KEITH RICHARDS – Crosseyed Heart (2015)
*
As the dad-snorting, drug-devouring, cop-dodging heart and soul of The Rolling Stones since its foundation, and the epitome of the hedonistic rock’n’roll survivor, KEITH RICHARDS hardly has to prove his edginess credentials. “Crosseyed Heart“, his first solo album in 23 years released today contains exactly what one might hope for, or better said, everything a fan could hope for.
There are beautifully played old blues songs, storming Stonesy rockers (‘Heartstopper’, the ferocious ‘Blues in the Morning’), a sublime Gregory Isaacs cover (‘Love Overdue’) and outlaw songs about evading the authorities (‘Trouble’).
There’s dry humour in a touching lament about, ahem, the theft of a “stash” (‘Robbed Blind’, in which he cackles: “The cops, I can’t involve them”) and the jerkily funny ‘Amnesia’, about the 2006 incident in which he fell out of a tree (“Thought I met my mother / She said: ‘You don’t belong to me’”).
Also, we have several lovely, heartfelt ballads. Richards’ fag-soaked voice isn’t as conventionally strong as Mick Jagger’s, but it is rich with character and knowing. The gorgeous ‘Nothing on Me’ – about surviving whatever life throws at him – is as great a song as the 71-year-old has put his name to in decades.
“Crosseyed Heart” features Richards once again backed by Jordan, who co-wrote the album, and other members of his own old band X-Pensive Winos including vocalist Sarah Dash and guitarist Waddy Wachtel. With the Winos behind him, Richards has the confidence and talent to serve up another convincing sampler of any genre he chooses.
And all work, benefited by a surprisingly clean, slick production.
A very good solo album by Keith Richards, worthy of one of Rock’s founding fathers.
01 – Cross Eyed Heart
02 – Heartstopper
03 – Amnesia
04 – Robbed Blind
05 – Trouble
06 – Love Overdue
07 – Nothing On Me
08 – Suspicious
09 – Blues in the Morning
10 – Something for Nothing
11 – Illusion
12 – Just a Gift
13 – Goodnight Irene
14 – Substantial Damage
15 – Lover’s Plea
Keith Richards – lead vocals, guitars, piano, bass
Waddy Wachtel – lead guitar
Ivan Neville – keyboards
Steve Jordan – drums
Bobby Keys – saxophone
Bernard Fowler – backing vocals
Sarah Dash – backing vocals
Norah Jones – duet vocals on “Illusion”
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