Why ‘Hackney Diamonds’ Is the Best Rolling Stones Album Since 1981

“Get Close”

Elton John, 76, plays piano and Jordan proves himself a worthy successor to Watts on a raucous but cohesive tune built on lurching rhythms, a soulful sax solo and Jagger’s pining.

“Depending on You”

Jagger shines on this superb blues-rock ballad, and it rises to the level of previous mournful lovesick odes the band has served up. Backed by strings, piano and pedal steel, Jagger laments, “I’m too young to die and too old to lose.”

“Bite My Head Off”

Paul McCartney, 81, brings fuzz box bass to an aggressive punk-rock anthem bolstered by Richards’ scrappy guitar, Jordan’s galloping beats and an indignant Jagger as the rejected lover spitefully spits: “Why you have to mouth off? I got the world to worry about.”

“Whole Wide World”

Jagger bemoans the tough times of his youth in “the dreary streets of London” on this poppish rock tune elevated by the stormy soloing of Richards and Woods. It falls short of the album’s bigger bangs but delivers enough snap and strut to check the blueprint boxes.

“Dreamy Skies”

A yearning country ballad reminiscent of “Far Away Eyes” finds Jagger seeking pastoral escape “from the city and the suburbs and the sprawl and the small-town chatter and the know-it-alls … to a place where no one can call.” His Nashville twang and bluesy harmonica glide atop a bed of rustic guitar strumming.

“Mess It Up”

On this feisty dance tune, the singer rails against a vengeful ex who stole his phone, shared his photos, seduced his landlord and broke into his home. The lyrics and boisterous falsetto are fun, but the showstopper is the incomparable Watts on the hi-hat and snare.

“Live by the Sword”

While a tad heavy-handed, the song chugs with authentic Stones grime and bluster. The real draw is the warm nostalgic rush of hearing Watts and Wyman back in the fold. Wyman retired in 1993 and hasn’t recorded with the Stones since 1989’s Steel Wheels.

“Driving Me Too Hard”

The midtempo rocker opens with a heady Richards riff copped directly from “Tumbling Dice,” then slinks into a steady churn as Jagger yowls and growls about another romance gone wrong. Richards steals back center stage with a gloriously shaggy guitar solo.

“Tell Me Straight”

Richards gave up smoking in 2019, and while it didn’t lift him to the ranks of Sinatra and Crosby, it’s clear on this vocal showcase that his casual rasp has fewer barnacles. He’s both warm and effortlessly cool as he moans, “Is my future all in the past?” on a whiskey-soaked ballad that measures up to the best of 1988’s Talk Is Cheap.

“Sweet Sounds of Heaven”

Hackney hits its peak with this soul-steeped supernova, a massive, transcendent gospel song that roils and swells for seven-plus minutes. Lady Gaga belts to the stratosphere, and Stevie Wonder, 73, adds dazzling keys and piano, but Jagger owns this with a jaw-dropping vocal performance that is strapping, limber and passionate.

“Rolling Stone Blues”

The album ends where it all began, with a nod to blues giant Muddy Waters, whose song “Rollin’ Stone” inspired the band’s name. Jagger and Richards strip it down to voice, guitar and harmonica for a plucky Delta flashback. It’s the first time they’ve covered the song on record.