There's a Riot Goin' On Review: Funk's Dark, Woozy Masterpiece

9/10 — Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On (1971)

There’s a Riot Goin’ On followed the upbeat, hit-filled Stand! and found Sly Stone isolated, drug-addled and angry. Much of it was recorded by Stone himself, with drum machines and heavy overdubbing.

What works

The sound is slow, hazy and hypnotic, and ‘Family Affair’ is a startling number-one hit built on a drum machine. ‘Just Like a Baby’ and ‘Runnin’ Away’ have a loose, druggy groove, and the whole record is quietly influential.

Where it falters

The murky mix can be hard going, and the album’s mood is bleak and uneven.

Verdict

A dark, compelling and influential record.

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By Olivia Smith