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Over the years, the Stones, heaven knows, have been guilty of turning out albums that can be more easily described as product than passion. The goal is no longer music that is purposeful or heartfelt, but that will work in the marketplace. “Sweethearts Forever” suggests a Drifters-era R&B innocence, while “Blinded by Rainbows” is a reflection on terrorism that is the album’s most ambitious moment.įor most of the 62-minute journey (long enough in the old vinyl days for this to be a double album), the band sounds more comfortable than it has in years.Įvery superstar act, from Michael Jackson to Prince ( especially Michael Jackson and Prince) reaches a point where the artist’s energy shifts from making challenging music to maintaining cash flow. On the country-flavored “The Worst,” Richards sings in a dark, menacing tone that is equally evocative. The male roving eye does surface in “Brand New Car,” which features a wickedly lecherous vocal by Jagger. There are echoes in “Out of Tears” of the Stones’ early love for such R&B torch songs as “Time Is on My Side,” while the harpsichord shading of “Lady Jane” is saluted in “New Faces.” The latter is a tale of a woman being tempted by a younger man-the reversal of common male rock obsession. For longtime fans who opt for the latter, the new album’s basic, straightforward approach should evoke memories of the band’s classic days more positively than anything the Stones have delivered since “Tattoo You” 13 years ago.įor today’s MTV crowd who may be fuzzy on their Stones history, the album has more inviting, blues-rock authenticity than anything they have heard in recent years from such Stones-influenced groups as Aerosmith, the Black Crowes and Primal Scream.