The Rolling Stones shocked the world with their new album

Will Hackney Diamonds be the band’s last release?

The legendary British rockers released their twenty-fourth album and, it seems, did not disappoint anyone. However, the Hackney Diamonds were there to be surprised, not disappointed. A fresh release from musicians whose age, it would seem, is completely incompatible with rock and roll, is interesting first of all as a phenomenon, and only then as a set of songs.

Even if you look at Hackney Diamonds outside of its veteran rock context, it’s hard to argue with the fact that most of the tracks are capable of causing both goosebumps and rapid heartbeats. However, for the musicians, good feedback in this case was very important.

The new album is the first release after an eighteen-year lull. Before that there was “A Bigger Bang”, as a classic example of an optional big band record. Over all these years, the Rolling Stones have spoiled fans with reissues and cover versions of blues classics, and sometimes fresh singles have appeared, both as a group and by Jager in a solo format.

It must be admitted that not a single shot was missed from the rare fresh record – both “Doom and Gloom” and “Living in a Ghost Town”, which fit perfectly into the atmosphere of the global lockdown, were reminiscent of those very rockers who are always missing something. However, the musicians seemed not to be interested in the new album, and this approach was perceived as logical. The group regularly went on tours, during which everyone who at least once saw Jagger, reeling around the stage for tens of miles per show, without losing the grace of an eternal ladies’ man, immediately forgot about the desire to hold the Stones’ new album in their hands. For many, a retro concert is cooler than a new album, because all the songs have already been invented, much more…

But the musicians themselves, as it turned out during recent promotional interviews, did not forget about the new songs. And the problems with the fresh material were rather in the different approaches to work. Jaeger loves to set deadlines, Richards loves to strum his guitar in the studio, waiting for inspiration. It is quite difficult to reconcile such strategies, but the main people in the group finally made something of an agreement, and as a result, they quickly completed the outline of songs that had appeared several years ago.

The idea of ​​inviting different stars to record has long been popular among rock veterans, and the new Rolling Stones album should be considered truly exemplary in this regard. Paul McCartney plays bass on “Bite My Head Off”, Elton John recorded keyboards on “Get Close” and “Live by the Sword” (ex-Rollings bassist Bill Wyman also appeared here), Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder took part in “Sweet Sounds of Heaven”. This entire stellar company was managed by producer Andrew Watt, whose resume includes not only pop discoveries, but also exemplary noisy rock albums, such as the latest release from Iggy Pop.

There are many cases where titanic organizational efforts and crowds of stars did not save albums, but this does not apply to Hackney Diamonds. He is good not for his super-guests, but for the unbending spirit of the Stones. This same spirit bursts out of the speakers like an animal released from a cage already in the first track “Anger”. Vocals and guitar riffs instantly fill the space, fury and vintage sound, all this again evokes the thought of “did they really do it”.

“I’m too young to die, but too old to lose,” Jaeger sings on “Depending On You,” succinctly summing up the album’s theme. And on most of the songs the band wins hands down. “Bite My Head Off” is a good reason to test the strength of the stereo system, “Driving Me Too Hard” may be indispensable on a Friday in the pub, “Tell Me Straight” reminds of Keith Richards, as well as an excellent vocalist.

Probably, great experts will begin to furiously prove the superiority of Charlie Watts’ drum parts in “Mess It Up” and “Live by the Sword” (which were recorded in 2019 and also became a piece of memory for an excellent musician) before the performance of new drummer Steve Jordan. And they will express doubts about the importance of Lady GaGa’s vocals in “Sweet Sounds of Heaven.” All these are reasons for discussion, but not reasons for disappointment.

The final track of the album was a cover of Muddy Waters’ “Rollin’ Stone”. The song that gave the band its name at the end of “Hackney Diamonds” looks like a kind of concept and support for rumors that this album will be the Stones’ last. But the musicians themselves have not yet made a single statement. They always knew how to intrigue.