Published on Feb 17, 1998
I might have made a minor mistake in my selections for the best
of 1997. In that column (which just ran its course here on “The
Daily Vault”), I declared the latest release by The Rolling Stones,
Bridges To Babylon, to be one of the best of last year.
No, I’m not changing my mind about that declaration, but I think
I didn’t go far enough. Allow me to make this modification: If not
their best album in the past two decades, The Rolling Stones might
just have made the best album of their career.
Bridges To Babylon symbolizes a shift in the center of sonic
power for the British blooze-rock band. Long noted for centering
their songs around one guitar riff from Keith Richards or Ron Wood
(and promptly mashing that chord to death by playing it over and
over), the center of attention now is the drumming of Charlie Watts
(itself sounding revitalized) and the bass work of any number of
session musicians. (Darryl Jones, who was used extensively on
Voodoo Lounge, is criminally ignored on this album,
appearing on only three or four tracks.)
This is not a knock on Richards or Wood; despite the fact I said
off-the-cuff that Richards looked a healthy shade of pale, in fact
none of the Stones have looked better since the days of
Tattoo You and “Start Me Up,” and all of their contributions
sound like they have been rejuvenated. Mick Jagger has learned that
there is more to a song than sneering or screaming through it; the
first single “Anybody Seen My Baby” is proof of that.
A logical choice for the first single, “Anybody Seen My Baby”
(based partially on a k.d. lang riff – for which she got a
songwriting credit) displays the power the Stones can have when the
energy is focused right. With a killer bass line laid down by Jamie
Muhoberac and a solid drum pattern from Watts, the song is allowed
to slowly build into the crescendo of the chorus. (The gentle,
jangling guitar work is further evidence that, when placed in the
right settings, they sound great.)
But don’t think that The Rolling Stones (undoubtedly the world’s
oldest teenagers) have gone politically correct. “Flip The Switch”
is a lighthearted look at death by lethal injection (and a damn
fine track at that). And who else but The Rolling Stones could
write a killer song with a killer title like “Might As Well Get
Juiced”?
It’s especially refreshing to hear on
Bridges To Babylon a salute to some of their musical roots,
many of which are sung by Richards (who continues to impress me as
a singer). “You Don’t Have To Mean It” features a light reggae beat
that almost makes it sound Carribean, while “How Can I Stop” is as
good a rhythm-and-blues track as they come. A third Richards vocal,
“Thief In The Night,” is another powerful song with a more gentle
touch.
Occasionally, though, a minor flaw or two pokes its head into
the mix. “Already Over Me” is an attempt to recreate the ballad
magic they captured on “Out Of Tears” back on
Voodoo Lounge; however, there are not many moments like this
on
Bridges To Babylon.
Some critics of the band might say that it’s time for these
road-scarred veterans to call it a day, that their glory years are
behind them. One word: wrong. If anything, the Stones might just
have put behind them the disaster of the ’80s (remember
Emotional Rescue? “Harlem Shuffle”? Not one, but
two
half-assed live albums?) The rebirth started on
Voodoo Lounge; on
Bridges To Babylon, it appears to come into full-bloom.
I doubted the possibility of this album being so good myself – I
didn’t buy it until it had been out for two months. Boy, what a
mistake I made. Don’t be a doubter like I was;
Bridges To Babylon is an incredible effort that seems to
make the past 30-some years an exercise leading to the ultimate
work. Pick it up – pick it up now.