Good enough to get a pre-lockdown remaster, great enough to prove Keith Richards was the one part of The Rolling Stones with something still to give in the 1980s. A tumultuous first end to the band came from a mixture of burnout, drugs and rage – all of it is part of the being in a band experience though for each member, drummer Charlie Watts included, this clean break was a chance to try their hand at other mediums. Richards steps up as a likely frontman with debut effort Talk is Cheap and heads into a sleazy-like groove of instrumental excess, indulgent pieces of paranoia, running and taking from those who approach what few spots of solitude he can find. Or at least that is the feeling present in the bass-driven joys of Big Enough. A low octave, a neat saxophone piece and all of it comes together with a powerful, blues rock charm.
Writing Talk is Cheap off as a knock against Mick Jagger is too easy, and considering the depths found on this album, especially Take It So Hard, it would not make sense. There is the afterburn effect of The Rolling Stones’ hiatus at play, the album is born out of frustration and it comes clear on You Don’t Move Me, but the rest of it is a chance for Richards to preserve a sound which would define the band forever. He does it well enough, a chance to shine is given to the long-working guitarist. Considering the work The Stones were putting out at the time, it is clear Richards was dissatisfied, to say the least. Talk is Cheap is more than just a band member trying to preserve the sound of their past, it is proof a recognisable and unwavering sound does not have to be hauled into the popular context of the times. Most who do it fail, as Jagger did with his debut solo album, She’s the Boss.
Instead, there is much to love about the initial familiarity of Talk is Cheap, which soon turns its attention to instrumental excess. Struggle is a charming, multi-layered guitar track filled with the niche grooves of 1980s rock, but never stumbling into the bright pop colours which The Rolling Stones would fall for with Dirty Work. Boo-wop thrills, jazzy blues spills and a hearty voice at the core marks Talk is Cheap as a fiery piece of work which stands on its own merits as well as the obvious draw of post-Stones heat. Loud and boisterous as Richards was at the time, setting out with something to prove against Jagger, Talk is Cheap benefits from its classy sound and the ties to The Stones’ origins. He drifts from them at times with Make No Mistake, and they sound just as eventful, charming numbers with a jazz drive and vocal complexity not expected of Richards at the time.
You Don’t Move Me Anymore feels like a nod to the sound of the times. Pop riffs and Jagger collaborating his way to the top of the charts did not sit well with everyone. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see the commitment Richards had to continue the classic sounds won over. It is far from perfect but as reviews of the time joked, it is the best music the Stones put out at the time. Richards’ Talk is Cheap remains one of the band’s best post-Some Girls releases. It does not sound all that similar to the sound Richards was making with the band but his guitar style is so identifiable it feels like an offshoot. It may sag towards the end but Talk is Cheap does as its title suggests, replacing the cheap back-and-forth with action which proved Richards right about the direction of The Stones.
