234. There's a Riot Goin' On - Sly and the Family Stone

Following the slightly mixed bag that was our first foray into Sly and the Family Stone, I was optimistic that this album, later in their canon, would build on the funky elements of Stand, and lose the meandering ones.

This album was recorded against a backdrop of internal band tensions, with Sly Stone falling out with his brother and bandmates. This was probably compounded by the heavy drug use, and his increasing desire to bring in political elements inspired by the Black Panther movement into their music. 18 months after the successful release of Stand!, There's a Riot Goin' On hits the shelves, following a tortuous production process primarily driven by Sly himself, with few other bandmates being allowed to contribute much to proceedings. Recording technology played a big role with overdubs and drum machines used throughout the process.   

Luv N' Haight is the opener with a quite sclerotic feel to the song, with noises and samples drifting in and out, including some pretty funky guitar licks. The Haight in the title refers to the area of California associated with the Hippy movement, although it is hard to make out a clear message in such a garbled song. Just Like a Baby must be deliberately recorded to sound like it is paper thin, as I've rarely heard such weedy production, with a ridiculous amount of instrument separation. Poet has some nice clavichord elements overlaying a groovy bassline, but never fully gets going in my opinion, holding something back. Family Affair is a very, very good song, and comfortably the best one on the album. Whilst the recording quality again seems poor, the overall sound and lyrics combination makes for a catchy as hell track. Africa Talks To You ("The Asphalt Jungle") has some great vocal hooks in the chorus, but the overall song is a bit too meandering, and in its 9 minutes it never goes anywhere. Brave & Strong is pretty forgettable, with nothing much of a note standing out. Even listening to it as I type this, it feels like not a single note is actually entering my consciousness. (You Caught Me) Smilin' sounds like a decent sample for a hip-hop track, but that does not mean it is a good song in and of itself. I know that because it isn't. Time suffers from yet more poor recording quality, with a lugubrious approach that is ultimately disappointing despite the low expectations  I have at this stage. Spaced Cowboy has some interesting effects on the guitar that I haven't heard before, but am not in a hurry to hear again. Runnin' Away has a half decent horn section, but they sound too muted to me, as if the players were aware of how half-arsed the production of their playing would be. Thank You for Talkin' to Africa has a nice, meaty bassline, and some tasty guitar licks, but again lacks cohesion due to the individal elements being recorded so far removed from each other. 

For an album that is so influential regarding how an album could be recorded and produced, it is shocking that it sounds so poor. I appreciate that I can only listen to it with modern ears, and it is hard to appreciate how important it was, but that still doesn't forgive a record that was made after all of the Beatles catalogue. I really wanted to like this record, but it just kept pushing me away with its fragemented, siloed nature. The talent is clearly there, and the basslines are almost universally great, but, Family Affair aside, it left me feeling cold. 

Chloe's album rating: 5
Chloe's favourite track: 4. Family Affair
Olly's album rating: 4
Olly's favourite track: 4. Family Affair

Next week is 410. Marquee Moon by Television; post-punk ahoy.