ROLLING STONES- "Hackney diamonds"

You have to listen to the album and then look at the band members' age and think, think hard. How can a bunch of 80 year old rockers give us such a youthful album. Besides that the ROLLING STONES have made a pact with the devil or found the fountain of youth, they certainly have found the magic apple of inspiration.

"Angry" is a tight blues rock driven song with soulful vocal delivery by Jagger. Richards produces immortal riffs at the one for "Get close" a rhythmic stomper that has this melodic chorus where Jagger shows off again his melodic calibre with a great saxophone break "Depending on you" is a semi acoustic, ballad with great lyrics, "too young to die , too old to lose" and the country blues style that they loved back in the 60s. STONES never stop to surprise us and "Bite my head off" fast. angy punk rocker with the participation of Paul McCartney is a revelation of their spirit and passion, a true diamond among diamonds. "Whole wild world" is another great melodic, guitar driven rocker, anxious, edgy giving a lesson in songwriting to all THE STRUTS, and THE OASIS of the world with Jagger in prime form and Richards proving a good rock solo wont need more than 30 secs of intensity and imagination."Dreamy skies" is another laid back, countrified ballad full of emotion.

"Mess it up" is another key riff from Richards riff machine and a great pop/rock beat making it an instant radio hit."Live by the sword" is a funky rocker, dirty, groovy with Sir Elton John adding some honky tonk piano, aiming to send you to the dancefloor after listening to the first bars, not to mention the participation of the now deceased drummer Charlie Watts and ex RS bass player Bill Wyman, a fitting reunion to honour their recently deceased drummer."Driving me too hard" is a melodic rocker with Jagger rambling around a broken heart , love story. Another piece of resistance of the album is "Sweet sounds of heaven" that gets flourished with the participation of Stevie Wonder and Lady Gaga who gives an astonishing blues performance side by side with Jagger at this slow tempo blues, in the best 60s Chicago blues tradition. A song exploding in a vocal tsunami dwells between Jagger and Gaga proving that traditional soulful blues are difficult to be beaten when you have the heart and the guts to sing them, with the song power magnified by some excellent horns and Wonder's piano."Rolling stone blues" is a delta blues ,heavy blues with harmonica and slide, striped down, traditional , a tribute to their roots and influences.

Overall this is an unexpectedly good album that stands close to the classic STONES era with slick production, great songs and most and above all throws more fuel to the fire of the legendary ROLLING STONES as the last of the Mohicans who can still deliver.Jagger, Richards and Wood keep the crown of the most dangerous rock n roll band on earth with ease and class.

9