Album Review: The Rolling Stones - Blue & Lonesome

Recorded in just over three days at Mark Knopfler's British Grove Studios last December, this collection of blues covers were played live (nope, no overdubs). Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Woods were joined in the studio by longstanding live touring members Darryl Jones (bass) and Chuck Leavell (keyboards). Eric Clapton, who just happened to be mixing in the same studio complex, popped in to guest on a couple of tracks (Everybody Knows About My Good Thing and I Can't Quit You Baby). Salivating yet?

Opener Just Your Fool starts abruptly; almost as if we opened a soundproof door from the outside and discovered The Stones, mid-session, inside; they've got the blues and that's alright by us. Really, Charlie Watts? Sometimes he just shows off with those sparkling, dynamic cymbal flourishes and thunderous drum rolls (all the while without breaking a sweat, we bet). And we can actually visualise Keith Richards' shit-eating grin at all times. During All Of Your Love's piano solo, we dare you try not to pull an appreciative stank face while your head nods along (it's actually physically impossible).

Jagger embodies closer I Can't Quit You Baby: "WEEEEEELLLLL I can't quit you baby/But I'm gonna have to put you down for a while." Clapton's delicately forlorn guitar contributions match Jagger's despairing delivery. Faint applause and "Yeah, boys!" signal the band's satisfaction. We're powerless to the synergy of The Stones.