Most of Sylvester Stewart’s post-Family Stone work seems to be wholly forgotten. I would imagine that if you asked most casual music fans if they had ever heard any of it, they might even be surprised to know that it exists. They might be inclined to use the words welfare, crack, arrest, seclusion, insanity, recluse, etc. to describe his career after 1975. Not that any of these labels are really inappropriate, but certain aspects of this time period seem to be overlooked. Names such as Funkadelic, Bobby Womack, Jesse Johnson, Bar-Kays, George Clinton (solo), Earth, Wind and Fire and The Temptations are what should be discussed. Sly didn’t really disappear from the public until 1993 (after showing up out of nowhere to be inducted to The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame).That being said, I present to you Mr. Stewart’s first solo record. Now, I know most of his output from There’s A Riot Goin’ On onwards is pretty much solo work, but this record is the first recorded after the infamous 1975 Radio City Music Hall gig, after which The Family Stone officially broke up and also the only to not include the words “& The Family Stone”. Even though it’s not technically a Family Stone record, there are some familiar names on this record (Cynthia Robinson, Freddie Stone, Jerry Martini, Rusty Allen, Vet Stone & Little Sister, Sid Page), but I’m not sure how much of their contributions are just left over studio tracks from prior recording sessions. I know that the track "Crossword puzzle" was originally recorded in a different form for 1974’s Small Talk, but other than that I don’t recognize any of these tracks as outtakes from any sessions I’ve ever heard.
All-in-all this is a pretty solid funk record and, if you ask me, maybe even one of his best since 1969’s Stand! It seems a little more focused than Riot and less repetitive than Fresh or Small Talk. The opening track, and also the first single from the record, “I Get High On You” is a pure funk gem. “Crossword Puzzle” is way more than just a reworking of a Small Talk outtake and “So Good To Me” has a fuzzed out bass that really might be Larry Graham playing it. Even the ballads, “That’s Lovin’ You” and “My World” are outstanding tracks and any fan of Sly’s Hammond B3 Organ will get a kick out the instrumental “Green Eyed Monster Girl”
If you enjoy Sly please check out the new The Woodstock Experience album that Sony Legacy just put out and also, a site called Wolfgang’s Vault has an amazing live recording of Sly & The Family Stone playing The Fillmore East in ’68.
Download and Enjoy!
Track listing:
Side A:
1. I Get High On You
2. Crossword Puzzle
3. That's Lovin' You
4. Who Do You Love
5. Green Eyed Monster Girl
Side B:
1. Organize
2. Le Lo Li
3. My World
4. So Good To Me
5. Greed
Download High On You from DivShare(40.9 MB)
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2 comments:
Hey great post. Thanks for embeding the tunes, too, because act'ly it was cool to be able to read your thoughts (which is not to say read your mind) while listening.
POST more music please! I'd love to find some new artists and learn some stuff. Do you take requests?
ummm... 2 fathers and 2 sons are fishing. they catch 3 fish. one of the fathers says "that's enough fish. one for each of us." how is that possible?
good enough?
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