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 CD Review: The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang 
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Gym Leader
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Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 6:14 am
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Location: United Kingdom
Released: 5 September (UK) & 6 September (US)

When the world's most successful rock band announces a new album, anticipation is obviously very high, indeed.

But the Rolling Stones latest single became a #15 chart hit on Sunday, which is the highest charting new single they've had for over ten years.

So perhaps when A Bigger Bang is released on Monday, it will be an even bigger success than originally thought.

The CD opens with the raunchy rocker Rough Justice, which is classicly Rolling Stones-styled in its lyrics, drumming and guitar work.

Mick Jagger's voice still sounds great and hasn't degraded at all - Keith Richards remains one of the most talented guitarists in the world.

The next two tracks - the slightly gentler Let Me Down Slow, and the hard-sounding guitar work on the defiant It Won't Take Long.

Rain Fall Down is suprising to the listener, a funky-riffing pop number that halts the vintage feel of the record up until this point.

Streets of Love, the new single, is indeed a fantastic record was a wise choice for one of the two first tracks to be liften from the album.

The Stones are a fan of and are still loyal to their blues roots, but Back of My Hand is only effective instrumentally - Jagger is no Peter Green.

She Saw Me Coming is a filler if there ever was one, while Biggest Mistake is story of regret with an almost country flavour.

I'm not a fan of most Stones songs which feature Keith Richards on vocals, but This Place Is Empty is consistent with much of his other efforts - so if you're a fan of his songs, you should like this track.

Oh No, Not You Again is the fiesty guitar rocker previewed at the band's press conference in May.

One song that clearly stands out on the album is Laugh, I Nearly Died - an affecting self-focusing ballad, albeit with odd backing vocals.

I don't think that the Stones making a politically-motivated track was a bad idea at all, I just happen to think that Sweet Neo-Con is a relatively poor effort at a song in general, although more musically than lyrically.

The drumming on that track is striking though, it has a clear and aggressive tone - age is just a number to Charlie Watts.

Richards can still come up with fantastic riffs and licks - Look What The Cat Dragged in is all about guitar showmanship, while Driving Too Fast is also riff-driven.

And his effort with the closing Infamy, is his best since Happy.

The album isn't 100% satisfying to me, like their last couple of albums, some tracks don't seem genuine or are weakly written lyrically.

They are still a band capable of making some of the best sounds in rock, but do they have anything to say anymore?
Some tracks are genuinely exciting, some just pass you buy.

6/10
Essential tracks: Rough Justice, Streets of Love
Bottom line: Consistent with their efforts of the last decade, therefore hardly rivalling the classics.


Tue Aug 30, 2005 2:21 pm
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Ace Trainer
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Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 12:08 pm
Posts: 347
Location: Good Ol' USA
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hm mite be a bit late but i just got this album and it roxxorzz

best tracks imho are prob 1. rough justice, 2. let me down slow, 4. rain fall down, 5. streets of love, 8. biggest mistake, and 9. this place is empty.

i agree tho, sweet neo con completely blows. i mean i understand the whole rock politics theme, but they should've learned from green day's debacle.

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Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:29 am
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Gym Leader
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Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 6:14 am
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It's grown on me a lot since writing that, I quite lik Sweet Neo Con now.

I like Rough Justice, Let Me Down Slow, It Won't Take Long (my favourite), Oh No Not You Again and Sweet NEo Con (now).

But the whole album is good and has lastability.

Just Deep Purple's new CD to look forward to now.


Mon Sep 19, 2005 3:56 pm
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