Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones

In honor of the deluxe edition being released I decided to review this. I also  reviewed Help! for it's 50th, back in August (and have a special review for its 50th in August and June). This album follows their 1969 classic Let It Bleed. That albums great and it is the best Rolling Stones album. Now I go back and forth between my favorite being that and Her Majesty's but I think the songwriting is the most focused and fleshed out on that album (LIB). Moral of the story, this album has a lot to live up to. This is also their first album on their very own Rolling Stones Records. The album that was right before this, 1970's 'Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! which was a live album, but that isn't a studio album so it's you know what ever.

1. Brown Sugar: This is the album opener. And this is a great opener and sets the tone for the harder tracks. It's a great time, but not for the lyrics. When you find out they were supposedly about Claudia Lennear you kind of lose some respect. I mean look her up, 10/10, plus she can sing. Bowie also wrote a tune for her, Lady Grinning Soul. There's a big difference in tone and substance. Where this is straight forward, starts and finishes, Lady sort of takes you on an adventure of romance and passion. The better song is the latter, but that doesn't matter really. This is a fun song, with great horns and a great riff. There is a fun feeling to it and the backing vocals are pretty good here also. It's got enough grit to it, but it's also got a punch.
2. Sway: I much prefer Stay, but I guess Sway will have to do for now. This almost sounds like it could be a song on Beggars Banquet, but a tad more trippy. There is a sort of trippy vibe I get from this tune. This is pretty well put together, and isn't pretty enough to sound "lame" that this band is playing it. And those strings towards the end, nice. (thumbs up emojii)
3. Wild Horses: This is an acoustic, country sort of ballad. You know, this song isn't terrible, it's just..... I remember hearing so many songs like this when I was into classic Woodstock rock stuff. At this point in my life this is kind of a boring song. I used to dig it more, but I mean..... I really can't say I like it that much.
4. Can't You Hear Me Knocking: This is a great track that still boggles my mind they played that solo (the jazzy section). It sounds like Santana came in and had his band play the end (well a slowed down band, or played it in a slower time signature). The story goes they just let the tape keep going and the solo section wasn't planned. On its own merit, without the solo, its still a solid track. I mean that riff and chorus still get you into the song enough for that other part to work even better. As much as I praise the latter half, the first is just as crucial to the song working. I mean ever one here is playing top notch and I don't think this song could have anything changed to make it better. It's one of those instances where, it just works as is. WHY THE FUCK DONT YOU GIVE ME MORE OF THIS KEITH. Wait Keith did not play lead? Well on the part that I LOVE at least, oh yeah that was Mick. Probably the best thing to happen to the band..... what. If you haven't head this song, it's one of those that is well deserving of being on a best classic rock tunes ever list. Like seriously, I'm cutting the bullshit 90 % of tunes on those are shit, this is among the truly great 10-20%.
5. You Gotta Move: A cover of a track by Mississippi Fred McDowell. 33 years later one of my favorite bands Aerosmith made a bad covers album and covered this version of the song for it. I actually prefer this to the Honkin on Bobo version. While I don't normally like this type of song, I do have a bit of an affection for this. It's kind of a straight tribute to their heroes, you can't really knock someone for that. And it isn't consuming the entire album. This is probably the best version I've heard of the song.
6. Bitch: This is another good track from this LP. While that intro might sound odd, because I do like most of this album, this track stands out as a track I revisit. I mean the pre-chorus isn't as great as I remember, but those horns make up for it. One thing I do think is a shame is I prefer the extended version from the deluxe edition more. I assume that's the full length version which was cut for time for the album. It's a shame, get it..... ahahahaha. Maybe they could have cut a track like Wild Horses or I Got The Blues rather, for this to be longer. Actually the math works out to where it'd fit. I also like the energy more. But regardless, it's the same track so it just the uncut version.
7. I Got The Blues: This song made me laugh for whatever reason, I imagined a sort of "Weird Al" parody of a bluesy 50's tune. I mean this isn't terrible, I like it, it's just I don't think it works that perfect along with the rest of what was present. Yeah I looked it up, I couldn't think of his name, but I totally agree with the Otis Redding comparison, sort of Stax Records vibe. This also reminds me a ton, a ton, of Aerosmith on maybe What it Takes or another ballad, Amazing?
8. Sister Morphine: This track was co written with Marianne Faithful. Marianne performed a version first in 1968 and I haven't heard it yet. A quick, unrelated personal note, thing that's funny is whenever I hear the word Morphine this song pops in my head. This acoustic intro reminds me a tad of Van Morrison's best song off Astral Weeks, The Way Young Lovers Do. This is a nice song that I think fits and it pretty great to be honest. I mean I don't revisit it often, but it's got some nice shit going on.
9. Dead Flowers: This may come as a surprise, but this is one of my favorite tracks here. It's chord progression is so fun to play and it's easy. I really enjoy this song and it brings back memories for me. It is just a fun song over all, even though it's topic might not be that fun. Great tune that I LOVE.
10. Moonlight Mile: Closing the album we get a tune that was, according to Jagger, "All Mick's". I guess he had the idea and "the band just figured out how to play it". That's pretty cool to be honest. The strings here are great, and this just feels like a closer. Great tune. It sort of harkens back to the days of Last Time, but more grown up. More mature, much more wise. I don't know, that's what I get.

Overall I have to give this album a 7/10. As much as I make fun of the group, I this is a great record. While I really don't love all the tracks that are more country sounding, for what ever reason this works for me. Actually I do remember I really like Beggars Banquette and this is kind of part two for that album. That albums more rootsy this is more country with grit at parts.

Now I will plug, of my own doing, RateYourMusic. I love that site, I have uploaded everything I've released to that site information and I rate albums almost daily on there. And for the most part the rating on there, double it and that's out of ten. Some albums may be up for discussion (tagged revisit), but for the most part the ratings are how I truly feel. And if I feel unsure or need a bother listen or two. Even if I don't understand what's going on, I tag the album "revisit". If I see potential in it being one of my favorite albums ever I tag it " candidate". And if I have a review in this site of it, I have it tagged "review" though some artists in the free download section aren't on the site. 

Their Satanic Majesty's Request - The Rolling Stones

#4: I have my problems with The Rolling Stones. For one, I think a lot of their songs are too similar. I do think there are some good songs/albums, but I don't think they are amazing. Along with all their praised albums, 1968's Beggars Banquet, 1969's Let It Bleed, 1971's Sticky Fingers, 1972's Exile on Main Street (which I'm if-ee on). I think this should be among those. This is really the only time, though they basically copied Pepper, they really left the realm of blues. For God's sake, listen to Sing This All Together (See What Happens), there is no argument that this is the weirdest song in their catalogue. EVER!!!! That's part of why I like this album so much, and the good songs too. One last fact, this is the first LP, to my knowledge, that Nicky Hopkin's was on that was by the Stones.

1. Sing This All Together: This song. This one. The horns in the beginning of this song grab my attention. Then the singing, it actually sounds.... wait for it..... GOOD!. By good I mean actually pretty. This is such a fun song. I could see this being their All You Need Is Love. There is some experimentation that goes on in the "solo". I think it's actually really interesting. And I love how the horns bring the song into focus again. This isn't as good as some of the others, but it's still a good intro to the album. Also, this proves experimentation could work. 
2. Citadel: This song isn't the best song on this. But it actually kind of does remind me of some of their olderstuff. Until the chorus. Which I think it intresting. I don't really know what to say about this track. It's kind of, for the most part, more of a normal song.
3. In Another Land: The harmonies in this song. The can make me have an eargasm. They are beautiful. Instead of the usual, "ugly" and "bluesy" backing vocals, this is actually "harmony" vocals. They could bring a tear to any man, with a sense of decency, eyes. The harpsichord in the beginning of the song is just, I can't believe The Stones pulled this off. My hat goes off to Bill Wyanman. I love the vocal distortion echo the did during the verses. I think the snore at the end is pretty funny.
4. 2000 Man: This kind of reminds me of the next album. The more country feeling to it. It also kind of reminds me of a more upbeat version of Dead Flowers or a demo version of the song 39 by Queen. I also like how it changes. It's almost more of a composition rather then a blues/counrty song by Mick and Keith. I also like the little organ fill towards the end.
5. Sing This All Together (See What Happens): This is All You  Need Is Love 9. If you don't know what  I mean, Revolution 1 was a normal song Revolution 9 was complete musique-concrete. This is a total experimental track. If you guys like there guys at their normal tomfoolery, then you'll hate this song. I don't think I've ever heard another song remotely close to this one by this band. Now, for most people, they would say that the Stones experimented and it didn't work. They could say this track is a key example. I really like this track, but if you're one of those "artsy" people who "Knows what their talking about", then most every other song on this is normal. I don't want to ruin it for you if you haven't ever heard this before. But remember, it's different than any other song by these guys PERIOD!
6. She's A Rainbow: I don't understand if you don't like this song. It's super catchy and so fun to sing. This song can make you get pumped up and just run around. Ole' John Paul Jones, you know of Zeppelin, did string arrangement for this song. This was before he was in Zeppelin though. I also think it's kind of cool that there is talking in the beginning, then the piano plays. The strings in this song could almost make you cry. The "toy piano" sounds, beautiful.
7. The Lantern: This is a pretty cool sing. I really like the way the chorus is played along with the voice. It sounds pretty cool. This is a solid song, not together wise, but good/decent wise.
8. Gomper: This almost sounds like an indian song. Actually you could say that this is the weirdest song by the Stones. It's pretty much just noise. With bongos and desert sounds and just drone. I almost wish there weren't any vocals though. The keys are awesome sounding.
9. 2000 Light Years From Home: They really like the number 2000. The beginning of this song is kind of "scary". Like I think they are using cluster notes. This song has a lot going on. I don't really think a normal Stones fan could comprehend. I'm just kidding B-Dowg.
10. On With The Show: This is supposed to be the closer to the album. Supposedly this was inspired by Absolutely Free's last track America Goes Home & Drinks. Which you can kind of tell it's similar to that track. This is a really good way to end. The microphone effect on the voice reminds me of Magical Mystery Tour. Like they are on a bus that takes you around and you see this "show". The music going on in the background has beautiful strings and almost makes you wanna cry to it. The voice effect also reminds me a little of Uncle Albert.

Overall I have to give this, extremely underrated, Rolling Stones album a 7.8/10. This is the only album that was produced by them alone. Because their producer left because he was fed up with their drug problems. So, I guess something, beside Pepper, comes good out of drugs. You could almost argue that they, though they didn't (I know they didn't I read about it), were composing songs rather than jamming  They weren't going, "Lets do this fast, play this album in Open G". They did rush this at the ending for the release date, but still. They almost just made an mature album, leaving their normal style. They did make some changes on the next few release, but still. This is the most different, and in a good way. The next review will be of another favorite of mine. This album came out in 2010. I know, up to this point, the albums have been pre-1980. But well, I want to mix things up. I might also have two more post 2000 album's too. But this is a pretty psychedelic album. They just released a new single on Record Store Day, and their new album should be released sometime this year.