There's A Riot Goin' On

A classic album by one of my favourite artists

Sly & the Family Stone changed music at least twice. Their 60s sound was dynamic and revolutionary, performed by a multiethnic band that was quite a rarity in those days (at least in the main). Then with this album, something totally new again. I also remember seeing Sly Stone on TV in the late 80s. He was such a huge figure to me musically, but by this point he had become a much smaller version of himself. The drugs that no doubt fueled this album had shrunken him. Like one that dies giving birth... we are the recipients of something unforgettable, but it took the life of its maker.

Yes, there certainly was a riot going on in 1971! And what I love most about this album is that Sly leans fully into his artistry and musicianship to express it. This isn’t Ohio or A Change is Gonna Come. This is a full blown jam session of revolt! Lyrically tight and succinct, the album isn’t without clarity, it just isn’t easily anthemic. Instead, Sly uses every tool in his toolkit and invites others to join in speaking out in word and song. Vastly underrated despite being on this list, I love “Africa Talks to You and “Luv N’ Haight.” You won’t catch many vigils singing this songs at a protest march or gathering, but you also won’t find many people who have known injustice that don’t get what’s goin on!

Only like, 3 songs in, and it is fucking amazing, wish I had listened to them waaaayyy earlier

“We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on us.” — Malcolm X In the early spring of 1971 Marven Gaye asked, 'What's Going On?' in late 1971 Sly Stone replied with, 'There's A Riot Goin' On.' a dark album informed by drugs, paranoia, pessimism and the harsh reality that the counterculture of the 1960s had failed to make any real changes, that hope was scarce and that things were about to get worse. 'There's A Riot Goin' on' is a great record but it's often not a fun listen - anyone expecting the sunshine funk of 'Everyday People' and/or 'I Want to Take You Higher' were sure to be disappointed and either had to adjust to the New Sly or return the album & stick with past works. Some albums simply don't float. It's all or nothing. Sink or swim. Sink? What do you mean sink? Swim to where? I mean c'mon man the summer of love was a troll move by college bros to sleep with underaged girls- get on board or get off not that the Sly Stone of 'Riot' likely cared even a little bit about what you did or didn't do. People were too quick to betray you, and his drugs made better, more loyal company than any family ever did. The clear-cut stuff from the son of the banker is the most honest motherfucker. You know? The few songs that lack the pessimism that is all over 'Riot' feel almost forced and performative done to appease Clive Davis and not as a shout of uncontainable joy, love and happiness. Regardless 'Riot' was and continues to be an essential album of dark psychedelic soul/rock music and the more tense sober funk has little interest in moving your ass, Stand! Pt 2 this is not-it doesn't exist because of people but rather in spite of people. Maybe the unrest is all in your head? The riot that is going on is not going on in the streets? People talk shit and the Molotov cocktail ignites and after midnight who can even tell the difference, anyways, right? While nowhere as embraceable as Stand! (1969) or even Life (from 1968) Riot is essential listening for anyone interested in black music, the political climate in black neighborhoods or the citizens that felt a little more fleeced, a little more knocked about than they had just a few short years before. Against all odds There's A Riot Goin' On is Sly Stone's magnum opus quite the feat considering that it was almost never made. For better or for worse this is no family affair.

World-weary, jazzy funk. One of the greatest albums.

paranoid, filled with dread and suspicion, mumbles and whispers. Prince obviously drew on this, as did Massive Attack and many others.

Funk perfected bass tone 50 years ago and everything since is a step backward. Just the best dang music, and the fact that it still has influence everywhere should tell us that.

FUNKY

Loved the album. Has groove

A landmark record in the genre of funk, mixing with soul, rock, R&B etc. into a blend that inspired countless acts after it. It's defining characteristic is its moodiness, a kind of '60's peace and love dance party is over' vibe - still groovy but with an edge. It sounds robust and thick. Sometimes when the primary artistic force in a group starts doing hard drugs, you get a home run or a strikeout...This one is out of the park.

++*: Luv n' Haight, Just Like a Baby, There's a Riot Goin' On, Brave & Strong, Spaced Cowboy ++: Poet, Family Affair, Africa Talks to You 'The Asphalt Jungle, (You Caught Me) Smilin', Time, Runnin' Away, Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa 10/10

Essential proto-funk album, sweet.

Sly & the Family Stone were so far ahead of their time. Not only with being an integrated band but just with the sounds they came up with. I loved every instrument, chord and note on this album. Only real music is gonna last, all that other bullshit is here today and gone tomorrow!

As a non north american person, this is probably the most beautiful USA flag I've ever put my eyes on it. If we put this album on a capsule to mars, the aliens will show us a better way to land in there. 5 stars

Funk a delic

I was grooving my ass off to this, very good album, thoroughly enjoyed it

Funky but furious. Dark yet playful. Messy and yet somehow coherent at the same time. Just amazing.

This is the two hundred thirteenth album I’m rating. I think my brother likes this band but I'm not a fan. Adding to my Playlist - Luv N' Haight, Just Like a Baby, Poet, Family Affair, Africa Talks to You 'The Asphalt Jungle, Brave & Strong, (You Caught Me) Smilin', Time, Spaced Cowboy, Runnin' Away, and Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa. Not Adding to my Playlist - There's a Riot Goin' On. All in all I liked 11/12 songs. I changed my mind.

Dark, groovy, super smooth in parts and then howling nihilism. Early experimentation with electronica visible here. This is so bumpy and just cool as fuck. Socially conscious, depressing then moments of brightness. It’s not glossing over anger and struggle

Another essential funk classic

(sly & the family) stone cold classic

So funky, so good. Great memories of my dad with this jam. This is the music of progress and change, and it's so groovy! I'm shocked by the low average rating here.

This album starts off with a funk tribute to Haight Ashbury, then gets onto a slow burn soul groove in Just Like a Baby. More deep funk in Africa Talks to You. A Family Affair is classic, obviously. A solid groove all the way through--consistent in a way that Sly wasn't always in his career, which is remarkable considering all the drugs he was on during recording, apparently. Rounds up to 5

Mature Sly Stone. At his absolute best

What can I say? This is a funk masterpiece from beginning to end. Not as optimistic as his previous work but essential nonetheless. Standouts are Family Affair, Thank You For Talking To Me Africa and Runnin' Away.

Yodeling, bass slaps, experimental tape effects, and 8-minute vamps? What more could you ask for?

I believe this is a much stronger Stone album than the one I reviewed previously. Musically arranged in a way that kept me engaged from start to finish, I found myself wondering why I hadn’t listened to it sooner…creative, slightly innovative, and carries a message connected to a pivotal point in modern America.

Love this album from top to bottom.

Essential. Needs to be heard.

BWAOWP BWAOWP. Layin down that groove. funky as hell. That "TIMBAA" in Africa talks to you! I am not super familiar with this genre but the wiki has a lot of great info on the album+band's context. I didn't realize I knew some of the songs just through pop culture growing up. I like the context of the earlier 60s stuff being more positive and this album being a shift into a disillusioned 70s. The final track is a slowed down version of the original "Thank you for lettin me be myself," the effect is like. A descent into dark funky madness.

Wish he had made more records. RIP

The last of the great Sly & The Family Stone Albums. Great songs with plenty of variations. Brought back great memories.

This was a fascinating album to get right after War's The World is a Ghetto. Two funk albums that are generally considered a darker turn after the collapse of 1960s Summer of Love optimism. Consider me fully emersed in the time.

YES YES YES YES YES YES

Straight up goated with the sauce. Extremely formative album for what was to come of funk. Sly shows his serious multi instrumental talent along with his dark powerful songwriting. The bass work and recording are the highlights for me.The psych influence is written on its sleeve in the dopest way possible. Extremely nostalgic for me in the mid summer of 2018 when I was spinning this plate on the table constantly. Fav track- Spaced Cowboy

Right in the face of Marvin Gaye

I loved this one, big fan of the last song being a callback to one of their most popular songs.

Excellent

So good. No notes.

One of the greatest LA bands and just timeless and cool.

A very cool and smooth funk record with some good messages. Really nice to listen to while the sun is out.

Man, I love some good Funk.

Classical funk. James brown like, not exactly soul funk pop but close. Interesting regardless. Has some classics though.

Funk hasn't fared too well until now, but this is greasy, sleazy, fucked up, sexy and wild. What can I say, 5 stars.

>>>>>>>>>The Beatles

So much to love here. Prince? A descendant. RHCP? Descendants. And so many others. Great listen.

Track 6...4 seconds of silence. Track 12...7 minutes of tasty funks.

Dark, funky, awesome. First time listening to this one but loved almost all of it. The songs flow into each other so well that it will take me some more listens to really get a grasp on this one. I'm torn between a four and five star out of enjoyment but think I'm gonna go to five as this feels like one that gets better the more you listen. Then adding the context of the album and its impact makes it seem like an easier decision. Rating: 4.6

This was a great surprise listen for me. Kinda proggy, funky as hell and I haven't even listened to the lyrical content properly yet.

Dette er en fremragende og dyster skildring av det amerikanske samfunnet i kjølvannet av 60-tallets naive optimisme. I tillegg er det også noe av den kuleste fønken jeg har hørt. Produksjonen har en varm klarhet som jeg elsker. Feite og gode basslinjer brummer imens keyboardene plinker og plonker som bare det. Absolutt alt som skjer i lydbilder slår seg perfekt sammen i en nydelig dis. Der er også noe fengslende i den kyniske og paranoide atmosfæren disse dyktige musikerene befant seg i. Og uansett hvor trøtt, sliten og ruset Sly høres ut, så forblir han en fenomenal vokalist, musiker, produsent, og kreativ visjonær gjennom hele denne platen.

Love it. Always a great listen. Love the lazy, hazy atmosphere. Never lets me down with it's whacked out weirdness. Great Cover Art.

This album is great. What a groove. This is one of those albums that starts strong and then each track gets stronger. This is so great. It’s hard to sit still. I want to get up and dance. “Africa talks to you” is such a killer song. “Spaced cowboy” is the coolest yodeling I’ve ever heard. This is so great!! Even the closer is a killer song. Albums like this amaze me. How can there be so many great songs on a single album?!?

A staple of funk and progressive soul, with great conscious lyrics which can get dark at times contrasting with the mostly mellow instrumentation. No real flaws to this one. 5.

- 5 for "Spaced Cowboy" ..... I didn't realize he used drum machines on this one .... -

A textbook on Funk, Riot exemplifies how this genre can utilize retrospection on topical and timely ideas and go well beyond dance clubs and beats that would be responsible for a million samples.

This manifesto's measured yet meandering soundscape pulls you into Stone's darkness while your body responds to its revolutionary funk, illustrating Questlove's observation about how we often celebrate Black artistic suffering without acknowledging its human cost.

Great album by Sly and the family stone, but my favorite is Fresh.

This is one of those classic albums of the comedown from the 60s. The account on Wikipedia of the circumstances are quite telling, and it's remarkable that it worked out so well. I'd advise omitting the additional tracks on some re-releases though.

Good!

Remember Woodstock!

I have been needing some more funk in my life. I have not gotten nearly enough albums from this genre, especially in comparison to other genres. But now, it's finally time for me to listen to an album from one of the most highly praised funk groups of all time, Sly & The Family Stone. This is their highly acclaimed 1971 album, There's a Riot Goin' On. Dude. 1971 was such a stacked year for album releases. So many phenomenal albums released that year and—wouldn't you know it?— There's a Riot Goin' On might be one of the best. I love this album. It definitely reminds me of another one of those amazing 1971 albums, Funkadelic's Maggot Brain. This is definitely still a funk album at its core, albeit one with strong psychedelic and soul elements. However, this is definitely darker than something like a James Brown album or even earlier Sly and the Family Stone albums (or so I'm told). Honestly, I think it works really well. The darker atmosphere of this album makes it stand out. The instrumentation is fantastic. Again, it's a bit on the darker side, but there's still great basslines and spectacular rhythms to listen for. The mixing (at least on Spotify) could be a bit better, but the core of the album is still great. I really like Sly Stone's singing, as well as the other singing that appears on the album. The writing is pretty strong too. There's songs about things like personal turmoil and drug use, the latter of which appears to have been a significant factor in the making of this album. All of the songs are great though. Well, the title track doesn't really have much to talk about considering it's 4 seconds of silence, but even that appears to have a purpose in the album's messaging. I don't know what to say. This album makes a very strong first exposure to the music of Sly & The Family Stone. I'm very glad to have listened to this album, and I'm just as excited to listen to its predecessor, Stand!, sometime in the future. 5/5.

Very good, really loved a lot of different aspects of this album. One thing I particularly enjoyed, for some reason, was the contrast in microphone quality between the instruments and vocals. Great jams on here. Wow

It’s funk with a deep social twist, which is about the best way I could put this. So far most of the funk I’ve gotten on this list has been get up and groove. This one is still a grooving, but makes you really pay attention more as it’s kind of gritty. It makes it stand out in a very intriguing way. 4.5 / 5

This is the kind of album that deserves its place in the pantheon of great recordings. Unique, interesting, relevant, influential and inspiring. It’s both experimental and complete. The band knew exactly who they were and what they wanted. There’s no searching, only quality and delivery.

Great music comes out of dark times. This album, just like Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On," is the soundtrack to a murky, confusing era in American history that Sly captured perfectly in a haze of hard drug use. A masterpiece.

This is so gooooooood.

5/5. This has been on repeat for me for years, you already know this is getting a 5. Instrumentals in each song are so unique plus Sly with his backing vocalists create so much emotion. The lyrics are vague and yet still heartbreaking and personal. I saw an article somewhere this album was the end of the summer of love and into the violence and direct nature of the people tired of the situation in America. And even today, this album feels relevant and anthemic to the plight of issues that are still present today as they were when it was released. Additionally, this is one that needs to be listened to front to back, not one that you take a song here and there, the whole thing is the art. Best Song: Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa, Family Affair, Poet

Jeg blev en lille smule skuffet over den første vi havde fra Sly & The Family Stone (første album vi overhovedet havde!), fordi jeg forventede, at den ville være mere som den her. Mega funky og let at lytte til, men der er en understrøm af vrede som er meget tydelig. Virkelig virkelig godt album, et af de bedste, jeg har hørt første gang pga listen

Recently finished Sly's memoir "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" which is highly recommended. In a Keith Richards-esque defying of life principals, he's still alive and kicking at 81. His memoir gave me a new appreciation for the man and his legend. If you're looking for the studio album that features the most classic hits, Stand is your choice. If you're looking for quinnessential Sly in all of his psychedelic funkiness, There's A Riot Goin' On is the place to be. It has several memorable standouts, like "Family Affair", "Runnin' Away" and "(You Caught Me) Smilin'" so you get the full effect of Sly & The Family Stone at the height (Haight?) of their powers.

Pure funk excellence, this thing grooves so hard and has hooks for days

what I really love about this album is how it takes the funky sound of earlier sly and makes it more subdued. where "everyday people" had a sense of optimism, this album has an air of depression. the sound here is awesome and I love the employment if the early drum machine here. the grooves are as funky as ever, mixed with a bit of subdued darkness. I really love this album, even if the tracklist can be a bit uneven at times.

A fine slice of Funk and disco - stone grooves and sounds

exceptionally funky, and exceptionally freaky. Sly was having issues with his mood and his addiction to drugs, resulting in a drought of recordings from the Family Stone for over a year and a half—a long time to go without releasing a new album in those days! while the band's usual lineup is present on more than a few of the songs on There's a Riot Goin' On, much of this material was created solely by Sly Stone, often enlisting non-Family members to fill them out. the resulting album is some of the darkest music you're likely to hear from funk's golden era. there's no point at which this music isn't incredible groovy. if you're a practitioner of the Stank Face, you'll find plenty of opportunities to work your craft. but even when the drums are tight and the bass is locked in and all the other stuff you want from a funk record, there's something mysterious, borderline surreal about it. I think I detected an Afrobeat undercurrent to this, what with the longer, vampier closing tracks to both sides of the vinyl! the mixes are often jarring, with certain elements feeling wildly prominent while others are barely audible. Stone's vocals, many takes of which were recorded with a wireless microphone while he laid in bed, are often uncanny in how close they feel. the drum machine overlaid with real drums creates a very off-kilter feeling in the percussion on some of these songs as well. this is often a very subdued listen, which definitely caught me off-guard. I wouldn't be surprised if OutKast were listening to this when they made Stankonia, which I listened to a few days ago for this project, and which features a similarly left-field approach to production. while there's not as much in the way of the sing-along hooks from their prior work, the timbral palette is fascinating, and the pocket is undeniable. decent 9/10.

Very moody for a funk album but I absolutely loved it. No bad songs, but I'm not sure about the yodeling in Spaced Cowboy.

Great album

Me: White kid in the 80s, ingesting copious amounts of R.E.M., Talking Heads, and P.I.L. Also Me: White kid in the 80s listening to copious amounts of Sly & the Family Stone, especially Life!, Stand!, and this masterpiece - There's a Riot Goin' On. Me, today, 40 years later: White guy in my 50s, and on a REGULAR basis the opening sounds of this album run through my head. The album has never left me. Sly & the Family Stone changed music at least twice. Their 60s sound was dynamic and revolutionary, performed by a multiethnic band that was quite a rarity in those days (at least in the main). Then with this album, something totally new again. I also remember seeing Sly Stone on TV in the late 80s. He was such a huge figure to me musically, but by this point he had become a much smaller version of himself. The drugs that no doubt fueled this album had shrunken him. Like one that dies giving birth... we are the recipients of something unforgettable, but it took the life of its maker.

Another Sly gem. Much deeper.

Only just noticed the cotton American flag on the cover. Emblematic of the whole thing. I am very smart.

Amazing so far. Sounds brilliant and goes really interesting places. I would like to revisit it for sure. 5

Triumphantly funky, and a solid groove the whole way through. Still deeply sampled today, this album remains one of the all-time greats.

Lots of funk, lots of fun

So cool i love sly & the family stone

Hey kids, drugs are bad, but they sure make funky records. Loved the funk yodelling.

Deliciously funky - such warm fat (phat, I believe) bass and crisp drums, bright brass. Excellent stuff

Love the chilled out funk soul sound of Sly &Family Stone. 👍

A darker & smoother turn for the band but still outstanding. I love it more every time I hear it.

Influential

Always down for some Sly and The Family! Weird art funk. I love weird art funk

smooth and funky.

What a perfect groove.

Awesome.

Funktastic. I regret being so hesitant to call something a 5 at the beginning of this project because I like Mothership Connection more than this but I am not going to penalize this album for my stinginess two albums into this project. Consider this a post-hoc bump for Parliament too! The intro to Just Like a Baby is transcendent and Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa is hypnotizing.

rules. love the first track. great name in response to What's Going On. great weirdo yodelling. will be listening again. music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)

Holy smokes is this ever different from the last Sly that popped up here. The production on this album is so weird, it shouldn’t be nearly as rad as it is, but here we are. A while back I read about the last Billie Holiday album, and how the composer/producer said he thought her voice has taken on an Evil character, but not in a bad way. Packed that description away for the right moment, and here it is: this one is evil, and it’s so so good.

The yodeling on Spaced Cowboy is delicious! I skipped some of the instrumentals. Mostly I really enjoyed it!

A nice rediscovery

classic

Ooooo, shit. I’ve listened to this in the past few months, but this hit so good today. The tones, the arrangements, everything. So, so good.

Awesome. Non sequitur yodel number toward the end, respect

So much groove and talent just hanging out there, each in its spot, not flashy, just solid and funky. Love it.

Love that Sly!

Just enough edge in the lyrics to keep the feel of a 'Protest' album (that gained traction throughout the 1960s) while having the free-wheeling funk sensibilities of, essentially, a "fun"-listening album. The resulting dichotomy is fascinating as both a microcosm for larger social issues and movements of the time, but also the sonic evolution of sound as the influence of Motown was actually recognized in Pop and other genres. Although "Motown" itself is an evolving sound with slightly-shifting definitions, it, as well as Rhythm and Blues, formed the backbone of most popular beats and music. Now, however, this influence was more generally acknowledged, but not necessarily widespread. This album fused the 'Protest' anthems of the 'Hippie Movement' with the soulful grooves and dance beats of Motown. The result was an album that defied categorization and defined its own place in music importance, influence, and history.

Hell yea. funk and soul, groove and bop.

Oh yay! This is the album with Family Affair. Starts off hot and funky. I’m sold within the first 30 seconds. You can already hear the influence this had on George Clinton and Gil Scott Heron. It’s a rich tapestry of American soul. And it just gets better from there. This is the kind of album that deserves its place in the pantheon of great recordings. Unique, interesting, relevant, influential and inspiring. It’s both experimental and complete. The band knew exactly who they were and what they wanted. There’s no searching, only quality and delivery. How have I lived so long without listening to this album? What’s the point of life without this excellence? Burn all that whiney, shitty hippie crap. I would rather have this record listed 100 times, than have it stand next to some of the hot garbage that’s on here. How you gonna put Robbie Williams and Cee Lo in the same room as this? This record is so good, I wish I could give others -500 ratings. It’s so good, I want to violently shake the author and make him explain himself. Like, how dare you think half of this list could even come close to this. This is my new favorite album and I’m only halfway through. There needs to be a higher rating than 5 for stuff like this. This is perfect. Not a note out of place. I thought Sly was good before. But now I know that he was so much better than I could have imagined. He does not get a fraction of the praise that is heaped on his contemporaries. Throw Clapton, Dylan, Young and Creedence in the river. This is so much better. Even the yodeling song is better than most music on this list. 100,000/5

Yes. Get you some of this riot goin' on and clean the house.

: )

Great

Absolutely fantastic. One of the things I've learned about myself during this challenge is I love funk & soul. What a delightful album with lots of groove. I listened to it three times it was that good. 4.5 stars.

All the early Sly albums are gold. Righteous Anger Sly possibly even better.

Hell yes.

A really nice, funky album. It’s quite lofi and quirky sounding, sometimes the rhythms feel like they’ll fall apart but they fall into interesting patterns. That makes no sense but I can’t be bothered to rewrite it.

Kinda makes me want to fight the power...funkily

Such brilliance. Man (and the band) are a cultural touchstone and a musical force. 5 stars.

i love Sly and his Sister favorite song Everyday people

I LOVE this, so smooth and just like... a good time

Super bien. Autant j'avais pas aimé le précédent album proposé de Sly & the family Stone, autant celui-ci passe impec. Excellent funk, j'ai beaucoup aimé Family Affair.

Perhaps the greatest funk album that there ever was. Starkly political and groovy as all hell. It's a frankly dense album that I feel unequipped to properly articulate how damn good this album is.

Groundbreaking, fresh as ever

The end of two years of deeply rooting in himself, his thoughts and his addictions. An answer to Marvin Gaye. A complicated messy album that still resonates today.

Excellent

Great album!!!

My third funk album in a row on this list and my favourite of the picks. I lost count of how many songs and sounds on this album I have heard sampled or inspiring other artists. Played on repeat of course

"It's a family affaaai-iiir... It's a family affa-ai-ir..." Damn. What a moody album. The first time I lstened to it, a few years ago, I didn't know what to make of it. With its drum machines, subdued grooves and quite despondent atmosphere, *There's A Riot Going On* is so different from *Stand*... Yet this LP grew on me after several listens. It has a bold mix of sleaze, tenderness and paranoia that makes it one-of-a-kind, and listening to the end result today is probably as intriguing and fascinating as it was in 1971. 31. This here is not my grade for the album, it's me counting the "suns" on that flag. (what an iconic cover). But hey, you already know how many stars I gave to this thing... Next please. Number of albums left to review: 535 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 224 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 108 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 135

Not an album or really even sound of Sly & The Family Stone with which I am familiar, so there wasn’t an immediate groove for me on all the tracks…but it felt special nonetheless. I look forward to more listens.

A lot less catchy than I expected but still a great and compelling album.

Dark, edgy, somewhat menacing, even a touch nihilistic. Yet it's brilliant funk that captures the mood of the early 70s which was chaotic and frightening. Sly was on so many drugs and it shows in the production which you can hear a hiss throughout. Yet it actually adds to the mystique and tone of the album. Damn good!

Great album, funky, full of soul, with deep lyrics. Will definitely listen again Saved tracks: Luv N’ Haight, Just Like A Baby, Family Affair, Thank You For Talkin’ To Me Africa, Do You Know What?

I really love this record. Such a unique and influential sound. The combination of the feel, the textures, the tension, the production is so cool to me. I love Sly’s voice and phrasing and how the grooves feel so organic over the drum machine. Really cool that he did the remake of Thank you ( falettinme be mice elf) was only a year later, with such a different vibe. Sometimes the music doesn’t really go anywhere but to me it feels so good it doesn’t need to and doesn’t want to- I could listen all day.

Powerful, soulful, influential and funky, Sly can party, Sly can riot, Sly can make music to move you to dance and Sly can make music to move you to action. Easy five stars. Music like nobody else could make.

This is an excellent album. Groovy, funky, but also dark and political. Extraordinarily talented musicians, fantastic production, good song writing, a powerful message. Literally, what else can you ask for? I listened to this four or five times before moving on, and I'll definitely be coming back to this one.

I love this album's cozy funk; so cozy it sounds like it was recorded in a closet. Almost every track is a banger, but today I had a delicious laugh at the wonderful ludicrousness of Sly's yodeling on "Spaced Cowboy." I mean, come on. S&TFS, like Kate Bush, Donovan, Prince, Fishbone, Outkast, Wu-Tang, MF DOOM, Sun Ra, etc., don't just make great music. They have a fully developed world with its own rules, ethos, and mythology. Listening to their albums is like visiting another planet. S&TFS were hugely popular and influential, so it's hard to say they are in any sense underrated, but still, I'm going there. If you dig this one, their follow-up, Fresh, is similar and perhaps even better. (If nothing else, just check out track number one, which is one of the most beguiling songs I've ever heard.) But don't sleep on the two previous releases, either, Life and Stand, both of which are awesome from beginning to end. I wish Sly could've kept his shit together to give us more, but I'm thankful for what we got.

Simply stunning

Superb album!

Nice it does not need to be longer just perfect

F U N K

Trop bon, après avoir eu Stand! dans la dernière semaine que j'avais partiellement aimé, malgré que c'est un très bon album, celui-ci est carrémenet un step above. Je recommande pour le funk, guitare, musicalité etc.5

LP

Hazy woozy soulful mellow funk with lots of jammy instrumentals and wah wah. For lovers of Prince & Happy Mondays. Thought this was interesting - The band was the first major American rock group to have a racially integrated, mixed-gender lineup. Read a quote somewhere that James Brown invented funk but Sly moved it to another level, I’d agree with that. It’s a loose baggy LP with fantastic musicianship, the bass in particular is quite something. Lots of jamming the song structures are loose.

cool

Pure class

Funky stuff.

This is for Funk what Velvet Underground first 2 albums were for alternative music, one of favorite albums of all time. Vetter wordt het niet.

Fett!! Mye mer spennende enn jeg hadde trodd

Amazing record. Dark, moody, political, and psychedelic. AFAIK the band was pretty much dissolved at this point. This is basically a Sly Stone solo record. He isolated in his house and had many drug-fueled recording sessions. This band should’ve been way bigger in the 70s than they were.

This album was a riot, loved it

Utterly essential funk rock. Amazing. Sly Stone in his prime. There's just no competition, there's no equal at all. Whereas a lot of funk is groove-oriented, Sly was always song-oriented. So much heart; so much feeling.

Had no idea who the band was so based on the cover thought it would be rap(again). I was pleasantly surprised by very funky soul album. Loved it. I don’t think there’s any misses here! Favourite songs: Just Like A Baby, Family Affair, Thank You For Talkin’ To Me Africa

A masterpiece c’mon now

5.0 + I don't know exactly how, but this record seems to just slink into a groove that grips you for its entire 47 minute run. I get an uncanny feeling in my chest that I'm listening to a band that somehow plugged into a transcendent higher power. The only other record in memory that gives me a similar impression is "Astral Weeks." As an aside, while I was listening my two small boys (2 and 4) came into the room at around the midway point and proceeded to dance through the album's entire second half.

Classic album

The greatest weakness of this album is that the tracks cut too short. Doesn't matter how long the tracks are: 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 9 minutes... I wish they would go longer. After a 20 month break from their masterpiece Stand, they come back this dark, murky funk sound in the followup of the socially conscious What's Going On by Marvin Gaye. It's not a very accessible sound, with unconventional song structures that leave the audience wondering where the payoff is. That's partly why I feel all the songs are too short; even though that's not the case, you know there could be more to it. But it's one of those albums where it's about the journey and not the destination, and you start seeing the insanity behind the music. They're all talented musicians, and Sly gives a performance that I argue even beats James Brown. It makes for a great psychedelic experience. It's deep and complex, with instruments (and vocalists) controlled yet also seemingly doing their own thing. They abuse the overdubs and mixing so much that it can be a very fun and entrancing experience, fitting the genre so well that I wish more psychedelic funk bands existed and followed in their example. There are so many parts of the music to focus on. The intro track "Luv N Haight" is probably the best example of this, with the music almost feeling surreal how chaotic it sounds, instruments overlapping each other and the vocalists randomly coming in and out as if they think they're the spotlight. "Just Like a Baby" is one of the groovier tracks with such a pleasing, dark controlled sound to it. Everyone knows the pop hit "Family Affair", has some great solos and engages with the audience to sing along. By "Africa Talks to You", you're comfortable enough to can sit back and experience the music and pick out something new and strange every time. All the tracks are amazing, but it doesn't feel that way until you pay attention to each of them and see how uniquely strange they all are. We all have our personal favorites, like "You Caught Me Smilin" or "Runnin Away" (love the horns and cymbals!), but deep cuts like "Space Cowboy" and "Time" place me in different surreal settings, like a country yodeler in a sea of funkiness. The high vocal compression and rhythmic bass slapping and drum machine certainly contribute to the psychedelic trance. It's a really fitting closer to end with an extended darker version of their hit "Thank You."

Very good, funky and real. Female vocals are outstanding.

First 5/5, whole album was lovely and has infinite replayability i feel

This is arguably the strongest lineup the Family Stone has featured, including but not limited to such big names as Bobby Womack, Ike Turner and Larry Graham. The sound of this album hangs in the air, like a cloud of weed smoke on a hot, humid evening. It oozes soul. It massages your nerve endings. It'll sweep you away into it's abstract vision of a concrete jungle, down alleyways filled with stoners, mothers with infants, children playing, couples making out, hustlers hustling, and all the while demand nothing but a slight bop of your head along the journey.

What a hot mess! How can someone come up with such brilliance while being totally fucked up? Spaced Cowboy is now my new favourite song of all time. Country funk is even more fun than country rap. This was already a five star album, but the last three songs belong in the stratosphere. I always thought that Parliament/Funkadelic had released the weirdest, and best, funk. But this is next level greatness. I could happily listen to the bass by itself.

Made for a fun, funky time getting ready and cleaning up the house. I forgot how much I missed this kind of funk until I heard it again.

It's amazing that such an album exists. Darkly cynical, the grooves a hynpotic and yet you rarely feel at ease.

An absolute favorite that grooves the entire album. It’s funky and soulful and has inspired so much of the music that I love listening to today. Had multiple songs I liked for future listening.

Great funky album. Family affair. Love sly.

Laid-back, slow, druggy groove, tired-vocal sounding but also very funky. Heavy bass mix, crawling, sketchy guitar. One album where you hear its influence on a lot of later 70's funk. Some legendary musicians- Billy Preston, Bobby Womack, Ike Turner. There was a lot of the recording of this album on The Apple TV 1971 music documentary: heavy drug use - Sly unbelievably would record over previously recorded songs, The Dick Cavett interview. Regardless, some incredible music - "Family Affair", "Runnin' Away."

Absolutely tremendous! Love, love, LOVE it!

Funky as hell and I really liked it. Got me into the genre and I am digging the fuck out of it.

5/5. Holy smokes, it doesn’t get funkier.

Already know this 5/5

So amazing

I never knew how much I'd love funk until 1001 albums so I'm grateful for that. I really dig how comparatively dark and contemplative this album is to the other funk I've heard too. Adding it to the "need on vinyl" list.

Cool

Such a great record. As someone like me who isn't well versed in many of the classics, it's a treat to hear some many of the original sounds that are so we'll sampled in today's music. Obviously Sly & Co. have had such an impactful effect on so many of my favorite artists.

Excellent

Cynicism, defeat, despair and excessive drug taking never sounded so soulfully funky and appealing.

Excellent funky shit

A great album that showcases the creativity of Sly

A post-Summer of Love wake up call, I can hear so much of 90's hip-hop in Sly's funky beats. A dark detour from what I normally associate with the band's sound, I really need to listen to this one more.

Funky

some rock vibes with yacht type

A great funk album and it reflects the times.

Inspired. Should be the first Sly album people are allowed to hear.

Super funky, amazing

Up there with Parliament/Funkadelic as the best funk.

Very funky, very dark. Starts strong but loses a bit of steam before picking back up.

Funky, bluesy, and...yodely? Word.

This was a fun one!

Since my all-time favorite song from Sly is on this album I thought it would be better. Family Affair is such a great funk song but the rest of the album fell a little short. It was good but I was hoping for great!

This is some good phat funk and I am here for it!

Have I been living under a rock? Why have I never heard of this album? Loved it.

#168/1001 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Hearing this in my teenage years totally blew my mind. The realisation that it was so influential on the bands that i was listening at the time. Plenty of drugs were consumed in the recording process, no more so than in the yodel-fest that is Spaced Cowboy. Best tracks: Family Afair, Running Away, Luv n' Haight, Just Like A Baby, Thank You For Talking To Me Africa.

Family Affair is one of my favorite and most listened to songs, gotta give it props for that. A lot of the rest of the album is nice, but has this unfinished feel to it. A lot of songs have a groovy funky hook or beat but don't really do that much with it. Some songs on here drag on for a bit long or just aren't all that interesting to begin with. It's still really good, but perhaps not quite as good as I always thought this album was. Family Affair just really kicks it up a notch.

Ohhh yea. I feel like Kramer in. Pimp suit strolling through manhattan. 🔥🔥🔥

Groovy! This is some excellent funk, that probably deserved a closer listen than I gave it. Didn’t get many lyrics, for example. But very enjoyable. 8/10 Most Excellent

This was good to groove to but my attention really got spanned here

Super groovy

Örlítið misjöfn en mjög margir bangerar og grúvin góð.

funky!! solid album, no particular song stood out but it's a good listen for sure. good stuff

Very nice! I was consider a 4 to start with, but I wish the songs were a little more rememberable even at a first listen. Actually, this is extremely my shit anyway so let's give this a 3.5 technically, but a 4 actually.

funky

Pendiente de reescuchar!!

la verdad que un discaso. Por ahora la verdad todos los temas 100% disfrutables. Ademas, leer sobre el contexto la verdad que hace escuchar todo distitno, se me habia pasado 100% el hecho del tema que esta vacio. SIEMPRE ES IMPORTANTE ENTENDER DE DONDE VIENE!!! no te olvides nicole (yo)

Very nice, felt quite lo-fi

Delightfully groovy.

Not a lot of memorable tracks outside of Family Affair (except for Spaced Cowboy - I can see that one getting in my head), but they're all solid funk tracks.

Funkay

#370/1001. Yodelling to a funk song and pulling it off? It's a family affair. I knew Sly was flying high, but yodeling, shit he hit the Alps. I'm pretty sure whoever checked out the mic levels was pretty out there too. Sly & co have some great tunes, some of em are here, many not. Instead, many mediocre ones. Still, the groove is on.

Nice, this is what i am here for. Never heard of them before. Love this funky record!

Good stuff, glad I gave this time to listen all the way through, I should probably listen to it again.

Funky, groovy, but at times it does feel like some sections just go on fir the sake of going on as opposed to having something to say with the music.

Love soul and funk

Take the Time and give this a listen because There’s a Riot Goin’ On.

It's A Family Affair 1001 Albums Generator 299 (5/26/2026) Sly & The Family Stone is one of those funk greats that I've just never checked out somehow. I was surprised with There's A Riot Going On, which ditches the normal sexy lyrics I associate with this genre for lyrics fueled by paranoia. The music itself, especially the bass, is amazing. From the moment Luv N' Haight starts, the bass and drums are stealing the show and they pretty much don't stop till the record stops spinning. I was surprised how lofi a lot of the mixing is here, but I think it adds to the pessimistic, scared vibe that a lot of the music has. It also has some of the earliest examples of programmed drums in popular music, which were dubbed over with real drums to make them sound more realistic. I found some of the songs, especially the slower, more simple grooves, a bit boring, and some of the synth sounds (like on Poet) have not aged the best. Overall, There's A Riot Goin' On is a good, albiet slightly bloated album. 3.5/5, rounded up to 4. Favs: Luv N' Haight Africa Talks To You Thank You For Talkin' to Me, Africa Least Fav: Just Like a Baby

the second sly album. the whole thing is great, and this is one where the most famous cut is my favorite. “family affair” is just outstanding pop music. Alt at the top of his writing and delivery game

Remember listening to this when I was much younger and thinking it was okay but listening to it now, it's aged very well.

3.5⭐️/5 05.23.2026

0 energy and a bit odd, but still kinda charming

Great album although Spaced Cowboy is a bit weird

Day863 - make this album today and it might be an even bigger hit.

Questlove’s doc on them was illuminating. What a wonderfully talented band, and while incredibly recognizable, I feel like they were still under appreciated!

Funktastic

production is kinda bad interesting guitar sounds weird on some tracks vocals sound underwhelmed by the instruments liked it though

One thing about Sly is he not gon subscribe to your run of the mill mechanics of a song. He's gonna build it the way he wants. Doesn't care about phrasing, doesn't care about where you think a bridge should be. Rhyme scheme doesn't matter, and he'll use whatever tools he wants when he wants. And it all works!! Highlights: Just Like A Baby, Time

will be listening later today!

#8 I am admittedly not a huge fan of funk, but I want to give everything a fair chance here. It's a genre where much of it blurs together and sounds the same to me. I was ready to write this album off after my first listen. Nothing caught my attention and it seemed to drag on. I gave it another chance later in the day, and I actually liked it a lot more. This album was a whole different experience with headphones and limited distractions. It still may be a bit too long, but there is a lot of good stuff going on throughout the album. It's quirky, dark, groovy, and has a nice touch of psychedelia. Just Like a Baby is so good. I am really surprised how much I liked this one.

If this is your genre I can see why this album is a classic, I enjoy the funkier more upbeat tracks, some of the jams are a bit long. Whilst it’s not something I would listen to much the baselines and drumming would keep me engaged. 3.6

Funky and soulful throughout. Not the best Sly offering, but still really good.

Funky smooth and cool. What more could you ask for? Maybe some politics and advocacy? You got it.

Not reallt what I expected from knowing their greatest hits type stuff. This was good.

Incendiary title, mild funk.

Breakfast muzak.

Vrhunski album, baš uživanje! Par stvari tu si često i pustim, ali evo prvi put u komadu slušam i baš dobro sjeda na topli ponedjeljak! 4/5, 8/10

Overall really great, just didn't reach that 5 star quality for me. Solid 70s funk that is a great 4 star album

Wife: "Why is Sly yodeling at us?" Me: "Because he is high." Anyway, great album. Love how dirty it sounds and how unhinged Sly was during this period.

Pretty funky. Aidan likes

It has good tracks. I am starting to enjoy more of the Sly & The Family Stone albums

Funky and loved. Felt there was a good mix between the slow & smoother and the drilling & upbeat. Some songs could drag for a little too long, but I did appreciate some of the long ones, particularly "Asphalt Jungle," though middle of it could've been trimmed. "Poet" "Family Affair" "Luv N' Haight" "Runnin' Away" were also favorites. Top was "Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa" and not just because Donkey sings it in Shrek the Third. Might even prefer it to "(Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" version. Love the slow, subdued, loopy quality of it. Great closer.

There was a yodelling song

It's weird, sounds unfinished, some songs drag, but its also totally brilliant, unique, and influential (early drum machines for example). Sly was 1 of 1, and this is a 4.5

Beautiful, soulful funk.

Sometimes things are going wrong in your country and the only response is to take drugs and get a little funky with it. You've got to do cocaine, you've got to complain about the president, you've got to sing about love, and you've got to be a little abusive towards your band. This is not a fun album, but it is a cool and funky one. Gets a little soulful at times, and Family Affair is a great track. This and Rumors unfortunatly present a pretty strong case that heavy drug use sometimes results in sick albums. Not the absolute best ones here, but still very enjoyable, and I particularly liked the rythms.

3.75

I'm not the biggest funk fan out there, but this is undeniably excellent. The band is stacked, sounds killer, and this is towards the beginning of the more conscious funk that would define the 70's. Great record with a lot of depth.

очень приятный, правда с удовольствием послушала. давно догадывалась, но сейчас поняла, что мне нравится около госпельное пение. just like a baby очень чувственная песня, тянущаяся текучая партия гитарная очень красивая, похожа немного на she’s so heavy битлов. africa talks to you - хороший текст, женский вокал хоровой замечательный. thank you for talkin to me, africa просто разрывная повторяющаяся басовая партия, инструментал очень стильный. running away - понравилась труба (?) в инструментале, песня такая игривая, насмешливая будто. очень порадовал альбом! 4/5

i enjoyed this!

What else can I say, other than, it's a cool album.

Funk is currently my top rated genre on the list. Considering how well it's represented with albums such as this one, it's not hard to see why. What I love the most about this album is how deep and layered it sounds. You get lost in the groove so easily and it's such an enjoyable ride. The percussion is downright tantalizing. Still, the sound here is surprisingly dark and swampy, which is pulled off really well with some appropriate lo-fi mixing and the absence of the trademark '60s optimism. All in all, an essential listen for the genre. Favourite track: Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa

Sunday Bloody Sunday is such a banger. The rest of the album is go but forgettable

There’s a lot to like about this album. The songwriting is great, and the grooves are still infectious, especially on tracks like ‘Brave and Strong’ and ‘Family Affair’. There aren’t as many obvious hits as there were on their previous album and they’ve shed some of their sixties optimism in favour of a darker sound which, although I prefer ‘Stand!’ overall, I think works very well indeed.

A few years ago I really loved this album. Nowadays, I’m not as enamoured with it, but it’s certainly good enough for 4 stars. Marking a rather dramatic change from the band’s brighter 60s sound, this is funk for the dawn of the 70s: incredibly downbeat, dark and murky, with this atmosphere enhanced by the muddy audio quality (apparently caused by the tape wearing out from repeated overdubbing and erasing). Apart from the fantastic ‘Family Affair’ there’s little in the way of obvious hits, but this is absolutely one of those albums that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

Exceptionally loosey goosey and almost improvisationary. I like my funk cleaner, like Maggot Brain, I have learned, but when this is good it's fuckin divine.

One of the best funk album I've heard. Luv N'Haight Just Like a Baby Family Affair Runnin' Away Etc...

Good stuff.

Very good funk album.

A nice like, big 70s classic for a reason kinda record. Like yeah it's a bit self-indulgent at points but if you can't indulge in a 6 hour funk jam after six grams of coke and few jazz cigarettes when can ya?

1 - Luv N' Haight (the classic phased out funk guitar kicks off this album alongside a soaring female vocal and an instantly catchy groove. The horns come in alongside the chorus, giving this opener a warm, communal feel. The song continues adding layers with an additional melody and piano and really is an instant earworm as so many iconic funk songs are. An excellent start to this album) 4.5/5 2 - Just Like a Baby (toned down slinky grooves open this song before a sighing, whispery vocal floats around the instrumental. The song maintains this plaintive groove for much of its runtime and is only occasionally interrupted by individual guitar chords. The electric piano almost drones over this track to lend a more solemn feel that I originally expected) 3.5/5 3 - Poet (a more traditional funk groove pins what is far and away the most powerful vocal performance of the album so far - admittedly, this is relatively early in its runtime. For me, the second major highlight after the opener) 4/5 4 - Family Affair (the biggest song to come out of this album is a rather relaxed affair. The song, like most of Sly Stone's songs, speaks of social issues, this one about the impact of material conditions and community on life outcomes, as well as traditional roles and performance of them; surprisingly radical even half a century later) 4.5/5 5 - Africa Talks to You ("The Asphalt Jungle") (a very soulful intro to this song with some occasional jazz influences. The obvious centerpiece of this half of the album, the early verses give way to a more off-the-cuff, improvised style as the song continues jamming on. Each and every instrument in this large eclectic ensemble has its chance to shine on this song and really emphasizes the togetherness of this band's ethos) 4/5 6 - There's a Riot Going On (it's silence, what can I really write about that?) NA/5 7 - Brave & Strong (some immediate soulful shouting opens this very Motown sounding single. It's separated from the Motown lot by how loose and nonsensical the vocal performance is, as well as the underlying heaviness of the song itself. A definite highlight) 4.5/5 8 - (You Caught Me) Smilin' (a slower and more laid-back affair save Stone's occasional screamy interjections. His voice sounds very direct and almost like he's singing right in your face about being soothed by drugs. The phased guitar returns here to bend the song in a more psychedelic direction. Another strong performance from the band on this one) 4.5/5 9 - Time (a more conventional sounding R&B ballad with a trademark edge of psychedelia thrown in for good measure. Stone delivers his best performance on the album on this song and shows off a sense of dynamics and control in all registers. The electric piano fakes out the listener on more than on occasion by building up to something before dropping right back down. Excellent all around) 4.5/5 10 - Spaced Cowboy (one of the grooviest songs on this album wastes no time getting right to the rhythm and interplay. It subdues after a bit to make way for - get this - Sly Stone yodeling. Oddly enough, it fits convincingly into this soul/funk song, as does the harmonica solo that follows it. One of the oddest genre combinations I've ever heard to actually work) 4/5 11 - Runnin' Away (another standard single from this band. Soft horns and a simple groove move this one along just fine. The softer female voice singing lines about debt traps and oppression trick the listener into thinking about the radical ideas they put forward. People often forget how radical this band was as one of the first integrated and diverse bands to ever come to mainstream prominence) 4/5 12 - Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa (the other extended piece moves steadily along a stomping rhythm, though the big, bouncy bass recalls African talking drums to my ears. Stone doesn't come in until a few minutes into the runtime and offers a similarly loose, detached performance as the previous "Africa" tracks. Some of the lyrics are self-referential to add to the mythos that the band had already developed for itself by this point. The groove never outstays its welcome and the 7-minute runtime really flies by. No better way to close this album) 5/5 OVERALL - 8.5/10

Nice rhythm section and vocals.

(75/100)

Funky as all hell. Solid album. I know this isn't "the" version of Thank You, but it's really good. Family Affair and You Caught Me Smilin' are great. Well worth it. The five seconds of silence in the middle of the album that makes up the title track caught me off guard though.

You caught me smiling, luv n haight, time, Spaced Cowboy,Runnig Away. Great record for sure!

This was the album that kinda broke them if I remember right. All the drugs made Sly super paranoid and they didn't record the same way so this album came out darker in tone that their late 60's stuff. It's not the upbeat stuff they were known for. Still a great album, musically it's some of the best funk/soul around, lyrics wise it's darker, even in tone it's dark. Listen to Thank you for Talking to me Africa. He took his super upbeat Thank You song and remade it into a much much darker song. It's almost jarring when you realize it's Thank You. Solid album captured the reality of the early 70's for a lot of people.

Det är ju ingen tvekan om var Prince kommer ifrån och i många fall tycker jag t.o.m. han gör det ännu bättre. Riot är en skiva som kränger fram och tillbaka mellan galenskap och genialitet, det är det som gör den intressant och vansinnigt kul att lyssna på. Det gör det oxå vanskligt att peka på enskilda låtar. Men nerven i de mer återhållsamma låtarna "Time", "Just like a baby" och "Family affair" är det som verkligen tar tag i mig, där kommer albumet verkligen till sin rätt. "Family affair" om jag är rätt underrättad är också den första hitlåt som bygger på trummaskin, en hint om innovationsgraden hos Riot. Och till skillnad från Jonas så gillar jag verkligen soundet, tycker det det är en stor del av den här skivans egenart och storhet, en sovande ljudtekniker kan vara av godo. Stabil fyra

Många bra låtar; Luv n' Haight, Family Affair, (You Caught Me) Smilin', Spaced Cowboy, Runnin' Away. Resten håller inte riktigt samma klass. Det blir lite för mycket av Sylvesters nasala gnynde emellanåt. Trist att ljudteknikern sov på jobbet, för inspelningen låter inte bra.

Pas mon album préféré mais je les aime mal.

Du bon funk! Je vois l’influence que ca a eu sur D’Angelo avec son dernier album, Black Messiah. Mais dans le funk/soul, je trouve qu’on a eu mieux.

There's some good funk here. There's also some drugged out improv funk/soul that is ok at best. Overall, a good album, but not to the level of a great funk album like Maggot Brain.

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: ⭐🇺🇸🚩 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🫶🧠🫀 Rating: 💣💣💣💣(💣)/5

A murky, dirty funk record that bears little resemblance to the band's prior effort. This was famously subject to extensive overdubs to the point where the quality declined in some places, producing a sometimes muddy sound. But that dense sound fits the themes of the album: the optimism from Stand has been replaced by pessimism and fear. The songs here blur together, and the vocals sink into the mix, but it's still a compelling listen because of how interesting all these sounds are together. And of course the funk is deep and satisfying. "Family Affair" is a masterpiece and "Runnin Away" is a brief cheerful-sounding moment as long as you ignore the lyrics. Sometimes this becomes a bit too much of a slog, but overall it's an album that hits deep musically and thematically.

Kind of a long ambling album, but in a jam-band way. I like funk generally. This was good to listen to while driving through the Mojave desert

Howlin Wolf once said, “if you can’t feel the blues you must have a hole in your soul.“ If that’s true, what does it mean if you can’t feel the funk?

Epitome of 70s funk with a message. All time great and culturally important record.

I thought I would like this album much more, mainly because I had very high expectations judging what I had previously listened of this band but... Of course, this album is not bad, not at all. I've loved listening to it, it has many great songs, some are also pretty funny or enjoyable. And the psychedelic touch is so so nice. So, what is wrong here? Maybe that I didn't enjoy it much. And I think it's great, but some songs didn't trap me the way I thought they would, maybe because of their repetitiveness. So, it's a strong record, but not flawless.

So funky and with an edge. Sly continues to impress.

Funky!

Amazing album loved it had heard by songs. All makes sense it very ahead of its time the last hurray of funk evolving towards rap

Like this. More mellow than I expected.

Seriously cool. There is a lot more cool stuff in this middle ground of funk and classic rock than I first realised. Love this rough dirty fuzz guitar sound. There is something effortless and basic rock to the songwriting along side something flashy and funky.

Definitely one of the best funk albums I've ever heard. It has some moments in the instrumentation that really appeal to my ears as well as being very catchy at times. Has everything you would want it funk like great bass and grooves. Very consistent album, having really only good songs besides Time

Loved this. Sly & the Family Stone are one of my favourite new-to-me discoveries if this project.

Really funky! Love the bass lines and the brass parts

It's a family affair

Pretty cool i like

This album is so fucking good. I have always loved Sly & The Family Stone. They made such honest and approachable music. If you don’t love this then I feel bad for you. So much better than The Black Album.

Very funky. I'm most familiar with their album "stand," where a lot of the songs are structured like radio singles with a strong vocal melody. This album had a lot more funk jams and some longer tracks, so I was glad to hear a side of Sly that I was less familiar with. The song "Just Like a Baby" has the same time signature and groove as Childish Gambino's "Baby Boy" from his funk-fusion album, and they feature the same clavichord tone, what is enough similarity to make me think it's not a coincidence and that Childish Gambinos song was directly inspired or may be an homage. Anyway, very funky album. 8/10

You can't say there's not a lot goin on here. I wasn't really feeling it over the first half; I thought it was too messy, abrasive. But the second half won me over. I love the incorporation of drum machines, the yodeling on Spaced Cowboy (genius) and killer bass lines. Oh to have been alive during the explosion of creativity in the early '70s. I know there was a lot of pain, and we are all lucky that cats like Sly could transfigure it as funk.

This album was groovy, baby. The sort of album that would be playing in the background after some told you to come in a take a load off. I say this because this album is all about the mood, the vibes if you will. I’m pretty sure that nobody had done funk in a more subtle and soulful way before this. Once I settled into it, I quite enjoyed listening to this album. It was a dreamlike journey. Nothing like the psychedelic funk that brought Sly to fame and certainly not as fun, but an enjoyable listen in part because it is different. I can certainly see how not everyone can vibe with this record, but it is considered a masterpiece and is therefore an album that everyone should hear at least once before they die.

It was good - I like gunk in general. I was surprised I didn't know more of the songs.

An absolute classic funk record. I've always been a big fan of this one, it's got a bit of everything you need.

Man, that sounds cool

Funky and groovy. They lost me a bit at the yodelling part, but still a very good album.

There's a Riot Goin' On and not all protest music needs to sound happy. Living today in early February 2020, I get it and this thing hits in a way that I wished it wouldn't.

Los inicios del punk my friend. Larry graham at its finest.

Solid all around

Nice funk music. I don't have much of a frame of reference for this kind of music but it was enjoyable to the layman.

Nothing, and I mean nothing can top the tone of a precision bass with flat wound strings.

Rating: 8.5/10 So damn funky.

I started enjoying this more when I thought of it as a kind of odyssey through Sly's mind, and in the expanded edition, there's a lot of fly-on-the-wall recordings. Not everything has the coherence I usually want from a song, but it definitely created a sonic world I enjoyed exploring.

Funky. Sampled to death. Liked this so much more than I expected to.

this is good stuff. nice

8/10 Coming off the back of previous album, Stand!, this is very much the darker compatriot to that more uplifting, optimistic record. It maintains the intrinsic groove and rhythmic flow of the previous record, but tones down the vibe to a gritty, dirty and dense one that somewhat reflects Sly’s apathy and issues with drug abuse. It’s a more introspective and dense record, for sure, and it presents a dimmer view of the America of the time. The grooves and rhythms are rock solid across the album, with so much of the feel of the music being brought out by the layered instrumental parts that it feels like the groove is almost constantly shifting and moving, but never straying away from the central pulse of the songwriting. When all of that comes together, there’s nothing better than getting lost in the work, the gritty, fluctuating pulse that anchors you while the players weave subtle magic from their instruments. There are even moments where a little bit of brightness pokes through to give you something to cling onto as things progress. Unfortunately, there are times when things get a little unfocused and dragged out, with moments where it feels like Sly is becoming a little self-indulgent of his malaise and allowing the music to drift just a little too much. While I do really appreciate the work here, I do feel like it could have done with being trimmed down and refined just a little bit, and my personal preferences leans towards his more optimistic work, but there is still a great deal to love about this record. Luv N' Haight - The guitar and drums are so good here. The groove moves around in a really organic flow and the track itself shifts through a range of different sections with a constantly shifting feel. It’s in parts dirty funk, in parts soulful pop, but whatever’s going on it has something to capture your ear and keep you moving and engaged. Just Like A Baby - The lazy swing to this groove is a really satisfying listen. It’s smooth and swaggering but there’s a bit of grit in there that gives it an interesting edge too. It potentially drags the groove on for a little too long, but there are moments when a little bit of instrumental flair pokes up and gives things a shift to keep things moving. Poet - Another with a slow, shuffling groove. The rolling rhythm created by the layering of the instruments is so funky. There’s a decent amount of range in the feel of the playing despite the core being fairly unchanging, but it lets you soak into the groove, which is no bad thing. Family Affair - This follows a more traditional verse/chorus structure, but doesn’t lose the slow groove. It’s so well written and full of feel and the ever shifting instrumental parts create a gorgeous bed under the compelling vocal lines. Such a quality track and it’s a shame it’s so short, really. Africa Talks To You "The Asphalt Jungle" - The interplay between guitars and bass here is spectacular without being ostentatious. The layered gang vocals add a really hooky feel to it, but they also give the super funky instrumental time to breathe. It’s another slow groove, but boy does that groove move shift and shuffle its way around, all while staying unbelievably in pocket. This does go on for quite a long time, but I barely noticed because it was all so locked in and I just let myself soak in it and went along for the ride. Such great playing. There's A Riot Goin' On - A moment of silence. Brave & Strong - We drift again into something a bit more typically song structured. It doesn’t quite manage to deliver the same quality of hook in the vocals as Family Affair, but the bubbling, fluctuating groove of the instrumentation is still solid. It perhaps feels like it loses its focus a little more than some other tracks on the album though. (You Caught Me) Smilin' - This is so smooth and cool, but Sly rarely leaves out that little dirty, gritty edge to his production. Some of the staccato guitar work on this track is so good. It’s another that shifts and evolves, but never loses the thread of its groove, and when you get lost in that groove it’s so good. Time - A subtle slow jam of a track. There's some really good dynamic range across this as it ticks along and then bursts towards you now and again. It’s a pretty restrained effort in terms of evolution and variation though. Spaced Cowboy - The groove that this opens with is fantastic. In fact, the whole instrumentation is pretty damn good. Unfortunately, the country yodelling vocal doesn’t really jive with me all that well. It’s just a strange juxtaposition of feel that at jars a little too much for my tastes. It’s a shame really, because the rest of the track, even the harmonica, which does lean in that country direction, does actually work really well. Runnin' Away - This has a little bit more pace to it than some of the earlier tracks and is a super satisfying, hooky funk number with a pop music sensibility. The horn lines are so engaging in particular, and the instrumental in general feels tight and focused, but without losing that quality to the groove and feel. Lovely stuff. Thank You For Talking To Me Africa - Quite a significant call back to their last album, Stand!, this gathers up a lot of the shuffling, shifting groove from the rest of the album and builds what is essentially a rework of ‘Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)’ into the style of this album. It's laid back, groovy and the instrumental work is so strong and in pocket. As with the best parts of this album, it’s one to sink into and just roll with the rhythms. And what great, body moving rhythms they are. What a closer.

Feel like it's an album I know through being around it rather than consciously listening to it. Good album, would revisit.

funky, groovy, things of that nature. i immediately loved the first track and i think that one’s still my favorite; this is one that would merit repeated listening

This surprised me. I enjoyed it quite a lot. I'd heard Sly's radio "hits," but never an album. So much good stuff that wasn't popular.

Loved it! Very chill.