"A Whole New Thing" by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE– October 1967 US Debut Album on Epic Records in Stereo – Disc 1 Inside "Original Album Classics" (August 2013 UK/EU Epic/Legacy 5CD Hard Card Capacity Wallet Compilation of Five Albums in Mini LP Repro Artwork with Remasters and Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

"A Whole New Thing" from October 1967 on Epic Records

Sly & The Family Stone's Debut Album in Stereo

Remastered Expanded Edition CD by VIC ANESINI

 Inside "Original Album Classics" 

 

"…That Kind Of Person…"

 

First appearing in 2010 in the USA as part of the Sony/Legacy "Original Album Classics" Series of 5CD capacity wallet mini box sets (Cata No. 8869770802) – this 2013 repackaged version is out of Europe and uses different (some would say prettier) artwork and a new catalogue number (88883743022).

 

Although you get a flimsy card slipcase for this capacity wallet (as opposed to the hard card of the original American issues), the best news is that you also get the 2007 BOB IRWIN/VIC ANESINI CD Remasters with all five of the albums retaining their expanded bonus tracks. 

 

In short there's a whole lot of historical Soul and Funk on here for not a lot of wedge (their debut included). Here are the Luv N' Haight details…

 

Euro released August 2013 – "Original Album Classics" by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE on Epic/Legacy 88883743022 (Barcode 888837430227) is a 5CD Capacity Wallet Card Slipcase. Disc 1 contains the debut album and breaks down as follows:

 

Disc 1 (56:36 minutes):

1. Underdog [Side 1]

2. If This Room Could Talk

3. Run, Run, Run

4. Turn Me Loose

5. Let Me Hear It From You

6. Advice

7. I Cannot Make It [Side 2]

8. Trip To Your Heart

9. I Hate To Love Her

10. Bad Risk

11. That Kind Of Person

12. Dog

Tracks 1 to 12 are their debut album "A Whole New Thing" – released October 1967 in the USA on Epic LN 24324 (Mono) and BN 26324 (Stereo) – the Stereo mix is used. There was no UK issue of this album.

 

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Underdog (Single Version, Mono) – 1967, USA 7" 45-single on Epic 10229, B-side to "Higher"

14. Let Me Hear It From You (Single Version, Mono) – 1967, USA 7" 45-single on Epic 10256, Non-Album B-side to "Dance To The Music"

15. Only One Way Out Of This Mess

16. What Would I Do

17. You Better Help Yourself (Instrumental)

Track 16 first appeared on the 1997 Legacy remaster of the "A Whole New Thing" album. Tracks 13, 14, 15 and 17 first appeared on the 2007 Legacy Expanded CD remaster of the album.

 

The carp repro sleeves are lovely to look at – especially for the first three upbeat Soul albums and all contain those tasty bonus tracks including as you can see from the track list above –including the debut album. The 2007 VIC ANESINI Stereo remasters are thankfully used and are typically superb - amazing clarity – both the vocals and ever-present backing horns.

 

To the debut on CD1 - Sly waxes lyrical about being related to the wrong-parts-of-town, no-job-promotions and general lack of opportunities for all Americans in "Underdog" - especially those hard-working souls of color. It was kind of ballsy for Epic to give it a 45-single release given its hard-hitting no-holes-barred words. He then launches into got to have you territory for "If This Room Could Talk" - a hooky brass backing giving the ba-boom funky little tune more 7" single potential. With its flesh and blood message and duet vocals - "Run, Run, Run" is good but like the manic "Turn Me Loose" actually feels like its trying too hard and all that frantic pace could have been dialled down to something stronger. 

 

Big brass beginnings for the talking-about-me-behind-my-back "Let Me Hear It From You" only to settle into a church-organ pleader - Sly digging down deep to find those big-balls vocals. Great whack off the drums on "Advise" - a get yourself together plea combined with a promise of mind-blowing loving should the lady let the poor boy in (don't do it gal). "I'm so hip!" Sly shouts at the start of "I Cannot Make It" - great audio as those flicking guitars and horns do battle in the right and left speakers. Things get shouting weird with "Trip To Your Heart" - a combo of Psych and Soul that works that spaceship chorus about winning a trip to your heart. 

Sexy and cool describes the very Sly smooch of "I Hate To Love You" - tears the poor man can't even hide anymore (ooh ooh, if you know what I mean). The LP races to a close with two great cuts - a fantastic funky groove strong in "Bad Risk" where our boy stands accused of running around (or is it him blaming her?) and the slow punctuated Soul of "That Kind Of Person". 

You would not call "A Whole New Thing" a fantastical hybrid-Soul success and for damn sure, it lacked (and still does) killer tunes that pointed to the "Everyday People" classics to come. Sly's debut album with The Family Stone is a good beginning - a very late-60ts slice of butt wabbling Funk-Soul shaking its ass at a bemused public. But there is still enough on this long forgotten debut to get the juices flowing and the creaking bones itching again.

 

A pioneer, a hero, a drugged-up nutjob – Sly Stone was all of these and more. But rehearing that debut and thinking that it was late 1967 – you reach more for the pioneer tag. Mostly though you're left impressed and wanting more…and that's a complaint I'll take any day of the week…