Rolling Stones
– Hackney Diamonds
The Rolling Stones have never been subtle about their staying power. But Hackney Diamonds doesn’t play like a victory lap or a museum piece. It’s loud, fast, and surprisingly pissed off for a band that could easily be sipping expensive whiskey on a yacht somewhere. Mick Jagger snarls like he’s still got something to prove, and Keith Richards—well, Keith is still Keith. This record isn’t about reinvention. It’s about refusing to go quietly.
What makes Hackney Diamonds land is how alive it sounds. Not just competent. Not just nostalgic. It actually kicks. Sure, there are ghosts—Charlie Watts gets a curtain call on a couple tracks—but the band doesn’t dwell in the past. They push forward, even if they’re still dragging a bag full of blues, booze, and broken hearts. Producer Andrew Watt keeps the edges sharp, the mix punchy, and the tempos brisk. No song overstays its welcome. That’s rare for a band this deep into their catalog.
This isn’t the Stones trying to sound like their younger selves. It’s them sounding like the grizzled legends they are, still dangerous when the lights go down. Some tracks feel like late-night brawls, others like smoky barroom confessions. The riffs aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they still roll hard enough to flatten whatever’s in the way. And Jagger’s lyrics—cynical, biting, oddly tender in spots—remind you the man can still twist a phrase like he’s got razor blades in his pocket.
Choice Tracks
Angry
A lead single with enough swagger to raise eyebrows. That riff—simple, greasy, and irresistible—does most of the heavy lifting, but Jagger sells the attitude. It’s Stones 101, but in the best way: loud, defiant, and built to blast out of a car stereo.
Depending On You
A rare ballad that doesn’t wilt under the weight of sentiment. There’s a quiet desperation here that feels lived-in, not staged. Richards and Ronnie Wood lay down warm, restrained guitar lines, and Mick dials it back just enough to let the heartbreak creep in.
Whole Wide World
Sharp, lean, and surprisingly punk in spirit. The rhythm section—Steve Jordan holding it down in Watts’ absence—gives it teeth, while Jagger spits venom about a city that’s changed around him. It’s one of those tracks where you realize the Stones are still writing songs about now, not just chasing echoes.
Sweet Sounds of Heaven (feat. Lady Gaga & Stevie Wonder)
The epic. A gospel-flavored, slow-building storm that could’ve collapsed under its own ambition. Instead, it soars. Gaga doesn’t just guest—she goes toe-to-toe with Jagger and nearly steals the whole thing. Stevie adds his magic in subtle flourishes. It’s theatrical, but it works.
Hackney Diamonds doesn’t try to outdo the Stones’ past. It just shows they still know how to throw punches that land. At this point, they don’t need to prove a damn thing—but they just did anyway.