Not all messages are displayed:
show all messages (381 of them)
The idea that High on You is anywhere near the banality of Heard Ya Missed Me is just ludicrous.
High On You is definitely second tier Sly, but Heard Ya Missed Me is, like, fifth tier by that measuring stick.
I know I’m kinda dying on this hill, but it’s partly because I only just heard
Heard Ya Missed Me and some of it surprised me in ways that very little else he recorded after 1974 does.
But
High On You drops off precipitously after the first two tracks – I wouldn’t say any of it is “bad,” just kind of faceless, which is odd for a guy who was always pretty distinctive, melodically, rhythmically and lyrically. “That’s Loving You” is a nice enough ballad but this (as opposed to much on his next album) is the one where he’s aping that Philly sound. “Who Do You Love,” “Organize” and “Greed” are just sort of shout-y jams – fine enough but not particularly tuneful or interesting lyrically. “Green Eyed Monster Girl” (despite a dope title) is sort of a sub-Booker T instrumental. I actually like “Le Lo Li” which is a bit of a return to the string soul stuff on
Small Talk – and “My World” has nice chord progression and feels a bit like something off the pre-
Stand records. The fuzz bass chorus of “So Good to Me” is a nice change of pace. But again: nothing sniffs the (really) good title track and epic groove of “Crossword Puzzle.” None of this makes
High On You a bad record or anything – just not one I
need to hear from time to time.
In contrast,
Heard Ya Missed Me has several surprising arrangements – the Latin title track, the gospel vox and hi-hat and string interplay of Everything In You” are just two examples. “Mother Is a Hippie” has a great juxtaposition between the chorus and verse – this is one place where the strings have a Philly thing going on but they’re just a color.
Also these lyrics are just awesome for how the detox metaphors (my transcription) blend with the clenched teeth smile of the music:
Everything in you has to come out
Everything in you has to come out
If you want to let your light shine
Everything in you has to come out
In order to know who’s your brother
You might want to be a good brother
It’s up to you don’t be sad
Do what you do and be glad
Everything in you has to come out
Everything in you has to come out
If you want to let your light shine
Everything in you has to come out
In order to hear with you listening
You have to know what you’re missing
You can begin to confide
If your best friend is inside
Nothing we need we will lose with
What we need we’re abusing
In order to feel who to part with
Make sure it is you who you start with
Everything in you has to come out
Everything in you has to come out
If you want to let your light shine
Everything in you has to come out
Again, a great record? No. But there’s a lot to enjoy here—lyrics, hooks, counterpoint, and clever arrangements—and on the whole is the most interesting thing he did after 1974 by some distance.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 18 May 2018 12:59 (five years ago) link
I think you're overstating the "interesting" aspects of Heard Ya Missed Me by quite a lot.
I don't understand how Sly mimicking the Philly Soul sound is a good thing at all. I mean, Philly Soul and McFadden and Whitehead are fine, but I find it really disappointing that someone as unique as Sly would ditch his one of a kind sound for a (sub-par) imitation of what was essentially a cookie cutter operation. To me, that just magnifies the record's shortcomings.
At least he still sounds like himself on High on You. Granted, a not as good version of his previous self, but still undeniably him.
I feel like Heard Ya Missed Me could have been made by any number of people.
seven months pass...
one year passes...
eight months pass...
one year passes...
one year passes...