Reviews (page 4 of 9)
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.
That little bit of growling bowow yodeling is icing on the cake.
One more banger album for the week. Having not listened to a ton of funk, and at least knew what funk sounded like. But I never heard anything that sounds like this. Insanely tight grooves and soulful vocals is what I came for. But I stayed for the absolutely wild, psychedelic instrumentation and production. Theres so much to digest in these 48 minutes of drugged out rapture. I already look forward to listening again tomorrow.
Nice and groovy! Just enough for a good time, an uplifting album I think. I think my only complaint is that its not a long of songs. 7/10
Smooth, awesome as a complete album. Not sure I’ll be revisiting the individual tracks though.
Very funky and psychedelic with a tripped-out hazy sound, notes and melodies floating over the rock-solid rhythms. A little hard to grasp at times, but I liked it. Best song: Family Affair
Awesome album. Not heard any of it except for Family Affair before. First off, it's funky. I could feel myself getting cooler after every track. Second off, it's been so influential. That's really clear. Amazing that this album is 55 years old. It sound amazing.
I like this as background music. Not peppy like their music before, but I enjoyed it.
First couple of songs are a bit of a slow start, and the last song isn't a strong end but everything in the middle is absolutely great. The album carries a very laid back calm, disco groove. I really enjoyed it. Favorite song: family affair (close 2nd poet)
Truly the coolest bass parts I've heard in ages :)
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.
Good funk.
Meh. Normal music, I could tolerate it playing in the background
Could survive without it
Always funky and interesting, maybe a little weird. Not my fave from Sly but still an undeniable groove.
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!”.
Luv N' Haight - 4.5/5 Just Like A Baby - 4/5 Poet - 4.5/5 Family Affair - 4.5/5 Africa Talks to You ("The Asphalt Jungle") - There's a Riot Goin' On - N/A Brave & Strong - 4/5 (You Caught Me) Smilin' - 4/5 Time - 4/5 Spaced Cowboy - 4.5/5 Runnin' Away - 4/5 Thank You for Talkin to Me, Africa - 4/5 A very good selection of darker funk from this group. Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" definitely had an influence changed from the psychedelic era of the 60's to the more politically charged early 70's. That mixture of eras really makes this work as a whole. Overall: 4/5 Favorites: Luv N' Haight, Poet, Family Affair, (You Caught Me) Smilin', Spaced Cowboy
- Shrek song!!! - Runnin' Away #1
Been a fan of family affair for years but never listened to the full album. It’s funky, delightful and soulful. Love the vocal tones and creamy guitar sound.
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
Jeg fandt ikke referencen så albummet har ikke fanget mig som jeg håbede.
Bedre funk end Jamiroquai. Ikke at det siger ret meget
Sly Stone trades exuberant funk for a murky, claustrophobic masterpiece. Its brilliance lies in its radical restraint; the minimalist arrangements and hushed vocals create an eerie, hypnotic tension. While it lacks the polish of earlier hits, this stripped-back vulnerability captures a haunting, beautiful disillusionment. A brave, essential experiment.
Good soul.
Something really hypnotic about this funk/soul record. I don’t think it’s got their most popular hits but it just bops from start to finish. Written as a response to Marvin Gaye’s “what’s going on” is such a good trivia fact but it does in some senses feel like a sister record.
I noticed a lot of influential rhythms and melodies across the record. I liked the unique groove of each record and catchy lyrics. I just downloaded this album a few weeks ago to start exploring Sly and and the Family Stone and this is a great introduction to their creative style of music and fusion.
Not bad but not great, I like funk I just don't think this every quite hit the mark for me. I bet I'd like another Sly & The Family Stone album if it came up. I want to hear the album with "Thank You."
good stuff
Essential listening for funk. This is my favourite sly album I think. Though that might be the other one.
I think Stand is one of the greatest pieces of pop music in the history of Western music. So Riot, regardless of context, will and must suffer in comparison. Running Away, Brave and Strong and of course Family Affair are great. But the rest of it feels muted, like Sly stopped having fun. Methinks the drugs got in the way, I know that is easy to say, but there is something not quite right with this record. And getting rid of Greg Errico was a big mistake. It's an ok record, nothing like the genius of Stand.
I started listening to funk in my early 20s, and I loved, loved, loved Sly & the Family Stone, up to and including 'Thankyoufalletinme'. those songs are so upbeat and positive and awesome and catchy, and I really dug it. I had read about how Riot was this masterpiece, and I searched down a copy, but I confess I found it difficult and troubling. I put it away and really didn't play it much for a long time. But now that I am somewhat older and, dare I say, slightly more sophisticated in my tastes, I can recognize this for the masterpiece it is. Funk is not a genre generally associated with deep and complex art; if you were going to tar with abroad brush, you describe funk as optimistic and fun. There are obvious exceptions, of course, and greatest artistic achievement of funk is There's a Riot Going On. I could explain how and why, but you'd be better served by watching Questlove's "Sly Lives! aka The Burden of Black Genius" documentary. Go on, go watch it, it's really great and this album is central to the film's central thesis about the black experience of commercial success and the price that black creators pay for their success. Working through this 1001 albums list, I am surprised at how relatively few indisputable works of genius there are. And this is one of them. It is complex and deep and unsettling and funky and a genuine work of art. Fifty bazillion stars.
It's okayy, groovy, bet galėtų būti įdomiau.
Decent
I dont like 70s funk at all. This had a lot of different things on it though. I didnt love it but I can really appreciate it.
A classic album by one of my favourite artists
Old school funk
Really good luv n haight and family affair both go crazy
Made me dance in my kitchen while making breakfast tacos. People should dance more.
A few classics but the first two songs left me bewildered.
A bit scary
Solid funk-disco. Gotta say I’m a bit disappointed though considering its reputation as an all timer. Fine, but not inspired to come back for more.
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!
60s-70s Funk? Not really my thing
Counting or not counting gang violence
139/1089 a nice, funky album. could see myself returning to this on the odd occasion as reading/working music. Also fun to recognise “thank you for lettin’ me be myself…” from watching the Scooby Doo movie as a kid faves: Africa Talks To You, Thank You for Talkin’ to Me, Africa, Runnin’ Away 63/100
I don’t have the music vocabulary to describe this properly, but it felt like a lot of the instruments blended together in a way that made it feel flat. That’s something I really don’t like in music for whatever reason.
Bay Area legend
Only like, 3 songs in, and it is fucking amazing, wish I had listened to them waaaayyy earlier
No single song stuck out to me - but with this band, the total is greater than the sum of its parts. Such a vibe and such a great sound. Groovy and funky and awesome production.
I think I might actually like this album more than Stand!, though I’m not entirely sure why. “Africa Talks to You” especially stood out to me — the bass is amazing, the guitar has a great crunchy tone, and in the last minutes there are these really deep, thumping bass notes that I loved. I still can’t quite explain the reason, but this album just hits me differently.
il je dosadno il je naporno, većinom potonje. predzadnja i zadnja pjesma nešto podnošljivije, al prekasno je tad. prekmično za mene sve u svemu
86% Best: Luv N' Haight; Poet; Family Affair; Brave & Strong; Time; Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa
This album feels very muddy, very distorted, when funk should feel a little cleaner than this. This is not party forward PFunk. Full of loops and primitive drum machines. It's an alright album, but there's nothing for me to come back to. I was kind of bored listening to it. It's not offiensive or bad, just not sticky.
4.5/5
When this came up I was quite excited to actually listen to a Family Stone album all the way through. Obviously know “ it’s a family affair”. Turns out that’s the best track and the rest is a little bland and boring, which is a surprise and a shame.
Ich habe wirklich versucht, es zu mögen, aber ich fand es ziemlich langweilig... und da war ein Cowboysong.
“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.
1. luv - 1 2. baby - 0 3. poet - 1 4. family - 1.5 5. africa -0 6. riot - 0 7. Brave - 1 8. Smiling -1 9. Time -1 10. Cowboy - 0 11. Away - 1 12. Thank you - 1
I love Sly and the Family Stone. Grooves always hit, vocals are always great and layered great. That being said I think this album is a little disjointed and is missing a bit of a sense of cohesion to me. Still a great album that I really enjoyed
Very cool but bit long and samey. I did enjoy it but it faded into the background and melded into one long, continuous funkathon. I guess you could do a lot worse.
This is really good stuff. I've not heard this before today and there is a ton of variety with some nice funk all the way to a weird western song. Some songs are higher energy and some are pretty laid back. It's also kind of long compared to albums from this time period. I'm going to add this to my favorites since I can see myself listening to it many more times.
Not quite what I had expected Not hearing anything that I want to play again
More polished than "Stand", which made me a little lower on this record than that one. The group benefits more from the gusto, which was lacking more here.
more of that oh-so-sweet jazzy funk music that the '70s was known for, released in a period around the time of the civil rights and black power movements. many songs loosely discuss these events from the perspective of the band... it's a bit of a common theme with sly, and i'm really not surprised at this rate. this is the kind of kitschy funk music that wouldn't be out of place in a 1970s blaxploitation film. many of the songs are generally full of funky foundations and toe-tapping beats... i would rate it higher if songs didn't get repetitive quickly, and if there were more lyrical content and less screeching. nevertheless though, this album is great, especially if you're looking for something grimy and mysterious...
Funk isn’t really for me
Not that great
Rubbish!
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.
I love how weird Sly & The Family Stone is. Whilst also being funky. I guess that's kind of the whole point.
FUNKY
Sly, Sly, Sly. Always need some Sly in your life.
Groovy, didn't expect low key yodeling
1,5
I like to think of this record as "the hangover from the 60s". Great album.
Sonically, this reminds me a lot of Funkadelic's Maggot Brain, though the sound here is a little less consistent and the production flaws are more pronounced. Super groovy with the opener, Luv N' Haight, despite the slightly dated production (the sound gets a little blurry whenever anything loud happens – and this is true of all tracks on the record). Great interplay between all the different instruments, and though the chords are very simple, everything riffs up and down a blues scale, and you can't really go wrong with that. Family Affair is another straight-up banger of a track. Chorus is catchy, singing is very strong, and the female vocal is a great addition to riff off Sly's lines. Another strong contender for best track is (You Caught Me) Smilin', which, along with the excellent secondary vocal in the chorus, also has possibly the strongest guitar and bass lines on the album. (Seriously, that bass is spanking.) Spaced Cowboy is a standout track for being the most, well, distinctive. It doesn't fit in with the other tracks at all, but at least that means S&FS is showcasing some variety. Yodelling and harmonica. Weird. Just Like A Baby is fun enough, boasting some really good falsetto vocals. It's more of a slow-dance track than a "banger", and doesn't feature any distinctive hooks, but it more than makes up for that by maxing out the soulful-meter. The four-second title track is incredibly dark if you really think about it. There's a riot going on, and what's the response (presumably from the authorities, the government, the top 1%)? Radio silence. Not that it's inaccurate, it's just a surprisingly bold musical statement. Just goes to show how insanely power-packed the year 1971 was for musicians. 4/5 Key tracks: Luv N' Haight, Family Affair, (You Caught Me) Smilin'
Not bad, but also not super interesting. The bass and vocals were the strongest part.
3/5
I maybe should’ve tempered my expectations for this one a bit. The last Sly album we got was “Stand”, which was super imaginative and creative in all the right ways. Retrospectively, that album and the stuff that Funkadelic was doing around the time of this records release set the bar super high. So There’s A Riot Goin On didn’t quite leap over that bar, but it’s not bad. “Africa Talks To You” is my pick from this album, it’s very colorful. I also liked “Runnin Away”. I think some of the music on here is great for vibes listening, but not as great for intensive, active listening. 3/5
Loved the album. Has groove
Cool album, great sound. Couldn't get into it and sounded a bit samey after a while
Did a quick listen, liked it a lot more than I imagined.
Early 70's hip message of freedom, rights, love & integration. Music is solid but the message is the star.
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.
Good funk, though a lot more chill than I expect from the genre. There's some pretty good moments in here. Fun album.
Listened to front half. Groovy.
++*: 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
Gostei.
Couple months later and I’m finally back! A nice return here. It doesn’t get much cooler than Sly. Funky stuff.
Sly is one of the first bands I listened to for this project, and I distinctly remember not being impressed with them. So maybe that made me a bit biased going in, but it's really just not my jam, even though I can hear the talent in it.
Essential proto-funk album, sweet.
Funk, stank, drum machines mixed with live drums, politically charged (and sometimes incypherable) lyrics, roaming bass-lines and screaming vocals, laying down the blueprint for funk, hip-hop and soul for years to come. A funky mess, and I mean that in the best possible way. 4.5 stars.
Sly and the Family Stone is another band I felt I missed out on. One reason was that they were at their height before I was born, but it was only a few years ago that I listened to some of their music. I’m not sure I listened to There’s a Riot Goin’ On, but this is an album that most people think invented funk and it only took heroin, cocaine and PCP to create it. And it sounds like it. Sly Stone was way into drugs at this point in the band’s career. It’s believed he was using drugs because the fame kind of freaked him out a bit and what was going on socially at the time was causing him anxiety. He made great, happy, pop music, but some of his Black Panther Party friends thought he should be recording more music to help the cause of Black America at the close of the 60s. There’s a Riot Goin' On was much darker with serious lyrics than previous albums. Was Sly Stone kind of bending to being more social or was it just the drugs? I think the funk created by heroin as it was lower and slower than past albums. Sly Stone, by this time, 1970, had built himself a home studio in his house and he enjoyed heroin so much, he put a bed in the studio and recorded his vocals lying in bed. Incredible. It fills you with wonder at the creative genius he was, but also fills you with sadness at how much of a grip drugs had on this man. Sly Stone played most of the instruments on the album as well. Members of the Family Stone were used more for overdubs. Sly Stone also called in hired guns to help record the album, including Billy Preston, Ike Turner and Bobby Womack. So, there was a lot of chaos going on, and I don’t mean C.H.A.O.S., but that was going on too. Anyway, you can tell by the first song you're in for a doozy as it’s called Luv & Haight, which I assume is meant as Haight-Ashbury, the area that birthed the countrculture in the 60s in San Francisco. Though, at this time, that spirit was dead or dying. Here is the chorus for Luv & Haight: Feel so good inside myself, don't want to move, Feel so good inside myself, don't need to move. There are other lyrics on the album about drugs and more songs about social issues, making this album the band’s most political. The title track, There’s a Riot Goin’ On is just four seconds of silence. In explaining the song, Sly Stone said, “I felt there should be no riots.” Byond all the drugs and social issues, the album produced a number 1 single, Familiy Affair, of which only one member of the Family Stone was included in the recording. The album was also the number one album in the country when it came out. The album also used some early drum machines, which later inspired hip-hop. George Clinton said this album is what inspired him to create Parliament and Funkadelic. The album also pushed jazz artists like Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock to move toward a jazz-funk sound. Like James Brown, some of the songs are more like chants than lyrics, but the music is so good. It may take you a listen or two to really see how amazing this album is. It wasn’t as widely praised when it was released. I'm sure the change in style threw people for a loop, but over time, it’s gotten its due. I’m glad it was on the 1,001 list so I could discover the music and the story behind the album.
Dark for funk/soul. Good album, interesting.
Funk, soul, and synths!
Only listened to a few songs but sounded ok funky
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!
Got to 10000 trophies in clash whilst listening to this
Pretty chill
There’s a Riot Goin’ On is a harder turn from the optimistic, psychedelic 1960s as Sly and the U.S. crash and burn in the early 70’s - a comedown in the literal and metaphorical sense. It’s dense and dark and druggy, funky but downtrodden with an experimental, home recorded/DIY feel. “Riot” definitely earned its place on this list. 4⭐️
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
3.75
Funk is the one genre I’ve never really been able to get into, try as I might. There are some very good songs on here (Family Affair especially.) and I can definitely appreciate the lyrics and craftmanship but I’m not sure it’s something I’d rush back to. Separately though, that album cover art is ridiculously good.
Mehta. Never got interesting or grabbed me. Decent funk soul.
Funk a delic
I was surprised I didnt enjoy this more. Not many hits, a lot of songs that were more cutesy than I wpuld have thought. Not bad, but no real standouts. Overall- fine. 2.5/5
I've come to appreciate funk so much more through this project and was able to get into this album much more quickly than I may have earlier on. This is an important album in the genre and an interesting walk through the musical, political, poetic mind of Sly Stone.
Funk ist etwas für GTA Soundtracks und Tarantino Filme. Aber nichts für mich
I like some of Sly's big hits, but this was pretty sleepy.
Sehr gut, gefällt mir!
Having read some of the reviews here, before listening to the album, I steeled myself for the much-derided yodelling on Spaced Cowboy. I was going to like it no matter what and everyone else could suck it. Well, it is certainly the most daring and animated vocal performance by Stone on the record. Indeed, the mumbled, lysergic drawl that comprises the rest of song makes the yodel an even greater relief. As an aside here, I just looked up lysergic to make sure I was using it correctly and Merriam-Webster offered this example: "In large measure, Sly and the Family Stone bridged the gap between the choreographed cool of soul music and the lysergic abandon of white psychedelic rock." —Rolling Stone Maybe I’m wrong, as abandon doesn’t sound quite right for this record. Neither does “choreographed cool.” Rather, there is druggy sludginess on the part of Sly’s apathetic delivery. There is doom bass. Neatly syncopated guitars that go round and round, seeing no way out. It’s pretty heavy, man. And, when Sly spends the last seven minutes of this LP repeating a vocal hook from a previous hit, suggests he is not looking forward. Of course, that song, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), also references previous Stone hits, but the mood on There’s a Riot Goin’ On is so dark that is the callback suggests exhaustion rather than playfulness. Despite a few a bright moments - I prefer Brave & Strong and Runnin’ Away to Family Affair - this is a slog. 2.5 There isn’t much songwriting going on here; to my ears the top line when there was one often sounded like ad libs by a man who is stoned to his toes. So the record relies mainly on shifting textures and atmosphere and they don’t quite support it over 45 minutes. The satisfyingly farty bass playing is the best thing here. The drums are sporadically interesting in texture even if there isn’t a pattern or fill worth remembering. The most memorable moment for me was 3 1/2 minutes into Africa Talks to You when I glanced over at the display and registered the shock that there was 5 minutes left to go. I do like the bit where they go ‘Timmmbeeeeeeeeeeeeer’ but 9 minutes? Put the pipe away. 2.5/5
I was listening to Snow Strippers before this which is like indie sleaze on speed so throwing this on was quite the vibe change. Pretty chill album
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.
Okay album, kinda forgettable 3/5
01) Luv n' Haight - 6,5 02) Just Like a Baby - 7,5 03) Poet - 7,0 04) Family Affair - 9,0 05) Africa Talks to You 'The Asphalt Jungle' - 7,0 06) There's a Riot Goin' On - / 07) Brave & Strong - 7,0 08) (You Caught Me) Smilin' - 7,0 09) Time - 7,0 10) Spaced Cowboy - 7,5 11) Runnin' Away - 7,0 12) Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,23 (72/100) Current ranking: 357/700
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.
This is #day436 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my second and final Sly & The Family Stone record. The funny thing is, when it comes to albums of this kind, my musical vocabulary shrinks to words like "funky," "groovy," and "trippy." This one's a bit bluesy, too. I'm sure it's an important record, both sonically and historically, given the times and all that. Still, I'm probably a little less impressed than I was with Stand!. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day437.
Inte min kopp te.
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
I just can't.
Another essential funk classic
Pretty good
funk!!! i really liked "Luv N'Haight" and "Runnin' Away"! this was a fun first one to listen to. obviously "Thank You For Talkin' to Me, Africa" is so iconic, it was nice listening to the full album for the first time.
Man, I really love myself some funk from time to time. Very cool album overall, really enjoyed it. The first song of the album stood out, and it just kept on delivering. No particular hit that stood out that much, but it was overall a nice experience. Red Hot Chili Peppers is a band I'm a big fan of, and you can tell they took quite a lot of influence from here.
Funk is not normally a genre I’m a huge fan of but this was groovy. Felt like a nice album to have on in the background but not too many standout songs. My favourite was the closing “Thank You for Talkin’ To Me, Africa”. Strong 3.
Light funk album featuring some good vibes. I don't know how long There's A Riot Goin' On will stick with me but it was a nice listen for today.
I was really missing lyrics. These were some good jams that I felt deeper than just fun to dance to. But I feel like these songs could have been so much more if they were backed with more lyrics.
I’m surprised by how much this feels like background music. I expected to be punched in the gut with wild experimentation and timeless anthems but that didn’t really happen. The funk is strong and the vibe is truly great. I loved Just Like A Baby and Family Affair. Good album but I won’t come back to it.
This is so groovy and chill and I really dig the vibes. Family Affair and Spaced Cowboy were my faves, and I have a special spot in my heart for Thank You too. There’s nothing flashy here, just cool and funky, and I’m all for it.
Good first song, but the rest kind of ran together.
One of the finest funk albums of all time. The yodeling track isn't great though.
(sly & the family) stone cold classic
alright-ish but not especially exciting to me. sometimes funk stuff hits for me (but I'm never wild for it), and sometimes it misses.
Creo que el Funk definitivamente no me gusta, no implica que sea racista, pero creo que no estoy en esa iglesia. No
chill funk. I enjoyed the vibe and appreciate this addition to the list.
Very very good album. Can see why this is so highly regarded, enjoyable from start to finish
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.
A little more boring than I had expected but fine driving music.
this is mostly enjoyable but maybe a little to homogenous after an entire album.
I was hoping for some more uptempo groovy songs and was left disappointed.
Fun album
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
By no means bad but just cant get to the highs that some of the earlier stuff reaches. Still love "Family Affair" tho
Thought I was going to enjoy this more
The song Family Affair is so great. To hear that often on the radio when I was 16 was a gas. It was a #1 hit. Slinky, funky, with snazzy musical flourishes and vocals that were fun to try and sing along to. My only other Sly album was their Greatest Hits (Family Affair came later) with a slew of great tracks. So outside of Family Affair I did not know this album at all. It was pretty decent all around, but I suspect it’s in the 1,001 because it was Sly’s “political album”.
A little disappointed in this one. Just ok
It was ok. Funky, but not really attention holding. I am having a hard time remembering much of it.
Yes.
A bit more mellow than I was expecting, but the instrumentals are tight and make for an easy listen. Funk has a high place in my heart so it was always going to be an enjoyable album for me. This is an album that you must read the lyrics alongside listening. You can almost hear the forthcoming funk albums from other artists that this one inspired. It is not traditional funk, and that adds a lot to why this album stands out. I read that this album was made during a period of heavy drug use by the members of the group, and influenced by increasing tension from the Black Panthers to create more overtly political music. On the drug use side, you can kind of "hear" it. Funk is repetitive to a certain extent, but there are portions of this album that loop in a way that feels similar to the way a thought gets stuck in your mind when under the influence. Spaced Cowboy was the standout track for me. Both lyrically and sonically, it is the best representation of the goals of the album as a whole.
It's a shame, I was excited when I saw today's Album of the Day. Unfortunately, there were a few tracks on this rather extensive album that got on my nerves. So I didn't enjoy it throughout. 4/5
Ok
Didn't like the yodeling on Spaced Cowboy, but the rest of it was great.
Funk and soul equals people
Cool funk n soul. Didn't do too much for me but appreciated the groove
This felt like a close miss. I can have no real complaints with it, generally good funk/soul but it never quite kicked up a notch. Snippets of strong riffing/solo elements but didn’t sustain the more interesting sections. Reckon they could have put on a good show though.
Decent soul / funk in general. Not for my personal taste however and dont typically like this genre. Ultimately too many wierd songs like "runnin away". The voice is annoying. Secondly the album just goes on and on. Base funk is comendable. Playing the base guitair like that is something! E.g. "Do you know what"
I enjoyed this. It's light and airy sounding funk with some soulful vocals. I loved the gritty edge to the recording but the production was clear and well presented. I was surprised at how early this record was and can see how it was probably quite influential. Another one where I am caught between scores. This isn't an album with which I felt a profound connection but I can appreciate it's a good album. On revisiting I don't think this quite makes it into my top marks.
Cool album. Enjoyed it Standout songs: Family Affair Thank you for talking to me Africa
first listen super super solid
meh, 2/5
Middle of the road funk for me.
For when you want to have a bad time, but also a funky time
4/10 - sounds like the other sly and the family stone album but I have listened to so much music I don’t know that the bar for me liking a song on this list has increased dramatically
From what I can remember this is better than the other Sly Stone album was, but that was almost 2 years ago at this point so idk
The album is really well done but feels a bit inconsistent. Could have been the day and I didn't give it enough focus but when it came up I thought initially I'd rate it higher.
Family Affair is an obvious hit. Okay yodeling, nice. I don't understand the context of this album. Could be my copy or could be on purpose but the music was a bit flat sounding for what was going on. The bass playing is the star of the show.
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.
I vibed to this quite a bit, it's not bad. I would even call it considerably funky! Great music for strutting.
Solid Sly album. But if I recall from the doc this is the album that was the album where poor old sly succumbed to his addictions, became recluse and stopped being a member of the family band and turned this to a solo project. Insightful, conscious, robust and funky. Love it. Keep Sly in your thoughts for all of 2025. Rest in Power king.
Bizarre album that is so unapologetically boring. Amounts to some okayish bassy muzak that is entirely uninteresting. I kept waiting for something engaging to happen, but nothing ever does
I can see how it was labelled as challenging. Gone are the "fun" and lighthearted pop tunes. Now we have jazzier, darker songs that speak for the disillusionment and pessimism. It really isn't in my wheelhouse but I understand it.
The funkiness doesn't stop. Interesting and quirky. Enjoyable, but I didn't love it tremendously. 3.
"Stand!" Is the more well known album (as far as I'm aware) so it's hard not compare the two. While that album felt like an invitation to dance, "There's a Riot Goin' On" is more of a call to action. Sure you can dance to much of it, but it's the politically charged lyrics that really make an impact here. Spurred by progressive (and justifiably angry) calls for racial justice, Sly and the Family Stone clearly got more serious with this album. Musically, it's a bit sparser than "Stand!" but that works to help underline the message.
This was a good listen, kind of what I expected
Things that could be described as "funky" that I enjoy: coffee, sour beers, blue cheese. Music is not one of them. I did not like this. Don't make me pick a favorite song. 2/5
2.5 Look I appreciate and recognize Sly’s talent and artistry, but damn, there’s barely a hummable tune, a catchy hook here. I don’t really like any of the songs on this album! More than any other album on this list, this album sounds depressed. Sly seems like he’s going through something here. It’s emo funk. The last song is literally just a downtempo version of one of their biggest hits from another album.
Good, but a bit long winded
Their fifth album. Rock / Soul / Funk. Cynical lyrics reflecting the disillusionment of the times. So much going on with Vietnam, Political assassinations and Watergate about to explode. Musically very good too. I love the bass. Really a good album.
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.
I always want to like Funk albums, but they just never stick for me. I wish I knew what it was.
Genre: Funk Sly and the Family Stone wasn’t always political. There was once a time where they played more Soul Pop stylings, and they made their way to the forefront with a vibrant, dance-heavy sound. This here record, though, dark, funky, with a smart, conscious and thoughtful underbelly. Really great stuff, and such an interesting change of pace from their first few records. Loved this. 4/5
Always love funk, and Sly was one of the best.
Bring the funk with Sly & the Family Stone!
2-3
I'm sure for funk fans this was a life changing album but I don't see me listening to it much - glad I had the opportunity to listen
6,5/10. Está bastante bien, si te mola el buen funk muy instrumental. Perfecto para una chilleada de domingo ambientando la casa. No le pongo más nota porque echo en falta más líneas de voz. A mí me gusta cantar lo que escucho.
1. Luv N' Haight (Single Version) - 9 Great track of funk. The guitars sound so good and the background vocals were definitely of the era. But this kind of gospel inspired music, whether rock or funk or house or disco, I am very weak for. It is some of my favourite and it's all throughout the track. 2. Just Like a Baby - 5 Budget James Brown of a track. It's much slower but the vocals are very unappealing on it. You're ready for it to be over well before it is. Pass over of a track. 3. Poet - 7 It took me a few times to see what I should rate this but overall it's not a bad track. Overall it's not bad and is a decent vibe/funk. 4. Family Affair (Single Version) - 3 Lyrically this is dreadful. Instrumentally it's not strong enough to get past the vocals, which unlike other tracks, dominate the sound of what is on this piece. 5. Africa Talks to You ("The Asphalt Jungle") - 8 Great jam session with some awesome sounds. Vocals are very of the era with the way they will sound like a disco track. Overall, enjoyable. 6. There's a Riot Goin' On (silent) - N/A It's 4 seconds of dead air. 7. Brave & Strong (Single Version) - 6 Not a bad track. The signing can be overbearing at times but it's nothing too bad. It sounds like your standard James Brown like track. 8. (You Caught Me) Smilin' (Single Version) - 4 There's not enough on this track to really say it's anything significant in quality. Lyrically it's boring. Instrumentally it's too cookie cutter. 9. Time - 6 Decent sound. Another one that comes and goes in enjoyment but not anything overly to dislike about the track. 10. Spaced Cowboy - 4 I could do without the yodeling. Everything else about the track is great, especially the harmonica solo in the bridge and the bass in the intro. 11. Runnin' Away (Single Version) - 2 Lyrically the weakest track on the album. Really dull track. 12. Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa - 7 Good song with some decent jams to end the album. This is the kind of stuff I wish was on more of the album overall, especially given the juxtaposition of this against the track before it. Still, good funk track. Average Rating: 5.55 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.77 Rounded Up: 3 Stars
Thank you
The perfect soundtrack for when you're too disillusioned to dance but still want your existential crisis to have a funky bassline. 3.0/5.0: Good
great instrumentals, many of the songs go on for far too long but i wouldnt mind hearing this in short bursts of one or two songs at a time
Favorite Track: Africa Talks to You
Musta tuntuu että tää oli jotenki merkittävä mut en ihan tajunnu sitä. Ei oo oikeestaan valitettavaa mutta kesti monta päivää kuunnella. Sanoisin että hyvää musiikkia, mutta ei aivan mun makuun.
This is my first time listening to Sly & The Family Stone. I will say that out of the songs that played so far, which is 4 songs, « Just Like A Baby » is still in my head. I appreciate the soulfulness in Sly’s voice, but this appears to be a heavier and political album. That makes sense given the time it was written, which was around the Civil Rights Movement . “Africa Talks to You” is unfortunately lost on me as it feels far too long and I’m not sure if it’s intentional that there are few words and mostly instrumental. Perhaps symbolic of Africans being taken from different tribes and thus, unable to communicate. But honestly, after this song, the album felt like a drag. I am finishing it in order, but I think this wasn’t the best Sly album to start on as I prefer funky/ disco music. At the same time, art isn’t always about feeling good, upbeat and happy. Sometimes, it’s thought provoking, darker, sad, depressing, heavier. It’s meant to make you stop and think. It’s meant to be introspective and reflective of the world around you. I lts just okay for me as it’s not a bad album per se, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to this particular album again and I’m not sure I’ll pursue more music from Sly and The Family Stone. I am excited to take on this exploration in music though because now Just Like A Baby is in my music library.
It's okay. But sort of too meandering for my taste.
Love this album from top to bottom.
Funky
Essential. Needs to be heard.
C'est un des albums que je me suis retenu d'écouter avant de me le faire générer. Ça a beau être un album funk qui sort du moule du à son côté plus sombre et gritty, j'aime quand même mon funk plus dansant et groovy. Appelez-moi conservateur et traditionaliste, mais... vous savez quoi? Appelez-moi juste pas, j'ai assez de scam chinois dans ma boîte vocale
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.
Really good, want to hear more from them
Pretty fantastic
Wah, wah and more wah! Some songs were a little thin while others were more than I remember. A fun ride
еще один ничем не запомнившийся мне альбом((( музыка надоедает
„There’s A Riot Goin’ On“ von Sly and the Family Stone erschien 1971 und markiert einen deutlichen Bruch mit dem optimistischen Funk-Soul-Sound, für den die Band zuvor bekannt war. Statt der farbenfrohen, energiegeladenen Hymnen wie „Dance to the Music“ oder „Everyday People“ dominiert hier eine dunklere, introspektivere Atmosphäre. Die Aufnahmen fanden größtenteils in Heimstudios statt, vor allem in Slys eigenem Haus in Kalifornien, wo er mit Overdubs, Drum-Machines und stark gedämpften Arrangements arbeitete. Musikalisch bewegt sich das Album zwischen Funk, Soul und Rock, allerdings deutlich reduzierter und rauer als auf den Vorgängern. Songs wie „Family Affair“ gehören zu den bekanntesten Stücken, während andere Tracks eher fragmentarisch wirken und die innere Zerrissenheit spiegeln. Auch die Band selbst, eine gemischte Gruppe aus afroamerikanischen und weißen Musiker:innen, zeigt sich hier weniger geschlossen, was sich in der Stimmung der Platte widerspiegelt. Insgesamt ist das Album kein leicht zugängliches Werk, sondern ein dokumentarisches Zeugnis einer Umbruchzeit in den USA Anfang der 1970er. Es prägt bis heute die Entwicklung von Funk und Soul in Richtung eines introspektiven, urbanen Sounds.
Love Sly, so funky
In a word , GROOVY! Highly influential mellow funk. There are some forward looking sounds on here: oscillating guitar lines, keyboards of unknown origin, bass lines that rock you and roll you. Sly’s voice is amazing too. Really entertaining album.
I can appreciate Sly for what it is, but it isn't really my go to. 2.5/5
It’s pretty good. I’m sure if I had more context of the music I’d have more of an appreciation. 3 of 5 since I know it had to influence a lot of artists
Это фанк и соул, детка!
decent album, very funky
Wish he had made more records. RIP
Only good song: The title track.
Influential, of course. But I’m not sure the years have done Riot any favors. There’s a lot of more energetic, soulful funk to find now (again, thanks in part to the influence of Sly & The Family Stone). I appreciate the socially conscious lyrics.
it's definitely a funk album of all time
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.
own
kinda great, eh?
YES YES YES YES YES YES
Solid funky jams, really enjoyed it! It felt a biiiiiit repetitive by the end but very strong
still no music for me to listen to for an entire album
The Good: It’s a family affair! The Bad: It’s a family affair… The Ugly: Family affairssss… I never understood what the big deal is with Sly and his stone family… This album did nothing to change my mind… I listened to it. I feel like I didn’t accomplish anything meaningful by doing so… funk is overrated, as far as I'm concerned—unless Stevie Wonder does it! So, emblematic album, yes, should someone listen to it, yes, and am I breaking grammar rules by placing all the previous in one sentence, yes! 2 1/2*
It’s pretty cool, but I get a little tired of it after a while.
ok
I think yodeling is more fun to sing than listen to. Otherwise, nice funky beat.
First real surprise disappointment. I didn’t connect with this really at all. I even listened twice! I know I love some of their music.
legal
Fonky
Spaced Cowboy just comes out of nowhere. A fun album despite what was going on with the band and the world at the time.
I can't stand funk and soul
Interesting and funky? but not my kind of music haha
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
Fun, groovy, but I don't remember much about it, unfortunately.
A great album from the 70s
Smooth funk. Nice.
This has that messy, double album energy. As such, it's one that I like but not one that I REALLY like. However, on repeated listens it starts to seep into you.
Never heard of this group or album. Patriotism! Luv N' Haight: Two of my favorite things, which are the adorable misspelling of love as "luv" and SF Hippie culture. The Haight is a little wacky but I like perusing Amoeba Records when I get the chance. It's a nice, warm, funky sound so far. No intelligible lyrics but that's okay I'm sure they're saying something cool. Just Like a Baby: Wow, a really wonderful plucky instrumental here at the beginning. Very nice, very cozy. These songs are sort of blending into mush at the end. Maybe that's how funk is? I've never really listened to a funk album, I guess. This seems like mostly moaning and riffing and whatnot. Which is cool but not blowing my mind. Poet: This is sort of Mariokart music or something. Idk. Family Affair: I like how this is vocals-forward. The instrumental is nice and calm, too. I like the Ha-HAAAA-how! I like the female and male voices. Africa Talks To You ("The Asphalt Jungle"): It's fine, I guess. Really long and a little boring. Definitely not made for me. I don't think Africa has much to say to a random wasian chick from the Bay Area, but I can see why this'd be valuable for other people. The instrumentation is cool, I guess. There's a Riot Goin' On: You know, I gotta ask why the title track is 3 seconds of silence. A little underwhelming, but maybe there's some reason to it. Brave & Strong: Pretty groovy. Similar to the other songs. Just nice. (You Caught Me) Smilin': Easily my favorite song thus far. Very sweet, positive. Beautiful, endearing music. Love it. Time: Kinda boring. Don't care much for it. Spaced Cowboy: Lives up to its name! Very silly. Good energy. Flouncy, groovy little track. I can imagine the cowboy with all that yodeling and hollering. Wow, if you read these lyrics they're kinda crazy. Runnin' Away: Very nice and light, like a lovely little slice of cake. The hee hee hee is a little creepy and Elfontheshelf for my tastes but whatever. It's still pretty nice :-) Thank You for Talkin' to Me, Africa: Well, this sure is an interesting little album. A very affectionate and cute title here. I like it. It's a seven minute song, though, and that's the kind of length that I can only allow from a remarkably good song (not really. But this is so repetitive that it's actually kinda pissing me off). It's very psychedelic and I guess this group was pretty influential in the hippie era. I like hippies, 60s counterculture as a vibe and a part of history (not that I've ever done real research on it for myself, but I'm just sort of distantly and maybe musically into it) but that's what makes it really appalling that I've never heard of this band. According to Apple Music, they were one of a handful of black performers at Woodstock which is a cool piece of history. Apparently they were quite political but I haven't really been locked in or astute enough to digest the politics in this music, so maybe I'll look into that later. Thank you for lettin' me be myself again is really sweet, I guess if they're talking about getting to express themselves in a less eurocentric way. cool. I just don't love that this album is essentially them repeating stuff and repeating beats. As an album, i'd say this was pretty cool, pretty nice to listen to most of the time. I was never like "this sucks!" although I don't think that much about music. There were definitely lulls, times where it felt like there was too much plain instrumental, but that's more a personal preference thing since I didn't think the rest of the song was quite good enough to make up for it. It was good, though. I especially liked the more typically catchy/pleasant and accessible songs, like Caught me smilin' and Spaced Cowboy and Runnin' Away. Anyways, maybe I'll give this group another listen or at least listen to some more black counterculture music since I know hippies were a pretty white, privileged group. I'd like to familiarize myself with other stuff, I guess. I could see this as a 4 but right now it's a 3.6.
5.5/10
Man, this was disappointing. Because Family Affair is an absolute belter. And the rest didn’t live up to it. Too much rambling and not enough funky tunes for my liking
Nada acontece, o disco não decola. Como fica explicitado em suas duas faixas mais longas: "Africa Talks To You" e "Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa", onde a melodia curta se repete infinitamente, sem nenhuma progressão ou mudança de tom. Mas o pior mesmo são os vocais repletos de gemidos e grunhidos. De positivo a bateria acústica, tentando seu espaço entre as baterias eletrônicas e o baixo se sobrepondo, embora um pouco agudo (estalado) em demasia.
Seems like Sly could be a tough hang at the time and what he surfaced wasn’t always an easy listen, but then there are the gems that only he could do.
Not my taste in Music, but a lot of pleasant songs - Very groovy
This very much does what you expect but to a high standard.
I enjoyed this. I tend to enjoy the type of music where you could tell they were heavily abusing drugs while making it. Overall good sound.
I hadn't ever heard of Sly & The Family Stone before this but was pleasantly surprised. Solid album.
Netter Beatnachmittag mit viel Luft nach oben 😊
country
Right in the face of Marvin Gaye
oh SMELL yes bro. SMELL YES!!!!
Yes! I liked quite a bit. Great music and good vibes.
I loved this one, big fan of the last song being a callback to one of their most popular songs.
AFRICA DOES TALK TO ME
i don’t like spaced cowboy. i do like the rest of the record though it’s pretty groovy
3.3 Pretty good, though the fidelity really lets it down. For some reason the second half in particular sounds extremely grainy, could do with a remaster. Not my usual thing but easy to appreciate.
Sounds like Steve Harley
Er zijn rellen aan de gang, maar dat verhindert niet dat het allemaal weer lekker relaxt klinkt, deze funkmuziek. Koortjes, wah-wahgitaar, basloopjes. Ik lees op d'n wiki dat deze plaat zou uitpuilen van apathie, pessimisme en desillusie, maar als het daar dan toch over moet gaan, doet u het mij dan maar op deze manier.
Ik snap de omschrijving funk. De basiselementen zijn aanwezig. Maar de funk-ervaring heb ik zelf niet. Soms is het te chaotisch, soms te gemaakt. Maar de zang leidt mij het meeste af. Zoals bij de hit Family Affair. Eerst een dame die prima op een latere eurodance-plaat terecht had kunnen komen. Dan de rauwere man, die nauwelijks zingt en zijn stem wat laat overslaan. En dan wisselen ze af in het refrein. Niet om aan te horen. Ze trekken het volledig uit elkaar. Het is vast bewust met een diepere reden. Een reflectie van familierelaties of iets dergelijks. Prima, maar geen reden om het na vandaag nog eens aan te zetten.
We krijgen weer eens een ouderwets funky soul plaatje. Ik word altijd wel blij van funk. Het is regelmatig uptempo, maar ook als het wat langzamer gaat, vind ik het fijn om te luisteren. Vooral de basloopjes geven prominent de ritmes aan en de drums en de gitaar (of piano) kunnen daar speels omheen bewegen. Dat Ome Sly zijn neus diep in de cocainedoos had gestopt kun je wel horen, maar stoort me verder niet. Als er mooi gezongen moet worden, zijn er altijd nog een stel gospelzangeressen. Waar sommige stijlen zijn oververtegenwoordigd in de lijst, mag dit soort funky soul er van mij wel vaker in. Al zit aan alle stijlen een max natuurlijk. Elke keer als dit soort muziek voorbij komt, word ik toch een beetje blij. En dat is wat je wil met muziek. Een vrolijke 4 sterren.
..
Excellent
2/5 Niet echt mijn smaak maar best goed Rip Sly
5/10
Great vibes, although it does sound a bit dated at times
Introspective and chill. Very pleasant listen.
Good funk.
So good. No notes.
Listened to it right after he died, very funky, and holds up well, except for the yodeling in spaced cowboy
I'd never heard of these. A fun listen, kinda long.
70s funk soul. Very cool to listen! 🕴🕴🕴🕺🕺🕺🎼🎵🎤🎸🥁🪕
Neat, funky, chill
Not a fan. I think all of the songs just fall flat for me. The main reason is the production, especially the drums which sound so thin and empty on most songs. The bass tone also has so much high end so it takes up no space in the mix. I think the songs are missing a clear direction and instead they just drag on without much purpose. My favorite track would have to be Runnin away because I think it's fairly well written, the guitar tone is pretty good, and the horns sound nice.
I had higggh expectations from this, was slightly disappointed but still had fun listening! 3.5/5
I like to think that this album encapsulates the age. Shambolic, ethically unsound (y’all know the story about why the sound quality is so muddy, right?), but ultimately endearing.
4/5
babcia powiedziala ze fajne. nie wlaczyla aparatu sluchowego (zazdroszcze)
One of the greatest LA bands and just timeless and cool.
Another PE pretty decent offering for the 1001. 3.5 stars
fun rhythms, thoughtful lyrics.
Good but a little too long.
Rock, Soul, 1971 -> 3
Funky pero no de mi estilo
One of the better funk/soul albums on this list, but still just not my thing.
There were some bits that I really did quiet like, but I think I tend to prefer funk a bit more energetic
Nice, chill album. Loved “Spaced Cowboy.”
A very cool and smooth funk record with some good messages. Really nice to listen to while the sun is out.
Enjoyed it. Was ready for it to be over in the last few tracks
Thought it was more interesting to read about than listen to, sounded...ok...didn't feel the energy to want to go back though
Very funky but just didn't quite do it for me like I expected it to.
I'd listen to it again, and I'd definitely listen to other Sly albums again, but didn't pull me in as much as I expected.
This was one of the most forgettable albums so far, but it did end well