Blue & Lonesome
The Rolling Stones
Label: Interscope
Review Date: December 5, 2016

In a recent television interview with Keith Richards, he said that he and the band never dreamed that they would record a straight blues album.

Really? Seriously?

I have long been surprised that the band hasn’t come out with at least five of them in their 50-something year career. That said, the wait is over and the Stones have finally doused us with a heavy dose of blues in their first studio album in a decade: Blue & Lonesome.

You’ve got to leave it to the Stones to NOT cover blues standards that have already been infinitely covered. I mean, c’mon! Do we really need to hear them cover “Dust My Broom”? No, and, thankfully, they don’t.

What they do serve up are twelve deliciously recorded blues goodies as only the boys can play. Jagger’s blues harp work is as great as ever as are Keef’s and Woody’s guitar work. Charlie’s steady beat and Daryl Jones’ bass work serve as a solid foundation throughout the disc. Chuck Leavell’s tickling of the keys is the best I’ve ever heard from the boy and I’ve pretty much heard everything he’s ever done, I do believe.

It goes without saying that, if you’re a Stones fan, you already have this disc or on your way to purchase it. If you’re a blues aficionado, you’ll definitely want to add this album to your personal listening library. If you’re a passive listener, pick this album up so that you’ll progress to becoming a serious listener of the blues.

Yeah, it’s that great!