CD-Charts Position 1
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The Essential Sly and the Family Stone

by: Sly Stone

Release Date April 07, 2003
Really great double cd compilation, which succeeds in drawing in all the main S&TFS highlights. I will, however, be very mean and give this only a four-star rating. You'll think i'm being a bit churlish, but it's mainly because of a relatively ungenerous playing time of about 60 minutes per disc. In other words, there was plenty of room for more. There was room for "Sex Machine" from "Stand!", or the remaining tracks from "Riot". Granted, it's absolutely not in the record company's interests to do this, and i will readily admit to being terribly unreasonable. But it's never nice to see that a company is not giving the best value-for-money.

However, in spite of the relatively disappointing running time, this double cd would still ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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There's A Riot Goin' On

by: Sly & The Family Stone

Release Date April 09, 2007
...but like any work of original art, you need to put time in to learn to appreciate it. Once you've accustomed yourself to the very different approach Sly and Co are taking here, you'll be in for a treat. 'Family Affair' may be the best known and most commercial track on here, but everything will repay your attention. Some of the most compelling grooves ever laid down on tape....before too long, you'll find yourself surrendering to them.

CD-Charts Position 3
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Reggae Greats

by: Sly & Robbie

Release Date June 01, 1998
This was one of my favourite dub albums of the 80's. The reggae greats series were best-of compilations, good introductions to the bands featured, but this one was exclusively mixed, and essentially a dub version of Black Uhuru's Chill Out. To my ears Sly & Robbie's pure dub albums can sound too dry and sparse; no such worries here as Paul Smykle's remix produced a very lush spacey sound, nothing dull or repetitive, just an evolving, ambient, deep album. Even after 15 years of ambient and electronic music it stands up to repeated listenings. S & R's best ever album, alongside Language Barrier.

CD-Charts Position 4
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Stand

by: Sly & The Family Stone

Release Date April 09, 2007
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 ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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Stand

by: Sly & The Family Stone

Release Date August 30, 2004
This was the first Sly album i listened to over a decade ago, and whilst i had There's a Riot Goin' On at the same time, Stand has always remained the more enjoyable experience to me. To me Stand shows off Sly and his Family in their brightest most energetic form.

8 strong tracks long, there's barely a false move it's entire duration, and if you are new to Sly, then (a) why ? and (b) this is the best starting point album wise. I love this start to finish, from the bright opener Stand, to the extended funk of I want to Take you higher, to the ecstatic slouching funk of Everyday People, this is an album i have returned to frequently despite having first bought it over 10 years ago. I think you get the picture.

James Brown may have been a far ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
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Fresh

by: Sly & The Family Stone

Release Date April 09, 2007
A mix of everything funky Sly manages to follow 'Riot' with, for many fans, in 'Fresh' his greatest effort. Considering his personal turmoil at the time Sly jups into this recording with total confidence, 'If you want me to stay' is a fine central piece combining chug-along not-quite-slap bass with jazz chords on keys, totally unique in terms of ballard-writing.

CD-Charts Position 7
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Stand!

by: Sly & The Family Stone

Release Date March 03, 2008
this album really is an amazing album. it has a quality which liberates the mind from the drudgery of everyday life and shows us what life should be about. all the songs are great from the long but humourus jam of "sex machine" to the angry scream of "don't call me nigger, whitey". the lyrics are also worth a mention on this album; "everyday people" and "stand" both contain really great and memorable lines that leave a lasting impression. however, all this aside, "i wanna take you higher" is the song that makes this album a masterpiece. it drives with such a force that it causes you to forget the troubles of your day and instead live the ecstacy within the music. the song is a five minute anthem of pure gospel/funk/rock. it will have you dancing like a fool while you clap ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
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Sly and the Family Stone

by: Sly & The Family Stone

Release Date January 17, 2000
this album really is an amazing album. it has a quality which liberates the mind from the drudgery of everyday life and shows us what life should be about. all the songs are great from the long but humourus jam of "sex machine" to the angry scream of "don't call me nigger, whitey". the lyrics are also worth a mention on this album; "everyday people" and "stand" both contain really great and memorable lines that leave a lasting impression. however, all this aside, "i wanna take you higher" is the song that makes this album a masterpiece. it drives with such a force that it causes you to forget the troubles of your day and instead live the ecstacy within the music. the song is a five minute anthem of pure gospel/funk/rock. it will have you dancing like a fool while you clap ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
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The Best of Sly and the Family Stone

by: Sly Stone

Release Date March 04, 1993
In the late 1970s CBS (who owned the Sly catalogue at that time) put out a collection on 12" singles and an album too of the best of Sly and the Family Stone. That collection/campaign was entitled "Sly and the Family Stone - Ten Years Too Soon" - the implication being that Sly and the Family Stone WERE disco music before Discos really existed - and it's true! they certainly pioneered some of those styles in chart terms at least.

So, in this collection we have all that was good about SATFS. UK fans should beware that the original UK single of "Dance to the Music" was heavily edited by CBS UK to conform to the needs of radio playout at the time. For the UK version they didn't just trim it for length, they completely changed the actual order of the music! What's here ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

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Riddim: The Best Of Sly & Robbie In Dub 1978-1985

by: Sly & Robbie

Release Date February 26, 2008
In the late 1970s CBS (who owned the Sly catalogue at that time) put out a collection on 12" singles and an album too of the best of Sly and the Family Stone. That collection/campaign was entitled "Sly and the Family Stone - Ten Years Too Soon" - the implication being that Sly and the Family Stone WERE disco music before Discos really existed - and it's true! they certainly pioneered some of those styles in chart terms at least.

So, in this collection we have all that was good about SATFS. UK fans should beware that the original UK single of "Dance to the Music" was heavily edited by CBS UK to conform to the needs of radio playout at the time. For the UK version they didn't just trim it for length, they completely changed the actual order of the music! What's here ... Read More: