No ballads this time

With the '94 remasters I was never dissatisfied; But even if the new 2009 remasters of the previous edition, the Spartan featuring 1: 1 copy, so they sound but fuller and stronger and more nuanced than this; particularly the rather quiet Feel on Baby is now the other titles towards better by.

Since its predecessor "Tattoo You" mostly came from sessions that reached far back in the seventies, was "Undercover" album, with the fully landed the Stones production technology in the eighties: and now always beautiful all at the 2 and the 4!

"Undercover" is more aggressive than "Tattoo You", which is partly due to the texts: it comes to political persecution, torture, murder, physical and psychological violence ... the lyrics (and sometimes also the accompanying video) drip fairly ago blood. Secondly, Mick Jagger says here increasingly, barking while singing more or having to mark the roaring stag (which then "Dirty Work" culminated).

I think the album is still somewhat overproduced (a typical disease of many albums of the eighties), which clearly is especially the title song: here the Stones first experimented around with etlichem what the studio lent so. But I have to admit that it works fully in this song: the production fits perfectly with the mood of the text. (So ​​I feel it 2 further "overproduced" songs at all. First we take Manhattan by Leonard Cohen and When The Night Comes Falling From the Sky by Bob Dylan, both published later) The good thing about the Stones is flat, that they everything they touch, their stamp on. The plate has been growing in my perception over the years.

She was hot was another great, but undeserved bad quoted Single. Wanna Hold You is one of Keith's unspeakably infantile songs (sa You do not have to mean it to "Bridges to Babylon"), incomprehensible for the co-author of such gloomy things like Gimme Shelter, Midnight Rambler, etc. (on the LP half a minute passes the song mercifully shorter.) All the Way Down reminds more like a children's song and would quietly to a B-side stay. Feel on Baby is a reggae, the gains in atmosphere over the years. Too much Blood is musically very strong; about the obnoxious text (this is about cannibalism) you just have to stop listening. Too tough the stuff would be more, but can not redeem his promise. It must be Hell is an awesome musical hybrid of Honky Tonk Women and Soul Survivour; However, multi-millionaire Mick can not convince quite in his role as a social conscience.

With this album the still continues today keyboardist Chuck Leavell fruitful cooperation with (ex-Allman Brothers Band) began in the studio and on tour as musical director. It's all very aggressive and rocking, and I think that the production has the time survived; Unfortunately, it contains a couple of album filler. I would have appreciated it if you had printed with the lyrics in the booklet that came also the LP.

PS There was but a ballad: Think I'm going mad, the B-side of She was hot; but came already from sessions in the late seventies.