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THE ROLLING STONES - Bridges To Babylon (Virgin/62:29/I): Grandfathers of rock they may be, but the Stones keep rocking and rolling with a ferocity, fire and fluidity that bands half their age would kill for (maybe that's why many of the stripling rockers are so rabidly suicidal?).
This latest ride not only has the English masters of rhythm and blues stomping, funking and grooving with fresh vigour, but also presents them at their balladic best.
There are no fewer than three producers - The Dust Brothers, The Glimmer Twins and Don Was, who seem to project themselves as more than just knob- tweaking sonic auteurs - taking charge of the sound. But to their credit, they've hardly touched up the slight edge of inspired raggedness that defines the basic appeal of the Stones' music.
The mood changes from track to track, starting with a terrific snap (Flip The Switch), then slipping into slow-burning funk (Anybody Seen My Baby?, Gunface) and aching balladry (Already Over Me, the acoustic version of Always Suffering) before going out with gentle soul (How Can I Stop).
Mick Jagger hasn't sung this good in years, and Keith Richards once again proves that the art of rock guitar is in tune-enhancing riffing, not in showboating soloing. Richards is less impressive as a singer, but he does okay on the reggae-inflected You Don't Have To Mean It, the laidback and bluesy Thief In The Night and the rousing How Can I Stop.
Even...