Originally Posted by
FORD
ANGRY - So it's fairly common for the Stones to release the first track on the album as the lead single. "Gimme Shelter", "Brown Sugar", "Miss You", "Start Me Up", etc. Does this song belong in the company of those? Eh, not really. Honestly, the video with the animated singing billboards was better than the song itself. Much like VH did with "Tattoo", this probably wasn't the best choice for the first single.
GET CLOSE - Sort of "Slave" meets "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'", though unfortunately without the Mick Taylor solo, or the Wayne Perkins solo, for that matter. It's got a classic 70s vibe to it. And Elton John fills in nicely on the keys, since Nicky Hopkins or Stu were obviously unavailable. And speaking of Keys who are unavailable... that sure sounds like Bobby on the sax. Obviously it can't be, but a good imitation at least.
DEPENDING ON YOU - Let's call it "Wild Horses running down the Streets of Love" Nice countrified ballad, nothing groundbreaking really.
BITE MY HEAD OFF - This one was advertised as the "punk rock song" for weeks in advance of the album's release. Doesn't sound all that punk on the first listen, but the third time or so, I noticed the riff was similar to the Sex Pistols' "Liar", so that would be punk of course. And then comes Paul McCartney with his fuzz bass - as if he had stepped out of a time machine from the Rubber Soul sessions in 1965. Gotta love this one.
DREAMY SKIES - Lyrically it seems to be a rewrite of "Short & Curlies" from Goat Heads Soup. Musically it's "You Got The Silver" with a "No Expectations" style slide guitar added. Stones still do country better than most so called "country" artists from the Nashville corporate establishme these days.
MESS IT UP - It could be dismissed as a generic dance pop tune, but goddamn it, that's Charlie on the drums. And as I've said before, he's about the only drummer who could make disco listenable.
LIVE BY THE SWORD - Bill & Charlie both on this one, with Elton John once again filling in for Nicky Hopkins and/or Stu. This could easily fit on any Stones album from the 1970s. Mick's lyrics are a little cornball here, but the music more than makes up for it.
DRIVING ME TOO HARD - Starts off with the Tumblin' dice riff, and then morphs into a run of the mill latter day Stones song. Could have been on Voodoo Lounge, Bridges to Babylon, or A Bigger Bang. Not bad, just not all that memorable.
TELL ME STRAIGHT - It's a Keef ballad. Not unlike all the other Keef ballads, but with his recently regenerated smoke-free respiratory system, it's probably his best vocal since "Little T&A".
SWEET SOUNDS OF HEAVEN - Now this is what I'm talking about. Classic R&B/Gospel Stones that could have been on Exile or Sticky Fingers. I don't own a single Lady Gaga record, but I have to say I love what she adds to this song. Very reminiscent of what Merry Clayton brought to "Gimme Shelter". Only thing that might have improved it a little more, is if they would have let Stevie Wonder sing a little, but he does a great job on the keyboards. And Steve Jordan does a passable Charlie imitation here... just wish it could have been the real deal.
ROLLING STONE BLUES - And the album ends the only way this album could - with Mick & Keef going back to their roots and covering the Muddy Waters song that gave their band its name. Of course they did a whole album of blues not long ago, but it's still a perfect way to close this one out. Even if it's not really their last album... and Mick said it wasn't.
On a scale of 1 - 10, where 1 is Mick's first two solo records or Satanic Majesties request and 10 is Some Girls or Exile on Main Street, I'd have to give this album a solid 7. The better parts are good enough to make up for the weaker stuff.