The Rolling Stones’ Blue and Lonesome

I remember my mother calling the blues, kantang lasing and I must admit, blues songs do sound like what a lasing trying to sing sounds like. But she never got to hear Mick Jagger sing the blues. Jagger with the blues is loose but energetic, affable but powerful and evokes the gooseys with the most casual throw-away lines. Then when he picks up the harp, the listener throws caution to the wind and willingly surrenders to the music.

And what music it is. The Rolling Stones has produced many memorable recordings these past 50 years, think I Can’t Get No Satisfaction, Get Off My Cloud, Paint It Black, Honky Tonk Women, but the band has never been as tight and spontaneous in a long time, as they are in the new all-blues collection, Blue and Lonesome.

The album is the Stones’ first release in over 10 years. Performing in all the tracks in an almost like the beginning line-up are Jagger on vocals and harp; Keith Richards on guitar; Charlie Watts on drums; and Ronnie Wood on guitar. Along for the ride are session musicians Darryl Jones on bass, Chuck Leavell and Matt Clifford on keyboards. Then there are very special guests in the persons of Eric Clapton on guitar in Everybody Knows About My Good Thing and legendary session drummer Jim Keltner on percussion in Hoo Doo Blues.

Recording Blue and Lonesome took only three days in London. It was initially conceived as an ice-breaker project, a way for the Stones to get the juices going before it goes into sessions for the next big album.  But the members decided to do covers of great blues songs. It is no secret that the Stones like most English lads of the ’60s era have always been fascinated by the blues. Think Clapton, Rod Stewart, bands like the Yardbirds, the Animals. The Stones actually started as a blues band. So I can easily believe that the guys had so much fun with the music, they just had to play and play and so finished the album in record time.

The blues is an old American type of music that grew out of work songs, spirituals, chants and other African forms. It is usually characterized by sad laments about broken hearts or a hard life, hence the description, having the blues when somebody is depressed or feeling lonely. I do not know when it happened but somebody put rhythm in the blues and it became rock ’n roll which later evolved into electric blues and other modern forms.

For Blue And Lonesome, the Rolling Stones picked out some of the best blues compositions from the late ’50s and early ’60s. The result is an easy listen that is almost effortless. Here is one of the greatest rock bands of all time performing at its best. These are 70-year-old guys who can still hack it. The only problem I see is that they will surely have a hard time coming up with a next album that will be as enjoyable as this one.

Now because I think all of the composers of the songs deserve mention, I am putting out the line-up.  Included are: Just Your Fool from 1960, Blue And Lonesome, I Gotta Go, Hate To See You Go from 1955, all originals written and recorded by Little Walter; Commit A Crime (1966), original written and recorded by Howlin’ Wolf and Chester Burnett; All Of Your Love (1967), written and recorded by Magic Sam and Samuel Maghett; Everybody Knows About My Good Thing (1971), recorded by Little Johnny Taylor, composed by Miles Grayson and Lermon Horton.

Ride ‘Em On Down (1955) written and recorded by Eddie Taylor; Hoo Doo Blues (1958) recorded by Lightnin’ Slim, composed by Otis Hicks and Jerry West; Little Rain (1957), original recorded by Jimmy Reed composed by Ewart. G. Abner Jr. and Jimmy Reed; Just Like I Treat You (1961), written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Howlin’ Wolf; I Can’t Quit You Baby (1956), written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Otis Rush.

Blue and Lonesome is available on CDs, digital downloads and I supposed the choice for the true Stones fan and anybody who loves the blues, the double heavyweight vinyl in a gatefold sleeve and which so as to keep the copy in mint condition, comes with the album download card for free.