Search - Sly & the Family Stone :: Who in the Funk Do You Think You Are: Warner Bros

Sly in so-called decline rises to the occasion!

J. Lund | SoCal, USA | 02/19/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"By most accounts, the visionary funk legend Sly Stone had picked up some bad habits that derailed his superstardom prior to the 1979-1981 sessions that comprise this CD. Yet I've always been surprised at the degree to which his music managed to stay in focus, even when everything else seemed such a blur (to his fans, anyway). WHO IN THE ... covers Sly's distraction-prone comeback attempt in the late-1970s, one that fizzled quickly and began his retreat from the public eye that was all but complete by the end of the 1980s. Knowing the rumors that surrounded Sly, I've always wondered if there was a point so low to which he could have fallen that would have resulted in a poor album. Because whatever was happening behind the scenes, this album proves he could still deliver music that -- while not up to his masterpieces of a decade earlier -- still manages to capture enough of his talent to sustain one's interest even today.



The first eight tracks comprise the complete BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK album (1979). Back then the album seemed a bit passe when compared to the most forceful p-funk music of that era. Yet the long-term impression is far more favorable than the short-term. While basically sticking to the original Family Stone-group instrumentation, the tunes are clever and catchy. And ironic in retrospect: might the back-to-reality words on "Remember Who You Are" and "Back On The Right Track" reflect Sly struggling to overcome whatever demons to the extent that those titles are in fact questions?



The next nine cuts are from 1982's AIN'T BUT THE ONE WAY, which Sly started but allegedly dropped out of prior to completion. Yet out of these unfortunate circumstances comes an album with lyrics and music that often have a joyous optimism that belies the cracks underneath the surface. Even a rare cover version -- The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" -- is no mere copy of this rock classic. One highlight is less than a minute long: "Sylvester," which is an brilliantly succinct peek inside the artist at that point in time. The CD ends with some unreleased demos which will probably be of interest to fans only, but offer a nice little add-on for this special edition. Not many artists can be more interesting at less-than-peak form than most others are at the top of their game, but Sly Stone's WB recordings are an exception to that rule."