Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Language available : english
Just a matter of months after Dance to the Music, Sly & the Family Stone turned around and delivered Life, a record that leapfrogged over its predecessor in terms of accomplishment and achievement. The most noteworthy difference is the heavier reliance on psychedelics and fuzz guitars, plus a sharpening of songcraft that extends to even throwaways like "Chicken." As it turned out, Life didn't have any hits -- the double A-sided single "Life"/"M'Lady" barely cracked the Top 100 -- yet this feels considerably more song-oriented than its predecessor, as each track is a concise slice of tightly wound dance-funk. All the more impressive is that the group is able to strut their stuff within this context, trading off vocals and blending into an unstoppable force where it's impossible to separate the instruments, even as they solo. The songwriting might still be perfunctory or derivative in spots -- listen to how they appropriate "Eleanor Rigby" on "Plastic Jim" -- but what's impressive is how even the borrowed or recycled moments sound fresh in context. And then there are the cuts that work on their own, whether it's the aforementioned double-sided single, "Fun," "Dynamite!," or several other cuts here -- these are brilliant, intoxicating slices of funk-pop that get by as much on sound as song, and they're hard to resist.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From 12,49€/month
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally recorded 1968 & released 2007. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) Originally recorded 1968 & released 2007. All right reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) 2007 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Albumbeschreibung
Just a matter of months after Dance to the Music, Sly & the Family Stone turned around and delivered Life, a record that leapfrogged over its predecessor in terms of accomplishment and achievement. The most noteworthy difference is the heavier reliance on psychedelics and fuzz guitars, plus a sharpening of songcraft that extends to even throwaways like "Chicken." As it turned out, Life didn't have any hits -- the double A-sided single "Life"/"M'Lady" barely cracked the Top 100 -- yet this feels considerably more song-oriented than its predecessor, as each track is a concise slice of tightly wound dance-funk. All the more impressive is that the group is able to strut their stuff within this context, trading off vocals and blending into an unstoppable force where it's impossible to separate the instruments, even as they solo. The songwriting might still be perfunctory or derivative in spots -- listen to how they appropriate "Eleanor Rigby" on "Plastic Jim" -- but what's impressive is how even the borrowed or recycled moments sound fresh in context. And then there are the cuts that work on their own, whether it's the aforementioned double-sided single, "Fun," "Dynamite!," or several other cuts here -- these are brilliant, intoxicating slices of funk-pop that get by as much on sound as song, and they're hard to resist.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 15 track(s)
- Total length: 00:43:03
- Main artists: Sly & The Family Stone
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Epic - Legacy
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Funk
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved Sony Music Entertainment
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.