Keith Richards once humorously quipped, “Guitar is easy – all it takes is five fingers, six strings and one asshole.”
Yes, easy perhaps, but few have wielded the instrument with as much imagination, grit and panache as the legendary Rolling Stone. Over the past six decades, the guitarist has unleashed a torrent of timeless riffs, gracing hits like Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Satisfaction, Honky Tonk Women, Start Me Up, Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ and Happy.
And this year, at the venerable age of 79 (he turns 80 this month), Richards, accompanied by his eternally youthful crew, the Rolling Stones, put the final touches on their 24th studio album and released a dozen more hot rocks. Lord knows, it was a long time comin’. Nearly eight years passed since the release of their 2016 blues covers album, Blue And Lonesome, and twice that time since their last batch of original songs, 2005’s ABigger Bang.
The good news is that the wait was worth it. Packed with killer tunes and those trademark Keef guitar hooks, Hackney Diamonds stands tall among their very best work. Bold, textured and unapologetically ambitious it recalls classics like Let It Bleed (1969) and Exile On Main St. (1972). The album also features guest appearances by some of rock’s greatest luminaries, including Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Lady Gaga and even original Stones bassist Bill Wyman, who hadn’t recorded with the band for almost 30 years.
Guest cameos often distract more than they add, but the Stones artfully deployed these music icons in surprisingly subtle and complementary ways. Wonder and Lady Gaga, for example, add just the right touch of soulful elegance to the celestial gospel rave-up Sweet Sounds of Heaven while Elton discreetly provides some tastefully rollicking piano on two tracks. Perhaps the biggest surprise is McCartney’s contribution. Beatle Paul, known primarily for his timeless love songs and gift for melody, goes against type and unleashes the mother of all snarling fuzz-bass lines on Bite My Head Off, an exhilarating punk rocker that tears the roof off the joint.
“To be honest, ifmarks the band’s first production since the passing of Charlie Watts, one of rock’s pre-eminent drummers,
