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UncutThere are some outstanding songs here, and Jagger turns in a series of performances that are their match, full of much defiant flouncing, strutting bitchiness, preening arrogance, snarling haughtiness and a typically provocative misogyny. [Album of the Month, Oct 2005, p.92]
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Despite its lack of an anthem to replace "Start Me Up," it certainly beats Tattoo You or anything else going back to Exile except Some Girls.
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A Bigger Bang is just a straight-up, damn fine Rolling Stones album, with no qualifiers or apologies necessary for the first time in a few decades.
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A strong, engaging, cohesive Rolling Stones album that finds everybody in prime form.
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Though [A Bigger Bang] doesn't dare to place itself in the same hallowed halls as that Jimmy Miller-produced quartet of records between 1968 and 1972, it jostles justly and fairly with the best since.
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The Stones in 2005 sound fresh and re-invigorated.
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BlenderWithout playing "best since" games, just say it ranks near the top of the eight [albums] they've manufactured since 1980. [Oct 2005, p.142]
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In its no-frills pleasures, A Bigger Bang recalls Some Girls and Emotional Rescue, two great meaningless albums.
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Here, they succeed just by doing what they do best, taking few chances, but sounding more comfortable in their own skin than they have in a very long time.
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Some of their best work in nearly two decades.
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The New York TimesOn "A Bigger Bang," the Stones actually sound like they're having fun together, live in a studio somewhere. [4 Sep 2005]
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It's the best effort The Rolling Stones have produced in quite a while.
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MojoThough not without the odd turkey, it is arguably their most satisfying work since 1978's Some Girls. [Oct 2005, p.100]
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Instead of playing it slick, they've made their dirtiest, most homemade-sounding album since Some Girls.
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There's plenty of spirit here but, sadly, the songwriting runs out of puff long before the performances do, lending a hammy tone to the album's weaker moments.
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PopMattersReview #1: Perhaps the best thing about the album is that it's the Stones sticking to what they know. [score=70]; Review #2: The riffs are generic, the melodies don't stick, and the lyrics are insipid. [score=50]
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So 'A Bigger Bang' is no masterpiece. As a loss leader to allow them to continue touring, it's not even as good as 'Don't Believe The Truth'. But it's the best record they were going to make, and a world with the Stones is better than one without them.
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Q MagazineIt blows hot and cold. [Oct 2005, p.110]
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Unfortunately, by stretching the album to an unnecessarily long 16 tracks, ‘A Bigger Bang’ suffers from its fair share of non-starting filler.
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Billboard16 songs of stalwart Stones riffs that almost compensate for generally embarrassing lyrics. [10 Sep 2005]
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At 65 rocky minutes, the Stones' first studio album since 1997's Bridges to Babylon, and rootsiest since '94's Voodoo Lounge, could've been whambangthankyoumam at 40.
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Paste MagazineThe ideas quickly wear thin. [Dec 2005, p.107]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 56 out of 76
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Mixed: 11 out of 76
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Negative: 9 out of 76
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StéphanieVApr 11, 2007
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Aug 2, 2013
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Mar 9, 2012