Death on Credit
Senior Member
My love of the Stones, and Keith Richards in particular, is certainly no secret. So, it may come as a surprise to some that I've never bothered much with Keith's solo output. To me, Keith raspy voice has always been a highlight of the Stones' output, with tracks that he sings on always coming out among my favorites. Still, I was hesitant to check out his solo work, fearing how his voice held up over the years. Well, this compilation had me very pleasantly surprised.
Keith doesn't have the greatest voice in the world, but it suits him fine. What most surprises me is the somber, delicate tone of most of the comp. In the Rolling Stones, Keith spoke through his signature guitar style and riffs, which were often wild, rambunctious, and irreverent. Here, we see a much different side of Keith. Some of the cuts from 'Talk is Cheap' suffer from an 80's style beat, but it doesn't really matter because they are great songs.
The best songs on the compilation include 'Take it So Hard,' 'Eileen,' 'You Don't Move Me,' 'Too Rude,' and a searing 8 minute live version of Keith signature tune, 'Happy.' This definitely has me wanting to pick up Keith's 3 solo albums in their entirety.
