‘Driving Me Too Arduous’). The opposite half has him in additional melancholic temper, wanting again at damaged relationships and the way life could have mapped out in a different way. “You got here to the proper place, child, on the fallacious time”, he yowls throughout disco-flavoured jam ‘Mess It Up’. “I’m too younger for dying, however too outdated to lose”, comes the chorus in comfortable, soul-searching ballad ‘Relying On You’.
Equally, Keith’s customary solo reduce, the stripped again ‘Inform Me Straight’, asks “is my future all up to now?” Through the years, the Stones have typically been accused of flippancy however they’ve hardly ever been shallow. These tunes proceed to reveal that knack for bottling the core anxieties of the human expertise – no matter age you’re.
Nearly as good as it’s, ‘Hackney Diamonds’ does have unhealthy spots. Nation honker ‘Dreamy Skies’ would’ve sounded outdated within the ‘70s – and even a cameo from founder bassist Invoice Wyman can’t save punk-y cringe-a-thon ‘Reside By The Sword’, one other sufferer of Mick’s interminable Johnny Rotten impression. These low factors are fortunately scarce, fewer and farther between than on something this aspect of 1981.
The standout second comes with penultimate monitor ‘Candy Sounds Of Heaven’, a chic gospel sermon for which Girl Gaga channels ‘Gimme Shelter’ siren Merry Clayton and Stevie Surprise stops by to jazz it up on the organ. A mini acoustic cowl of Muddy Waters normal ‘Rollin’ Stone’ (from whom co-founder Brian Jones borrowed the band’s moniker) is technically final, however it’s extra of a cute footnote than remaining phrase.
Guitarist Ronnie Wooden not too long ago advised NME that they’ve loads extra already recorded, one other album’s price doubtlessly able to go. This smells of PR guff, the elder statesmen hedging their bets in opposition to a farewell narrative. But when ‘Hackney Diamonds’ does spherical off probably the most profitable profession in rock music ever, it wouldn’t be a foul place to depart it. A pure finish, however undoubtedly not a traditional one.
Particulars
- Launch date: October 20, 2023
- File label: Polydor