The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers | Album Review

Sticky Fingers
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Artist: The Rolling Stones
Genre: Rock
Label: Universal

The first Stones album of the 1970s, Sticky Fingers courted controversy before anyone had even heard the music.

That (then) rude Andy Warhol-designed cover aside, it’s little wonder that the record is regarded as one of the band’s best.

While time and sexual political correctness has impacted on it, there remains unapologetic overtones of sleaziness (Brown Sugar) and drug abuse (Sister Morphine, Moonlight Mile).

The musical styles veer between rugged/sweet Gram Parsons-influenced country (Dead Flowers, Wild Horses) and eroticised blues-rock.

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There is the usual batch of alternate takes, outtakes and previously unreleased tracks; the honey trap, however, is the album itself, which boasts point-perfect guitar solos and a louche, virtually hypnotic swagger long since departed.

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in popular culture