Album Review: The Rolling Stones – Honk (Polydor/Rolling Stones)

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If you don’t have them already, now’s your chance…the best of The Rolling Stones from 1971 onward.

Let’s face it, the world doesn’t really need another Rolling Stones compilation, but yet, here we are, so let’s just deal with it.

Honk features 2 discs (36 tracks) of “the very best” of the Stones starting with 1971’s Sticky Fingers on through to their 2016 blues album, Blue & Lonesome. Just the fact that it includes at least one track from every studio album that the band has released between those years precludes it from being “the very best”, but having said that, it’s interesting to hear, or re-hear, lesser known tracks from Voodoo Lounge or A Bigger Bang up against stone cold classics like Brown Sugar, Miss You or Tumblin’ Dice.

If you shell out for the Deluxe Edition, you get a third disc with previously unreleased live tracks recorded between 2013 and 2018, some with guests such as Florence Welch, Dave Grohl and, uh, Ed Sheeran.

The first disc is pretty much solid Stones classics from beginning to end, beginning with Start Me Up and Brown Sugar and including Wild Horses and It’s Only Rock & Roll. There are a few interlopers at the end…Doom And Gloom from 2012’s Grrr! Compilation holds its own as does Love Is Strong (Voodoo Lounge) and Ride ‘Em On Down (Blue & Lonesome)

Disc two is a little more inconsistent, although there’s still plenty of good stuff…Bitch, Happy and Waiting On A Friend still sound great, but they run out of gas-gas-gas at the end thanks to some later-day weak material. Both Out Of Control (Bridges To Babylon) and Out Of Time (Voodoo Lounge) show that the band was out of inspiration.  But, You Got Me Rocking, also from Voodoo Lounge sounded refreshingly strong.

Now, on to disc three.

Its starts off strong with a feisty version of Get Off Of My Cloud, recorded in June of 2018, proving that the Stones don’t need any help on stage. The other live versions of 60s tunes are interesting as well, particularly She’s A Rainbow, although I thought the band sounded a bit lethargic during Let’s Spend The Night Together.

As for the guest appearances, we have the Flo & Eddie show. That’s Florence Welch (of The Machine) and Ed Sheeran, not the guys from The Turtles.

Ed Sheeran shows up to sing Beast Of Burden with Mick and the boys. It’s ok, but totally unnecessary, as I’d rather hear Mick sing it all himself. The same goes for Florence Welch’s duet on Wild Horses…interesting, but nothing special.

I did enjoy the live version of Dead Flowers, not because of Brad Paisley’s contribution, but because the Stones are such a cool country band when they want to be. Perhaps they will consider making their next album covers of old honky tonk songs.

Finally, we get to the live version of Bitch featuring Dave Grohl on guitar, recorded in May of 2013 and, surprise!, its darn good. Grohl’s guitar solo injects some fresh energy into the tune and it leaves the album on the high note.

So there you have, whether you want it or not. Another Stones compilation. You’ll need to look elsewhere for sixties classics like Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Satisfaction or Paint It Black, but this will do for starters.

Marty Duda

The Rolling Stones – Honk Deluxe 3-CD Track Listing

Disc One

1.  “Start Me Up”
2. “Brown Sugar”
3. “Rocks Off”
4. “Miss You”
5. “Tumbling Dice”
6. “Just Your Fool”
7. “Wild Horses”
8. “Fool To Cry”
9. “Angie”
10. “Beast Of Burden”
11. “Hot Stuff”
12. “It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll (But I Like It)”
13. “Rock And A Hard Place”
14. “Doom And Gloom”
15. “Love Is Strong”
16. “Mixed Emotions”
17. “Don’t Stop”
18. “Ride ‘Em On Down” 

Disc Two

1. “Bitch”
2. “Harlem Shuffle”
3. “Hate To See You Go”
4. “Rough Justice”
5. “Happy”
6. “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)”
7. “One More Shot”
8. “Respectable”
9. “You Got Me Rocking”
10. “Rain Fall Down”
11. “Dancing With Mr D”
12. “Undercover (Of The Night)”
13. “Emotional Rescue”
14. “Waiting On A Friend”
15. “Saint Of Me”
16. “Out Of Control”
17. “Streets Of Love”
18. “Out Of Tears”

Disc Three – Live Tracks

1. “Get Off My Cloud”
2. “Dancing With Mr. D”
3. “Beast Of Burden” (with Ed Sheeran)
4. “She’s A Rainbow”
5. “Wild Horses” (with Florence Welch)
6. “Let’s Spend The Night Together”
7. “Dead Flowers” (with Brad Paisley)
8. “Shine A Light”
9. “Under My Thumb”
10. “Bitch (with Dave Grohl)”

Marty Duda
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