I'm gonna talk about it. This most likely ain't for you, specifically, but someone who
enjoys talking actual music.

What I like most about the albums after Small Talk is that he sounds comfortable with
where he is musically. Imo, Small Talk sounds like he's still grabbing for.... something.
Still trying to find his way without Larry or something. He did the damn thing with "Fresh",
but "Small Talk" is like leftover tracks from that session. It was time to move on from it.
Think Radiohead... If Fresh is Kid A... Small Talk is Amnesiac.
It wasn't Sly's style to rehash if you pay attention to his progression. He always made
something you weren't expecting. "Life" might take the basic framework of DTTM, but
it adds a new dimension of songwriting and does things that DTTM didn't do with experimentation
and arrangement. Small Talk did go anywhere with the previous framework. As a matter of fact,
it was LESS creative than its predecessor. Notice "Stand" sounds nothing like "Life"
and "TARGO" sounds nothing like "Stand". You only run into that repetitive period
with these two albums in his whole career. The next 4 albums switched it up in
typical Sly fashion.


Back On The Right Track >>>>> Small Talk
High On You >>>> Small Talk

I understand how one could objectively disagree with the other two.
"Heard Ya Missed Me" has some questionable joints, although I think the title track,
"Blessing In Disguise", "Everything In You", and "Mother Is A Hippie" alone stand up to "Small Talk"
as an album. "Let's Be Together" is the same sound that Jamiroquai gets so much love
for straight up copying. Throw in "The Thing" and it's a wrap. Main problem with the
album is that the weakest tracks are 2,3, and 4. Let me reiterate that the title track is
pure genius and severely under-appreciated.

And even as an unfinished album "Ain't But The One Way" comes together very nicely.
I actually like the fact that it sounds more "polished" than alotta Sly's other work, as it's
just nice to hear his work in a new light. His genius and basic musical framework is still
there as well.

He came back with a vengeance with "High On You". That was Sly with energy again
and writing good music.
He got creative and left again with "Heard Ya Missed Me"... but with an updated sound.
"Back On The Right Track" is just a collection of good ass songs.
"ABTOW" finds him doing some styles we'd never seen from him much like "Heard Ya Missed Me"
but we get that Steward Levine gloss since he was brought in to salvage what Sly
and G.Clinton left after the Warner split. But yeah I can understand why some
wouldn't be into that. I just personally happen to enjoy it and think it's what Sly's
music needed at that point.