CD Charts
Welcome to The CD Charts, here you will find all the latest and top selling Music cds available to buy online. You can search and locate the best selling Music cd's and have them delivered to the door. We have a large selection of Music all with reviews.
Back to Home Page > Go back a page
Music : Stand
Rating: 
- Boom chacka-lacka-lacka, boom chacka-lacka-lacka........
Utterly brilliant album, which i only discovered after seeing it (in The Rough Guide To Rock) recommended as being in the must-have category. And it surely is. Heavily funky, psychedelic cross-over music. Fortunately, there are a couple of lighter numbers on the album. You need them, just so as to be able to take a breather from the serious stuff.
The absolute highlight, for me, is the outrageously funky "I Want To Take You Higher". (A much "chunkier" mix from the one on my quadrophonic "Sly and the Family Sone: Greatest Hits" LP.) Plenty of other tremendous tracks, like "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey", the brilliant "Sing A Simple Song" and "Sex Machine". The last is a quite fabulous jam, which you won't find anywhere else(?). Too long to feature on any compilation, but one of this landmark album's key moments. As Sly says, this will "blow your mind".
This new digipack Legacy issue, with bonus tracks, sounds absolutely wonderful. The instrumentation seems to have benefitted from a freshening up. And the enhanced booklet makes for a very pleasing package. (Apologies if you think i've overdone the superlatives, but this album really is that good. If you are unfamiliar, get it into your life!)
Rating: - It's a Funk thing
Sly can rightly be regarded a one of the Founders of Funk, taking the genre to places few others ventured at the time, but which would provide fertile territory for many a few years on.
The Family Stone had built their early reputation on up tempo music with positive messages and they were a visible example of racial harmony, as the band came from several different ethic backgrounds. Probably best known for "Dance to the Music", fans who came to this album would have got more of the same. There's another anthem, this time a plea for harmony and tolerance, "Everyday People", and the influence of Blues makes itself felt on the epic "Sex Machine" (not the JB track).
No band stays remote from the time they live in, however. As the optimism of the 60's was giving way to the militancy and pessimism that characterised the 70's, then Sly's previously positive stance was shifting. On "Stand", even the album title can be seen as a call to action - stand, rather than retreating. And tracks like "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey," and "Somebody's Watching You" are more evidence - the latter indicating the way Sly would go with his next album "Riot".
Taking the album as a whole, there are clear indications of the direction that Black Music would take, and can even be seen as a bridge from one era of Soul to the next - that being the one which would see social commentary take centre stage. "Stand" is therefore a very diverse album, one which is a testament to the era it came from, to the man who made it and to the direction he was taking - if you are a Funk fan, you need to own this album
Rating: - This album really does stand the test of time extremely well!
Sly & the Family Stone conjured up an unique musical blend by mixing and blurring stylistic elements drawn from basic R'n'B, gospel, rock and pop. Punchy, somewhat jazzy horns, psychedelic guitar and communal, traded, vocals were trademarks. Moreover, pioneer bassist Larry Graham developed an innovative "slap bass" style that was an important asset to their sound. Graham would prove a formidable influence on funk.
Theirs was body music, always high on groove and deep rhythms. Sly Stone's lyrics were always positive, even idealistic.
However, I feel that - aside from the marvellous "Dance to the Music" single and from some "Life" album tracks - the compositions were lacking in strong enough hooks.
On "Stand!" - released in 1969 - Sly's songs definitely displayed far greater melodic appeal. His lyrics added elements of social consciousness to the already developed topics of unity and integration. There is also greater diversity here than on previously released albums.
As a result, four out of the eight tracks featured on the album were hit singles:
- The excellent title track, with its gospel overtone and socially conscious lyrics is impressive;
it reached #22 on the US pop singles charts.
- An edited version of the 5'22" "I Want to Take You Higher" - which underpinned inspired
vocals with a fantastic Freddie Stone electric guitar riff and incisive horns parts - made it to
#60 at the time of release but reached #38 after its re-release in the wake of Woodstock
(which included a spirited rendering of this title.)
- "Everyday People" made it to #1 on the strength of his widely appealing vocals and a
simple, very appealing tune. This groovy track flows along effortlessly.
- The title track reached #22, another message song - this time with more radical overtones -
typical of its time.
The LP itself reached #13 on the US LP pop charts (where he would stay for about two years!)
The rest of the tracks are also quite distinctive and sometimes on a par with the singles.
- "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey" - a jam drawn to almost 6 minutes - endlessly repeats the
title and its converse phrase convincingly. You cannot miss the message.
- The lengthier jam, clocking in at 13'52" is an instrumental title "Sex Machine" (not the James
Brown track) which features a very heavy groove, mixing powerful bass with prominent use
of Jimi Hendrix inspired wah-wah guitar. Here, Sly Stone's voice is used as another
instrument in the mix through the use of a wah-wah and other electronic processing units.
- "Somebody's Watching You", although musically well integrated with "psychedelic" guitar
and call-and-response vocals, is a departure, on the lyrics level. It hints at the superficial
aspects of life, some unavoidable downfall, jealous people and... "The silver of your spoon."
I cannot help to think about "There's a Riot Goin' on" and its attending changes in Sly
Stone's life.
- The album ends with another good track, the optimistic "You Can Make It If You Try", which
is a highly rhythmic with a catchy chorus.
It is nice to have three mono versions of tracks 1, 3 & 8 although the last two bonus tracks are nothing special. I feel that it would have been much preferable to include versions of three single-only releases in their place: "Hot Fun in the Summertime", "Everybody Is a Star" and "Thank You (Fallentinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" which are of the same vintage and were huge hits. They are only available on various compilations.
This is truly one of the most innovative 60's albums, irrespective of genre. It belongs on everyone's CD shelves.
- Boom chacka-lacka-lacka, boom chacka-lacka-lacka........Utterly brilliant album, which i only discovered after seeing it (in The Rough Guide To Rock) recommended as being in the must-have category. And it surely is. Heavily funky, psychedelic cross-over music. Fortunately, there are a couple of lighter numbers on the album. You need them, just so as to be able to take a breather from the serious stuff.
The absolute highlight, for me, is the outrageously funky "I Want To Take You Higher". (A much "chunkier" mix from the one on my quadrophonic "Sly and the Family Sone: Greatest Hits" LP.) Plenty of other tremendous tracks, like "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey", the brilliant "Sing A Simple Song" and "Sex Machine". The last is a quite fabulous jam, which you won't find anywhere else(?). Too long to feature on any compilation, but one of this landmark album's key moments. As Sly says, this will "blow your mind".
This new digipack Legacy issue, with bonus tracks, sounds absolutely wonderful. The instrumentation seems to have benefitted from a freshening up. And the enhanced booklet makes for a very pleasing package. (Apologies if you think i've overdone the superlatives, but this album really is that good. If you are unfamiliar, get it into your life!)
Rating:
- It's a Funk thingSly can rightly be regarded a one of the Founders of Funk, taking the genre to places few others ventured at the time, but which would provide fertile territory for many a few years on.
The Family Stone had built their early reputation on up tempo music with positive messages and they were a visible example of racial harmony, as the band came from several different ethic backgrounds. Probably best known for "Dance to the Music", fans who came to this album would have got more of the same. There's another anthem, this time a plea for harmony and tolerance, "Everyday People", and the influence of Blues makes itself felt on the epic "Sex Machine" (not the JB track).
No band stays remote from the time they live in, however. As the optimism of the 60's was giving way to the militancy and pessimism that characterised the 70's, then Sly's previously positive stance was shifting. On "Stand", even the album title can be seen as a call to action - stand, rather than retreating. And tracks like "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey," and "Somebody's Watching You" are more evidence - the latter indicating the way Sly would go with his next album "Riot".
Taking the album as a whole, there are clear indications of the direction that Black Music would take, and can even be seen as a bridge from one era of Soul to the next - that being the one which would see social commentary take centre stage. "Stand" is therefore a very diverse album, one which is a testament to the era it came from, to the man who made it and to the direction he was taking - if you are a Funk fan, you need to own this album
Rating:
- This album really does stand the test of time extremely well! Sly & the Family Stone conjured up an unique musical blend by mixing and blurring stylistic elements drawn from basic R'n'B, gospel, rock and pop. Punchy, somewhat jazzy horns, psychedelic guitar and communal, traded, vocals were trademarks. Moreover, pioneer bassist Larry Graham developed an innovative "slap bass" style that was an important asset to their sound. Graham would prove a formidable influence on funk.
Theirs was body music, always high on groove and deep rhythms. Sly Stone's lyrics were always positive, even idealistic.
However, I feel that - aside from the marvellous "Dance to the Music" single and from some "Life" album tracks - the compositions were lacking in strong enough hooks.
On "Stand!" - released in 1969 - Sly's songs definitely displayed far greater melodic appeal. His lyrics added elements of social consciousness to the already developed topics of unity and integration. There is also greater diversity here than on previously released albums.
As a result, four out of the eight tracks featured on the album were hit singles:
- The excellent title track, with its gospel overtone and socially conscious lyrics is impressive;
it reached #22 on the US pop singles charts.
- An edited version of the 5'22" "I Want to Take You Higher" - which underpinned inspired
vocals with a fantastic Freddie Stone electric guitar riff and incisive horns parts - made it to
#60 at the time of release but reached #38 after its re-release in the wake of Woodstock
(which included a spirited rendering of this title.)
- "Everyday People" made it to #1 on the strength of his widely appealing vocals and a
simple, very appealing tune. This groovy track flows along effortlessly.
- The title track reached #22, another message song - this time with more radical overtones -
typical of its time.
The LP itself reached #13 on the US LP pop charts (where he would stay for about two years!)
The rest of the tracks are also quite distinctive and sometimes on a par with the singles.
- "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey" - a jam drawn to almost 6 minutes - endlessly repeats the
title and its converse phrase convincingly. You cannot miss the message.
- The lengthier jam, clocking in at 13'52" is an instrumental title "Sex Machine" (not the James
Brown track) which features a very heavy groove, mixing powerful bass with prominent use
of Jimi Hendrix inspired wah-wah guitar. Here, Sly Stone's voice is used as another
instrument in the mix through the use of a wah-wah and other electronic processing units.
- "Somebody's Watching You", although musically well integrated with "psychedelic" guitar
and call-and-response vocals, is a departure, on the lyrics level. It hints at the superficial
aspects of life, some unavoidable downfall, jealous people and... "The silver of your spoon."
I cannot help to think about "There's a Riot Goin' on" and its attending changes in Sly
Stone's life.
- The album ends with another good track, the optimistic "You Can Make It If You Try", which
is a highly rhythmic with a catchy chorus.
It is nice to have three mono versions of tracks 1, 3 & 8 although the last two bonus tracks are nothing special. I feel that it would have been much preferable to include versions of three single-only releases in their place: "Hot Fun in the Summertime", "Everybody Is a Star" and "Thank You (Fallentinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" which are of the same vintage and were huge hits. They are only available on various compilations.
This is truly one of the most innovative 60's albums, irrespective of genre. It belongs on everyone's CD shelves.