Bridges to Babylon

by The Rolling Stones

Overview

Voodoo Lounge confirmed that the Stones could age gracefully, but it never sounded modern; it sounded classicist. With its successor, Bridges to Babylon, Mick Jagger was determined to bring the Rolling Stones into the '90s, albeit tentatively, and hired hip collaborators like the Dust Brothers (Beck, Beastie Boys) and Danny Saber (Black Grape) to give the veteran group an edge on their explorations of drum loops and samples. Of course, the Stones are the Stones, and no production is going to erase that, but the group is smart enough -- or Keith Richards is stubborn enough -- to work within its limitations and to have producer Don Was act as executive producer. As a result, Bridges to Babylon sounds like the Stones without sounding tired. The band is tight and energetic, and there's just enough flair to the sultry "Anybody Seen My Baby?," the menacing "Gunface," and the low-key, sleazy "Might as Well Get Juiced" to make them sound contemporary. But the real key to the success of Bridges to Babylon is the solid, craftsmanlike songwriting. While there aren't any stunners on the album, nothing is bad, with rockers like "Flip the Switch" and "Low Down" sounding as convincing as ballads like "Already Over Me." And, as always, Keith contributes three winners -- including the reggae workout "You Don't Have to Mean It" and the slow-burning "How Can I Stop" -- that cap off another fine latter-day Stones record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	06/26/2020
Label:	Interscope / Polydor
UPC:	0602508773389
Rank:	35612

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Flip the Switch
2. Anybody Seen My Baby?
3. Low Down
4. Already Over Me
5. Gunface
6. You Don't Have to Mean It
7. Out of Control

Disc 2

8. Saint of Me
9. Might as Well Get Juiced
10. Always Suffering
11. Too Tight
12. Thief in the Night
13. How Can I Stop

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Rolling Stones   Primary Artist
Bernard Fowler   Guest Artist,Vocals (Background)
Don Was   Guest Artist,Bass,Keyboards,Wurlitzer
Meshell Ndegeocello   Guest Artist,Bass
Billy Preston   Guest Artist,Organ (Hammond)
Wayne Shorter   Guest Artist,Sax (Soprano)
Blondie Chaplin   Bass,Piano,Shaker,Maracas,Tambourine,Vocals (Background)
Joe Sublett   Saxophone,Sax (Baritone)
Doug Wimbish   Bass,Vocals (Background)
Waddy Wachtel   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Ron Wood   Dobro,Guitar,Pedal Steel,Slide Guitar,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Electric)
Darrell Leonard   Trumpet
Darryl Jones   Bass,Vocals (Background)
Keith Richards   Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Handclapping,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Charlie Watts   Drums
Benmont Tench   Piano,Keyboards,Organ (Hammond),Vocals (Background)
Jamie Muhoberac   Bass,Keyboards
Jim Keltner   Shaker,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Mick Jagger   Shaker,Vocals,Harmonica,Keyboards,Wah Wah Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Danny Saber   Bass,Guitar,Clavinet,Keyboards
Pierre de Beauport   Bass,Wurlitzer,6-String Bass,Fender Rhodes
Jeff Sarli   Bass,Bass (Acoustic)
Clinton Clifford   Piano,Organ (Hammond)

Technical Credits

Stephen Marcussen   Mastering
Bob Clearmountain   Mixing
The Glimmer Twins   Producer,Executive Producer
The Dust Brothers   Engineer,Producer
Ed Cherney   Mixing,Engineer
John Sorenson   Mixing,Assistant Engineer
John X. Volaitis   Mixing,Engineer
Ryan Freeland   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Wally Gagel   Mixing
Ron Boustead   Digital Editing
Jim Scott   Engineer
Tom Lord-Alge   Mixing
Stuart Brawley   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
George Fullan   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Dan Bosworth   Engineer
Keith Richards   Hands,Composer
Ben Mink   Composer
Don Was   Producer,Executive Producer
Rob Fraboni   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
k.d. lang   Composer
Mick Jagger   Composer
Stewart Whitmore   Mastering
Danny Saber   Mixing,Producer
Richard Lowe   Mixing
Allan Ayers   Illustrations
Pierre de Beauport   Mixing,Composer,Producer
Robi Banerji   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Alan Sanderson   Assistant Engineer
Chuch Magee   Technical Support
Kevin Murphy   Illustrations
Mike Ellis   Studio Assistant
Al Sanderson   Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Charles Gooden   Assistant Engineer
Max Vadukul   Photography
Mauricio Riagorri   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Jason Rankins   Studio Assistant
Francis Mayer   Images
Dave Rouze   Technical Support
Gerard Howland   Illustrations