23. Bridges To Babylon (1997)

Working with producer Don Was, a man nearly synonymous with ginning up veteran acts past their prime to allegedly commercial effect (see Dylan’s unfortunate 1989 release Under A Red Sky), Bridges To Babylon is filled with bright sounds and the occasional hook, but mostly feels like the sound of a barely engaged group of older musicians meandering their way through pleasantly insignificant material with little conviction. Keith’s winsome reggae confection “You Don’t Have To Mean It” has its charm, but also feels a bit too much like a rallying cry for a band merely punching the clock. The soul-inflected slow burn “How Can I Stop” (also sung by Keith — where was Mick?) is a little better, but still feels like a half-baked “Beast Of Burden” minus a hook. The Stones are never less than interesting, but on Bridges To Babylon they flirt with the perimeter.