Reviews

The first album attributed to Sly Stone rather than Sly and the Family Stone. One of the better straight-up funk albums of the 70's even though it's his most underrated. The title track, a career highlight, was an impressive single peaking at number three on the R&B chart. Originally released in 1975. CD Universe
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The first album attributed to Sly Stone rather than Sly and the Family Stone, High on You didn't exactly resurrect the troubled artist's sinking career, but it does remain one of the better straight-up funk albums of the '70s. Released during the same mid-'70s era that spawned vibrant funk albums such as the Commodores' Machine Gun, Parliament's Up for the Down Stroke, and the Ohio Players' Skin Tight, along with the first Graham Central Station albums, High on You seems somewhat like a genre exercise for Sly — rather than trailblazing new sounds like he did five years earlier, he's now a bit behind the times. Still, even though Sly isn't doing anything incredible here, he performs a highly competent series of succinct, well-crafted funk songs with plenty of pop accessibility and a bit of soul embedded in his vocals. It's worth noting that the album's title track was an impressive single, peaking at number three on the R&B chart and even making an appearance on the pop chart — though rarely mentioned, "High on You," remains one of Sly's career highlights. Elsewhere, "Crossword Puzzle" stands out with its distinct horn hook and numerous background vocals, while the gentle "That's Lovin' You," the album's sole ballad, cools things down a bit. After these first three highlights, the album's quality dips a bit, though the funk level remains high. Undoubtedly Sly's best post-Fresh album alongside the better moments on Small Talk, High on You isn't nearly as accomplished as his great late-'60s/early-'70s run of albums, though it deserves more respect that it has garnered with time. While most have lazily written this album off, lumping it together with Sly's other post-Fresh efforts, it's actually a respectable '70s funk album that is also his most underrated. Jason Birchmeier. AllMusic