High praise for Rolling Stones “authentic” blues album
The band pay tribute to iconic players like Memphis Slim and Howlin’ Wolf
The reviews are in, and it's a thumbs up for The Rolling Stones' 23rd studio album 'Blue and Lonesome', out this week on Polydor Music. In it, they pay tribute to some of the great blues players and songs, including Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, Buddy Johnson and Memphis Slim – who wrote the title track.
Britain's music press have praised the energy and passion that Mick, Keith, Ronnie and Charlie have brought to the recordings, despite their combined age of 289.
Kitty Empire wrote in the Observer: “Nobody has ever doubted how tight the Stones can be, but these are 12 tracks in which they swing hard and, moments later, turn on a sixpence – or a dime, given this album’s love of Chicago.”
Ludovic Hunter-Tilney writes in the FT: “What really lifts the album beyond gnarly nostalgia is Mick Jagger’s fabulously over-the-top performance… a gleefully theatrical version of the blues guaranteed not to make you feel blue”
Some quality guest players have joined them in the studio including bassist Darryl Jones, pianist Chuck Leavell and guitar giant Eric Clapton. The album is produced by Don Was, president of jazz record label Blue Note and it’s on course to be number 1 on the UK album chart this Friday (9th November).