Reviews (page 4 of 12)
I was familiar with several War hits but this was my first deep dive into one of their albums. Very enjoyable listen overall. But some songs were a bit too long and/or too mellow for my liking. My 2 favorite War songs, Spill the Wine and Low Rider, are not on this album.
I am a BIG Sly & The Family Stone guy and prior to this, the only War song I had heard was “Low Rider” so this was a pleasant listen! If you like the “Thank You for Talkin’ to Me, Africa” version of “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” (or that general Sly Stone era messaging) this may be the album for you. “The Cisco Kid” may be one of my favorite songs from this project yet. Some of the other songs just weren’t wordy enough for me but this is a great hot, summer, concrete jungle type album. Season: Late Summer Favorite Song: The Cisco Kid
Well I kind figured id like it by the start of the first song, but id felt that way before and been disappointed. I think the first two songs are my favorites. I like them for a lot of the same reasons I liked otis blue, but they feel a bit faster paced, a bit more exciting. Otherwise, I think the rest of the album is pretty good. Four cornered room felt a bit out of place for me, especially since the songs are so long, it felt like an extended intermission, and probably my least liked song of the album. But the second half of the album takes a bit of a more mellow approach anyway, so holistically, I think it's a nice touch. I wish The rest of the album was as good as the first though, overall I think my favorite was where was you at or cisco kid
This is a well-crafted record. It has elements of a whole lot of things, from funk to jazz to rock. The songs are catchy and the performances electric. It is a really enjoyable record.
There's a satisfying funk sound to much of this album, but it's also so much more than that. There are heavy notes of jazz, soul, and psychedelic rock. The two long jams are the highlights, with long instrumental passages that introduce different instruments, from harmonicas to saxophones. The drums are great throughout, providing a steady back beat that keeps the songs tight and not too jammy. "The Cisco Kid" is also great - it may be the dirtiest of the funk songs and has the most Latin flair. The other short songs are decent, but the one real drag is "Four Cornered Room," which is almost a blues song. It commits the sin of slowing things down to a crawl between the two of the most fun songs. Still, it's mostly a pacing problem, and it doesn't stop the album from being musically infectious while also containing a lot of important social commentary.
I dug the grooves, but the songs themselves didn't really do anything for me.
I think this album would be fantastic to get high to in the 60's - I listened to this while doing my office job, which I don't think did it justice. But I did enjoy it, it was so funky, but there were long, repetitive stretches that I found annoying me.
They loved a long track in the 70s, drugs were high quality back then. One or two I liked. But I've had better.
Surely the genesis of all porno soundtracks
My least favorite kind of funk, the aimlessly repetitive kind. This is party atmosphere music, the kind you just have on in the background and don't think about. It has it's place, but not in my album rotation.
As someone who's always liked the Animals, I was worried that I'd miss Eric Burdon's presence on this one too much to give it a fair chance. As it turns out, I might like this better than the albums he was on? It's not really the best funk jam album I've ever heard, but you know, I just haven't heard enough funk jam albums lately so it was just what I needed this week.
04/03/2026. Cisco starts of STRONG, the perfect amount of forehead creasing, lip pursing, head bopping. This is right up your alley. where was you at - where was i at my whole life, this song is THE main character arc intro sequence walk through the park, through every picturesque neighbourhood, seeing the beauty of life on your bike before the story starts. city country city tells a story, it enchants you through small dimly lit streets, bustling corners, neon signs at night as a city comes alive and people come to be free to be another version of themselves. the sax gets a little zingy in the middle could be deeper, but the zing wakes you up. FOUR COURNERED ROOM 8.1/10 - sultry, this is what sinners wanted to be if it was set in the 20s/30s and feel the soul/blues vibe. the world is a ghetto 10/10 - no notes
Standouts The Cisco Kid City, Country, City
Lovely grooves
A jam album, light on funk. Funk is all about the bass, and the bass on this is pedestrian. Nothing notable, but pleasant enough background music.
Not too engaging
Love the music and the musicality - just great funky music!
The Cisco Kid is a great jam. There's some other good songs, but nothing great. I think these guys did better things on the next few albums.
Fun, funky soul. Great listen.
Good album - The Cisco Kid a highlight.
Instrumentally this album is amazing. It is a work of art. Not for everyday but really good.
Incredibly long songs! It’s jazzy and radiates crime tv music. Not my favorite, but pretty easy to listen to as background music. (6 songs, 43 mins) 2/28/26
The only song that hooked me was the title track. I was enjoying listening to it until I got to about the 5 minute mark and realized there was much more song to go.
Very good album, funky psychedelic and kept me on my toes. Could definitely see this go up. 4/5
fantastic vibes, occasionally a little extended for what's there. when it hits it *really* hits though. definitely approaching jazz from rock rather than the other way around. vocals and harmonica are standout
Instrumentals were nice
Un gran album de soul con tintes de jazz que se me hizo muy cómodo de escuchar.
This album is capital C cool. The spoken word, the jazz, the instrumentals, I really loved it.
Really enjoyed this. Not something I was familiar with either.
Funky and soul soothing
Solid, very funky, but I wasn't amazed by it.
This album just isn't for me. I didn't care for it when it first came out, and my tastes clearly haven't shifted much, still not a fan. The only thing keeping it above one star is "The Cisco Kid."
I quite like the instrumentalism, little bit samey samey.
It was musically interesting though not to my taste. I didn't mind it, but probably won't seek out more.
Started off pretty uninspired but really gained traction the more I listened. Four cornered room was the stand out hit - very pleased I gave it the full listen. It's also nice to listen to something from the early 70's and think of that time.
Funk. Not bad, nothing special to me, but I'm no expert.
City, country, city is when I decided I like this album. First one on the list that I listened to twice in a day.
Solid
sorry not my fave, not bad but did not feel super wow to me in the moment :)
i loved this! a solid 4.5 for me, brought down only by a few tracks in the middle that feel slower than they need to be
Jazzy notes at beginning, notice drums on min 24, church chorus influence, mix of jazz and futuristic voice distortion, like voice gliding around.
Groovy and smooth. A sound often imitated but never replicated. I like this a lot more than their hits.
Херня, просто спокойная музыка, хотя никакая. Я даже не знаю зв что тут можно ухватиться. 2/10
Ugh. You know when one of my pieces of whatever this is I’m doing starts with “Ugh,” I’m not fired up about listening to this music. War isn’t my favorite band. In fact, they’re way down the list. I liked Low Rider about the first 1,200 times I heard it, but it makes me cringe now. Same thing with Spill the Bottle and Why Can’t We Be Friends. The good news is that it seems Eric Burdon of the Animals is not with them on this album. I like the essence of Eric Burdon, but I don’t think much of him as a singer. Welp, let’s do this. Track 1 is The Cisco Kid, and it’s funky. Ooooh-wee. Just a slow funky jam. It was the highest charting single for War off this album as it peaked at number 2 in 1973. The lyrics were inspired by the old TV Western, The Cisco Kid. me Track 2, Where Was You At, is another funky jam. It really reminds of Sly & the Family Stone. War combined a lot of genres into becoming kind of their own genre. They had funk, soul, R&B, Latin beats, jazz, blues, and African beats. They were a melting pot of some of the best music at the time. These first two songs were too short. Now, Track 3, City, Country, City, is over 13 minutes long, and it starts out with a gospel-like organ and flamenco guitar. Whoa, now here’s a harmonica. This sounds like a Hoyt Axton or Tom T. Hall groove. It’s country, but still pop. Now we’re getting funkier. The song has now added a sax solo, and it just gets better. When the sax comes in, the song turns into the outro jam from the Rolling Stones’ Can’t You Hear Me Knockin.’ I love it. I imagine they recorded this all in the same room with the full band. You can hear people kind of yelling, “Yeah!” and “Whoo!” What a jam. Wow, after an extended percussion and organ jam, the song has now slipped into a bluesy Pink Floydian type slow jam closer. That was a great song. Side two begins with track 4, Four-Cornered Room, and it picks up on where City, Country, City left off with a slow blues creep. The group comes in with some spooky type Ooooooooh, Whoooooo, Oooooooo, OoooWhoooos. This is badass. This song is very psychedelic. It’s foreboding. You’re waiting for something bad to happen. The group vocals give me a bit of the Blind Boys of Alabama vibe. Track 5 is The World Is a Ghetto and we’re already getting funky. Very soulful sax solo in the middle of this song. Again, very slow-moving. If these songs were kicked up to double time, the album would be about 20 minutes long. I read that one of the top music critics at the time didn’t like the album as much as he thought he would because all the songs were slow. He labeled it “blackstrap-rock,” after blackstrap molasses, I assume. I love the slowness. I’m a huge doom and stoner metal fan, and a lot of those songs are just slow-moving bulldozers of riffs. While War is far from doom metal, on this album, the band moves slow and funky. If this album were a woman, it’d be THICC. Last track, Beetles In the Bog, it was the B-side for The Cisco Kid. It’s one of the shorter songs on the album at 4 minutes. It reminds me of Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk. The horns kind of sound very similar, and the groove is spot on. Tusk came out in 1979. According to Wikipedia, this album was number one on the Billboard album charts and was Billboard’s Album of the Year, as it was the best-selling album in 1973. That’s amazing. I’ve not heard any songs off this album until today, or never heard anyone speak about this album. Which is dumb, because this album totally changes my view on War. This album was great. Much like a lot of pop music, only the least of a group’s singles become the big hit everyone knows, hence Low Rider being War's most well-known song. Though it's not the worst song ever, by any means. I’m adding this album to my new finds rotation. I don’t know how must-listen the album is, but if anything I wrote in here tickles your gizzard, then you should check this out. Plus, they have deluxe editions of the album out with more music from the recording sessions.
The album opens with 'Cisco Kid' - a swaggering yet repetitive number that will have you singing along to the chorus on the first listen. Things get a touch proggy with 'City, Country, City' begins. It is a funky 13 minute instrumental piece that feels like it could soundtrack a police chase scene in a blaxplitation flick. The progressive elements continue into the the next track, with 'Four Cornered Room' featuring trippy vocals phasing in and out and repeative instrumentation that almost feels tribal. I admire how this record can balance being experimental and being commercial so well. You've got 3 minute singles sitting alongside extended jams seamlessly. The album is a melting pot of funk, soul and Latin music. The vibes are immaculate here, with the mood always focusing on good times.
My notes
It's good, but possibly a bit slow?
Great album. Soulful.
Much like the first few Funkadelic albums, The World is a Ghetto is listener's funk and every bit as good as anything any other funk outfit put out. The rhythms aren't so much danceable as they are head-bobbers. This is also an album with deeply layered themes, a heavy dose of gospel-inspired grooves, and, importantly, soulful harmonies. On this record, War draws on all of its influences (including a little country!) and integrates them in a way that feels natural and authentic. I'm stuck between giving this record a four or a five. There's a lot to love here, and I enjoyed listening to this record again and again. The World is a Ghetto isn't on par with other paragon releases like Innervisions, but man, it's closer than I ever expected it could be, and the sound has me hunting for a decent vintage player copy for my turntable. That alone probably brings it up a star, so let's go with a personal five stars.
Liked: The Cisco Kid, Where Was You At, The World Is A Ghetto Added: The World Is A Ghetto
It's alright. But too slow and meandering for me. 2/5
I really liked this. A bit funky, a bit prog, good fun. Almost gave it 5.
fonky chonky!!
A cool listen but in truth it’s a little one-dimensional and on some of the tracks it felt like they were going to just jam forever
Jazzy, soulful R&B. No one does it better than War.
Simpatico, bel sound a tratti da colonna sonora western, a tratti vagamente soul (?), insomma bellino anche se non salverei
Fun album, loved Cisco Kid (classic), but the whole album gives the feeling of walking through a lower end part of town in the 70s, mood and ambience is on point
Not bad
131/1001 First listen. Nothing I want to hear again. 4/10
I got more into it as it went along. The world is a ghetto is such a great track. I was singing along by the end of the song.
The World Is a Ghetto by War is an album whose reputation slightly outweighs the actual listening experience. The band’s musicianship and their blend of funk, Latin, and jazz are undeniable, and when they keep things focused, most notably on “The Cisco Kid”, the album really works. In those moments, the grooves are tight, the hooks are clear, and the performances feel purposeful rather than indulgent. The problem is the album’s lack of restraint. It frequently drifts into overlong jam sessions, stretching simple ideas far past their impact and draining the momentum established at the start. Even the title track, despite its strong atmosphere and concept, loses force through repetition and extended solos. For me, it’s a record full of strong ideas and talent that needed firmer editing, making it a solid but ultimately unspectacular listen. 6/10
Fine. Mix of funky stuff, reggae and jazzy stuff. Won't come back to it.
EVEN THE COVER ART!
Enjoyed this, but it is quite downbeat. Which I guess is not surprising, given the title. I like that you can hear the influences but it still does its own thing. And it ends on a high.
This is stunning. It captures the shift from soul to funk, without ever becoming guilty of falling into all the blaxploitation cliches. At the centre of this is the bass, which holds it all together. The sax solos, harmonicas, and even the stretched out instrumentals - it's music for music sake. We need more uplifting albums like this for our times. SAULT currently fill the gap, but I could do without all the God stuff.
Дуже класний альбом. Шикарний інструментал, дуже качає
I feel as if I should like this more than I did. It's got a great, jazzy soul groove, but maybe it doesn't have the tunes?
awesome choice! added to my fav ones!
So good! It sounds a lot like most late 80s pop/funk/jazz fusion stuff, and it should, because it's incredible and inspired all the kids who were 10 in 1973. Absolutely hasn't aged. So subtle and smooth with all the instrumental bits. None of the solos feel selfish or even wanted, just what the vibe needed at the time. Groovy, groovin', grove.
ok funk
A finely crafted journey that lives simultaneously on the asphalt and among the firmament. Beautiful funk.
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - I love this album. Cisco Kid and the title track are especially funky but the whole thing grooves like hell. Really, really good.
Interesting but not one for me even though I generally like funk and soul
Strong album musically, but it didn't hook me in all the way like I hoped it might. I have to say, I do love the album cover. 3/5 stars from me.
I love War. I mean the band not actual war haha
The World is a Ghetto has a surprisingly positive and funky vibe considering it's name. Every song is diverse and unique to each other, however, a few songs got a little bit repetitive sometimes. Not really an album I see myself revisiting mainly because this genre is not my cup of tea, but I certainly did not regret giving it a listen. 3/5.
Album #65 War: The World is a Ghetto Pretty solid 70s soul album, though to be honest, there are many better albums from that era I would rather return to. Though I am hardly the authority since I don’t care all that much for What’s Goin On by Marvin Gaye, so clearly my taste when it comes to soul is skewed. I found moments of this album to be enjoyable, but for the most part, it was fairly uninteresting. Best Songs: The World Is a Ghetto, Where Was You At, The Cisco Kid Worst Song: City, Country, City Score out of 10: 5.5
Loved it, especially the title track
Det är nog det tråkigaste albumet jag lyssnat på i mitt liv. Alla låtar är långsamma och det är inget som sticker ut. Jag orkade inte ens lyssna klart på hela, trots att det bara var sex låtar. The Cisco Kid var iallafall bra.
Pretty good. If only there were more non-jam band songs. Cisco Kid is a bop
loved it a bunch
and in addition, I love the album cover art
Yuh
Standout Songs: The Cisco Kid Where Was You At The World Is A Ghetto Beetles In The Bog
Love it
This was a very cool album to listen to, I dug the sounds, and it was slick as shit. Nothing really was crazy but also everything was on point. Nice fat melodies.
'Cisco Kid" so fantastic Sublime does a cover
This smells suspiciously like jam band.
This is #day551 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… I thought I already got this album sometime ago. Anyway, bring on that early '70s psychedelic funk/soul/jazz/blues goodness! This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day552.
Smooth soul with funk elements. I liked the vocal harmonies, though the singing was a little too subdued. No complaints about the instrumentals. There were no great tracks but no skips either. Overall a solid album.
I was expecting hip-hop, but instead I got some amazing soul. It's good and it sounds fresh throughout.
3/5. Might end up saying this a lot, but not typically my cup of tea. Nonetheless, despite a somewhat weak first half the second half of this album really brought it round for me. Favourite Track - The World Is A Ghetto
This was a pretty cool album! I knew the first song already but hadn't heard the others. My favourite was Four Cornered Room.
פרוגרסיבי החושילינג וזה ניהיה משעמם כבר אבל נחמד קצת זה וייבים
Very enjoyable instrumentation and song progression despite having some heavy lyrical content and focus.
Have only got to know War recently, only previously being aware of Low Rider and not really sought them out. Ohhhh how amazing to be able trace backward to so many fantastic recordings. This is my first date with The World is a Ghetto, and had a great time with it over many plays. So rich. So soulful. So funky. Stand out track are 1: Cisco Kid - for it's funky groove and the percussion on... everything. I can't help myself but move to it. 4: Four Cornered Room. Deep, deep, soulful sounds, with a lyric and slow, rolling rhythm that are a match made in heaven. 5: The World is a Ghetto (title track). I hear influences from this funky soul in some of my favourite contemporary blues/rock bands. 4.5 So good. Number tracks: 6 Fave track # 4: Four Cornered Room Others (already listed above) Date: 09/02/26
it was pretty good
A solid fusion album. The first two tracks were funk-fusion, and I was also reminded of reggae due to the emphasis on the backbeat. The rest of the album was a variety of long-dorm funk/psychadelic fusion, Grateful Dead-es que jams, which were enjoyable as well. Among those, City country city was especially cool due to the concept of having two completely different grooves juxtaposing each other. My favorite track was track two. 6/10
Another difficult one to rate. I want to like this one more, because I've always been a fan of War, and I like their music. The (original) album, though (which I think is what we're rating), is just 6 songs, including 3 longer ones. Maybe if I listened a second time, I'd like it more? But still, it's not like I don't like it - on the contrary. I was gonna give it a 3.5, but then I realize that's less than I gave Cars and Kraftwerk, and in some ways I like this better than both of those (LOL). *Sigh* - I give it 4 stars (and kind of wish I could change Cars, at least, to 3.5).
zoom zoom zoom I think this is a rare combination of catchiness and spacious jamming. I really like the vocals on 4 & 5, but the instrumentals are also excellent throughout. I think they managed to make a cohesive album while including plenty of variety (something I value highly). I also tend to prefer music that prioritizes the sound over the lyrics, and I think that is done here
It's not for me, man...
Never heard this, a revelation, love it!
Not bad, I tend to like 70s rock in general but this didn't stand out to me so much.
It’s groovy more jazzy in sound after the first song
The instrumentation is excellent on this album and its the instrumental on this very short record which is the standout. Voice is too whiny to deliver the message. It has the the effect of a sledgehammer knocking in a nail.
This thing a 5. Early 70's vibe - here we come!
Super fun groovy album. A little long on some of the songs but really enjoyed.
Musicaly it is good but I really I mean really don't like funk. Its not for me and I grow more and more annoyed every time I see funk hehe. I wasnt able to listen to the whole album here, just part of every song.
This felt like a chore sadly
Funky, but it gets repetitive and isn’t helped by 3x 10 minute tracks back to back.
I was feeling as I think this album would want when I listened, and it hit me right. Band is incredibly tight. I had a vague recollection of the chorus to Cisco Kid, but re-listening - yeah, so fuggin grooving. Just not in love with rest of the tracks. Had to look these guys up, holy shit, didn't realize all that was them. As a band 5, the album 4.
The World is Ghetto is an outstanding funk record. I loved the fusion of sounds and genres. There is a lot of complexity to this music. This was the album that launched War into fame and secured their place as one of the best funk/soul artists in history. It is hard to believe that the album beat out the Dark Side of the Moon as album of the year, mostly because of how infamous the latter has become. The fact that it was the best-selling album that year was probably a reflection of collective burn out from psychedelic prog rock when it was released. I’d never listened to this album in its entirely before, but this will certainly not be the last time that I do. This is another band worthy of deeper exploration.
not typically my style, and not a genre im super familiar with, but very enjoyable. love the long instrumentals. the kind of music you'd put on during a hang out or while getting ready for something. i like some songs more than others but overall not bad.
Fun stuff.
feels like i'm riding down the boulevard with a long ass fag in my mouth in my drop top convertible otw to god knows where. love the psychedelic mix of funk, soul and blues. city, country, city does not need to be 13 mins. 4/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Funkigt, atmosfäriskt och med inslag av latinska rytmer. Ett trevligt album att ha på i bakgrunden och bara pågå. Flera av spåren är långa och och kan byter riktning flera gånger vilket gör att de inte känns monotona. Bäst tycker jag om City, Country, City. Det som kanske drar ner lite är att det är få spår som verkligen sticker ut men det å andra sidan är dess styrka att låtarna nästan flyter ihop och att det blir ett enda långt groove. Ger det en svag 4a.
City, Country, City is a jam. A methodical, soulful, jazzy, politically motivated Tuesday morning it is.
Never heard of these before or the album and it is QUALITY! Such a good groove, nice mix of instrumental, melody and vocal. Really pleasantly surprised. Lovely little break down in the middle for the 13 minutes of ‘City, Country, City’ Will be listening to this again and close to 4.5 but maybe just 4
Some albums you just get the feeling that they are going to be great from the first few seconds of the first track. This is one of them. Amazing.
Something a bit different - another example of an artist I wasn’t aware of and an album I would never have listened to - decent
shocked this album came out in 1972, sounds way ahead of its time and the extended jamming parts on here are amazing. would never have thought to listen to this without it being generated but i'm really glad i did.
i love how this challenge is allowing me to listen to super cool things outside the box. love the horns here.
Great survey of ways that Funk music could go at this time .
Very nice proto Funk Jazz defining album for the genre
Enjoyed it
Not as upbeat as I'd hoped. Surprised that this was as successful as it has been. Not funky or soulful enough.
I loved every minute of this album! The 2010s soul revival really had my heart with groups like Sharon Jones and the Menhan Street Band and it led me to some of the OG groups like The Meters and others. However, War never quite made it onto my listening routine even though I had heard of them. I'm going to have to listen to the rest of their catalog now, if it's half as great as this album I'll be a happy man.
I enjoyed the jazz influence on this album but am not a massive fan of long songs as I can find them a bit monotonous
I mean, it's alright. A good enough listen. Pretty unremarkable though, sadly. Wish I had more to say on it as the album probably deserves more but it was in one ear and out the other which is a shame. fav tracks: City, Country, City, Four Cornered Room
The Cisco Kid was not much of a friend, always seemed kinda lame eatin’ dem salted peanuts out da can. But once you get through the opening song, The World Is A Ghetto is an excellent album and a great entry to The 1001 Must Hear List. Got some funky jazz goin’ on, and even the long tracks kept my interest. War kills it with this one at (4.3*s) I always associated Eric Burden with The Animals…
Damn, I was so ready for this one to be great. "The Cisco Kid" is a fun one but the rest of the album degrades. Middle is stacked with too long songs that drag on. The funk-soul-jazz fusion style WAR got is cool in doses. Be a good live, jam band (still touring!). Based on this listen though, I decided they are probably just a greatest hits go to. If we get another record WAR from the list I won't be mad, willing to give them another chance. For the Ghetto I rate it at 1.75 stars.
I expected a little more out of this album. It starts off with Cisco Kid which I've always enjoyed. From there it devolves into long form progressive soul songs. It's not the worst, but it also does little to hook me or make me want to revisit this in any way. I guess its good that this genre got a little exposure on this list, but the overall product doesn't move me much. All in all its OK but mostly skippable. 1.92 stars
a little vibe to start the morning, okay
love funk, but some songs were not my cup of tea
its 1972, sly stone has retreated into a womb of cocaine, and WAR pops up to save everyone by plugging the now vacant gap in vibrant multicultural funk music. i had been meaning to listen to this eventually for a while but i feel like such a bozo for not hearing it earlier....at times a patient and endlessly expansive listen, but an overall package that is so concise and varied. the funk and soul stuff runs into latin timbres and psychy jazz and all of it served up with these ridiculously deep grooves and creative capital s captial i Song Ideas. incredible worldbuilding where the california melting pot creates this picture of so many different kinds of people all just Trying To Live and being amazed they made it this far. vibes for days, and enough musical meat to live off of for ages. gotta listen to this so many more times.
Mais um álbum de soul. Comparado com o Marvin Gaye esse tem um som mais seco e rítmico, me lembra em parte o tipo de dance-punk nova-iorquino que surgiria uns anos depois.
The only thing I had previously heard from War was “Low Rider.” This album was excellent-great mix of funk/soul/jazz/rock/R&B. Very cool and unique.
This genre is new to me, I loved it!
Listened while driving to Costco. Great bass grooves, excellent solos. Just a good old nice jazz record, can't say much more than that.
So much to say about this, another time.
Boring.
Solid grooves that I bopped along with. Doubt it will ever see rotation again, but it was an enjoyable listen.
Classic jam band music mixed with deep soul. The rhythms are powerful and the performances are solid, but some of the tracks do go on a bit too long. I can definitely hear echoes of "Low Rider" and "Spill the Wine" - great rhythmic funk.
Easy and nice...
The world is a ghetto and you are George Floyd Breathtaking album, quite enjoyed
No surprises here. Pretty mid album, but Cisco Kid goes hard.
I'm 2 songs in and really liking this so far. Overall I really liked this album. Really cool funk sound, but also kind of jazzy at times. Definitely a highlight so far.
6/10… funky soul / *1972
Pretty groovy! I liked City, Country, City. A nice, focused change from the odyssey we had yesterday. Light 4.
Really good funk rock with a touch of Latin jazziness thrown in.
This was a lot of fun. Never heard any of this before but this band can groove.
Very good, chill, well put together. I dug the #1 album from the year I was born.
Loved it. Very funky.
Interesting addition to the list. I really liked it, and I’m glad I gave it some time.
Kul. Večinoma jih poznam zaradi albumov z Eric Burdonom, nikoli še nisem samo War zadev poslušala. Všeč mi je, k se definitivno sliši, da je to isti band, od katerega poznam zgodnejši material, ampak evolved, trying different stuff. "City, Country, City" je kr amazing - 13 minut, ki te ne zdolgočasi. V bistvu te le popelje na celo potovanje. "Four Cornered Room" mi ma mal drug vajb, k ostali komadi do zdaj. Tempo počasnejši, chill, mal temačno zveni. Na splošno, ful fajn album. Will listen again.
Não gostei muito.
There were a couple songs that I’d heard before and liked, I really enjoyed listening to this one all the way through.
My highest rated album yet and Aunt Trish’s lowest 🤣🤣. Faves in album order: The Cisco Kid City, Country, City Four Cornered Room
😩
Está bien. Hay talento, pero me aburrí a mitad de cada canción... Son largas y no varía lo suficiente.
j'ai trouvé ça pas mal groovy
J’étais pas convaincu avec les 2 premières chansons. Mais dès que city, country, city, avec son rock-funk instrumental de 13 min a commencé, j’ai été conquis. Four cornered room aussi, avec son rythme lent. Du bon stock!
I thought I had only ever heard Low Rider from them, but I actually had listened to The Cisco Kid before somewhere. I like the album enough, with its slow funk, but not sure I see the appeal of it being in the list.
I'm more of a rock/metal fan, and funk is far from my usual taste, but damn, what an enjoyable album this is. I never thought I'd like it so much that I might even listen to it again someday (maybe even more than once :) ). Lyric-wise, it doesn't seem that interesting to me (except maybe for the title track), but I tend to focus on the music more, and musically it is amazing, so I don't really care about the words that much. Also, it's a perfect record for relaxation. I see a lot of people here complaining about some songs being too long, but I listen to prog a lot, so I'm used to long forms and still really enjoyed those songs.
This album opened so well. I loved the upbeat energy and funk of The Cisco Kid and Where was you at. The rich 1970s funk and soul sound comes through strong. I couldn't help but help but tap my feet and get into the rhythm. City, Country, City starts off well. With a mournful harmonica and funky organ pulling you through. But at the 9:30 mark when there is just bass, bongo and high-hat, it was all feeling a bit much. Four Cornered Room drags out a bit too. But even though The World is a Ghetto is over 10 minutes long it doesnt feel as drawn out. A really enjoyable album with a slow middle. (2.500)
After 17 albums this is the first I've never heard, and never even heard of! I was absolutely blown away. Inventive, varied, and funky as fuck. I fell in love with this album straight away and will probably play it on repeat for quite a while.
Never really explored War too much, even though I liked the few songs I had heard. This hit all the right notes for me, and had an extremely groovy feel.
Liked it!
Absolutely love the French Dispatch-esque cover of the album but this was boring </3
Dang, this was great. Bad on me for thinking they were simple one or two hit wonders. I would not complain if I was at a band and this entire album played.
Fun, solid grooves. When these guys get repetitive, I can dance to it. Not that I would.
Coincidentally, this vinyl was already sitting in my NOW SPINNING rack from listening to this the day before we got it for this project. I listened again anyway. It’s a really good album. Not quite a 5 War is also a very good band. They made some great music. This is my favorite of their theirs. Mostly because of nostalgia. My copy is from my father’s old collection.
Really solid groovy, almost experimental type funk.
a good time!! really fun! i love a (mostly) instrumental album. so fun. i loved four cornered room
Made my buttocks want to move of their own volition. That's always at least a 3.
Didnt quite get into this at first. I knew "The Cisco Kid" but that was the only song off this album I'd heard before listening. By the time I got through "City, Country, City" I was hooked. Very good album.
War has a very solid sound on almost everything they do. Really tight and inventive and so easy to sit back and enjoy. Great album.
Great sound. The perfect kind of album to get a weekend morning started. Relax a bit, take your time, do some chores. It flows on. Beetles in the Bog made me want to dance.
Funky, soulful, jazzy, scrumptious. This is not an everyday record but it satisfies the soul with soul. It gets a 4 as an album that can widely be enjoyed in many relaxing settings.
Pretty decent album. Didn't mind it one bit.
Funky 3.8/5
liked this oneeee
Tough to rate as I much preferred side two. Side one started off with two songs which were all right but didn’t blow me away, before concluding with the instrumental ‘City, Country, City’. This was probably my least favourite track, which is unfortunate given that it was 13 minutes long and essentially consisted of one decent groove/idea extended far beyond its welcome. Side two was much better, with ‘Four Cornered Room’ and the title track both having brooding, moody atmospheres I rather enjoyed, plus a great closing track. Overall, a decent funk/soul album. Enough there for 3 stars.
Aside from Low Rider, I'm not aware of having heard any of War's recordings before, so this album came as a very pleasant surprise. This is exactly the right sort of funky, jazzy, bluesy music for my tastes, and definitely all the right notes (pun intended) for me. It's only six tracks, but each one is a little indulgence in and of itself. I am most definitely going to be picking up a whole lot more of War's albums after hearing this one. Another solid 5 out of 5 stars from me.
Ho ascoltato il primo pezzo quindi é una recensione falsa
Definetly a funky album! Was nice background listen and personally wouldn't listen to it on it's own, but if I heard it playing it somewhere I wouldn't mind at all. The world indeed is a ghetto.
If the whole album was at the level of “The Cisco Kid,” this would have been an easy 5-star album for me. At its best, this album is groovy, catchy, gritty, and political. Alas, most of the album after that first track lacks the groove and pace, leaving me yearning for that first song.
This felt like a really fast listen.
Overall decent album!
Not at all what I expected, but pretty listenable.
Opzich wel funky.
Incredible mix of different genres feeling so fresh and alive still today
Groovetastic
great album. great instrumentals. super funky. high energy. every song had a different vibe. a fun listen for sure.
More of a lyrical person
Good jazzy funk, not a bad listen, some tracks a bit repetitive.
Groovy
I think the only War song I knew was "Low Rider" and I was pleasantly surprised by this! "City, Country, City" "The World is a Ghetto" and "Beetles in the Bog" were faves on here.
Very funky! Enjoyed the first track but grew tired of it quite quickly.
This was funky I liked it
The pace is well-described as ‘torpid’. Some of the vocals grate with effort in a way I don’t like. Enjoyed instrumental tracks more. After listening to it three times (only six tracks!) by the evening I rather liked it.
Cool album cover, but I have no idea what this could be. "War" is a vaguely familiar name, but that could be me conflating this with the U2 album. I have two predictions. This is either a blues album or an artsy rock album. I was close with my blues prediction, right? Anyways, this isn't my thing. You have to be pretty daring to reach for a 10+ minute track on your album, and you have to be outright insane to do it twice. I could appreciate the more delicate parts of the instrumentation, but overall this was pretty tepid. What can I say? I just don't care for jazz/soul music Book time. Where the band came into their own. Best-selling album of 73. Wikipedia says that this album was well-received by critics, but nothing more than that. I mean, this album is pretty unremarkable in both sound and impact. The music isn't particularly daring or unique, either. I'm thinkin this album gets a good snubbin'. In place of this album, I humbly submit Cutie Cinema Replay by Capsule for inclusion on the list
Mmm Yeah The long instrumental tracks are great. I love instrumental Funk like this and the cover art is amazing too. Definetly recommend this for background music.
Really enjoyed this album. Haven’t heard it previously. Reminds me of walking around a city on a warm summers day with nothing much to do. Listened to it all day! Great vibe.
vibing!
I simply love it, the chill but at the same time moving vibe is amazing Fav songs - The Cisco Kid, The World Is A Ghetto 4/5
Pretty good!
very summery
not for me particularly... appreciate the attention to the instruments though, if i had to choose top songs itd be the titular song and beetles in a bog
Courtney: might be tied with my favorite so far Craig: liked it
13 minute song is crazy did not know they also made the george lopez song nice favorite song: the cisco kid
Meh
3.5 on a good day
Sigh... so, now even soul's gone progressive? Yeesh... Look. If your song goes over 6 minutes, it had better have a very good reason for doing so, and I don't believe the offenders on this album had any justifiable excuses. Was this boring? Pretty much. Was it painful? At times (lookin' at you, sax). Was there ANYTHING I enjoyed? Not really. Does it deserve a 1? I guess so.
This started out ok, but fizzled quickly.
Funky with some filler. 8ish
Jazz soul. Simply lovely. Not my genre at all current. Remindes me about Breakfast in America by Supertramp, the same feelings however more complicated. Intimidated songs duration, psychedelic soul though
I enjoyed this and would happily listen to it again.
a classic that i have strong memories of and is still something i cite constantly, the world truly is a ghetto. you can hear the racial tension of 70s la in the music but there is something in how it all comes together that makes you think harmony is possible and we are all brothers in the end!
ok ngl at first i groaned when i saw this but then i listened and i was pleasantly surprised! the album cover does lowkey remind me of fantasia 2000... iykyk
Peaks and troughs. When it's good Cisco kid and works is a ghetto really good, otherwise pretty boring at times. Likely won't listen again.
Not my favourite, but i have always liked Cisco Kid. Definitely different Spill the wine came on right after the album finished and i would have rated it higher, but that song is from a different album. Probably wouldn't listen to this album again
Excellent 10/10!
“Wonder when I’ll find paradise Somewhere there’s a home sweet and nice Wonder if I’ll find happiness Never give it up now I guess” A really fun listen. Funky and danceable in places but lots of room for freeform improvisation which showcases the chops of the individual players. The underpinning themes of the songs that contain lyrics are well thought out and don’t tread on the feet of the music at all. An album that wasn’t particularly on my radar that I’m very glad to have heard.
Four cornered room favorite song. Not my type of music (not a lot of words) but there was still a lot of emotion in the songs
This seems really left field for a number one billboard album. A lot of love for the soul and jazz vibes and for trying to capture the theme. No big 'hits' sounded to me as I listened, but enjoyed as a whole piece.
Not my thing
тут дуже цікавий саундд, приємно слухати хароший джаз відчуття ніби я багата незалежна жінка, яка зайшла в бутик ермес і без черги купила біркін гімалаю a good one
"City, Country, City" is great. It's a jam. It doesn't outstay its welcome on any one thing. Cool variety of instruments and styles. "Four Cornered Room" - Zoom zoom zoooooooooooooom. Probably my least favourite song, takes 5 minutes to get interesting. The zooms were great though. I wonder if this song was a premonition about COVID lockdowns... *mind blown* Overall, not an unpleasant album. I enjoyed the listen, but definitely feels like "City, Country, City" is the only real highlight.
Post Burden War - Not so different but seems a little more generic. good atmosphere, polyphony given the amount of instruments used. Funky
2.5/5 The album starts off very well, after that there are some longer instrumental songs where I start losing my interest. The music is good but it’s a bit too jazzy for my taste. Favourite songs: - The Cisco kid - Where was you at
I really enjoyed the first track, probably the best discovery I've made doing this in these first dozen or so albums, but the rest of the album doesn't compare.
Fav tracks: Cisco kid, city, county, city, the world is a ghetto I might as well have put the whole album on my “fav tracks” list. No skips. Perfect groove.
War are a band I've known a couple of hit songs from but wouldn't have thought to listen to a whole album, I'm glad I have now though. Honestly good music to clean to if you're feeling unmotivated and wanna move slow
Not awesome but now awful.
1.1/5 I didn't mind the first 2 tracks but im not that big into funk and soul so some of these songs were pretty repetitive.
good
Two decent songs bookend some well produced ambient meandering that seems more like it belongs on a soundtrack or in a jazz lounge.
Funky. Powerful. Pivotal. Political.
Enjoyed this.
Para ser un disco tan exitoso y con tantos premios y elogios, nunca lo había escuchado. Estoy consciente de la existencia de War y algunos de sus éxitos, pero este disco, y la banda en general, me habían pasado por alto. Lo bueno del ejercicio de esta lista es que precisamente permite descubrir algunas joyitas, como este mismo disco. Soul, funk, jazz y, justamente como dice otro participante, hasta un poco de reggae, hacen una mezcla fantástica. Y dura menos de 45 minutos!
Liked some songs on it, but it wasn't really my style
Not my usual cup of tea but I found this to be a very enjoyable listen. Title track is a masterpiece.
surprisingly ok
There’s a lot to love here. The instrumentals have that soulful, 70s flair that I always love. The subject matter is still relevant as well. I guess it just didn’t click with me entirely. I really enjoyed “Four Cornered Room” and some other moments. I found the instrumental track to be a bit dragged out unnecessarily. Still, there’s a lot that I did enjoy.
War! What is it good for? 43 minutes of good time.
3.8 roughly
Interesting but not really my thing. I’m surprised that this seems to have been a super popular album when it came out. Notables tracks include Cisco Kid.
Good groove throughout. Cisco and ghetto are high points. Some of the other tracks are a little long, but still a jam.
Really nice album, wasn't expecting it to be rich and sultry.
Niet echt mijn ding.
it’s nice. not my type of music but it sounds good.
not the vibe
Meh
Me dan ganas de tocar guitarra así mal y sentirme bien pro
Love the first song!
I like peace
Classic
I liked the shorter songs a lot, the instrument sounds & vocals put me in such a good mood. For the longer songs, they made me want to put them in a playlist for a dinner party or something. So fun!! I want to own this on vinyl now.
This was an unexpected gem for me. I really enjoyed this jazzy, funk soul album. A great groove. 4.5/5
Liked the vibe of this album. I didn’t personally connect to the lyrics, but I did like the title track.
Biggest selling album of 1973. Warm fuzzy grooves. Great summer vibe.
Album generator has been spitting straight fire lately - another absolute worldie
Mňa toto nezaujalo, podľa všetkého, viackrát si to nevypočujem.
не мое. больше всего понравилась the world is a ghetto. звукоподражающий инструментал позволяет представить себе обстановку, которую описывали авторы
I love when some musicians are able to embrace more than 1 genre and make it work well. And this album is a big example. Put jazz, funk and soul in only one album and this will be amazing. Such a vibe that i can't let go.
Whre Was You At
Ok, not favourite
Loved revisiting this one today...
Not too bad
It was pretty good!!
I had no expectations having never heard of this band before. I thoroughly enjoyed this, just a super funky/soul filled/almost psychedelic ride. Amazing musicianship (the bass grabbed my attention constantly). I liked the first 2 songs, but after hearing City, Country, City the rest of the album fired on all cylinders and delivered such a mix of energy and passion that it's basically impossible not to like it. It's a yes from me
Another review called this Dark Side of the Soul and it fits. It's a beautiful masterpiece of funk and soul and jazz, of songwriting and instrumentals. I would've said that giving me an album with a 13 minute long instrumental track in the middle would be an eye roll but it's great.
War geil, werd ich im Kopf behalten
Tje album feels like the artist's know who they are and were comfortable and happy showing it through the music.i feel like the musicians care and are passionate about the instruments, and it is beautiful. I like city, country, city, it is a great instrumental song I didn't get bored or tired of it as it is like I think thirteen minutes would be great for a movie or game. I also like the world is a ghetto great song.
Their fifth album. Soul / Funk. This is a very busy album. Lots of sounds and styles being fused together. It's a Soul, Funk, Jazz, hint of Raggae and Rock album. Definitely a cool and relaxing listen. Nice.
Sounds like the background music to a 70s movie, especially the a bit too long jam sessions.
Álbum delicioso para se ouvir após fumar um baseado ou enquanto você janta com um date. Também pra voltar de bike num finalzinho de tarde quente.
Pure Art. Some really long songs as well. Love the vibes. Got ready to it a few times. 3.5/5
Enjoyed this one from start to finish. Not too long - but had some great tracks!
Nice
Not too bad - never heard of em!
not notable
It's not a bad album, very low 6/10, feels kinda long for being under 45 but it's not bad
CLASSIC 70S FUNK.
No. 332/1001 The Cisco Kid 3/5 Where Was You At 3/5 City, Country, City 3/5 (2x) Four Cornered Room 2/5 (2x) The World Is A Ghetto 3/5 (2x)2,78 Beetles In The Bog 3/5 Average: 2,78 Pretty slow jazz record. The songs were a bit too long for my taste.
War at their best after the collaboration with EB
yep, it's War alright. I appreciate the funky grooves they've got goin' on, but I would never choose to listen to this myself.
I will listen to this one again for sure
Cool. 3.
This is ride music. Unwind music. Sit back and enjoy music.
Afro out, bank robbing realness Favs: "Four Cornered Room" and "The World Is A Ghetto"
very soulful, super laidback tunes. not my usual sort of thing but I’ll give credit where it’s due and this was good
Jammy, jazzy, genre bending!
Reminds me of Houmous & Chutneys legendary album ‘The Worlds Not A Ghetto, It’s Lovely’ 2.7 2/6 Where Was You At
instrumentals
I got into war the same as many others, spill the wine and low rider. War started with eric burdon (of the animals) and became their own band after a few albums. Personally I prefer their first attempt w/o burdon to the world is a ghetto. World is a ghetto has a few hits cisco kid, low rider. The commentary on the tracks is self explained in the album title so there should be no real surprise. Musically I find most tracks exist but fail to hook me. It's good background but that defeats the point of the intent.
I only saw War from low rider, otherwise I don’t know anything 🤷♀️ Cisco kid - ok rlly groovy intro love, the bass lick and guitar is rlly cool also very groovy, feel like im waiting in line to get in the club that u go to all the time definitely Where was you at - more upbeat, the call and response is a nice touch 😛, also very groovy City, country, city - ok organs, ok guitar solo, rlly like that this one is more mellow, 13 MINUTES ???!!! I just checked what, kind of reminds me of the King Crimson album with all the switches and changes in one song 😛 nice background music Four cornered room - also another long one dang, slower and calmer, I think this one drags on just a smidge but it’s still nice to listen to 😛 The world is a ghetto - omg this one is rlly long too, still very groovy Beetles in the bog - ooo I like this one, groovy but more upbeat if that makes sense, I like the layered vocals a lot to sound fuller, is that a saxophone?? 👀 OVERALL: i love the grooviness and swagger throughout the whole album, I thought it had a rlly strong start, but as I realised how long each song was, it dragged on a little bit 😬 but the beats and rhythm were so good that it didn’t make that much of a difference 🤷♀️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
It took me a while to find my footing with this album - the world in which it was Billboard's Album of the Year in 1973 seems, if anything, even more foreign to me than the days when showtune soundtracks would win that award. The key lies in understanding that this is the trap music of its era, in both senses of the term - frequently hazy druggy, and inert, but also fundamentally about the sense of being *trapped* in your circumstances, with escape available only in your mind. That's why the lyrical compositions - imagining oneself as a cowboy (based on a TV rerun, naturally) and confronting the reality of literal and interpersonal jail on "Four Cornered Room" - hit the way they do. And it's why the title is inverted in relation to the actual movements on "City, Country, City" - when these guys are in one place they are always dreaming of the other. I don't know if I love this album but I find it fascinating to think about.
Rough around the edges, funky, soulful, full of grooves that stick in your head. This holds up against and maybe even tops any album by P-Funk or most 70s soul/funk albums.