Black and Blue album was released in April of 1976 and was recorded while the Rolling Stones were auditioning for a replacement of Mick Taylor. They eventually chose Ronnie Wood, formerly off the Jeff Beck Group, to be the replacement. The albums is a huge display of the Stones' tendency to enjoy flirtation with different musical genres.
Hot Stuff - "Hot Stuff" is a mix of funk and reggae that doesn't please me all that much. The lyrics and general music are subpar for the Stones, but Keith has some nice guitar on here. 2/5, this song is the reason I have a rating of 4.5/5.
Hand of Fate - This is a classic example of why the Rolling Stones are called the World's Greatest Rock Band. It grabs the listener by the collar and never lets go. Again, the guitar licks are great. 5/5
CHerry Oh Baby - This is the only song on the album that wasn't written by Keith and Mick. It's a slow reggae jam that doesn't highlight the guitars as much as it should. It's just a repetitive 3-chord progression. It does have some nice background riff though, and Bill's bas is infectous though simple. 4/5
Memory Motel - "Memory Motel" shows the softer side of the generally stoned-and-***ing rock star image of the Rolling Stones. It's a slow piece of balladry that I very much like. The lyrics are memorable and the piano/keyboard parts add to the aura of the song very well. 5/5
Hey Negrita - Another reggae song, but this time more up-tempo. It also uses Ketih and Ron's talent in a much wiser way. The riff in the backgrkound is absolutely infectious. 5/5
Melody - I see it as a sort of lounge-oriented R&B number...it's hard to classify. It's a good song with really simple lyrics and instrumentation, using minimalistic jazzy piano, a few seconds of keyboards, some guitar riffing, light drums, and barely noticable bass. 4.5/5
Fool To Cry - "Fool..." is another song that shows the Stones' softer side, much like "Memory Motel". It's a long ballad, and though I like "..Motel" better, it's still damn good. 5/5
Crazy Mama - Hard rock Stones at its best -fast, fun, sleazy, catchy, all that needs to be said. 5/5
Overall, 4.5/5. I would recommend anyone that's trying to get into the Stones to buy Sticky Fingers, but if you are already an avid Stones fan, I would recommend picking this up.
