There’s A Riot Goin’ On marked a relatively significant departure for Sly & The Family Stone, with the band deviating from the upbeat and joyous funk sound they were known for to explore a more serious and political record. This was due in part to lead singer and frontman Sly Stone’s increased involvement with the Black Panther Party as well as his increased narcotics usage, which led the band down a road that eventually drove a wedge between Stone and the rest of his bandmates by year’s end. These ingredients combined to make There’s A Riot Goin’ On one of the most impactful funk albums of the 70’s, carving a path towards a more distinctive prog-rock subgenre that would go on to influence bands like Parliament and their 1975 magnum opus Mothership Connection. In addition, the album features the very first instance of a drum machine being used in a commercial recording in “Family Affair” which was sung by Sly and his sister Rose.
Along with its sonic influences, There’s A Riot Goin’ On cuts a stark counterpoint to Marvin Gaye’s 1971 album What’s Going On (which is one of my favorite albums of all time). There’s A Riot Goin’ On was released six months following Gaye’s record and both covered the decline of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s and the social disillusionment that followed in the wake of police brutality. But whereas Gaye’s response to those moments was to criticize the situation and offer solutions, Sly Stone’s response was to delve into a sort of apathetic haze as he saw civil rights and American culture disintegrate in front of his eyes. It’s this unrelenting honesty which made it a hallmark album in funk history, crossed over to influence the hip-hop genre in the 80’s/early 90’s, and remain a critics favorite over 50 years following its release.
Standout Songs: “Family Affair”, “Thank You for Talkin’ to Me, Africa”, “Time’”
