As a late 60s metaphor for hope, the only thing that topped Sly Stone’s multi-ethnic, mixed-gender band was the music it produced. “Everyday People” (“different strokes, for different folks”) and “I Want to Take You Higher” were utopian anthems propelled by Larry Graham’s slap bass while “Don’t Call Me Nigger”, Whitey proved that Sly wasn’t (yet) blind to contemporary reality. The lyrics are rarely simplistic, the singing never less than spectacular, and each track has such an abundance of rhythm that standing still isn’t a possibility.