There come a time in every legendary rock act’s career when releasing new material is entirely superfluous: the legacy of their back catalog is so strong and timelessly influential that they can coast off the back of it through touring and endless ‘deluxe’ reissues and somehow maintain their freshness and relevance in the musical landscape.

Think about it; have Paul McCartney, The Who, or Elton John released anything in the last 15, 20, or 30 years that you listen to with the same regularity or sense of awe that brought you to them all those years ago? Probably not, aside from a stray latter day gem here and there. Yet we still line up to spend thousands to see them in concerts, watch their tv appearances, and yes, but their new albums even if they are going to collect dust within a few months.

Perhaps no act embodies this more than The Rolling Stones; one could argue that as far back as the early 1980s’, the Stones have been the equivalent of a museum artifact, something that you need to experience for bragging purposes but doesn’t really possess the same visceral thrill as when it was all brand new. Opinions vary, and some will defend their later work as being slept on, but most agree that they haven’t released a truly vibrant, essential Stones record since 1981’s Tattoo You.

The last Rolling Stones album of original material was 2005’s A Bigger Bang; since then there have been two original singles in 2012, 2016’s excellent blues covers record Blue & Lonesome, and the Covid-centric single “Living in a Ghost Town” in 2020.

For years, rumors have swirled about another album of original material from the Stones, but it seemed to be nothing more than that; the time spent touring, their respective ages, and the death of drummer Charlie Watts in 2019 all seemed to supercede any need to hunker down and release a new Stones album.

However, the tide began to turn after the band’s 60th anniversary tour in 2022; both Mick and Keith took photos of them heavily at work in the studios jamming on what sounded like new songs. Then, in an unprecedented move, the band elected not to tour in 2023. Initially, rumors began to swirl about the band’s health, but those were quickly supplanted by further images of the band hard at work.

Finally, the band began a very cryptic social media blitz hinting at something big, resulting in the announcement of their new album, Hackney Diamonds.

The album’s first single, “Angry,” came out to a fair amount of hype but quickly faded from memory; it’s the kind of slick ‘Stones by Numbers’ rocker they’be been putting out since 1989.

However, things began looking up with the release of “Sweet Sounds of Heaven.” The song, featuring stellar contributions from Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder, recalled the sparse ‘street corner gospel’ vibe of Exile on Main Street. And with that, excitement began to build among the rock cognoscenti and Stones fanatics alike.

Several rock magazines who got an early listen have praised Hackney Diamonds, including ones that had been notoriously harsh on the band’s other post-Tattoo You efforts. Does the record truly live up the hype? Let’s see.

“Angry” is admittedly an underwhelming opener, but things immediately perk up with the sweet and catchy “Close to You,” a classic rough hewn Stones love song with a classic punchy groove and a vibrant Jagger vocal; the song ascends fully into the classic Stones motif with a brilliant saxophone led breakdown as Ron Wood and Keith Richards crunch away at the guitars like starving men at a smorgasbord.

“Depending on You” keeps thing at a surprisingly slow pace, but it’s not for the worse; it’s the latest in the canon of Stones country songs, an avenue which has produced classics such as “Sweet Virgina” and “Far Away Eyes.” “Depending on You” isn’t quite up to those lofty standards, but it’s a rock solid entry bolstered by Jagger’s surprisingly vulnerable vocals, as well as the lyrics which have surprising nods to mortality, a subject the Stones seemed to defy until the death of Charlie Watts in 2021.

The pace picks up big time with the grunge-y “Bite My Head Off,” a classic nasty Stones rocker dripping with attitude and swing. The lyrics are raw and nasty, Keith’s riff instantly gets stuck in your brain, and Mick’s barking vocals are amazing for a man of 80. It’s also significant for featuring none other than Paul McCartney on bass, a truly momentous union on a track befitting such an event. 

“Whole Wide World” continues the upward swing in tempo, with Jagger adapting some alternate accent as he spits out another string of surprisingly reflective and vulnerable lyrics that reflect the band’s defiance in the face of age and criticism, as well as a touching tribute to the enduringly frayed bond of Mick and Keith. “When you think the party’s over, but it’s only just begun,” Mick sings with true excitement and pathos as if it’s a promise to fans that the band’s story is far from over.

“Dreamy Skies” is another, more traditional country tune, and it’s a nice diversion after the punchier attack of the previous songs. It’s the kind of song you pour yourself a drink to at midnight and just take in the air around you, a perfect chill ballad delivered with surprising authenticity for guys from Dartford doing Amrerican country.

“Mess It Up” is significant as it’s one of two tracks to feature Charlie Watts on drums; it’s distinct in that the rhythm has more of the signature Stones ‘swing and swerve’ jazzy style that defined Watts’ style, and it’s a solid swan song for the man known as the Wembley Whammer that puts him front and center aboard a slinky, danceable groove that he embellishes upon beautifully.

“Live by the Sword” also features Watts, and again it’s very obvious it’s him driving the song along. This is another great classic sounding Stones rocker, one that could easily occupy a space on Black and Blue or Some Girls with its punkish aggression and snarly vocals.

“Driving Me Too Hard,” along with “Angry,” is one of the album’s weaker tracks, a typical mid-tempo Mick ballad whose hallmarks could be called from a mile away. Thankfully, the record picks right back up as Keith takes the mic with the soulful “Tell Me Straight”; Keith’s ballads have regularly been highlights of latter day Stones albums, and this song is no exception. It’s only issue is it’s a bit too brief, but Keith still gets a totally impactful little ballad out of it.

“Sweet Sounds of Heaven” is perfectly placed as the record’s climax; as mentioned it’s an excellent, powerful and life-affirming ballad with a classic Stones gospel sound and top-notch contributions from Lady Gaga recalling Merry Clayton’s classic wailing on “Gimme Shelter,” as well as Stevie Wonder on keyboards recalling the seminal contributions of Nicky Hopkins and Billy Preston on the band’s best 1970s’ records.

Closing the record is “Rolling Stone Blues,” the classic Muddy Waters blues number that gave the band its name 62 years ago. It’s appropriately stripped down, with just Mick on vocals and harmonica and Keith on guitar, and it’s a truly sublime experience to hear the Glimmer Twins take things back to basic and really vibe off each other on a song totally in their wheelhouse. If this is the last song the Stones ever release, it’s a fitting coda to their career.

Hackney Diamonds isn’t a perfect record, but it’s clearly a labor of love for the band and it easily eclipses almost anything they have done since 1981; it’s the first album since perhaps Undercover where the weakest tracks don’t dip below ‘solid,’ and at 12 tracks and forty eight minutes it lacks the bloat of Bridges to Babylon and A Bigger Bang. It’s not a crown jewel in their discography, but a nifty little gem you’ll want to dig up every so often.

RATING: ****