Dog Hill Music

I know it’s only rock and roll. But I like it! 

The Music:

If you’ve been following reviews of Hackney Diamonds, the new album of original music by the Rolling Stones, you have probably read a lot of “it’s not, but” statements. Reviews are packed with caveats like “it’s not Beggars Banquet, but I enjoyed it.” Or “It’s not Let it Bleed, but still quite good.” Or “It’s not Sticky Fingers, Exile, Tattoo You, Some Girls, Aftermath, December’s Children, or even that weird European fan club compilation where Mick Jagger’s eyes are inexplicably closed on the cover; but it’s a fun listen nonetheless.” You get the idea. 

My take is slightly different. Hackney Diamonds is an excellent album precisely because it’s not trying to be one those classic albums but still sounds unmistakably like the Rolling Stones. I’ll admit it took me a bit to get there. Like most, I love the Stones because of the music they recorded from their self-titled 1964 debut (a.k.a. England’s Newest Hitmakers) through 1981’s Tattoo You. With exceptions, those albums tend to be raw, rootsy, edgy, and organic. When the advance single Angry dropped back in September and the song’s raucous opening riff gave way to some processed vocals and glossy production, I was concerned. I liked the song. I loved the guitars. The band sounded vital. But why would they pursue such a modern, poppy aesthetic rather than the gritty sonic palate that made them stars in the first place? And a producer known for working with Justin Bieber?! What gives?? But the answers to these questions diminished in importance as my affection for Angry grew from guilty pleasure to genuine affinity over repeated listens. It’s a fun song. It has the energy and swagger of “Start me Up” and the riff-driven DNA that propelled so many of their hits. Yet it felt new, a logical continuation of their earlier work that avoids sounding like a self-conscious reenactment of the past. 

Hackney Diamonds is much like Angry. The essential ingredients of the Stones break through—and often transcend—the production values of 2023. Every time the record threatens to devolve into sing song choruses or trite lyrics, Mick’s sneers or Keith and Ronnie Wood’s “woven” blues-derived guitar parts bring things back to the realm of rock and roll where the Stones are always at their best. There’s something to be said for the contrast. It’s a bit like those 1960s Ray Charles albums that are heavily orchestrated with strings and smooth  backing vocals—where it just makes Ray’s gritty, soulful singing even more impressive. Here the modern production of Hackney Diamonds shows that the Stones can cut through and sound at home in any era. The ingredients that made them great in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s still work within the modern sonic terrain. They don’t need to be frozen in amber to rock and roll.

Even if you are a purist you should still find plenty to like on Hackney Diamonds. The closing cover of the Muddy Waters’ blues classic Rollin’ Stone has received much attention. Some reviews describe it as a full-circle moment, given that the song is the namesake of the band. But it’s also just a great performance. Guitar players should particularly enjoy the duet recording which provides an unencumbered chance to hear Keith’s mastery of early post-war blues guitar. It’s a welcome reminder of Mick’s blues harmonica chops as well. The two sound effortlessly locked in, a bit like Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. It’s also admirable that the band that had Howlin’ Wolf join them on the television program Shindig! back in the 60s is still trying to turn its vast audience on to the music of their heroes, without whom there’d be no Stones. 

Although the material on Hackney Diamonds is perhaps most reminiscent of their Some Girls/Tattoo You era of the late 70s and early 80s, there are other tracks where the band’s rootsiest tastes shine through. The Stones’ long-held fascination with country music resurfaces on Dreamy Skies. The song evokes Let It Bleed. Another rootsy standout is the lengthy gospel-influenced Sweet Sounds of Heaven, featuring soulful keyboard work from Stevie Wonder (STEVIE WONDER!) and an impressive return appearance on supporting vocals from Lady Gaga. Mick’s singing is strong throughout Hackney Diamonds and he sounds particularly at home on Sweet Sounds of Heaven. The song makes perfect sense coming from a band that worked with Billy Preston, idolized Aretha Franklin, and invited guest appearances from seminal soul figures like the “Reverend” Solomon Burke. It would be a gem on any Stones record.

Speaking of Stevie Wonder and Lady Gaga, the personnel on Hackney Diamonds has understandably drawn considerable attention. The guest appearances lend the album a celebratory feel. Paul McCartney’s bass part on the punky Bite My Head Off provides the perfect hook for the track and could be seen as its own full-circle moment since the Beatles gave the Stones one of their first singles. Elton John provides some excellent Jerry Lee Lewis-esque piano pounding (albeit mixed a little low). Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers also lends his keyboard virtuosity in a couple of places. Perhaps most important for Stones fans: Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman are included. Both appear on Live by the Sword, perhaps the most straight-ahead rocker on Hackney Diamonds. It is powered by the hallmark freight train momentum of the original Stones rhythm section. It really swings. Watts’ drumming grounds the infectious Mess It Up, a disco-rock hybrid that recalls Miss You. They are each worthy final performances from the late drummer and original Stone, and welcome additions to the catalog. 

Sure, I have quibbles and you likely will too. But it’s 2023 and you can go out and buy a new Stones album on vinyl that is consistently fun and which has at least a half-dozen standout tracks. Here’s another way to think about it. If I’m lucky enough to see the Stones in their possible 2024 tour, and they choose to include some tracks from Hackney Diamonds in the setlist, I will not view them as an opportunity for a bathroom break or a chance to buy merch. I won’t be Angry if they play Angry—I’ll cheer. And I bet many others will too. How many artists can say that about new material more than 60 years into their careers?

The Pressing: 

There are numerous versions and variations of Hackney Diamonds. As other reviewers have noted, tracking down a copy in-person was surprisingly difficult. My go-to record store sold out of it quickly, as did the Best Buys and Targets in my area. My wife managed to find a copy at a Barnes & Noble. It’s the basic version on black vinyl pressed in the Czech Republic. The packaging is better than I expected—featuring a glossy cover (that is some weird art, no?) and a plastic-lined inner sleeve. A separate inner sleeve has credits and personnel printed on it. My copy had a visible warp, which fortunately did not affect playback noticeably. The record had very little surface noise and was well-centered. No, it won’t sound like an all-analog production because, well, it’s not. But my wife and I both felt that the vinyl was a considerable upgrade over the sound of the album on Spotify. The sound is full, clear, and weighty. It holds up to play a high volume, as any Stones album should.

Non-algorithmic final thoughts:

If you like this record and are looking for more unapologetically-fun newish rock and roll, check out the debut album by the Empty Hearts—a super group formed of members from Blondie, the Cars, the Romantics, and the Chesterfield Kings. If you miss Charlie Watts, you may want to listen to Some Girls Live in Texas ’78. I had missed this one given the numerous Stones releases from the vaults, but stumbled on a copy when I couldn’t find Hackney Diamonds! The fourth side builds in momentum until it culminates in an explosive performance of Jumpin’ Jack Flash that must have left the Sam Houston Coliseum smoking. Credit that trademark swing of Watts and the Stones rhythm section.