Reviews (page 5 of 9)
Pretty good! Sly is great, though this didn't feel as awesome as their other albums
Luv n' Haight 4 Just Like a Baby 3.7 Poet 3.8 Family Affair 3 Africa Talks to You 'The Asphalt Jungle 3.6 There's a Riot Goin' On n/a Brave & Strong 3.7 (You Caught Me) Smilin 3.5 Time 3.5 Spaced Cowboy 3.6 Runnin' Away 3.4 Thank You for Tallkin' to Me Africa 3.8 Score: 3.6
I like that this record exists, I just don’t really want to have to listen to it. I can enjoy stretches of it in the right mood, but it’s the kind of record I’d rather read about than actually listen too. Spaced Cowboy was a right shocker though - yodelling should be left to Focus, or better still, just left.
Off the cuff remark: I listened to this twice. Once in the car and once at home in sweltering heat. It made different kinds of sense both times. Not a genre I listen to much at all, but I definitely enjoyed it. Standout track: Brave & Strong Revisit?: I think I'm going to surprise myself by deliberately coming back for more.
Man, I love some good Funk.
Fav songs: Just Like a Baby; Time; Spaced Cowboy I wanted to like this more. Maybe it's the day I'm having.
I feel like this would be enhanced by a lazy autumn day (though it is actually raining as I type this) and some substances being passed around while it plays on speaker.
Funky.
Classical funk. James brown like, not exactly soul funk pop but close. Interesting regardless. Has some classics though.
Yoooooo! Funky yet mellow, enjoyed this as something to twiddle away in the background for sure! I imagine it caused quite a stir back in the day!
I love Sly & the Family Stone, but this one just didn't hold my attention
I guess you had to be there.
You had me at 60's funky psychedelic soul from San Francisco. I don't listen to a lot of SFS but I always enjoy it when I do. I really need to check out the rest of the catalog. The bass playing really does it for me. 5 stars all day.
Score: 5/10 Favorite Track: Family Affair There’s a Riot Goin’ On by Sly and the Family Stone is an album that’s clearly aiming for a deeper, moodier atmosphere than the band’s earlier, more vibrant work—but to me, it ends up feeling a bit too hazy and hard to grasp. The funk grooves are still there, but they’re often buried under murky production and loose structures that make the tracks run together. There’s a lethargic quality to the whole thing, which might be the point given the sociopolitical climate it was responding to, but as a listener, I found it hard to stay engaged all the way through. That said, “Family Affair” really stands out as the emotional and sonic centerpiece. It’s smoother, more focused, and its sparse, drum machine-led groove gives it a cool, hypnotic charm that’s lacking elsewhere on the album. While I can appreciate the influence this record had on later funk, soul, and hip-hop, it didn’t quite click for me on a personal level. It’s an interesting piece of history, but not something I’d be rushing to revisit.
didn't listen to much of it, i kinda liked it;
I think this is a great album that's very smooth, soulful, a little funky (less than I thought), and consistently good throughout. However, nothing really blew me away. It was just a nice ride that was calmer than I was expecting but something I will listen to again.
Funk hasn't fared too well until now, but this is greasy, sleazy, fucked up, sexy and wild. What can I say, 5 stars.
Unique sound of pure groove.
Nah
>>>>>>>>>The Beatles
Chill, Funk, Gesang nicht so geil
I dig it.
So much to love here. Prince? A descendant. RHCP? Descendants. And so many others. Great listen.
Track 6...4 seconds of silence. Track 12...7 minutes of tasty funks.
This album good, but everything I was hearing about the record told me it was gonna be great. And if I’m being honest, I just couldn’t see it in a GREAT light. I thought that the record would be very clean and well put together, but I felt like it didn’t hold up to that standard. It he vocals were very hard to hear and the mix wasn’t very smooth. Some songs were better than others, but I felt like it could have been a lot better than people were saying it was gonna be.
I only really know the hits but listening to this all of the way through I really enjoyed the drum machine featured on some of the tracks. Seems like a big deal for 1971. I googled and found out its and MRK-2 and it just had preset rhythms. It fits in really nice with these tracks, I especially like the songs that have the drum machine combined with a real drummer.
First things first, R.I.P to Sly who passed just a few weeks ago. This was a lot more melodic and darker than I thought coming in, especially as it went on. 7/10
Really great, upbeat, endlessly enjoyable political funk. I just wish they removed Africa Talks to You because it is so dull.
Definitely not their best music, but it still has that Sly vibe to it. Favorite Track: "Family Affair".
Grooves
Like it 3/5
It’s perfectly fine, but not really my lane.
Listens: 3 Standout tracks: Spaced Cowboy The yodeling in Spaced Cowboy is positively absurd, otherwise this album is just okay. There are some good hooks and bass lines. That's about all I've got. 3
Dark, funky, awesome. First time listening to this one but loved almost all of it. The songs flow into each other so well that it will take me some more listens to really get a grasp on this one. I'm torn between a four and five star out of enjoyment but think I'm gonna go to five as this feels like one that gets better the more you listen. Then adding the context of the album and its impact makes it seem like an easier decision. Rating: 4.6
It wasn't unpleasant, but it was kind of boring. I feel 2 stars is fair.
Funky I like sly
Heard a few off this album before. Ok album but not a favourite
Kinda fun but also kinda boring Will I listen to again: 4%
I hadn't really listened to Sky and the Family Stone much beyond "A Family Affair." I enjoyed the extended jams and sinewy grooves though, on some songs, it grew a bit tedious. Not as politically charged as I thought it would be. Still, I can see how this influenced so many others and the legacy of Sly, along with Brian Wilson, is huge
I liked this, but honestly thought it would be more interesting. Family affair is a great tune, love some of the instrumentals like the bass line on brave & strong, enjoyed the experimental funk country of spaced cowboy, but a good few of these songs kind of meander to nowhere rather than build into something special. Does get better in the second half, maybe needs more listens for better appreciation
It was alright
Album 803 of 1089 Sly & The Family Stone - There's A Riot Goin' On (1971) Rating : 3.5 / 5 Quite the coincidence to get a Sly Stone album the day after this death. Very good album. Probably a lot more going on lyrically having to do with social and political turmoil that can't be captured in one listen. This one goes on the save and repeat list. Uniquely Sly. Soulful funk.
Sly Stone died the day before yesterday, so this is spooky. It's like he's come along to say Hey! It's time you listened to me properly, young lady. Happy to comply. More laid-back than I expected (I was expecting a bit more Dance to the Music or I Wanna Take You Higher-style) but when It's A Family Affair kicked in, the vibe of the album all made sense. Loose-sounding, but actually the band are so tight. Some tracks meander somewhat, but I suspect this would grow on me a lot, given time. I liked it anyway, even though the yodelling was unexpected. I hope he's still grooving away, up there. RIP, Mr Stone.
Just Like a Baby // Family Affair // Runnin’ Away //
The music is okay but few of the songs are memorable at all. 3 stars or C-.
I dont know if it is coincidence or pushed by the site, but I got this album on the day that was announced the singer of Sly & The Family Stone has passed away. I love the vibe of the album, very groovy. Songs like Family Affair and Thank you for talkin to me Afrika are wonderful songs. The rest of the album was often more of the same, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
The day after Sly Stone passed, this album hit—and somehow it feels more relevant than ever. Disillusioned, murky, and slow-burning, There’s a Riot Goin’ On is funk turned inward: political, paranoid, and deeply personal. In 2025, with real riots and performative politics all around, this record feels like a mirror.
Funk
Thanks for speaking to me Africa, Spaced Cowboy
Cool and laid back funk.
Expected more
Sly is a legend, but I just couldn’t get into this album
Don't know what I expected, definitely not something this funky. I think it requires several listens to understand. 3*
It is not my kind of music. I will listen to it again one day because I think there is some good music here.
Turns out I prefer the more interesting Funkadelic/Parliament style of funk.
A killer Sly record that distills the essence of ‘70s disillusionment
Decent funk album. They music is fairly good and the singing is well done. Just missing a few real standout songs. 3.5/5 Might listen again
The soundtrack to 70s porn
A lot darker and grittier than I was expecting and I love it for that.
This is a fine album, solidly in the Funk/Soul lane, but nothing on it really grabbed me. For a group as iconic as Sly & The Family Stone, I was expecting something a bit more engaging or distinct. Instead, it felt like a fairly generic funk album, with grooves that are enjoyable but not especially memorable. Did I enjoy it while it played? Sure. But it never gave me a reason to want to come back. It floats by nicely enough, just without leaving much of a mark.
Funky, but not really up my alley. It wasn't too long though, and on a different day I might've been more into it
This was a great surprise listen for me. Kinda proggy, funky as hell and I haven't even listened to the lyrical content properly yet.
Funky funky funk album. Certainly cool. Certainly too long. I don't know why this has become a regular complaint by me, but I've really come to appreciate albums that can be magnificent without seemingly dragging on.
Dette er en fremragende og dyster skildring av det amerikanske samfunnet i kjølvannet av 60-tallets naive optimisme. I tillegg er det også noe av den kuleste fønken jeg har hørt. Produksjonen har en varm klarhet som jeg elsker. Feite og gode basslinjer brummer imens keyboardene plinker og plonker som bare det. Absolutt alt som skjer i lydbilder slår seg perfekt sammen i en nydelig dis. Der er også noe fengslende i den kyniske og paranoide atmosfæren disse dyktige musikerene befant seg i. Og uansett hvor trøtt, sliten og ruset Sly høres ut, så forblir han en fenomenal vokalist, musiker, produsent, og kreativ visjonær gjennom hele denne platen.
Alle sangan høres ut som outroen på en sang dem glemte å spille, så æ like det for så vidt, men det kommer liksom aldri ordentlig i gang, og det e litt rart når du høre hele albumet i et jafs. Æ tror nok også funk e en sånn ting æ like, men ikke på den måten at æ vil høre på det i album-versjon, men som soundtrack til nokka eller ispedd anna musikk e det en fryd.
Good album ( last song has a helluva funky bass line )!
I liked the funky instrumentation, but the songs mostly felt like a lot of noodling that didn't really go anywhere.
sounds a bit too aged to me and is not really my jam.
-Strongest point are the bass lines throughout -Above average enjoyability -Best Songs: Family Affair, (You Caught Me) Smilin', Spaced Cowboy -Worst Songs: Luv N'Haight, Poet, Time -Overall Rating: 8/10
Dad- 9 Mom- 8 Mike- 8 Lori- 8 Michael- 9 Miles- 7 Cole- 8 Avg- 8.14
Love it. Always a great listen. Love the lazy, hazy atmosphere. Never lets me down with it's whacked out weirdness. Great Cover Art.
Holy shit
If weed had a sound.
Not my jam, but I didn’t hate it.
This album is great. What a groove. This is one of those albums that starts strong and then each track gets stronger. This is so great. It’s hard to sit still. I want to get up and dance. “Africa talks to you” is such a killer song. “Spaced cowboy” is the coolest yodeling I’ve ever heard. This is so great!! Even the closer is a killer song. Albums like this amaze me. How can there be so many great songs on a single album?!?
Ihan kivaa jammailua, mutta juu, jammailua. Bassot on vallan mukavia. Mut kaipais jotain hendrixmäistä koukkua. Runnin’ away on hyvää poppia vaihteluksi. Mutta vähän haukotuttaa kuunnella tätä enemmän kuin puoli tuntia.
Joo okei, Stand! on oikeasti (ainakin) nelonen. Luotan siihen, että tämäkin on kolmonen (ainakin..?). Levy himmailee ja jammailee kontrolloimattomasti, mutta en pääse yli sen rytmisestä ambianssista. Jäisiköhän jotain soimaan päähänkin?
A disappointing experience. Plenty of rhythm, noodeling and repetition. Not what I hoped for considering the cast, neither what I like.
A staple of funk and progressive soul, with great conscious lyrics which can get dark at times contrasting with the mostly mellow instrumentation. No real flaws to this one. 5.
84/100. The album balances its funky rhythms with a darker, more introspective tone, making it a bold and iconic statement in both sound and subject.
RIP Sly...
Having a great run of funk and soul albums at the moment. Larry Graham’s bass man, nothing else like it. Compressed into a squawking, clucking buzz, but those grooves are unmatched. Sublime.
Pretty good funk & soul ablum.
ziemlich high quality, aber is ma nit soo hängen geblieben
Overall a pretty middpenof the road album. Nothing really jumps out as great or exceptional. The really interesting part is Sly's use of the drum machine. This has to be one of the first examples of an artist commercially exploring the "instrument"
Pretty chill funk. I like this as background noise or would be playing in my elevator.
The opening track sets out the stall: washed out and moody, punctuated with funky, major key moments of relief - the lyrics too are strangely schizophrenic and almost mumbled (Sly "doesn't want to move", while the backing vocals urge us to do exactly that). Legend has it that washed-out sound is due to Stewart inviting girls to sing on the record, only to later scrub what they had contributed and replace them with other girls who had taken him up on his offer to "take part in the session". Hmmm. It is, however, soul with a social conscience, it's as bleak as it is groovy, and a couple of tracks get lost in their own, admittedly funky, rut for just a little too long. The singles, and a handful of the album tracks, are all top notch though. Listening on headphones is a joy, there is so much going on, but it never feels cluttered, with an in-your-face bass sound driving the whole thing throughout, the ensemble of supporting musicians never get in each other's way, nor do they tread on the toes of those layered vocals. It truly is a lesson in arranging and layering music. Overall, maybe not a perfect long-player, but it's pretty close.
3.4 Would have easily been near a 5/5 if it'd kept up the tone of the first song faves: luv n' haight, brave and strong
Classic
Great funk
- 5 for "Spaced Cowboy" ..... I didn't realize he used drum machines on this one .... -
Not a huge fan of funk but this was good
A textbook on Funk, Riot exemplifies how this genre can utilize retrospection on topical and timely ideas and go well beyond dance clubs and beats that would be responsible for a million samples.
This manifesto's measured yet meandering soundscape pulls you into Stone's darkness while your body responds to its revolutionary funk, illustrating Questlove's observation about how we often celebrate Black artistic suffering without acknowledging its human cost.
I liked this for the most part but the production drove me nuts. Rounding down to 3 for the production.
I liked this quite a bit more than I expected… 3.5 rounded up to 4
Ok, so this album feels simultaneously like a demo, a blueprint for what Parliament/Funkadelic was going to be doing later in the '70s AND why you shouldn't do drugs. It has its own groove, but it's not "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" at all. I don't think it's Sly's best work, but I can see where some of it is going. Let's call it 2.5 rounded up to 3.
This was definitely a Sly and the Family Stone Album —- and I liked it. Every now and again I would think “who sampled that?, I know I have heard that snippet somewhere else!”
A whole lot of funk brother
i preferred the other record from this group more than this one. felt a little meandering to me personally.
Interesting look at proto funk. Very clear to see its influence on the Funk that was to come. That being said It was a bit too tame for me. More like background studying music than that type of funk you just need to move to. Some strange tracks took me out of it at times too. One track featured yodeling of all things, lol. Overall solid but not exceptional.
Good early funk, and a solid listen. I liked Stand! a lot more than this one. 2/5
Peak 70s music. Funky and catchy. A couple of songs were more easy listening but I liked the funky ones better.
Family Affair is sooo fire. Rest of it was fine too
Nothing crazy. Didn’t love some of the weird bits
Ok
Just because there are nice grooves doesn’t mean that it’s that much more listenable. Songwriting matters.
Pure groove. Love the use of panning on this one.
Okay, a bit weirder than the previous Sly and the Family Stone album. I like it, actually, but it's kind of a tough listen. Parts are a bit unpleasant, and parts overall are a bit more of the generic cliche style of the previous album, but there's a lot to love here. Solid
I thought I knew this album but I didn’t. I think I was confusing it with another Sly Stine album. This is great! Not exactly chock full of hits but a great “vibe” and I could totally feel the influence on jazz fusion, and other stuff I like.
What a band, what an album….
Slinky soulful
Really don’t remember even listening to this one. R&B. Sounds good enough.
Hell yeah.
Ich kenn mich mit Soul/RnB 0,0 aus. Ich genieße die Musik aber ich kann nicht viel mitnehmen. Tracks wie Runnin Away hat mir besonders gefallen. Den Jodelsong fand ich nervig.
Liking the psychedelic funk albums. Fun to see where they go with songs and how they make them sound different.
Probably my least favourite Sly Stone album but I can respect it
Funk for funk's sake. One digs thoroughly all the looseness of the layering, and the letting it all hang out hangs together just enough. Did it take such extensive tinkering to make it seem so tossed-off. First few songs set the tone beautifully and "Family Affair" slows it down a touch and deepens the vibe, distilling the coolness. "Spaced Cowboy" is proof that we can all be more fun and productive when on drugs. The closer is great, a wide-open, slow-burning panoramic breakdown / exploration of an all-time hook from a previous hit. That it doesn't sound as sour or angry is as it is alleged to have heard is perhaps a function of one's listening in times as uncertain – okay, bad – as when this was recorded.
Great album by Sly and the family stone, but my favorite is Fresh.
Not quite as good a stand! But still pretty good. Doesn’t help that yesterday’s album was Superfly by Curtis Mayfield
3.5/5
solid album very leon bridges
Feels like this was groundbreaking at some point but doesn’t quite hold up imo - little boring
Jo, ganz ok. Konnte man sich anhören
Mid, hab nicht viel zu zu sagen
Unfortunately I just don’t like this album as much as a couple other Sly & TFS albums
Not bad but not for me
This is one of those classic albums of the comedown from the 60s. The account on Wikipedia of the circumstances are quite telling, and it's remarkable that it worked out so well. I'd advise omitting the additional tracks on some re-releases though.
mega pedrada
ou, quentíssimo esse, hein. funk baixo astral refletindo a situação social dos eua pós década de 60. curti bastante. btw family affair é fortíssima pqp
Yes, have some.
funky & smooth, robust & bold 4/5 good coffee
I did not give this album its due attention - just listened to it while working once through This album was perfect for that setting tho. Super groovy, and not a lot of contrast in the album so it wasn’t distracting. I did note that I liked how melodies get passed around from band member to band member. They’re probably having a blast recording this I really enjoyed my listen, but nothing stuck out to me enough to go back for a re-listen. Very hard for me to choose between 3 and 4
It’s alright. An enjoyable listen but monotonous at times. I’m sure lyrically and stylistically this was amazing in the 70’s but it doesn’t still stand on its own as a paragon of the genre. Especially with maggot brain coming out the same year before this.
Nothing really stood out for me on this album. It was an easy listen, but it's hard for me to give this anything above a 3. It felt like a normal funky, jazzy, jam band. I think the absence of lyrics in most songs probably impacted how I feel about it, but it definitely wasn't bad by any means, just underwhelming. Good background music though. My favorite songs were Runnin' Away and Thank you for Talkin to Me, Africa. Mid 3. There are better bands that do this better.
The mix is dirt but it’s good dirt. This is darker funk and I really like it. I’ll definitely be listening to this whole thing again. A solid 4/5 from me
More like there's some mediocre funk goin' on.
Funky stuff. Sly and band are quite the musicians. Saved: Africa Talks to You ("The Asphalt Jungle") (You caught me) Smilin' Time Spaced Cowboy Runnin' Away I have to listen to Peter fucking Gabriel after this. Lucky me.
самое милое в альбоме - что его назвали в честь Марвина Гея. в остальном фанки соул всё ещё не для меня
Get up for the down beat
Ik had gister (of eigenlijk eerder, maar toen pas geluisterd) die broertjes Alleman, die dagen lang aan 1 snaar konden plukken en dit voelt een beetje als de soul variant daarvan. Sommige liedjes blijven maar duren en duren en duren met als hoogtepunt dat er een aantal man maar wat loopt te mompelen. Semi-onvoorbereid, vul ik even in. Ik noem een 'Africa Talks to You' van 8 minuten. Ik zal niet zeggen dat ze geen muziek kunnen maken, want het is zeker goede muziek gemaakt door mensen die hun vak beheersen, maar man man man wat kan ik me soms vervelen bij zoiets. Als album is dit voor mij veel te veel van het goede en dat ligt helemaal aan mij. Spotify probeerde er ook stiekem weer een bonusversie van een uur plus in te fietsen. Wat dat betreft moet ik waakzaam blijven. Ik geef 2 sterren ook al is dit zeker geen slechte muziek.
This was funky, strange at times, and overall an interesting listen but did not have many songs I would be eager to revisit. 6/10
its funky, its cool, and its long. You know the phrase too much of a goosd thing? Thats this, it overstays its welcome, they're funky as hell but nothing really stands out that makes me wanna stick around for more. Maybe Poet, but thats it.
Sly & the Family Stone are a band I want to like. They’ve got all the ingredients and make funky music that I should enjoy. I just find them boring. I don’t know what they’re missing! This album was fine. But again… mostly boring
A classic album with loads of interesting stuff going on, and although I am not a funk-kind-of-guy, it's tough not to be carried away by songs like 'Family Affair' and the closing track.
Funky stuff by legendary Sly Stone and his family of funksters. There are some great cuts on the record, including “Family Affair”, but I find myself struggling to really pay attention. It’s good for playing in the background but I’m not really that invested. Best track? “There’s A Riot Goin’ On”
preddy sweet
Good!
Struggled with this one
This was OK though I doubt I'd ever want to revisit it.
Remember Woodstock!
Три дня я его пытался послушать и вот наконец-то дослушал. Это всё, конечно, грувово и вайбово, но что-то как-то фанк мне пока на душу не лёг, видимо надо отрастить афро и купить крутую рубашку и педаль квакушку. А так, это реально обычный фанк, прикольный такой.
Very homebrewed sound. Notes of funk, gospel
Pretty good funk, would be great for a night with friends. Probably not gonna listen by myself though.
It’s a fun album. Not my thing but…
I have been needing some more funk in my life. I have not gotten nearly enough albums from this genre, especially in comparison to other genres. But now, it's finally time for me to listen to an album from one of the most highly praised funk groups of all time, Sly & The Family Stone. This is their highly acclaimed 1971 album, There's a Riot Goin' On. Dude. 1971 was such a stacked year for album releases. So many phenomenal albums released that year and—wouldn't you know it?— There's a Riot Goin' On might be one of the best. I love this album. It definitely reminds me of another one of those amazing 1971 albums, Funkadelic's Maggot Brain. This is definitely still a funk album at its core, albeit one with strong psychedelic and soul elements. However, this is definitely darker than something like a James Brown album or even earlier Sly and the Family Stone albums (or so I'm told). Honestly, I think it works really well. The darker atmosphere of this album makes it stand out. The instrumentation is fantastic. Again, it's a bit on the darker side, but there's still great basslines and spectacular rhythms to listen for. The mixing (at least on Spotify) could be a bit better, but the core of the album is still great. I really like Sly Stone's singing, as well as the other singing that appears on the album. The writing is pretty strong too. There's songs about things like personal turmoil and drug use, the latter of which appears to have been a significant factor in the making of this album. All of the songs are great though. Well, the title track doesn't really have much to talk about considering it's 4 seconds of silence, but even that appears to have a purpose in the album's messaging. I don't know what to say. This album makes a very strong first exposure to the music of Sly & The Family Stone. I'm very glad to have listened to this album, and I'm just as excited to listen to its predecessor, Stand!, sometime in the future. 5/5.
Very good, really loved a lot of different aspects of this album. One thing I particularly enjoyed, for some reason, was the contrast in microphone quality between the instruments and vocals. Great jams on here. Wow
Some interesting sounds! I dont know that i’d ever listen to this again, though. It is interesting, historically, though: feels like you can easily hear the parliament connection. TPAB, too. Lots of this album is very deep funk, not necessarily super pop funk. Which is cool- although seems, to me, a little inaccessible. But i also felt this way about MUSIC, recently, too, so maybe i’m just not trained enough in funk to appreciate it. (The carti connection in what im saying is obvious) JUMPIN OFF DRUGS
En realidad se merecería un 3,75 pero tenemos que ceñirnos a un mundo en el que solo se pueden dar entre 1-5 estrellitas. Culpa del capitalismo
Sly - part genius, part drug freak. Tapped into something here. I can still feel it. Four stars.
okay vibes but i didn't really fw it
3 estrelas
I thought this was a cool album, but parts of it really put me to sleep. With just a smidge more energy it wouldv'e been an awesome listen, but it just did not do it for me
Ok, not my thing but easy to listen to
Didn't really interest me. Can't fault it in any way, but this style of music doesn't appeal to me.
He was funkin towards the begining but the second half lost the funk.
I judged the book by its cover.
Though not my preferred genre, I did dig this. Funky, I like. Gospel and R&B, not so much. But it's too slow overall, even if I'm seeking a groove.
This was both enjoyable and stimulating. To my uneducated ears it sounded like a step forward in soul music. It took a more relaxed and spacious approach that allowed mire subtelty to come through. It was less 3 minute pop song and more jazzy and packed with ideas. And there are still some bangers on it.
arms down down... alas pliis pliis rauhaa.. rauhaa maailmassa pliis.. nykynuorison lempitanssia ovat diskojytä ja beat-tanssi jotka tuottavat erityisesti vaikeuksia aikuisille, johtuen tästä liikkeestä -> (panoliike) tässä täytyy päästä oikeaan diskofiilinkiin että tämmä onnistuu.. polvet menee eteeenpäin lantio menee taakse ja suoraksi kädet lyö alaspäin ja hieman eteen hartiat liikkuu ja pää liikkuu tämä on siis tärkein perusliike diskotanssissa -> (panomis liike/panoliike) poet
This is another album that works better if you imagine it as a film score than if you're expecting a pop album. The album is filled with long, often repetitive instrumental jams, some songs feel like all they are is a hook, and you can easily imagine the music alongside images of a gritty city drama. I like it all but it's kind of tough to listen through it because it feels like it's missing that visual component.
funky as hell!
Listen to the LYRICS. Deeply introspective personal reflection plus insightful social commentary without being hortatory. This album represents a development from the popular funk of the early SFS. Excellent, beautiful, soulful funk, executed by extraordinarily talented musicians and vocalists, but much more serious than their previous work (although there’s some great comic relief in “Spaced Cowboy “, where we’re treated to a funked-up country piece complete with Sly Stone yodeling the chorus. Yodeling.
It’s funk with a deep social twist, which is about the best way I could put this. So far most of the funk I’ve gotten on this list has been get up and groove. This one is still a grooving, but makes you really pay attention more as it’s kind of gritty. It makes it stand out in a very intriguing way. 4.5 / 5
Stand! is also on this list and that record is pretty much perfect. As such, I had to give this one four stars. There are some great tracks on here (Runnin Away and Family Affair are personal highlights), but all in all this one hits with a little less power. Still great!
I feel like with a title/cover like that there should be a more call to arms type of moment, but it seems more like a personal mantra then any sort of external force. The album starts to pick it's groove by the second side and I see bands like air clearly got their sound from this. Or stole it wholesale. It's a steady feeling but nothing I would jump out of my seat for like say funkadelic. Solid 3
The dark side of the funk, but thank you for letting me be myself, again...
I always think I should like Sly and the Family Stone more than I do, but they just never seem to click with me. I think the problems are that the singles are kind of cheesy and then that one singer does those high-pitched screams that I find off-putting. Put those together and it makes for a band that has just never done it for me. This album is okay and I like that it is less poppy than Stand! but it did not turn me around on the band.
Not bad
An alright album, I liked Brave & Strong and Runnin' Away.
This is the kind of album that deserves its place in the pantheon of great recordings. Unique, interesting, relevant, influential and inspiring. It’s both experimental and complete. The band knew exactly who they were and what they wanted. There’s no searching, only quality and delivery.
Great music comes out of dark times. This album, just like Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On," is the soundtrack to a murky, confusing era in American history that Sly captured perfectly in a haze of hard drug use. A masterpiece.
This was funky - love it
I did not enjoy this as much as I did the previous album of their I listened to it. It was okay, but nothing that blew my hair back.
Found this one a little complex. Thought it was very, very good but was hoping for catchier tunes but I understand the context behind the album and the cultural impact it left. 6/10.
I get the darker instrumentation, but it just doesn't fit well with what I think Sly & The Family Stone is. I think of "the album "Stand!" and that really defined them for me as a band. This is just kinda... meh. Of their albums, not the one I would have picked right away. However, if you listened to this right after "Stand!" there is a definite change and progression between the two. But not necessarily the best of things. Top tracks: "Luv & Haight," "Family Affair"
Meh. I appreciate the edgier lyrics and sounds but overall it didn't really grab me. If the edge hadn't come from Sly & the Family Stone, who was previously more fun, would we have noticed as much? Maybe, and maybe I don't appreciate how instrumental these guys or this album was in pushing a new narrative in the 70's. But I'm ready to move on. Before I do, I'll give a shout out to some high marks - Luv N Haight, Poet, Brave & Strong, and Thank You (but was this just a redo if their earlier version?). Also, Running Away - WTF was that? Ugh.
Everything I read about this album says it represents the shift from the optimistic 60s to the malaise of the 70s. I definitely hear that in the music, and as a result it's sometimes uncomfortable to listen to. There's nothing wrong with challenging music, but you can almost hear the dysfunction overtaking the band (as a result of Sly Stone's drug use and isolation from the rest of the band - apparently they all recorded separately). There were definitely tracks I liked (Just Like a Baby, Poet, Time, and Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa), but overall I don't think I want to revisit.
3/5
This is an enjoyable funk album, although not my favorite of all time. I didn't find it incredibly consistent, unfortunately. I could potentially see myself enjoying this more on repeat listens. Favorite track: "Runnin' Away"
Very cruisey album with amazing instrumentation and amazing sound from the 70’s. Perfect music to drive to
The bassist is insane, just entertaining and choppy soul music. Some sophisticated stuff which is neat. Good vibes.
A little disappointed with this one after really liking “Stand”. Felt a little slow.
2.5 Cleaning up a few older albums that I have missed or ignored or listened to and didn't write a review. The only thing I can remember about this is the Cover Art, it came out on day with Trump, Tarriffs,DEI in the news. I don't know if its been a fluke or what but we have had a few albums released on not-so-coincidental dates. Kendrick Lamar a day after his super bowl halftime show, Phil Spector's Christmas on xmas eve,
I don't know about this, which might reflect the reception of the album itself. It's interesting, has a bona fide classic song on it and the use of a drum machine is pioneering and fascinating (to this drummer). But it's also a bit lifeless at times. I think it's an album that needs time, and immersement.
Pretty good
Wow.
3.0 - Ok
Not their best work but still grooves. Just Like a Baby held me well
Definitely a lot of funky beats on this one, but it pretty much does sound all the same. Absolutely nothing wrong with it though for sure.
It was ok.
This is so gooooooood.
Yeah, this is good, but I think my expectations were way higher than this. Basically, they're less cool than the band name and the image, once you get down to the brass tacks of the music. There's a decent bit of funk, especially from the bass, but often it's a little straightforward. It's also possible that Family Affair has suffered a lot from over-playing, which I guess isn't their fault. Anyway, an enjoyable if strangely unmoving experience.
Pretty good funk album. Some of the songs were a bit too slow and plodding for me though and overall it was a bit of a mixed bag. Luv N' Haight was great though, and I thought the funky yodeling on Spaced Cowboy was a fun surprise.
I just don't get it, lots of glowing reviews on here but this one isn't for me
Please give me something that’s not from the ‘70s. I beg of you. This was not for me. Again. We will keep trying.
Very good for its time but sounds dated now
Funky indeed. It's hard to understand the influence of an album like this but I guess that's why it's on the list. Faves: Runnin' Away, Spaced Cowboy
At first listen this seemed like a bit of a mess. Kind of a drag, even. Reading up on it, that's at least partially intentional! 😆 It's sadly an entirely appropriate vibe for February 2025. 😞 Fave tracks - "Family Affair" is the one I was most familiar with going in. Enjoyed the silliness of "Spaced Cowboy". "Runnin' Away" is perhaps my overall top pick...
3.5. Needs a relisten at some point.
Funk at its finest.
5/5. This has been on repeat for me for years, you already know this is getting a 5. Instrumentals in each song are so unique plus Sly with his backing vocalists create so much emotion. The lyrics are vague and yet still heartbreaking and personal. I saw an article somewhere this album was the end of the summer of love and into the violence and direct nature of the people tired of the situation in America. And even today, this album feels relevant and anthemic to the plight of issues that are still present today as they were when it was released. Additionally, this is one that needs to be listened to front to back, not one that you take a song here and there, the whole thing is the art. Best Song: Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa, Family Affair, Poet
goooooood stuff
The 1001 has definitely encouraged me to rethink my opinion of Sly & The Family Stone. Good stuff!
Jeg blev en lille smule skuffet over den første vi havde fra Sly & The Family Stone (første album vi overhovedet havde!), fordi jeg forventede, at den ville være mere som den her. Mega funky og let at lytte til, men der er en understrøm af vrede som er meget tydelig. Virkelig virkelig godt album, et af de bedste, jeg har hørt første gang pga listen
Meget groovy og tungt, lyder ikke som om nogen af de her gutter havde det specielt godt i 1971!
Still funky, yet not as happy as Stand!
Average funk album, decent but not standing out
Maybe not as visceral as say 'Stand!' or some work by Funkadelic from around this time like 'Maggot Brain'. But 'There's a Riot Goin' On' is about as tight as a psychedelic funk record can get, in presentation and attitude. The songs are slow and structurally non-linear and each groove is composed of this pile of colorful noises. On 'African Talks To You' and its sister 'Thank You For Talkin' to Me, Africa' the meticulous changes to the groove are so subtle that I didn't really notice *what changed*, but I did very well feel the movement. The movement in all these tracks is strong. I love how clumped-up and bubbly the instrumental of 'Family Affair' is. The slow ballad 'Time' and the following 'Spaced Cowboy' have hat-driven beats that almost feel proto-techno given how fast they were mixed here with those kicks. 'Time' is easily the most striking track here, especially as that synth clips in and out in volume in the second half. The yodeling on 'Spaced Cowboy' was another striking moment here. While the album as a whole has a lot of personality, no individual track stood out from the others. No one song tries to shift the vibe or mood set here, it all feels very static in that sense. It's a careful record. This, alongside the psychedelic nature of everything, created an almost hypnotic effect, one I couldn't shake, not even when I was done listening. It's an insanely consistent record. And also just really damn good.
If you're into some Old School Funk, this one is for you. I'm not, so this isn't. 3/5
Some great cuts on this album and the band is/was incredible but its got hits and misses. A great fusion of soul and some serious rock riffs.
Yeah this is mostly a vibe. I liked Family Affair. Not something I’m dying to listen to again but would be happy to have it on in the background. High 3.
Not the same upbeat funk as Stand!, the album from a few years before. This feels like some of that energy had disipated.
So much vibier than I expected! This is a great band as capable with mellow grooves as funk. Cool stuff on an otherwise extremely uncool day.
Nah. It's whatever, I suppose. It's supposed to be funk, but it's like, elevator music funk. There's a couple funky bass lines, but it's not that deep down, dirty, nasty, STINKIN' funk. Kind of boring, to be honest. I don't hate it, I just don't want to ever listen to it again.
Bon petit album, quelques fulgurances, et beaucoup de drogues quand même.
Not to shabbbbbby
Solid funk, all the way through... 'The recording was dominated by band frontman Sly Stone during a period of elevated drug use and intra-group tension...' No joke!
Undeniably funky, and a good mix of tracks. Seems worth another listen with more focus as there's a lot to enjoy here. It's just not doing much for me.
This is interesting. They start by singing “feels good, wanna move” but quickly after a couple of songs we get to “my only weapon is my pain”. Sly and the Family Stone is a name I’ve heard, but not anything I’ve ever listened to. To be honest, funk isn’t really my type of music and I didn’t know what I’d get and if I’d like it. Overall it’s been a good surprise. Interesting and varied arrangement, soulful singing and a funky rhythm throughout. What’s more interesting is the juxtaposition of the musical material and the lyrical themes which sound darker. Some discussing personal struggles, other talking about black liberation. Very cool.
Really great Groovy Funky Sounds so good Easy 4
Favorite track: Family affair other picks: just like a baby, time, thank you for talking to me africa
Sly & The Family Stone has been a family favorite for a long time
It was a pretty easy listen during my commute. Not memorable, I didn’t realize when it had stopped playing to be honest.
I was Certainly not expecting to find Yodelling within all that funk! Quite original, even though not something I would choose to listen to. 6/10
This is the second S&TFS album to pop up. "Stand!" is their banner album loaded with many of their main hits. I'd never listened to "There's A Riot Goin' On" prior to this. 1971 feels like a LONG time ago. This is a groovy album that reflects the times & has the big hit "Family Affair" which still gets airplay and is inserted into ads all the time. I don't feel the album has the same freedom, funkiness, presence and spirit as "Stand!" does. The energy isn't there, but the message is. It's not a get up and dance vibe on this one but it's funky. "Spaced Cowboy" was a fun track I wasn't familiar with. I don't think this is Top1001 worthy. Only one hit, not an album people instantly refer to or remember when talking about the band, but it's well listened to with over a million listens to almost every song on the disc. I'd give it 3 stars.
Fun listen.
Ok
One great track.
Some real headbobbers in this album. I can tell why it’s often sampled. Feels like more of a mood-setting background album than something I’d put on in the car.
Soul and folk infused
Love a bit of R&B/Soul, I did enjoy this indeed
Recently finished Sly's memoir "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" which is highly recommended. In a Keith Richards-esque defying of life principals, he's still alive and kicking at 81. His memoir gave me a new appreciation for the man and his legend. If you're looking for the studio album that features the most classic hits, Stand is your choice. If you're looking for quinnessential Sly in all of his psychedelic funkiness, There's A Riot Goin' On is the place to be. It has several memorable standouts, like "Family Affair", "Runnin' Away" and "(You Caught Me) Smilin'" so you get the full effect of Sly & The Family Stone at the height (Haight?) of their powers.
Funky - I'm in
There is something missing here. I don’t know if it’s the mix or what but it feels unfinished.
This is surprisingly one I've never heard of before. I love the grooves throughout the whole thing, though it does feel a little repetetive and slow by the end of it. Favorites were Family Affair, Africa Talks to You, and Runnin' Away.
This is one that I’ve seen and heard people rave about for years and years. And for the A side I totally get it, but side B seems to falter for me. Songs like Spaced Cowboy don’t really work for me. The bass playing is really good especially on songs like Africa Talks To You and Brave & Strong. Highlights here were Luv N’ Haight, Family Affair, Africa Talks To You, and Brave & Strong.
Decent - some really good tunes and some not so
Pure funk excellence, this thing grooves so hard and has hooks for days
what I really love about this album is how it takes the funky sound of earlier sly and makes it more subdued. where "everyday people" had a sense of optimism, this album has an air of depression. the sound here is awesome and I love the employment if the early drum machine here. the grooves are as funky as ever, mixed with a bit of subdued darkness. I really love this album, even if the tracklist can be a bit uneven at times.
Pretty decent without ever really grabbing me. Not a band I’d ever listened to knowingly before, although at least I’d heard of them unlike my wife who claimed to not know the name at all. She recognised one of the tunes though, which is more than I did.
so groovy, so funky , getting dark and heavy late 60s early 70s??? no m'ho crec
Funky bass lines but generally not my groove
It was okay! Relentlessly funky.
I was quite hopeful coming into this, as I do like a bit of soul and funk. I knew the name 'Sly & The Family Stone', but didn't really know much of their stuff, so I was excited to finally learn more. On listening though, it's way slower and more stripped back than I was expecting. It's not really bringing much oomph. Some tracks are kind of not even there. It's just ok. However I did leave it running after the fact, and Spotify served up an awesome selection of funk and soul for the next few hours, and that worked spectacularly for the rest of my work afternoon - so this album was a good gateway! 2.5 rounded up.
This album really helps a Monday out.
A good album, but falls off a bit on the b-side.
A fine slice of Funk and disco - stone grooves and sounds
Another album which manages to revive bad memories. Primarily Thursday nights at the local Mecca Club where music on this album and similar would be played. Fortunately at that time I would be normally drunk so would generally have enough confidence to dance to it in the hope of attracting a young lady. But as these Thursday nights were billed as “Grab a granny night” you can possibly understand my reasoning for bad memories. That aside the music itself I could put up with as a means to an end at the Mecca but in the sober cold light of day I classed it just as bad as the headache and sketchy recall of the events the previous night which involved a ‘beautiful’ eight pinter. 2/5 11/12/24
First full Sly album, but I've always loved his stuff--definitely proto Prince. A lot to like on this album, but again the repetition with some of these older jam bands is not enough for me. Probably a 3.5, but going with
Net niet allemaal. Te weinig groove, te weinig rare funk
very interesting. apparently mostly sly in a drug haze sometimes even singing from bed. It sounds like it too, the production is dense, but far from energetic. It's got it's own sound, and was influential just by my naive listen, but i prefer their positive funkier stuff.
Previously rated: Stand! (4/5) ********************* Funky, but much more low-key and subdued than Stand!
Day 74 - Dec 7th, 2024 Me and the boys are ready to shoot someone. 4/5
Mehh not my style
Just not my thing man
could not get into this could i write poetry to this? n
Five stars to the Wikipedia entry for this album. On its own, the record is some excellent and influential Funk music. Having some context and background information adds a great deal to understanding and appreciating it beyond what is already heard. Minus a half-star because this thing could really use a remaster. The clipping of both vocals and instruments is a distraction from their intentions. The recording sounds more amateurish than the work deserves.
The last 3 songs are all bangers, bumping this up to a 4.
exceptionally funky, and exceptionally freaky. Sly was having issues with his mood and his addiction to drugs, resulting in a drought of recordings from the Family Stone for over a year and a half—a long time to go without releasing a new album in those days! while the band's usual lineup is present on more than a few of the songs on There's a Riot Goin' On, much of this material was created solely by Sly Stone, often enlisting non-Family members to fill them out. the resulting album is some of the darkest music you're likely to hear from funk's golden era. there's no point at which this music isn't incredible groovy. if you're a practitioner of the Stank Face, you'll find plenty of opportunities to work your craft. but even when the drums are tight and the bass is locked in and all the other stuff you want from a funk record, there's something mysterious, borderline surreal about it. I think I detected an Afrobeat undercurrent to this, what with the longer, vampier closing tracks to both sides of the vinyl! the mixes are often jarring, with certain elements feeling wildly prominent while others are barely audible. Stone's vocals, many takes of which were recorded with a wireless microphone while he laid in bed, are often uncanny in how close they feel. the drum machine overlaid with real drums creates a very off-kilter feeling in the percussion on some of these songs as well. this is often a very subdued listen, which definitely caught me off-guard. I wouldn't be surprised if OutKast were listening to this when they made Stankonia, which I listened to a few days ago for this project, and which features a similarly left-field approach to production. while there's not as much in the way of the sing-along hooks from their prior work, the timbral palette is fascinating, and the pocket is undeniable. decent 9/10.
Very moody for a funk album but I absolutely loved it. No bad songs, but I'm not sure about the yodeling in Spaced Cowboy.
Enjoyed this darker funk album. Some great parts of songs but no one song that will get stuck in your head. Highlights are Brave & Strong, africa Talks to You ("The Asphalt Jungle") & (You Caught Me) Smilin' - the bass on this track is so good, but then again, the whole album is covered in great bass parts. Assuming there are other Sly albums on this list so will look forward to them coming up.
Not my kind of funk
Not for me. There were some bits that had a fun groove. I like Sly's voice. Overall though nothing at all in this album grabbed me for more than a few moments
I didn't hate this album, I just didn't think it was very good.
Great album
It's been over a year since I reviewed Stand!, but I've been looking forward to this album quite a bit. Stand! wasn't really my jam, but I thought it was a really good album from a critical standpoint, and I gave it four stars. I know that this album is supposed to be even better, so I have pretty high expectations. Let's get political and militant on a Saturday morning! This album was a pretty big letdown for me. Musically, it was fine; the funk sound was done well, and it was pleasant enough to listen to. However, it did get pretty boring and repetitive, especially on the two longer songs. Also, the I felt every minute of this album's 45 minute plus runtime. This album felt like it just limped along the whole time, which was really disappointing given its reputation. For an album with riot in the title, it felt more like a campfire sing-along. Lyrically, I expected something with a straightforward approach to social and political issues, but the lyrics on this album were pretty abstract and didn't really say much in my opinion. For all of the hype surrounding this album, I was pretty disappointed and bored.
11/28/24. Really liked this one, essential funk here.
Groovy
Tämä kuullostaa sellaiselta vanhan ajan musikilta!
Great funk album!
Dense, dark, yet funky record with driving basslines. Sly Stone giving his all in his composition and in his voice, sometimes to the point of sounding hoarse and accompanying the resignation of the 1960s' decline. Standout Tracks: Thank You for Talking Africa, Family Affair, Time, (You Caught Me) Smilin' Again
✊🏿
It seems like I should like this one more, but I'm afraid funk doesn't intrinsically work for me in large doses. I don't have any particular criticism of this album, but it wasn't for me. Maybe if I had listened to it on a different day... 2.4
Certainly a lot going on throughout. But I did lose interest a bit, despite everything seeming to be thrown in. Am not an expert on this genre ... but I found the vocals odd at times, and the music just a tad jarring. Actually, the more I listened the less stars I felt inclined to give.
Funky, Futuristic (for 1971) and Fab :)
Groovy and groovy. Oh wait.. if I can’t think of more than one word to describe this album, it can’t be all that good.
At its best, it’s fairly boring funk. At its worst, it’s a directionless jam with some weird musical choices like yodelling? Not sure about this. Luv N’ Haight & Runnin’ Away were the only tracks I enjoyed really.
Truly epic music. So, so grand and so, so good.
Damn this group is consistent as hell
beautiful and powerful and so fun!
This was oddly not good. It doesn't feel like an album. Just a bunch of jams and goofing around. Not for me.
Culturally significant politically and as early funk but tbh I find it washes over me a bit.
Me: White kid in the 80s, ingesting copious amounts of R.E.M., Talking Heads, and P.I.L. Also Me: White kid in the 80s listening to copious amounts of Sly & the Family Stone, especially Life!, Stand!, and this masterpiece - There's a Riot Goin' On. Me, today, 40 years later: White guy in my 50s, and on a REGULAR basis the opening sounds of this album run through my head. The album has never left me. Sly & the Family Stone changed music at least twice. Their 60s sound was dynamic and revolutionary, performed by a multiethnic band that was quite a rarity in those days (at least in the main). Then with this album, something totally new again. I also remember seeing Sly Stone on TV in the late 80s. He was such a huge figure to me musically, but by this point he had become a much smaller version of himself. The drugs that no doubt fueled this album had shrunken him. Like one that dies giving birth... we are the recipients of something unforgettable, but it took the life of its maker.
groovy
3.4.
I was hoping for a little more rage. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Sly & the squeezing of the family stones. 90% of this album is someone peeking a microphone while making noises that I can only describe as guttural. The backing music instruments while nice but are a bit generic and kind of forgettable. All I could hear from the drums was that they were using drum machines which is kind of crazy for 71’. Another background album to background music too. 4/10
I love funky music like this, but I felt something was missing. Cant put my finger on it, maybe them playing around with different genres?
Surprisingly mild.. I expected more energy in either a positive of negative directions here (considering the group was having many internal struggles at this point). The album ends up just being kinda repetitive and not all that interesting. 4/10