Voodoo Lounge is the Rolling Stones trying to prove they still move. Fifteen tracks, 62 minutes, and no filler: the band wants the world to remember why it mattered in the first place. This is a record about coming back, and it mostly delivers.
Track by Track
Love Is Strong opens the album with a statement of intent — a big riff, a bigger chorus, and the Stones sounding like they own the room again. You Got Me Rocking follows with a bluesy swagger that shows the band can still play like a live band even when the tape is rolling.
Sparks Will Fly and The Worst are the lesser cuts here, competent but easy to forget. New Faces and Moon Is Up pick the pace back up, the latter a standout ballad that proves the Stones can slow down without losing their edge.
Out of Tears runs 5:27 and earns every second of it — a slow burn that builds to a payoff worth waiting for. I Go Wild and Brand New Car keep the energy high without reaching for anything new. Sweethearts Together and Suck on the Jugular are solid but work best as background noise rather than center stage.
Blinded by Rainbows and Baby Break It Down are the middle stretch’s weak points, pleasant enough but nothing that demands attention. Thru and Thru stretches past six minutes and shows some patience, though it doesn’t quite match the highs around it.
Mean Disposition closes the record with a sharp, snarling finale that reminds you exactly what the Stones do best.
What Works Best
- Love Is Strong — the opener sets the tone and justifies the whole record
- Moon Is Up — the standout ballad that shows range
- Out of Tears — the longest track that earns its length
- Mean Disposition — the closer that leaves the door slammed
Where It Falls Short
- Sparks Will Fly and The Worst — easy to skip entirely
- Blinded by Rainbows and Baby Break It Down — pleasant but forgettable
| Track | Length |
|---|---|
| Love Is Strong | 3:51 |
| Moon Is Up | 3:42 |
| Out of Tears | 5:27 |
| Mean Disposition | 4:08 |
Final Word
Voodoo Lounge isn’t a reinvention, and it doesn’t need to be. It’s a tight, raw rock record with a few standout moments and a few tracks that don’t belong on the same album as them. The Stones sound like a band that knows exactly what it is and isn’t afraid to show it.
Score: 87/100
- Love Is Strong3:51
- You Got Me Rocking3:36
- Sparks Will Fly3:16
- The Worst2:25
- New Faces2:52
- Moon Is Up3:42
- Out of Tears5:27
- I Go Wild4:24
- Brand New Car4:16
- Sweethearts Together4:45
- Suck on the Jugular4:28
- Blinded by Rainbows4:34
- Baby Break It Down4:09
- Thru and Thru6:15
- Mean Disposition4:08
