The Rolling Stones: Hackney Diamonds Review

They still got it.

Decades after the Rolling Stones’ 1964 self-titled debut album and 18 years after their last studio album was released in 2005, the London rock ‘n rollers have returned with Hackney Diamonds, a 12-track album that packs both bark and bite—with some beautiful moments mixed in.

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood—now a Rolling Stones trio, after drummer Charlie Watts’ death in 2021—released Hackney Diamonds on October 20. The Watts-appointed Steve Jordan fills in on drums on 10 of the 12 tracks. Paul McCartney, Elton John, Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder also appear on the album as special guests.

When the Stones released the album’s first single, “Angry,” during a September fan event hosted by Jimmy Fallon at East London’s Hackney Empire theater, Jagger and Richards explained that they were throwing around smash ‘n’ grab-inspired name suggestions when they settled on the album’s title.

“It’s like when you get your windscreen broken on Saturday night in Hackney,” Jagger explained, “and all the bits go in the street.”

Jagger and Richards told Fallon they initially wanted the album’s theme to be “anger and disgust,” and only later decided to add in a few ballads. Hackney Diamonds quite literally starts off on an angry note with the lead single, during which Jagger reprimands, “Don’t get angry with me / I never caused you no pain.” But two tracks down on the album list emerges a catchy song about heartbreak, the stealth hit “Depending On You” that listeners are likely to find themselves humming days after they’ve last heard it.

The Stones return to their initial theme on “Bite My Head Off,” a grinding speedster that features McCartney on bass as Jagger sings furiously about unexplained anger, and the pop-y “Whole Wide World,” which searches for hope through its lyrics despite derailing and persistent outside forces.

Three of the tracks include special nods to the band’s history. On “Mess It Up” and the Elton John-supporting “Live By the Sword,” the Stones include drumming by Watts, whom Wood said at the London fan event recorded his parts back in 2019. Later, “Tell Me Straight” features Richards singing lead vocals, a rarity for both Stones albums and live performances. “How do we finish? / How do we start? Tell me straight,” Richards sings, voicing a contemplation some fans are already questioning, given the context of the band’s history.

The album reaches a crescendo on “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” an epic piece that shows Wonder and Lady Gaga bringing their best on piano and vocals. “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” feels like an exclamation point, the kind of album-defining song that the Stones haven’t had in years. From there, the album continues to its real end with “Rolling Stone Blues,” a pleasurable and rewarding throwback to the band’s roots that weaves wailing harmonica with rough and whispery vocals from Jagger.

Hackney Diamonds encompasses elements of rock, blues and pop in a way that pays tribute both to where the Stones came from and how far they’ve traveled. It’s a strong showing from a band that has showed, decade after decade, that they wouldn’t rather be doing anything else.

The Review: 8.5/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Depending On You
– Bite My Head Off
– Rolling Stone Blues
– Sweet Sounds of Heaven (featuring Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder)

The Big Hit

– Sweet Sounds of Heaven (featuring Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder)

Buy the album: Amazon