A much better effort (perhaps the key word) than the airless Voodoo Lounge. Flashes of wit and, really, more polished playing than any previous album. Hopefully, the legions of session musicians are not responsible for this. Fewer truly weak songs than any album since Tattoo You, maybe even Some Girls, but without the brazen power and knowing attitude of each album before Steel Wheels. This diminishment may not be as noticeable to non-native English speakers, since this album seems to rate more highly with foreign fans. Wish I could ignore the insipidness of Always Suffering, etc. Still, a level of ambition is there, even on the Keef songs, though give Jags the credit for branching out. Some have said they can't hear the difference on the Dust Bros. cuts; they must be listening to the TV.