Stand!

by Sly & the Family Stone

Overview

Stand! is the pinnacle of Sly & the Family Stone's early work, a record that represents a culmination of the group's musical vision and accomplishment. Life hinted at this record's boundless enthusiasm and blurred stylistic boundaries, yet everything simply gels here, resulting in no separation between the astounding funk, effervescent irresistible melodies, psychedelicized guitars, and deep rhythms. Add to this a sharpened sense of pop songcraft, elastic band interplay, and a flowering of Sly's social consciousness, and the result is utterly stunning. Yes, the jams ("Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey," "Sex Machine") wind up meandering ever so slightly, but they're surrounded by utter brilliance, from the rousing call to arms of "Stand!" to the unification anthem "Everyday People" to the unstoppable "I Want to Take You Higher." All of it sounds like the Family Stone, thanks not just to the communal lead vocals but to the brilliant interplay, but each track is distinct, emphasizing a different side of their musical personality. As a result, Stand! winds up infectious and informative, invigorating and thought-provoking -- stimulating in every sense of the word. Few records of its time touched it, and Sly topped it only by offering its opposite the next time out. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	03/04/2008
Label:	Legacy
UPC:	0886972695228
Rank:	4099

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sly & the Family Stone   Primary Artist
Larry Graham   Guitar,Keyboards,Vocals,Bass,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Cynthia Robinson   Trumpet,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Jerry Martini   Vocals,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor),Vocals (Background)
Greg Errico   Drums,Vocals (Background)
Rose Stone   Keyboards,Vocals,Piano
Freddie Stone   Vocals,Guitar
Sylvester Stewart   Keyboards,Vocals,Guitar,Guitar (Bass)
Mary McCreary   Vocals (Background)
Vet Stewart   Vocals (Background)
Elva Melton   Vocals (Background)
Freddie Stewart   Guitar

Technical Credits

Phil Macy   Audio Engineer
Brian Ross-Myring   Audio Engineer
Sylvester Stewart   Audio Production,Producer,Composer
Don Puluse   Audio Engineer
Ted Jarrett   Composer
Bobby Byrd   Composer
James Brown   Composer
Rick James   Composer
Ron Lenhoff   Composer