The Rolling Stones have made a record you’ll want to play more than once — seriously. They haven't sounded this on top of their game in about half a century.
Not counting their Blues covers record from 2016, the last time the Rolling Stones bequeathed us with an album of fresh material was during George W. Bush’s presidency. That record, 2006’s "A Bigger Bang", was feisty but not especially memorable, and in the nearly two decades since, maybe even the Stones started to wonder if we needed another record by them.
If they were going to drag themselves (and us) through the process again, and after such a long gap, they also must have known they’d have to make it worth everyone’s while. Shockingly, they have.
A collection of bangers that nobody in their right mind had a right to expect in 2023, Hackney Diamonds isn’t just another new Stones album, but a vibrant and cohesive record — the first Stones album in ages you’ll want to crank more than once before filing away.
Original article by David Browne, republished from rollingstone.com