Nurse the Hate: Hate Hackney Diamonds and NFL Divisional Round

 

I still buy a lot of records.  Well, to be honest, I actually buy a lot of CDs.  I might be the only person keeping that format afloat, but dammit, I have old cars with CD players and no bluetooth.  I still prefer the album format to the digital playlist/streaming option.  For example, most people that listen to classic rock radio formats have no idea that an album like "Love It To Death" by Alice Cooper has more songs than just "I'm Eighteen".  You have to get in there and listen to the whole thing to see what's going on with the band.  "Exile On Main Street" is a great example.  Sure, there are singles on there like "Tumbling Dice" and "Happy", but the reason that Rolling Stones record is so great is the thing in entirety.  It's the greasy sleazy feel of the whole.  

This brings me to my latest purchase, the Rolling Stones "Hackney Diamonds".  Look, I went in with moderate expectations.  The last four or five original Rolling Stones records have been a little underwhelming to say the least, but that blues record they put out last was fucking killer.  I also feel like I might as well buy the new LP because at this point I have all of the studio records except strangely enough "Emotional Rescue" for no particular reason except I got tired of hearing Mick say "I will be your knight in shiiaaaning Ahhhhmour cumming to your eeeeeeemotiooonal resssssscewww" on the radio in the summer of 1980.  As I recall, I also unwittingly walked into a room with a friend's older sister in nothing but sensible cotton panties dry humping a fellow student to that song that August that left me a little rattled.  

I have copies of the Rolling Stones last three studio records.  I'll be honest, I would have difficulty picking out random songs on "A Bigger Bang", "Bridges To Babylon" and "Voodoo Lounge" and placing them in their correct LP.  I listened to "A Bigger Bang" a couple months ago, but I found myself thinking like most people probably do, "Why am I listening to this when I haven't listened to (insert classic period record here) in a long time?".  How was "A Bigger Bang"?  You know... it was OK.  It's like any Stones record that has been released after Exile.  There are a bunch of songs that sound like that signature two guitar Stones thing and a few where they chase trying to sound "contemporary", which is always a mistake.  There is nothing worse than when Mick tries to jump on whatever trend is happening like he's waving his hands around screaming "Hey!  Look over here!  We are still culturally relevant!  Lookit!".

Did you ever see that concert film and companion record they did with Scorcese?  "Shine A Light" I think it's called.  In the beginning there is this fake drama where the band hasn't told Scorcese what they are playing and he doesn't know how to position the cameras and it's supposed to be this dangerous rock and roll moment.  "Good God!  Those rascals haven't let anyone know what's about to happen!"  Then they do the move where they bring out the Old Bluesman in Buddy Guy for "Champagne and Reefer", the new rock guitar hero in Jack White for "Loving Cup" and the chart topping female siren in Cristina Aguilera singing along to "Live With Me".  It's the least dangerous rock show ever, especially since it is all industry biz people and their satellites making up the theater crowd.  That show was the execution of a business plan.

That's sort of what this new record is, a reason to promote yet another greatest hits package tour with obscenely priced tickets.  Yet, I'm begrudgingly going to admit, the record is pretty good.  Look, it's not "Beggar's Banquet", but that was a half century ago.  Let's cut these guys some slack.  This Stones Product, where quite a few of the songs require us to enter the willing suspension of disbelief that 80 year old Mick Jagger is out prowling around for ladies but always being done wrong.  He's tough, but you can hurt him emotionally.  I wish he would write about 80 year old famous rich guy problems, but that probably won't move units.  This is perhaps the most middle aged man album purchase I have made in a few years, and I almost feel like I need to justify the purchase by filling in some weird indie stuff I bought too.  "Hey!  A Hermanos Gutierrez disc was in that bag too!"  

I suspect this release will slide on the shelf next to "Steel Wheels" to be partially forgotten.  I still appreciate the fact that these guys went and made another full length.  They can do whatever the hell they want, and it would be much easier to just rehash "Satisfaction" every summer in football stadiums, which I guess they do, but hopefully now with "Here's one off our new album!" so the suburbanites can hit the toilets in time to get back for "Brown Sugar".  Everybody just needs to stay in their lane and do their job I guess.  I am hoping that's what happens today in the NFL.  I'm feeling pretty chalky.

That's exactly what I am expecting the Ravens to do this week.  I think the Ravens are going to push the Texans around.  The Ravens have easily been the best team in the AFC.  Despite the Texans kicking the crap out of the Browns last week, let's not forget that they stumbled into winning the shitty AFC South thanks to a Colts dropped pass and a Jacksonville meltdown.  The Ravens like to be bullies.  I am on Baltimore -10.

I think the Packers are a live dog.  If they can get a lead early, this will be a game.  If they fall behind?  Uh-oh.  I'm not sure how the Packers deal with a healthy 49ers offense.  The big question is can the Pack reliably score on San Fran.  I think if they hang in there early that they can turn it into a track meet.  Love has somehow quietly become one of the best QBs in the NFC down the stretch, and their receivers are finally relatively healthy.  As long as SF doesn't have the opportunity to rush without concern for a running play, Green Bay should be able to score some points.  SF/Green Bay OVER 50.5      

Season record:  31-25-2