Though Sly & the Family Stone wouldn't score a hit until their third album, Dance to the Music, the roots of the group's revolutionary mix of classic R&B with San Francisco's burgeoning acid-rock sound can be heard loud and clear on their second album, 1968's Life. With no clear standout tracks, Life is fascinating more for its explorations than its arrivals. The elements are all there--the dynamic ensemble singing, the adventurous arrangements, the hard funk beats, the screaming guitars--but Life is a musical vision not yet fully formed. When it finally did come together, nothing would be the same again. --Roni Sarig