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. 

Squeeze - The Velvet Underground

For whatever reason I've been siting on this review for at least a month or two. This review was done in a day, outside of one song (which i had to look up for the description. That was actually what was holding it up). So I don't get why it wasn't up sooner. Considering that I now have some 200+ drafts accumulated for review, why not get some done. Anyway; this is the fifth, and often forgotten (intentionally), Velvet Underground album. It was released in February 1973, and was the final studio album by the group before the break up. Now I get the whole "not a Velvet's album" belief, because technically it wasn't. There were no original members, and the only member who played who was a member before Lou left was Doug Yule..  He replaced Cale in September 1968, making his first album appearance album titled The Velvet Underground from 1969. Now Lou Reed left in August 1970, Sterling left in August 1971, and Maureen officially left in December 1971. So from January 1972 to February 1973 Doug was the only actual member. This album also features performances by Malcolm (just credoted as the forst name) on saxophone, who is believed to be Malcolm Duncan was as founding member of the Average White Band. The other performer is a drummer from Deep Purple, Ian Paice. Though he plays on I believe every track. And to be honest, if you can look past the sort of false advertisement.... This ain't half bad. PS my next VUview will be my favorite, and in my opinion the first real punk album.

1. Little Jack: Opening the record, I'm surprised how not terrible this is. Everywhere I've heard or read about this its pretty much treated like its shit. Seriously, the places I've read about this mention it not being a good album, but this album is starting out pretty decent. It has a 
2. Crash: The beginning of this song reminds me of shit ton of one of the more child friendly, novelty esque White Stripes songs. It reminds me mostly of just their honky tonk cute piano vocal songs. It also reminds me a little of Bowie's more show tunes esque Hunky Dory. Maybe Fill Up Your Heart. This could would actually fit snugly on that album. Out side of those comparisons, I like the song, but I have nothing else to say about it. The vocals actually remind me a little of Transformer's more show tuney songs. And I guess the endings kinda funny. Okay now I have nothing else to say. :)
3. Caroline: This song sounds like it's a rocker, but not over powering. So maybe like an older rocker. But the lead vocals the second they started reminded me of the vocals singing the song from the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode Pod People. The part when he's in the recording studio, this sound literally sound like that could be the song featured in the movie they riffed. Well with a Beach Boy, Gary 'U.S.' Bonds inspired intro, but played at the end.
4. Mean Old Man: The title reminds me of Mean Old Frisco, or funny enough to a lesser extent Mean Mr Mustard. This is more of a rocker, like a hard rocker. The last was a more 50's rock and roll song... kinda. This is more of a 70's rocker I could hear Clapton playing.
5. Dopey Joe: This sounds like it'd fit on Transformer, just with more saxophones. Well kinda, the beginning at least. It kind of goes back and forth between one of those and honestly a Clapton or maybe a Stones song. It kinda reminds me a little of Start Me Up, among others.
6. Wordless: This sounds like a song off All Things Must Pass, but what song....... Either that or a Dead song.
7. She'll Make You Cry: Shit I can't think of..... The Dead. With a more rocking, at parts, played by not a member of the group.
8. Friends: Maybe a Badfinger song, a ballad.
9. Send No Letter: Another classic rock and roll tribute. Sung by a Reed sound alike.
10. Jack & Jane: This has a definite glam feel that songs like Wagon Wheel and the more generic glam songs on Transformer. The only real difference is switching out backing vocals, and instead of having Bowie having some less interesting.
11. Louise: This has a very ump pah pah piano. This is a pretty good song, that I honestly can't compare to anything. Well at least another artist. Except the whole Grateful Dead vocals, and the "Louieeeeeese eeeese" part. But I love how hypnotic it is. It reminds me of how hypnotic Being of the Benefit for Mr. Kite is, the first time they go into the psychedelic circus part. And I really wanna sing along to that part. That part reminds me of another song, but I really don't care. I really like the guitar tone here, and how in the beginning is more in the background. Also  I love the harpsichord sound,  and this song if you had the right guitar player it could be dragged out into like a long extended solo. And that part that follows the vamp, the piano voice part reminds me of if Elliott Smith covered Paranoid Android the same way he did Because. To be honest this is definitely the best, and most fleshed out, song here. I could totally see myself revisiting this song multiple times. Hell I might even want to learn it. With a few little touches up here and there this could be on par with the other classic tracks by the band. Honestly this is, if maybe fleshed out a little more could be as amazing as Paranoid Android. I could also be crazy. 

Overall I have to give this album a 6.5/10. Besides the fact it sould be considered a Yule solo album, this album isn't that terrible. It actually reminds me of the Tony Visconti solo album. Just a mix bag of styles, sounds, influences, and songs he wrote over a period of time. This is more of a solo album for a member of a band who wanted to play songs he loves and pay tribute to those styles. I think if the Velvet name wasn't tagged on here it wouldn't be so forgotten and hated. I mean at the end of the day the music here is very inoffensive and this could possibly be the most diverse of all the Velvet albums, and it's fun to listen to. Hell its more fun then Loaded, the "commercial album" by the group. If you can over look that little artist name, then I think you might like this, and if you like rock that's not bad or negative in any way, you'll like this. The only downside is there are a few generic songs, but what album post White Heat/White Light didn't.