Keith Richards – Talk Is Cheap (1988/2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards solo release. If you like the Stones, check out Talk Is Cheap and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

“In 1987, it was anyone’s guess if the Stones would ever get back together. Sure, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were well known for their public disagreements, but when Jagger decided to tour in support of his second solo album, Primitive Cool, Richards was disheartened and finally succumbed to the idea of recording without the Rolling Stones. Taking the band he had assembled to back up Chuck Berry for the Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll documentary (along with longtime session player Waddy Wachtel), Richards put together an album that was straightforward, musical, and better than a good portion of the Stones’ output in the first half of the ’80s. The lead single “Take It So Hard,” “Whip It Up,” and “Struggle” are classic Richards riffology, and tracks like “Locked Away” are emotional without being maudlin and worldly but not sounding adult contemporary. The main point of Talk Is Cheap is the music, nothing more; Richards obviously didn’t want to fret about anything but the groove. While Jagger’s solo work sounded like Mick with some studio musicians, Keith had assembled a band, found a productive songwriting partner in Steve Jordan, and created a record that was free of frills. Simply put, Richards sounded like he was playing for himself, and playing with a certain sense of enjoyment. The new band, the X-pensive Winos, had a different work ethic than the Stones, forcing Richards to focus on the music. What resulted was a solid album built on fundamentals rather than style. It’s hard not to see who the real musical force was in the Stones after hearing Talk Is Cheap.” (Chris True, AMG)

Tracklist:
1-01. Keith Richards – Big Enough (03:18)
1-02. Keith Richards – Take It So Hard (03:16)
1-03. Keith Richards – Struggle (04:11)
1-04. Keith Richards – I Could Have Stood You Up (03:13)
1-05. Keith Richards – Make No Mistake (04:53)
1-06. Keith Richards – You Don’t Move Me (04:49)
1-07. Keith Richards – How I Wish (03:32)
1-08. Keith Richards – Rockawhile (04:39)
1-09. Keith Richards – Whip It Up (04:02)
1-10. Keith Richards – Locked Away (05:47)
1-11. Keith Richards – It Means A Lot (05:24)

Personnel:
Keith Richards, lead vocals, guitar
Sarah Dash, background vocals, duet on “Make No Mistake”
Charley Drayton, bass (tracks: 2, 3, 5 to 7, 9 to 11)
Steve Jordan, drums, percussion, backing vocals
Ivan Neville, piano, keyboards (tracks: 2, 3, 7, 10, 11)
Patti Scialfa, background vocals
Waddy Wachtel, acoustic, electric, slide guitar (tracks: 2, 3, 6 to 11)
Additional musicians:
Bootsy Collins, bass on “Big Enough”
Michael Doucet, violin on “Locked Away”
Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural, accordion on “You Don’t Move Me”, “Rockawhile”, and “Locked Away”
Johnny Johnson, piano on “I Could Have Stood You Up”
Bobby Keys, tenor saxophone on “I Could Have Stood You Up” and “Whip It Up”
Chuck Leavell, organ on “I Could Have Stood You Up”
Maceo Parker, alto saxophone on “Big Enough”
Joey Spampinato, bass on “I Could Have Stood You Up” and “Rockawhile”
Mick Taylor, guitar on “I Could Have Stood You Up”
Bernie Worrell, organ on “Big Enough” and “You Don’t Move Me” and clavinet on “Make No Mistake” & “Rockawhile”