Album # 99: Sly & the Family Stone: There’s a Riot Goin’ On

Rated 7/10

This being the first Sly & the Family Stone album I have listened to all the way through, it forced me to go back and listen to the previous albums they put out to see how this one compared in style.

This album takes a much darker turn than previous Sly & the Family Stone albums. “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” delivers psychedelic soul and a funk that is intoxicating beginning with the opening track “Luv & Haight” leading you to the end track “Thank You For Talkin’ to Me Africa”, in which the overtones of the civil rights Movement are heard loud and clear. The emotion you hear with the line “Thank you for lettin’ me be myself again”, shows the sarcastic view that Sly Stone has of the current state of civil rights in America.

Another great track that I highly recommend is, “Africa Talks to You (the Asphalt Jungle)”. This nearly 9 minute track is one that will keep you moving and is a track that will feed your energy for hours as you hum along to it’s catchy beat hours after you have listened.

Listen to the following tracks once you pick up the album:

#1: Luv N’ Haight

#3: Poet

#4: Family Affair

#5: Africa Talks to You (the Asphalt Jungle)

#11: Runnin’ Away

#12: Thank You For Talkin’ To Me Africa

Album # 100: Frank Sinatra: In the Wee Small Hours

Rated: 9/10

Released in 1955, In the Wee Small Hours is a bluesy, melancholy album full of beautifully arranged ballads. Frank Sinatra takes this album to the depths of personal heartbreak with so much raw emotion wrapped into 16 beautiful tracks.

From the beginning of this album, Sinatra brings you into his current state of mind with the song “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning” in which Sinatra sings about loss of sleep and heartbreak. This song starts out a dark and gloomy concept album that Sinatra began working on directly after his breakup with Eva Gardner.

With very few evidence of “big band”, the strings stand out in nearly every track on this album. The most important instrument on the album is Sinatra's voice and is what makes this one of the best albums ever pressed.

Highly recommended if you enjoy the music of Sinatra, but don't expect any high energy love songs on this album. This album will not disappoint and deserves it's place as one of the greatest albums of all time.

Let The Journey Begin.

Welcome to “The Music Project”. This website’s purpose is to create awareness of some of the greatest albums ever recorded. Recently, Rolling Stone magazine released their ranking of the top 500 albums of all time. This year, I have decided to review the top 100. This is simply my opinion and I hope to gain some great feedback and insight with your thoughts on each album as well.
Enjoy.