Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Great musicianship across the board, and some fun songs. Not every album has to have a catchy tune, but I think this album would have more staying power (for me) if I could latch onto one song.
A very creative and dark album that feels ahead of it's time. You can hear it's influence on more contemporary artists such as Sault and D'Angelo. 4+/5
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Family affair, Smilin
Very funky and enjoyable to listen to. It's so groovy and the bass makes it all sound sort of sexy. Fave track(s): Just Like a Baby
my 16 year old self, discovering this on vinyl after reading about it, as a massive Prince and 60s fan - wow, blown away. Going back at 52 after too many years away, that opening groove - man - sensational. Can do without the odd sesame street vocal singalong moments, but otherwise...
I really like this album. On the surface it's a fun, easy going funk album but the lyrics definitely touch on more serious topics. I didn't have enough time to really dig into the lyrical content as much as I'd like because I listened to this one while working but I'll definitely spend some more time listening to it. Love the album artwork of the alternate flag Sly created as well. Standout Tracks: Luv N' Haight, Poet, Family Affair, Africa Talks to You ("The Asphalt Jungle"), Brave & Strong, Spaced Cowboy, Runnin' Away, Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa
Fantastic album.
Loved this.. Funk for my soul!!!
Here's what I'm here to say. This is absolutely some of the tightest playing I've heard on any funk record period. This is the album that should be referenced as what playing in the pocket sounds like. Everything, from the keys, bass, guitars sound like one machine. And most of it was played by one person! Insane. I'm not getting any of the lyrics on this listen, and they're hidden, darkened, almost like the singer is trying to confess something but is somewhat timid to say. But supposedly the lyrics cast a long cynical shadow on the record. And the dark, dull, supposedly heavily overdubbed recordings add to that flavor... the record feels a little dour, even as it's some of the catchiest and funkiest playing you'll hear. I'm totally onboard. I think it's only a 4 for me because I wish the lyrics took these instrumentals to that next level, and really dug their heels in. But I'm definitely playing this album a bunch more times. It's a weirdly cozy, Sunday afternoon pleasant record to put on, dark as it is, and I'll be putting it on many more times.
It’s the Tree of Life of funk. It’s also difficult to follow, impossible to understand, and makes me think I need to take mushrooms to be on the same planet. I liked it!
Sly man, funky grooves and love from above. Deep messages and voices
Family Affair is great. The rest of the album is good, could be shorter, not quite a 5 star album for me.
Outstanding funk. 4/5
Funk has been the highlight of this album generator so far
var inte imponerad första gången ja hörde dehä men med varje nya lyssning blir det lite bättre
Honestly? Banger. Shoutout to Sly Stone not understanding the title of ”What’s Going On”
Gäng
Solid.
Funky and chill. For the first half of the album, I thought that there were a lot of sections that felt passive and weren’t as engaging, like background music. But as it went on I started liking it more. I thought the second half was great.
Fire
Solid
Funk 101
Always happy to wake up and see Sly & The Family Stone on the docket. This one is a little less upbeat and optimistic than their earlier music but still great. 4 stars.
Detta var bra! partaj tjoho.
The singles are solid gold of course. But there's more cruft and noodle on this album than I was expecting. A bit baggy and on the wig-outs, frankly a bit dull...
Classic album and still so so good
4 I really dig funk music. It just feels so cool and smooth. Sly and the Family Stone prove they are among the best in funk. When I listen to Soul/Funk I always listen to the drums and bass first and in both cases they’re on fire throughout. This also has the blown out soul fried vocals that I love. Varied enough to stay interesting and cool enough to get me to listen again. Favorites: Luv N Haight, Poet, There’s a Riot Goin On, Time, Space Cowboy
funky i like
Yeah
So FUNKY. Loved a lot of this. Also got to talk to the kids about what funk music is.
I was slightly surprised, but not totally, to learn that this was kind of a response to What's Going On. I don't think it's as good, but the passion and fury here is undeniable. Really worth spinning. B+
Dark political funk which is leaning heavily into PCP and if that's not a great combination I don't know what is. Best Tracks: Just Like A Baby; Family Affair; (You Caught Me) Smilin'
Really cool. That's it it's just really cool.
Very good early 70s funk album dripping with late 60s influence. My favorite track by far is the closer - Thank You For Talkin’ to Me, Africa. Such a fucking groove on that one!
Great funk. Amazing musicians. This is music that gets you moving.
Love the sound of Sly & The Family Stone. Love the commentary in their songs even more.
Funky
A real fun soul funk album. Plus has the best and possibly only yodelling funk song ever written in it.
Very nice, I really enjoyed it.
There is some really good music here, a little too funky for me to listen to regularly, but it's very good. Some meaningful music.
Sex
7/4 grooves funked
Love my family (stone)
Delightfully funky.
Very groovy funk stuff. Favorites: "Poet", "Family Affair", "Runnin' Away"
That is just some good shit right there. Soulful, funky, groovy,, and even some quality yodeling! Neat.
A band starting to decline, but still a solid album with some outstanding tracks.
pretty good funky sound. Enjoyed it overall.
Very groovy, did not find it as depressing as the Wikipedia page said it would be.
2nd listen- Time, Family Affair, the opening & closing tracks, stand out to me. Wish I didn’t relate as much to the, uh, retreat-into-oneself-in-the-face-of-societal-unrest themes
Out of my comfort zone, this was great
7/10. Alright
I never like this as much as I think I should. It always ends up a bit low energy for my taste. Still a solid album. 8/10
Never knew funk could be so dark. Truly a beautiful genre.
El funk en la seva forma més punyent. No basant-se només en la forma i el concepte, com Clinton i Funkadelic i tants d'altres en els anys que havien de venir, sinó prioritzant les cançons, i les lletres, acompanyant-les d'uns ritmes endiablats o seductors com poques vegades més s'ha igualat en el génere
il me faudra réécouter car quelques péripéties ont perturbé l’expérience
I enjoyed this, but it is bleak and loose. There are some pop gems on there and some very dark stuff too - it feels like 50 years on it's very relevant all over again, as the civil rights gains of previous years are once again under threat and the world seems scary again. It's not going to be on heavy rotation for me - it's a 5 for important and a 3 for enjoyable here! Also, there is one dreadful track of yodelling. Don't do drugs, kids.
Well, I've listened to Stand! a few times and liked it a lot, but I was surprised to see how this one is different, especially considering it only came out two years after it. Riot is much more hypnotic than Stand!, it's also more serious. I'm used to hear funk that's uplifting and optimistic, but this one's feel cynical, and that gives the album an emotional depth that I've rarely heard in that genre before. This is a unique album that is fully deserving its spot in this list.
I had never heard an album so funky and groovy, but at the same time so smooth and executed with restraint. A very nice discovery for me and I hope to find this one on vinyl.
First time listening to a Sly album, this one is very good, so much funk and grove but also so dark. This album has clearly been sampled a lot and inspired so much of the hip-hop music that was to follow so many years later. A great dark funk album
Top album en ook redelijk expirimenteel
This LP is definitely murkier and less punchy than "Stand!". It has that greasy sound that Exile on Main Street had, like they all got high and started jamming, though that's not possible here since the instruments were recorded separately. There's a free-form jazz influence, lots of keyboard solos and some real plucky bass playing. I guess I can presume that's Larry Graham, though Sly plays every instrument at one point or another. The longer jams I could do without and it would be a lower mark from me, if not that Family Affair is such a unique song. There was nothing before or after that sounded anything like it. In fact, Sly and the Family Stone have never sounded anything like it - maybe because he had guest musicians brought in. "Running Away" is another song that sounds nothing like the rest of the LP with it's sixties Burt B-type trumpet line that I like. "Spaced Cowboy" is cute.
An unholy and totally groovy mess. Sounds like late night sessions, alternately mellow and angry and despairing. 3.8
Nice!
2/27/22 I think this album would be great study music. For me, it feels like background kinda music, but I’m going to give it a four because I would intentionally play it again. I also really liked the use of the trumpets. Lead singer has a very groovy voice. Favorite song: Family Affair
Fantastically funky grooves. Does get a little ramble over the duration of the album.
4.75
Oh, shit yes! This is some funky stuff as I recall. Much darker and introspective than “Stand!” which is probably Sly Stone’s magnum opus- I actually prefer “There’s a Riot Goin On” because it has an edge. This is some seriously funky stuff. The lineup on this album is absolutely spectacular, it’s like a 1970s “Who’s Who” of funk legends.
2/18/2022 Today's Album: "There's A Riot Goin' On" by Sly & The Family Stone - Score: This is an incredibly groovy and bass heavy album that captures a lot of great African intrumentation, tunes, and melodies. The bass and guitar playing throughout the album is incredibly impressive and the production really brings everything to life with different percussive and funky hits appear throughout the mix. The performances are next level. These songs are extremely expressive and just about every track has a very strong aspect to it. The vocals are really great and in some instances they are brought really forward in the mix and sound really cool, like on the track Family Affair. I feel a lot of R&B and soul influence as well, with some production choices that indicate a more nuanced understanding of Black music from across a few generations. There isn't too much to say about this album outside of that. It sounds absolutely fantastic, super warm, and very very expressive. Give it a listen if you like funk, African percussion, soul, rock, or honestly just want something groovy to have on in the background. 8.5/10 Grooooovy Highlights: Just Like a Baby, Poet, Family Affair, Africa Talks to You ("The Asphalt Jungle"), Spaced Cowboy, Runnin' Away, "Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa", Spaced Cowboy, My Gorilla Is My Butler - Instrumental
absent the historical context, this is a great record with one too many instances of an adult man making baby sounds.
7 Saf7at Men 3l Bouheli Mte3 Dostoevsky W Sicker Now
Funky (in the best way).
I never thought I needed yodelling funk in my life, and after listening to Spaced Cowboy by Sly and the Family Stone, I realise that I was totally correct. The rest of the album, thankfully, is much better.
This album played a role in my pre adolescent burgeoning live for music. My older sister had their greatest hits album and I played it over and over again. Came to There's a Riot Going On much later and again every song is excellent. Not exactly overflowing with hits still the feel of the album makes it a classic. 4.5 🌟
Funky and disillusioned
funkadelic
Great rhythms. Lots of fun
Good chill jam album
Looking forward to getting my copy of the 50th anniversary reissue!
This put me in a pretty good mood. Helped create a chill & relaxed atmosphere, while maintaining an insane amount of musical energy.
Good tunnnneezzz. Can't decide between 4 and 5. Favorite track is probably Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa
Pretty good. I was expecting it to make me feel like the whitest man alive, but it didn't. So either I'm woke or I'm turning black. I really really really hope I'm not woke.
Now this was the sort of thing I was hoping for from this generator, something that fills in some of the large gaps, something I probably should have listened to by now. With that drumming, fat bass and the wah guitar, you know within 20 seconds that it's going to be a classic, even before anyone sings. The female vocals are what makes it. Some songs are better than others, I lost a bit of interest in the middle but pretty good overall.
Very cool sounding, ages well too
I liked this one. Had a lot of songs I'd already heard before, but never consciously new were by them or from this album.
Funky fresh Friday fun
Who knew funk, nihilism, and a dash of yodeling would end up as such a winning combination?
Now this is tasty, something you can really bop your head to for a while. It is a high four, as I have trouble imagining putting it on as often as a five would suggest.
This album feels very gentle, that's all that I could say about it. Soul, RnB, a bit of rock - everything comes down to a nice mix.
Amazing funk and soul album.
Some good funk goin' on. Spaced Cowboy was a weird additional.
sí me gustó :) favs: luv n haight y runnig away
Solid album. This album was made during a period of tension within the band and escalating drug use. This album is more moody than joyful, and represents a change in direction for the band. Within a few years the rhythm section would be replaced.
A fantastic musician from the 70's. Sly was just the coolest dude.
Enjoyed this one a lot. I thought it sounded quite ahead of it's time.
Good chilled rock background vibe
Good Funk album
Nice set of bass tones
It took me a minute, but I was really into this one.
Funky Funky Funky Funky Funky Funky Funky Funky Funky.
Larry Graham Jr inventor of the slap bass! Poet has a nice vibe to it and Africa Talks is a great track. Feels somewhat less upbeat than his earlier hits but super funky. Sounds like they may be using some type of drum machine which I'm not a fan of. Great album though.
Aangenaam. De leukere kant van de soul.
Very easy listening at the beggining but getting more and more into it from "Africa..." Space cowboy made me enjoy the walk to an appointement in spite of the rain. Belle découverte as we say in French
Geiler scheiß was ist das links, rechts liberal taugt auf jedenfall. Nur die Flagge auf dem Cover turnt mich komplett ab und macht mir Angst.
Melkein 4,5 tekis mieli antaa. Hyvin svengaa.
Not bad until the yodelling. First few songs were pretty good and ‘family affair’ is a classic.
Best funky. Hier wil ik meer van horen! Die bekende plaat over familie juist erg gezapig.
I've always liked Sly - he's got a unique sound.... tragic life story though
Amaaaazing!
Amazing groove, Sly!
Bastante bien como fondo para trabajar.
classic
Good and funky
Funky. I like it. 4/5
Funky, groovy
I've listened to a bunch of Sly in the past, but probably never a full album in its entirety. Brought me back to my days of trying to play bass like Flea from the RHCP and all Flea's influences, including Sly and the Family Stone.
Great.
A fun album, super funky, and I liked the whole album not just the hits.
Not quite the level of Stand! A view that might change with repeated listens, other than the two obvious standouts a lot of this just hopped along in the background.
Pretty good! Not exactly my thing but a good version of the thing it is.
Funky
If any album was need to show that the happy go lucky, love to all 60's were well and truly dead and buried it is this dark, funky, dirty, muddy album. Mixed to be almost unintelligible at times, this album ushers in the 70's predicting the tough times ahead. Brilliant.
Really liked this music.
Funky funk kinda album. Nice lil listen.
Lækre oprørsmelodier, 70’er, nationalitet, funk, groove, elguitar
Funky beyond belief
Wea nice
I can't say I'm too huge a fan of the production on this, but the songs are great. I know Sly/The Family for more the upbeat songs, but this definitely has a darker edge. Favorite tracks: "Africa Talks to You", "Family Affair", "Smilin'"
Another strong 4. Verry groovy, a couple 5-8 minute jams on here. Standout Tracks: Just Like a Baby, Africa Talks to You, Time, Thank You For Talkin' to Me, Africa
Vibes: 4 Instruments: 4 Production: 3 Emotional Value: 4 Storytelling: 2 Album Cover: +0 Stand Outs: Africa Talks to You, Poet Overall Rating: 3.4/5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I can just feel the relevance this album has, and how it has influenced modern music.
Deliciously funky. The recording still sounds like it was recorded in the way back times and hasn't been retouched.
Blind album, know the artist. Generic funk soul to me. Nothing caught my attention aside from the start. Slow fizzle.
Thought I would like this one more than I did. There’s some cool, funky grooves going on here, but a lot of it felt very unstructured and unfocused. Many of the lyrics were literally repetitive, almost to the point of annoyance. The album is OK, but I felt like it could have been much better. 3/5
Not bad...
Fine to have on as background music
I liked this. Just funky enough.
The app takes me to the expanded edition. Not doing that. Luckily Spotify has a standard release that is a half hour shorter. No surprises here. You know what you’re getting. I wasn’t moved in either direction.
Between not living through the Civil Rights or Vietnam War era and knowing nothing about funk and soul, I don't feel qualified to review this album. I like it well enough, though not as much as it's contemporary, "Maggot Brain". Not sure what else there is to say that someone more qualified wouldn't say better.
I know this is a really well regarded album and it sounds great on a technical level. I just couldn’t get overly into it.
#984. Not my favorite. Not terrible though. 3/5: fine.
Good jams I’d never heard before other than a couple. Would Relisten…
groovy! not what I expected.
Groovy. 3 stars
Is fine
Groovin
Groovy.
It was a pretty decent album, not anything I was super excited about but I liked it overall.
а не можна хоч шосб не американське??? шо за популізм
not totally my thing, though i did have a good time with it overall! i thought the pure instrumentals were a little weak and felt kind of aimlessly jammy to me.
I love Sly. This didn't hit me like Stand did, but it's still masterful stuff by incredible artists.
Man, this thing is funky as hell!
Is the recording of this off? It almost sounds like my speakers in my brand new headphones are blown. I know it’s not the headphones in case you can’t read between the lines. It’s the high notes, specifically when the woman or the young kid is singing high. This is decent but it lacks the rush and excitement of Funkadelic.
You can smell the drugs when you listen to it. Its honestly a super depressing album but thats not what gives it three stars in my opinion. It feels like it was when the drugs ran out, and as we know, thats when things get bad. It runs on slightly too long everywhere on this record, and whilst im really struggling to word this right, it didnt sit with me. Maybe a relisten and a regrade in the future.
Pretty good album! I could groove to it
The funky souly vibe was cool, but this didn't stand out as an amazing listen.
Thoughts before listening: I feel like this is Sly Stone:s most rock album, but I might be wrong about that. Regardless, I've enjoyed everything I've ever heard from Sly so I'm sure this will be great. Review: Actually, this is less of a rock album and leans much more into funk and soul styles. Lots of deep grooves going on here in these songs, but I am missing some of the psychedelic rock of the other albums I've heard. Some of the songs get a little out there, which seems to be largely attributed to Sly's drug use at the time. I'd say I like this, but it's not my favorite from Sly...or from the genre for that matter. 3-stars
I felt this was kinda un even. Some great amazing grooves and instrumation but the song felt they were missing something and lacked direction. Reading the history of the album it's understandable why, but still can't take away it's good too listen too and has some great funk and soul to it.
Algo relajado, bueno para una reunión de amigos.
Funky soul, is always cool, but for some reason this felt kind of underwhelming. Some very neat bass playing though
Kind of underwhelming? I feel like it would’ve been better if I had really sat with the lyrics but on a first listen it just felt like something was missing. I did like a lot of the instrumentals though, very funky
this is the most non-threatening riot I've ever heard they shouldn't even be allowed to call this a riot
I can see why this album is considered important, but it doesn’t do that much for me personally. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘢 𝘙𝘪𝘰𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘪𝘯’ 𝘖𝘯 has a very distinctive sound — murky, weary, and almost deliberately worn down. That gives it a character of its own, but it also makes it a harder listen than I expected. There are moments where the atmosphere really works, yet as a whole the album never fully pulls me in. I don’t dislike it, and I can appreciate what it’s trying to do, but by the end I’m left more impressed by its reputation than by the music itself.
It’s really good but I wasn’t really able to get into it
Meh
Well, I can now say I’ve listened. Nothing bad about it. It’s just not my thing.
Nice to get another Sly & The Family Stone album in the collection, although I'll admit that it doesn't add much to "Stand!", especially without any breakout hits. On the other hand, outside of "Family Affair" the entire album was new to me, and while they're not as funk-tastic as George Clinton's various projects (especially so on this album), it's still a strangely compelling album overall despite generally muddy mixing/production. My favorites were probably "Family affair", the odd pairing of "Time" (with a painful attack on "Everyday people") and "Spaced cowboy", and "Thank you for talkin' to me Africa", the bleak riff to their earlier (and perhaps slightly more optimistic) "Thank you" single. I particularly like it that the album was renamed from "Africa Talks to You" to its current title as a reaction (and answer) to Marvin Gaye's just released "What's Going On"; I guess the increasingly strung-out, paranoid and estranged Sly didn't feel as optimistic as Gaye (or else he was just pissed at being blamed for a "riot" in Chicago at Grant Park).
Cool! I would throw this on in the background to create a chill, funky and low-key atmopshere. Production felt intentional and well executed. Favorite Tracks: Luv N' Haight Just Like a Baby Runnin' Away
Some solid songs for sure but as a whole I thought it was just alright.
This was a fun vibe to have on in the background
I like
Liked it.
It's ok. There are some good moments when they the band locks in to a groove. But too often goes on for too long without really doing anything different.
Come
Not a fan of funk, but was positively surprised. Still not my favorite record but good nonetheless.
I find it’s a good album but is not my 100% style!
Sly & The Family Stone made some really great songs. But except for Family Affairs this album - in my opinion - is not so very interesting.
Spaced Cow-boy 🤠 bons morceaux
Good casual grooves
Je comprends un peu les thèmes, l'impact culturel. Ce que j'aime moins c'est le côté jam un peu informe. Beaucoup de tounes qui sont monoriff et un peu longues/monotones. Sly c'est tout qu'un chanteur par contre J'ajouterais que la toune Spaced Cowboy avec le yoddle c'est assez buzzé merci Bon finalement j'ai commenté et jugé trop vite, il y a des tounes avec formes plus structurées à mesure que l'album avance ex Runnin away
When I first saw that this would be Sly & the Family Stone, I was excited! But this album was a little slower than I was anticipating.
got a good funk. on the fence but the worse songs brought it down.
I liked Family Affair. Had a nice vibe to it. Brave & Strong got some cool funk vibes to it. And (You Caught Me) Smilin’ caught me at the perfect time so it was a real good vibe. Just the right amount of funk weird energy to make me happy.
Wasn’t a huge fan at first, but then the end of the album Lwk fire. Very groovy instrument work.
Not bad, a pretty fun listen.
Fav song - Family Affair Very groovy, vocals have old recording artifact sound.
It’s ok
Some good songs here. 3.5
I can see how this is an iconic album and it is definitely easy on the ears, I just prefer music with more lyrics.
Funky
Generally liked the overall funky, groovy vibe. And while some songs were great, others definitely didn't hit with me.
Drug addled funk going on
Funky bass lines always slap. Well I guess only sometimes they're slapped ;)
I may have heard this before, I liked the fuzzed out sound, but some of the longer tracks overstay. Might be missing something on this one, or could just be this listening. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some Owned: No: 68/274 (24%) Will I get: Maybe
Kinda cool but I probably wont return to anything on this
A good album, but one that washed over me a bit. A more downbeat funk is interesting, and certainly responds to the context of the U.S. in 1971. Family Affair is of course a classic, but it became a bit too samey for me. With a livelier sound that would have detracted less, but when there’s less vitality to the album it did impact my enjoyment more. Worth a listen, but didn’t grip me.
The one I listened to was silent, but im into the vibes of their other songs!
I enjoy a good funk record.
This was ok. Not as funky as I was expecting it to be.
very funky
I thought I would enjoy this album much more than I did but it just didn’t quite hit the spot. Still enjoyable enough though.
Psychedelic funk, avant-soul, avant-pop, deep funk, psychedelic soul.
This is perfectly pleasant 70s music with some Music FM bangers but it definitely drags a bit.
Funky soulful album, enjoyed it as a soundtrack to the train journey home
I wanted to like this more than I did. Plenty of it was good, but there was some stuff on here that really felt like a downgrade compared to the rest (Spaced Cowboy was probably the worst track for me). As a whole, it was a bit weird and felt almost disjointed. It's hard for me to put my finger on any specific reason for not loving this. It has a lot of things that I like: it's got funk, it's got groove, it's got some compelling material presented honestly. But it just falls a little short for me. I still thought it was good, just not much more than that. Overall: 2.9/5
This was fine it didn't really grab me
Preddy good!
This was an interesting listen. It was pretty hard funkin’ but with a bit of a psychedelic edge to it. These guys are kind of like the Grateful Dead of funk music but maybe more of a rough and tough version of P-Funk. They have a lot of great songs in a lot of different styles and you can tell that when played live these songs have the potential to be stretched out quite a bit. I saw these guys open for Prince in the early 2000’s and enjoyed them a lot. After listening to this album I feel like I understand them better now.
Funky music for vegetarians. No meat on it at all.
Good to chill out to.
maybe have to listen again at night
2026.04.21-22.
5.5/10
This was exactly what I expected - a fun, funky ride on Easter Sunday. While nothing really stood out for me, it was a solid album. Lisa said 4. I’ll remain at 3/5
Bra, men inget mästerverk. Ofta överskattad i tidningar och listor över bästa album.
3 out of 5. That's some good funk.
Good music from that time
Le funk, très peu pour moi. Je distingue très mal les différences entre ça et Parliament par exemple. Et comme musique de fond c'est bien, mais sans plus.
Good album , lost me in the finale tracks, but generally i had fun. 3.5/5
Album 77 Top 3 favorites off the album: Family Affair, Spaced Cowboy, Runnin' Away Good people, I have returned! I can't guarantee I will be as good about listening as I was before, but I will try. It's been a while, so bear with me. The change in vocal and guitar quality towards the end of Just Like a Baby was a nice break from what was becoming a repetitive, albeit not unpleasant, listen. The added roughness was nice. I really started getting into it around Poet and Family Affair. I enjoyed the instrumental break in the middle of Africa Talks to You; the layering was interesting. I got a little lost in it for a minute. A lot to pick apart there sound-wise. Spaced Cowboy had just enough harmonica. Perhaps I need to go back and hate on Bob Dylan's amount of harmonica just a little more... the jury's still out on that one. Overall, the groove is excellent (duh). I had a hard time picking my top three this time around. I spent a lot of time rearranging my ranking. Right up until posting this, actually. That came as a surprise because... ...the beginning of my original review for this was something to the effect of, "it's good as background music." Coming back with fresh ears has made this a lot more fun. Each song has a unique character that I appreciate more than I did a few months ago. I'm glad I took a break. I would give this album an extra half star if I could. Life updates prompting my return: I have gotten into grad school with a job that covers tuition and pays a small stipend, and I'm hoping to have housing figured out in the next week or so (otherwise, it's the cardboard box deluxe suite I'm afraid). Unfortunately, this now means I have Senioritis: Working Adult Edition where I have two more months of work before I move.
No przyjemne to. Ale znowu - przyjemne i nic więcej. Lekkie, wesołe, unosi nad ziemię, łagodzi troski, ale tylko na chwilę. Wiem, że ta muzyka ma głębie, rozumiem to, ale do mnie ona nie dociera. 6.5/10 równane w dół.
3 - decent and funky but felt lacking
I was going in expecting to like it more than I did. Not sure why but the mix and the tempo seemed "off" somehow, even on the songs I know. I must have heard a different remix which I liked better than was on this album. Just OK
Honestly liked it more than I thought I would. I'm not really into funk, and kind of ambivalent towards the songs I already know by Sly & The Family Stone, but not only does the band transcend funk, blending with R&B, soul (AND COUNTRY), as well as 'classic rock', culminating in something a bit more fun and fancy free than I was expecting. There's A Riot Goin' On is definitely a relaxed sunny day album. Good vibes all round, however I don't know how often I would return to it. Highlights: "Spaced Cowboy"
Good background listen but not a ton stood out.
Funky, but fails to hold my attention. Whilst that may be more a reflection of my terrible attention span, nothing in this album really jumped out at me. Always do like funky vibes though.
Some of the loud noises are HARSH. That costs them a point. Otherwise a good album. Spaced Cowboy was quite silly.
Por fin un álbum psicodélico que no solo logré terminar, sino también que no odié tener que escucharlo en el proceso. ↑: Luv N' Haight; Just Like a Baby; Time; Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa ↓: Spaced Cowboy, Runnin' Away
hay canciones que me gustan mucho más que otras, igual está piola el álbum en general.
I like this album but maybe not as much as I expected to. It's good solid funk and soul but it just kind of lacks something. I do appreciate that it is a little darker and more serious but it kind of lost something else, I can't really explain what. It's got some nice grooves and the lyrics are great and the musicianship is top notch. It just seems like there's something missing, although there is some...yodeling. What the hell? 3.5/5 and rounding down because it lacks whatever it is that would make it rate higher.
Too funky for me. ★★★
Funky fun
I first listened to this for the first time as a teenager and it bothered me - it felt like it was perpetually on the verge of collapsing under its own weight. Listening again, I can really appreciate the huge amount of influence it’s had, but I have to be honest - there’s a lot of self indulgent jamming here and a fair few tracks that sound like under developed demos.
I think this is a pioneering, if middling record
Very funky and vibrant. Luv N' Haight was my favorite. I'm thinking a 5.3/10, good but not a lot stood out to me.
Classic soul , great album and has some tunes
Funky, soul goodness with a lot of heart and soul. Sad to read about his relationships with drugs though (and the hijacking of talents that caused). Quite the change of pace for ‘Just like a baby’ and loses some of the energy the album started with. And into the third song too (and so on). Maybe it’s a demonstration of the zapping of energy and heart that can happen with drugs. First track got me excited for what to come but then drops of a bit in many ways, kind of just randomly moseying, although still groooooooovy and enjoyable (3.5)
Incredible background- no bangers
Music for making out at a block party.
Faded into the background
Nothing standing out to me so far. Feels all very on one level. I don't really enjoy the production very much.
Bueno
Good
I quite enjoyed it. A lot of great funky moments
Nice jams. Some classic tunes, but a lot of it is unfocused. A 3.
Funky, but I listened to this for 45 minutes in a traffic jam and when I arrived at work I couldn't remember a single second of it.
Good, some nice tracks but not the same cohesion as other albums
This one started out hot but cooled down pretty quick. Some of the songs just felt like they dragged on too long, and the album kind of felt the same way too.
It was alright. Nothing that great or bad about it.
not quite as fun as the album title led on.
ay, pues no es mi género musical
3 sterne
It was ok. Good soul music.
Good funk album. Highlights: Family Affair, Poet and Thank You For Talkin’ To Me, Africa. 3.6
Har sine høydepunkter, men jevnt over ganske mid. Bra bassing
It was good, but I didn’t like it as much as I expected to.
Good but not my type of music
First album from Sly. I liked it but didn’t love it. Interested in hearing more.
It was OK. Not as hooky as other Sly stuff but a good listen overall.
This darker funk from S&TFS still grooves even if it sounds a bit wearier than their earlier releases. Maybe a sign of the times but still a great early 70's release that lures you in.
Like a last dispeptic burp from.the rich food of the 60's. Anyone going into this expecting another "Dance to the Music" are in for a shock. By this point Sly Stone was drugged and angry. The promise of Woodstock had given way to Watergate and the Race Riots of the early 70s. The personal and political darkness combined to make this an album of unparalleled cynicism and rage. Long sinuous funk workouts move slowly while half heard vocals say things like "They say time is the answer, but I don't believe it" or "The deeper in debt the harder you bet" through a production of such murkiness that nothing would rival it until "Exile on Main St" or Bowie's "Watch that Man". It's hard to say it's an enjoyable album, but did set the scene for the sort of angry, political black music that led to Grand Master Flash and Public Enemy.
Pass the funk. The album highlight is ‘Family Affair’, and I’m not sure if I add a star or take one away for the yodeling on Space Cowboy.
some decent funky vibes
Enjoyed it
chill lo-fi funk. nothing super crazy good for me
groovy
It's a little meh, to be honest. It started great, but then it turned into music close to elevator background music, which is a shame, because I've heard great albums by them. 3/5
I enjoyed listening. Glad I did before I die. It is nice to have on in the background. Groovy and funky, but I feel like it kind of misses something and has a few moments that really do work best as background music.
Fun album
Generously giving this a 3 even though it sounds like it was recorded on a tin can and is super boring. Would be fine as background music at a party where everyone is high.
0/10 СОСАТБ ОМЕРИКА!!! Ладно, шучу. 5/10
I'm sure it's an important album with depth but it's not enjoyable. 2.5/5. Raising to a 3.
I really enjoyed this, the silent title track being a particular slice of genius. Tom. A good way to stay the day, I’m feeling suitably chilled. Great album. Charlotte
I really like this genre but it's quite a forgetful, long album where the songs all merge into one
Easy listening background
Delectably funky and a little dark (or a lot dark, depending on how one measures such a thing). They don't really make funk like this anymore. "Spaced Cowboy" was an interesting detour too.
Less interested in this one than stand. Its still good and soulful funky fun but the songs just aren't as engaging. Family affair is the standout for me. The rest are alright but not that crazy. Worthy listen at the end of the day but its just too subtle for me. I need it to be more in my face to get much outta it.
First Sly & The Family Stone album I ever bought and my introduction to them back in high school. Much mellower than their previous albums. Like it for nostalgia reasons but prefer their stuff earlier than this. Also remember it had a different album cover.
This was alright
kind of unusual but otherwise decent album, had some good vibes. Not much to say
Family Affair. i like this one. Spaced Cowboy. Weird, yodeling, harmonica, my fav. Thank you for letttin me by myself.
Nice, easy, groovy
Fun time!
Lite lattjo är det med Sly. Det är dock inte svinbra. Det är bara sådär. Inte de bästa låtarna på denna skiva heller. Godkänt.
Kändes lite mer experimentellt och skruvat jämfört med Stand!, men hamnar ändå i ungefär samma slutsats som efter den: det är trevlig och bitvis lite kul lyssning, det är svårt att tycka illa om funk generellt, men det saknas ändå något för att komma upp i ett höga betyg. Family affair är bra, men i övrigt är det inget som riktigt sticker ut. Stabil trea även här med andra ord.
I listened to this at the end of a long day so I probably need to revisit but I’m generally a fan of funk and this certainly has its moments, however, it maybe didn’t appeal as much as other funk on first try
Ik vind een funk album toch vaak ook heel lastig om te reviewen. Laat ik voorop stellen dat ik het gewoon heel tof vind dat dit een soort funk protest album is, met een soort respons op What's Going on van Marvin Gaye als titel. Dat alleen al, met ook de titels van nummers als Africa Talks to you en There's a Riot going on, duidt op politieke betrokkenheid en om dat dan te doen over een ontzettend funky beat. Ja ik, waardeer dat wel. Dat was het positieve, want eerlijk? Het klinkt wel heel erg vaak allemaal hetzelfde hoor. Ja ik snap dat er een hoop nadruk moet liggen op de instrumentals, maar als ik daar continue en soms voor 10 minuten lang hetzelfde funky gitaarspel onder hoor, dan leidt dat nogal af en niet op de goede manier. Ik irriteer me niet al te erg aan de muziek verder, ik bedoel hoe kan dat ook met een jodelende Sly op Spaced Cowboy, maar ik had hier gewoon iets meer van verwacht denk ik. Een Funk protest album, daar ga je nou echt even goed voor zitten en dan is het gewoon jammer als het gewoon een prima album is maar niet heel veel meer dan dat. Misschien is dat wel onderdeel van het protest en heb ik hier net te veel vinkjes voor, dat zou natuurlijk kunnen... FAVO: Family Affair, Spaced Cowboy
Kan like mye i denne sjangeren og plata hadde absolutt noen bra låter. Men jevnt over helt middels
Grei hangoutmusikk, men kan ikke si at synginga til Sly (slynginga?) falt i smak.
Suitable for reading, working, drinking wine and chatting. *3.5
I feel like I liked this but not for the right reasons? Loved the grooves. Felt like it was too instrumental to be the revolutionary lyrical powerhouse I was expecting? Maybe I downloaded the wrong release?
Слай пошатало в этом альбоме
I know from rock docs that Sly was an incredible musician and performer. These recordings didn’t do a ton for me.
I like this as background music. Not peppy like their music before, but I enjoyed it.
Bit disappointed as the single I know from them is very good. It’s still a decent album with a variety of “funky” effects and instruments. However, either my base dopamine levels are now THAT high that I’m not used to this anymore, or this album sometimes just lacks something that is “happening” during the tracks, they sometimes just feel like backing tracks.
Could survive without it
Wow, “There's A Riot Goin' On” sounds different from “Stand!”, which was released two years earlier and which I already had the pleasure of reviewing. It's funkier, edgier, and somehow more grown-up, which is both good and bad news, because the flower power-esque naivety was definitely one of the qualities that made “Stand!” so great. While I like the stronger funk influence, I don't like the totally flat sound of the drum machines at all. Together with the (by funk standards) extremely soft bass sound, the whole groove becomes blurred unless you use sufficiently powerful speakers—I was able to correct this here, but it's actually a weakness of the production, especially since the monotonous drum patterns also annoy me after a while. Since there are no real earcatchers either, I consider “Riot” a clear step backward compared to “Stand!”.
Funky, a bit repetitive, nothing mind-blowing.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The only song I was previously familiar with was Family Affair, which I had only heard back in the day via an AM radio. I didn’t like it much back then, but it’s much better without the AM handicap. Anyway, an enjoyable album for me overall, but it get three stars.
Groovy tunes
Bedre funk end Jamiroquai. Ikke at det siger ret meget