The Rolling Stones' new album A Bigger Bang begins with the lyrics "One time you were my baby chicken/Now you've grown into a fox/Once upon a time/I was your little rooster/But now I'm just one of your cocks."
The image of a wrinkled Jagger-phallus notwithstanding, "Rough Justice" is the disc's first and best track. Bang offers it all: hard rock tracks, the country ballad "Biggest Mistake" and the strict blues tune "Back of My Hand."
If you're looking for the good ol' Stones, they're still here. Many of the tracks recall old favorites: "Rough Justice" has the flirty edge of "Brown Sugar," "Oh No Not You Again" is reminiscent of "Jumpin' Jack Flash"'s driving energy, "Rain Fall Down" has the same strut as "Miss You."
In many ways, if you didn't know A Bigger Bang was the "new album," you might think it was the "lost album."
The Stones sound neither contemporary nor dated. They can be applauded for not selling out and trying to sound like 3 Doors Down or Coldplay (thank God).
Though the classic Stones' catalog is engrained in our hearts, their new effort shouldn't be brushed off as a gasping swan song or last-ditch attempt at fame. Their legacy is brilliant and not in danger of tarnishing, especially with a set as strong as Bang.
Still, Bang is not without its missteps. If you ever wanted to hear Keith Richards sing, you get two chances, on "This Place is Empty" and "Infamy," and you'll want your combined seven minutes and three seconds back. Also, the strained political statement "Sweet Neo Con" should've stayed in the studio.
Whether you think it's good, bad or just plain creepy that a band with a combined age of 245 is still recording and touring is not of any concern to The Rolling Stones. They are not aging gracefully, nor are they trying to. If you didn't know how old they were, you wouldn't assume anything based on Bang -- it is a highly energetic, creatively vital set. If you can get over your ageist supposition that senior citizens can't make a good rock album, you'll love the record.
You'll love the concert Oct. 6, too, even if they pepper their set with material from A Bigger Bang. And bring your dad, because after all these years, these geezers can still bring the rock.
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