Keith Richards, 'Talk Is Cheap' CD (Mindless Records/BMG)
Friday, January 21, 2022, 2:39pm (full listen)
I'd heard for years that this KR album was a winner, a rare sojourn from a '60s/'70s rocker that was worth the effort (perhaps cue the Joe Perry solo albums to build up the opposing case). The playing on the album is sublime; the bass, all the guitar playing, and especially the drumming, are all note perfect, fully in the pocket, and are recorded wonderfully, exhibiting little to no artifacts of its potentially dubious late 80s provenance. The songs are strange: they're certainly not bad, and some contain some really memorable, even classic hooks and refrains, but they really seem to be there to simply throw a framework around the amazing playing and vibe on display here; a great record, way better, even, than my already high expectations.