Keith Richards - Talk Is Cheap (2019 - Remaster) (Deluxe Version) (2019) [Hi-Res]

In 1988, on a break from his band the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards released his first ever solo album, Talk Is Cheap. This universally respected debut is an eleven track masterclass in everything that’s good about rock ‘n roll and features guest appearances from an all-star cast including Sarah Dash, Bootsy Collins, Maceo Parker, the Memphis Horns, Patti Sciafia and Mick Taylor. Remastered from the original tapes by Richards' collaborator, Steve Jordan, the album's joyous swagger is re-energised and permeates through each and every song.

Talk Is Cheap sounds as good today as it did thirty years ago; in Keith’s words: “As fresh as the day it was made.”

"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)

Keith Richards, lead vocals, guitar
Steve Jordan, drums, percussion, bass on 'Take It So Hard', backing vocals
Sarah Dash, backing vocals, duet on "Make No Mistake"
Charley Drayton, bass, drums on 'Take It So Hard'
Ivan Neville, piano, keyboards
Bobby Keys, tenor saxophone on "I Could Have Stood You Up" and "Whip It Up"
Waddy Wachtel, acoustic, electric, and slide guitar
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"
Johnnie Johnson, piano on "I Could Have Stood You 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", clavinet on "Make No Mistake" and "Rockawhile"
Jimmi Kinnard, bass on "Make No Mistake"
Patti Scialfa, backing vocals
The Memphis Horns
Willie Mitchell, horn arrangements

Produced by Keith Richards, Steve Jordan

Digitally remastered