NMC #230 KEITH RICHARDS/DON HENLEY

[RJhog (Admin)]

by "RJsolo"

Keith Richards - Crosseyed Heart

1. Heartstopper

2. Robbed Blind

3. Love Overdue

4. Suspicious

5. Something For Nothing

Don Henley - Cass County

6. Bramble Rose (feat. Mick Jagger)

7. Take A Picture Of This

8. No, Thank You

9. Words Can Break Your Heart

10. When I Stop Dreaming (feat. Dolly Parton)

[Jon]

Keith Richards--Thumbs in the middle, trending down

He's never had a good voice, but that first song is quite bad. It's quite a jumble of noise. That kind of carries over to the second song and both are very unmemorable. The third song is actually pretty decent, nothing earth-shattering, but much better than the first two. The remaining songs are also unmemorable. As a band, the Rolling Stones are quite good. As solo artists, not so much.

[Scott]

KEEF ... Two Thumbs requiring time to digest this and then try them again later

Had this in my hands yesterday at Best Buy based on Niels "needs more than one listen" recommendation, then put it back at the last second (do that all the time).  Did he just sing "I love my meat"??  Kinda sounds like he's talking his way through these tunes.  Niels may be right that needs more than one listen.  The first couple of tunes had a Stones feel, but the next two added a bit of Stones with Tom Waits vibe.  First listen lands me right where Jon is.  I like that he did something different though. 

[Niels (Mod)]

I didn't read your "Tom Waits vibe" until after, I wrote my own " review", but Waits and Keff has also been doing stuff together for many years now, and Waits also appear in the documnetary I've mentioned. They should do a whole album together, if anybody ask me.

[Scott]

didn't know that...  between the few regulars on this site, I've learned a lot and appreciate more...

[Jon]

Don Henley--Thumbs about 3/4 up

Wait a second.....that's not Mick Jagger on that first song, unless he started singing like a woman.

Oh, there he is.

You know, for (mostly) country or countryish songs, this is pretty dang good, dadgummit. Maybe because it's DH that I don't mind the rootin' tootin' gun-packin' countrified music here, or maybe it's not twangy. Don't know, but I expected this to be much worse than this.

Isn't Dolly around 90 years old? She still sounds good.

Not sure if this is a purchase, there's only so much I can take. But this does blow KR's album out of the water and into the back of a burning pickup truck with the gun rack. Feel a little sorry for that dog though.

[Niels (Mod)]

DON HENLEY - Sorry, won't waste my time on this one.

KEITH RICHARDS - As I've said recently: I've only heard it twice, but it surprised me the second around, how good it is. Most of it, is the coolness of Keef, but overall it seems to be a good album, better than I'd expected ( just like Gilmours new album). Have any of you seen the documentary on Netflix? It really is a good companion to the album. I'm not sure how Many times, I'll be listening to the album. It reminds me a bit of Tom Waits recent outputs, and they seem great, but after a little while, I Will stop listening. But lets see about that. 4/6.

[Scott]

DON HENLEY ... Two Thumbs thinking twice about this one

When it comes to country music, I truly don't mind some of the older stuff.  And I do love the spin bands like CSN (and sometimes Y), Poco, Firefall, and of course The Eagles gave it.  If this album harkens back to that kind of country well, I'm in!  But the addition of traditional country singers kind of tips this into the country well a little too deep for me.  Now with that said, I'm intently listening...  Bramble Rose is good, I like Jagger's take on country.  I've said this before but when Jagger sings country he sounds like he's making fun of a southern accent, which cracks me up and I don't seem to mind it.  I'm surprised how short that 4:30 went.  The second cut sounds like a traditional Henley solo tune that could've fit well on any of his last two solo albums, also would've made a seamless addition to Long Road Out Of Eden. No, Thank You throws me a bit.  Henley's typical lyrical genius seems to take a backseat to the stupidity of popular country lyricists.  Don't get me wrong, these are brilliant in comparison but it does seem like he's pandering for a Nashville hit?  This is my least favorite of what's posted here.  Words Can Break Your Heart is nicely done, no complaints on this one.  Dolly's voice is unique, she gets a pass for that reason and two others that I can't recall right now...  Anyway, nice work on this, making me think twice.