High kicking funk
Sly & The Family Stone - If You Want Me To Stay
Sly & The Family Stone - Skin I'm In
Ok now we're delving into the classics but I just had to post some Sly today. The groups early albums There's A Riot Goin On and Stand are rightly regarded as classics but I've always had a soft spot for their 1973 album Fresh. Take a look at that front cover and tell me that isn't something special.
Recorded just before Sly self destructed the album is a mixture of sublime music and mumbling oddities - probably a pretty decent indication of what the Sly's drug addled mind was like at that time. If you're unaware of the band's turbulent history you can read a full biography here.
The two songs I have for you today are both sublime uplifting tunes, a lot lighter than anything on the previous There's a Riot Goin' On album. If You Want Me To Stay is probably my favorite Sly & The Family Stone track they ever did. It starts off with a cheeky bass line before the most delicate piano comes over the top. From then on it's close to perfection as Sly delivers just the right level of earnest need in his voice. By the time he's screaming out over the chorus you'd be hard pressed not to think this music is manna from heaven. Shame it just sort of pitters out at the end but it always gets me putting it straight back on.
The second song, Skin I'm In, boldly takes about 30 seconds before it even really gets started, relying on another great bassline and scatty drums before the trumpet hook comes in. This song displays perfectly how by the time of this album actual verses to the songs were quickly becoming a thing of the past, and it didn't matter a jot when the music was this good.
You can pick up a copy of the album HERE and, while you're at it, buy their other albums too.
Apologies about the lack of a new hosting services - i tried doing all the ftp stuff but it just made my head hurt - will try again next week maybe, otherwise would be grateful for anyone who can send me very basic instructions on how to use it.
4 comments:
the first Sly track doesn't appear to have uploaded correctly... thanks for offering them regardless.
Ooops, sorry you're right. This has now been fixed and should download find. Worth the hassle as it's a sublime track.
"If You Want Me To Stay" is def required listening material, nice classic selection. I've always loved how at the very end, Sly mumbles "nah, I'm cool" as if someone was passing him a joint, and then the tracks starts to unravel. Nothing sounds quite like this record.
I was in Chi town seein a show, and just went nuts at this little vinyl store near wrigley. I was lucky enought to pick this up for 1 or 2 dollars. Such a great record, one of favorite tracks Que Sera Sera, this album is very underaprecciated glad to see you showin it some love.
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