A Bigger Bang: The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones have produced their first all new studio record in 8 years, and A Bigger Bang works hard to live up to its rather ambitious name. Songwriting team Mick Jagger and Keith Richards most recent collaborative efforts resulted in fresh new tunes comprising an album that has been oft compared with the band’s 1972 masterpiece, Exile on Main Street. The Rolling Stones record releases during the past two decades have been spotty, over produced and at times boring, I can understand the need to compare their records to their earlier classic works – but A Bigger Bang stands up well all on its own.



(I admit that I am biased in favor of the Rolling Stones’ music, having been a fan of the band ever since I heard their 1965 hit song Play With Fire, first played for me by my cousin on his excellent sounding Sony semi--portable reel-to-reel tape machine).



Quick Overview: The record’s stand out tracks include Rough Justice (the first single release), Rain Fall Down, Oh No Not You Again (played during the Stones’ New York City A Bigger Bang tour announcement promotional concert) and Laugh, I Nearly Died (in my opionion, an solid Stones classic). Although the vast majority of the songs on this record are strong, there is a loss of momentum on This Place Is Empty – but diehard Keith Richard fans would disagree.



As they started work on songwriting for the new record Jagger and Richards received an unexpected phone call from veteran band-mate and drummer Charlie Watts, informing them that they would without him, as Watts had been diagnosed with cancer and was preparing for surgery. Jagger and Richards looked at each other and realized that it would be just the two of them collaborating on the beginnings of their new album (which seems to have helpled the glimmer-twins focus, and avoid extended and unproductive studio jam sessions).


Rough Justice, the lead off track, has a strong guitar driven edge provided by Keith Richards and relative newcomer Ronnie Wood (the ex-Faces guitarist who replaced Mick Taylor in 1975), coupled with the strong drumming by Charlie Watts (who recovered in time to be included on the record). Mick sings that it is “…. Rough Justice, but you know that I will never break your heart�, insinuating that he still wants a relationship, but only on his terms. (The Rolling Stones included this song in the middle of their recent Super Bowl Halftime performance, supporting Jagger’s contention that the Stones are not just a band that does the “hits and oldies�, but remains current – producing new music to coincide with their current world tour).




The majority of this record revolves around the theme of broken relationships, with some of the songs (Let Me Down Slow, Streets of Love, Biggest Mistake, This Place is Empty, and Laugh, I Nearly Died) bemoaning the loss of love, and others (It Won’t Take Long, She Saw Me Coming and Oh No Not You Again), take a different tack, and tend to celebrate the breakup of the relationship.




Two songs on the record hold fast to the album’s bigger bang theme, with a focus on current controversial U.S. political events: Sweet Neo Con is clearly a jab President George W. Bush his and the war in Iraq. This is controversial subject matter for any group, even for the Rolling Stones. Jagger admitted that he held his political view cards close to his chest during the 2002 election, but wanted to put down in song what he thought about George W. and the war in Iraq – and song writing partner Keith Richards, a bit weary about this as he lives in the U.S., supported Mick’s desire to put this on the album (this song has yet to be played live by the Stones, but there is speculation that they will finally unveil this one as they tour South American and then move on to Europe and Asia).





Dangerous Beauty on first listen just sounds like the typical Stones tale of a tough woman, but a closer look at the lyrics suggest that the focus is on the actions of U.S. Army Private Lynndie England, and her now infamous center-stage role in the Abu Gharaib prison abuse scandal.




Both songs are solid efforts – with Jagger playing guitar, bass, harmonica and keyboards on the very catchy Sweet Neo Con – and Dangerous Beauty featuring the strong full return to classic form drumming of Charlie Watts and the hard edge guitar lick trading between Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood.



(Although controversial, The Rolling Stones provide an alternate perspective – which could be helpful as some folks are myopic in their political views, and cannot separate their personal like for a political leader from a careful examination of their policies).



The Stones pay tribute to their musical roots with The Back of My Hand, a blues number complete with Jagger contributing slide guitar, harmonica, bass and percussion (this one was played live on the current ABB Tour). Jagger sings about a preacher “Ranting like a crazy man� regarding the contradictions that are a part of this life, and the shared concerns of many on the current state of affairs in the world:



“I see love, I see misery, Jamming side by side on the stage. In the wind some mournful melody I can read it like the back of my hand.�



A Rolling Stones record would not be complete without inclusion of some R&B songs: the very dance beat driven Rain Fall Down showcases Jagger’s voice (in fine form- both on this entire record, as well as in their current shows), Richard’s infectious guitar licks and Watts steady and sure drumming. Great song – related to life in London (or any big city urban area):



“Follow it up in this strange grey town
They build it up and let it all fall down
Feel like we’re living in a battleground
Everybody’s jazzed.�




A Bigger Bang was released just about the time the city of London suffered the terrorist bombings in the subway and on a double decker city bus – and parts of Rain Fall Down seem very prophetic, knowing that Jagger & Richards wrote these words months before these incidents ever took place – and echoing some of the fears of vast numbers of urban city dwellers since the 9-11 attacks.




In Laugh, I Nearly Died (the bare-the-broken-heart song for all the world to hear) Jagger cries that he has been “…traveling but I don’t know where, I’ve been missing you but you just don’t care….and I’ve been wandering….lost in the wilderness, so far from home.� A bit later he adds, “I hate to be denied, how you hurt my pride. I feel pushed aside, but laugh, laugh I nearly died.�




LIND is a classic Stones song in every way, complete with the other band members chiming in on the chorus, “Been traveling far and wide wondering who’s going to be my guide.� Surely anyone who has experienced the loss of love and/or a significant other can relate to these sentiments.



In a broader scope, it seems that many are still traveling far and wide, wondering who will be their guide – and it seems that it is the pain and hurt in our lives that bring us to a place of confession – and then recognizing our emptiness – contrasted to God’s goodness – as seen in the free gift of eternal life offered by Christ – we are drawn to the light and offered hope in the midst of the tribulation that this planet is so famous for (the honest and yet hopeful words of Jesus come to mind: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.� John 16.33 (NKJV)



ABB reflects the maturing of the Jagger/Richards songwriting partnership, and the honesty (and anger) that the rough times in life so often bring out of us (Jagger admitted that many of the songs on this record are somewhat autobiographical). The entire band has stepped up to the plate and produced a record that is current, relevant and yet harkens back to the strength, diversity and consistency that was heard in many of the Stones classic albums, including Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Main Street (1972), Goat’s Head Soup (1973) and Its Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (1974).




Although the Grammy Award judges overlooked the Rolling Stone’s latest record for the Best Rock Album of 2005 category, this latest Stones release (and their world tour) provides the listener with A Bigger Bang– check it out.


The Rolling Stones performed a concert on
16.2.2006 at the Copacabana with an estimated
1.2 million people in attedance
- the largest audience in the bands history