Reviews (page 5 of 12)
Patiko, labai kažkokia nerimastinga buvau, gan nuramino ir atpalaidavo.
not bad, wasn’t much lyrical content as im used to but it felt right
Probably what soul music should be and be about. Really enjoyable record, especially from a merely musical point of view. 3.5/5
Well this was kinda unexpected with sprawling tracks but the instrumentation is great overall and though it's easy to forget you're listening and it can slip in the background, there are things worthy of returning to.
This slaps. Title track was probably the strongest, but i will be revisiting. 4 Stars.
This album was a great discovery! I’ll definitely listen to it again, especially City, Country, City.
Afro out, bank robbing realness
Kinda just okay. There's talent here, but I ended up bored halfway through each song... repetition needs a more exciting groove to keep things moving imo
vocals go crazy 🥇where was you at 🥈the world is a ghetto 🥉city country coty
Kind of weird they picked only one War album and it doesn't have any of their hits on it. Overall a fine album though, this is right in between a 3 and 4 for me, but I will round up. Low 4.
Just okay. Not super memorable or anything, and I am not much of a soul fan.
אלבום מדהים!
decent
I like the few hits of War's that I've heard, though never taken the time to explore any part of their catalogue. The World is a Ghetto might not have been the first place I would've chosen to jump into, but it is pretty solid work. It's not really something that really resonates with me personally, but it's pretty decent. 3/5
Really chill soul R&B type music.
Laid back, funky and interesting in places. Title track is ok, but nothing really engaged me past a first listen.
This didn't do much for me, not my thing.
Totally climatic, full of details and very entertaining. The rhythms are hypnotic, percussion is subtle and powerful. A very enjoyable first listen to this album, a new favorite !
Not bad but kinda boring
I really liked the music, mixing funk and soul, jazz and a touch of reggae. I would like to listen more by War, I didn't know them, and they have pleasantly surprised me. 3,75/5.
Overlong and kinda boring funk and soul album. I don’t think this one has aged particularly well.
wouldn’t listen again, not my taste
ja jo detta är säkert ett galet bra album, bara inte för mig. allt lät lite samma (förlåt) och hm nej inte min grej. men också - påriktigt SÅSSÅÅÅSÅ kul att lyssna på ny musik, riktiggggttt bra intiativ av mig själv alltså
Fantastic
not my stuff love the beats though
Two thumbs up
War’s 1972 masterpiece blends funk, jazz, and Latin rhythms into a soulful exploration of social reality. From the infectious "The Cisco Kid" to the sprawling, psychedelic title track, the musicianship remains peerless. While some instrumental passages meander, its grooves and poignant message remain timeless. A definitive 1970s classic.
nice shift from all the same-y stuff i've had so far. reallllllly enjoyed this one
Me gustó, me puso a bailar
Original funk and soul - I had never heard this one before. The centrepiece 10 minute long The World is a Ghetto is worth 4 stars on it's own.
I don't have a ton of patience for jam bands but the number of times I had the reaction "it would be cool to sample this" redeems this for me.
Great sound. Upbeat, hard to dislike
What an outstanding blend of jazz, psychedelic rock and other genres. The call and response of City, Country, City is gorgeous, this whole album was a blast from start to finish.
Another solid classic album with killer bas grooves!
I enjoyed this album!
I enjoyed it but not as much as I wanted to.
I have been aware of the band, and know the hit songs very well. Why Can't We Be Friends was one of my favorite songs when It came out. However, aside from that album which I've probably heard at some point, I've never listened to any others. I was quite excited to play this today and get more from them. And it was a very enjoyable listening experience too. The Cisco Kid is the only song I knew on the record, so it was a good place to start, and I liked Where Was You At too. But things really started cooking with City, Country, City. This was a very fun mix of funk, soul, and jazz with a variety of instruments taking over at various times that kept my head bopping the whole time. The only song on the album I didn't absolutely connect with was Four Cornered Room. It wasn't bad at all, but it was the weakest for me. But I loved The World is a Ghetto so that was quickly forgotten. Overall this was another really great reminder of why I started doing this project.
long songs, but love
I'm glad I have discovered this band, new to me kind of! Obviously heard the top 2 Spotify songs, but this album is excellent
Again, some really great funk music that just isn't my thing. I do like the prog soul touches, and the little jazz flourishes, but I just am not a funk guy. A lot of the songs are also a tad long for my tastes, even if they're great all the way through.
music genre and style is all over the place, but on purpose. they use salsa, latin drums, long beach music, doo wop, r&b, jazz and whatever other music style you can think of. this was done in theme with the album “the world is a ghetto” not as much a political statement but more statement of unity. meant to say that we all have struggles, even rich people get clogged toilets (something the drummer said). overall i liked it, very different from my normal music but it was a nice background to my morning. rating: 6.6/10 favorite song: beetles in the bog
This is my first time listening to a War album start-to-finish. This was enjoyable. It's good, but not great.
Funky decent and mostly instrumental album and I happened to have some paperwork stuff to focus on so it worked a treat. I enjoyed it.
Smooth
Bom álbum, músicas full anti tik-tok, tem umas muito longas.
Interesting but not captivating
Too much soul for me
This was a surprise, all songs are pretty good but the one that hooked me was City, Country, City, The first minutes of it specifically.
I enjoyed most of it
Nice progressive 80s psychedelic, good driving music
Old school - funky
Loved listening to this. Great music all around.
Ei ihan parasta aktiivista kuunneltavaa, mutta oivaa musiikkia hommien taustalle vaikka. Harmillisesti ihan liian pitkiä kappaleita, mutta menevää menoa muuten.
Starts alright but theat 14 minute instrumental song kills any momentum or enjoyment.
They found the funk, the funk found them. End of story.
Funky, lots of instrumental which could be appreciated better played as a vinyl. Fav songs - The World is a Ghetto & The Cisco Kid I’d add this album to my collection
It felt like an iconic, powerful, and influential album. 7/10.
Album review 022 The World Is A Ghetto by War (1972) Rating 4/5 Only 6-tracks long but those tracks all pull together so well to paint a dark and almost mournful-sounding picture. Slow, funky and soulful, The World Is A Ghetto still sounds good more than 50 years after its release.
Love Cisco kid
Good album
Okay but not my thing.
Crazy jams on this I wasnt expecting good listen
A pleasant surprise.
What an awesome funky album! I have never heard "The Cisco Kid" before, just "War" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?", so this side of the band was really cool to hear. I never knew they were so funky. It was great that they had the avenue to let each performer shine on "City, Country, City" like they did. So much talent. My Rating: 5/5
Ich find’s richtig gut <3
Hatte nicht mal den Namen vorher gehört. Tolle Neuentdeckung für mich. Mir gefallen die Vocals und das "Jammige" mancher Songs. Werde mich damit weiter beschäftigen.
Funky stanky forward free
it’s groovy i dig it
Good listen. Decent songs with plenty of funk.
Great percussion Killer funk love it
It's fine. Put it on in the background.
Felt like a drum circle in the best way, a good reminder of the ways that music is poetry
Early 70s funk always grooves
If you don’t like this album you are a BAD GUY!!!
All I know of War is the hits I heard growing up ("Spill the Wine, "Low Rider," "Why Can't We Be Friends?") Trivia I just learned from Wikipedia: "Their show at Ronnie Scott's Club in London on September 16, 1970, is historically notable for being the last public performance for Jimi Hendrix, who joined them onstage for the last 35 minutes of Burdon and War's second set; a day later he was dead." I bet these guys were amazing live. It just occurred to me that the album cover reminds me of the intro to Bob's Burgers - I wonder if that is intentional.
Good album. It's hard to believe that funk and soul has largely been supplanted by modern R&B. I find this to be much more accessible.
Classic funk/r&b. Very listenable.
My love for funk, jazz, soul and everything surrounding it came through on this album. Really enjoyed it. 4/5
Not my vibe.
Not my favorite album, but it's solid!
This album was fine. Definitely good music, but just not my style and a little boring. I'm not a big fan of War, really.
Generally very good funk. Really like the first and last songs, with the penultimate song also being very solid. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th songs all partially forgettable and I didn't enjoy City, Country, City at all.
Also Experimental. Very fun to listen to.
Conflicted. I really enjoyed the instrumentals. But I found the vocals actively annoying. They often sing a single phrase over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again. Preferred when the vocals went away. 2.5/5
First song is great, but need another listen at some point
This is my kind of shit. Hell yeah.
This was a pleasant surprise. Soulful, funky, psychedelic, jammy, jazzy, extended exploratory solos.. just hook it to my veins!
Really enjoyed this album, great bass lines and the title track slaps
Big highs and lows, I thought the Cisco kid and some of the faster ones were exceptional but some of the slow ones were a real slog
It’s an appreciate more than a love for me, I get it but for me it’s too draggy
Sure
7/10 Favourite: The Cisco Kid Least Favourite: Beetles in the Bog
Not a fan
I love when a band can have such an iconic sound through vibes alone, and not always need vocals.
Saw what the album was & thought “War, huh? What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.” Asked and answered.
One time there was an emo night in Santa Clarita. War was playing the same venue. They closed with a 15 minute rendition of Low-Rider. This album sucked.
Ok, foremost I love the cover of this album. Some decent funk and soul in here. Will be hard to rate, probably right in the middle with 3 stars, but not sure yet. Probably the one to REVISIT in the future as well! "The Cisco Kid" is a great song! Rate it 3.5 on RYM, and I really enjoyed, but I don't want to be too generous on this list, so I might give strong 3 stars here still, but we will see. But I am really feeling inclined towards 4 as well, stumped!
This is a fantastic execution of the combination of soul, funk, jazz, rock, prog, reggae and more. From the band I only knew from Lowrider, no less. The most impressive thing about it is how coherent a sound they pull together here, and the variety they manage to drag that coherent sound to. The Cisco Kid was an unbelievably fast inductee into the "best songs ever list", taking on a South-Western affect and funk groove that sounds super unique. Where Was You At is some ingeniously composed, soulful funk music. Beetles In The Bog is a shorter take on the more abstract, jammy songs here. And speaking of the jammier songs. I think they are keeping this from a perfect 5. Don't get me wrong, they're all good, they may even all be great. But they are all a *little* overlong, and it adds up. That being said, my thoughts on this will probably change eventually, and War, and all 7 of its members at the time really pulled something off here. I am extremely impressed, and this is a very high 4.
I guess Edwin Starr was wrong - War IS good for something. For those of you who only know about this group from their single "Low Rider," you're not going to get the same style of music on this record. The World Is a Ghetto takes things in a more standard funk/soul direction, with lots of extended funk jams throughout. While the longer tracks can definitely drag on for some people, I think the tight musicianship helps to maintain energy as the tracks change in flow. This album is a fantastic funk classic that deserves more attention. Standout Tracks: The Cisco Kid; City, Country, City; The World Is a Ghetto; Beetles in the Bog Score: A+
good stuff 3.5/5
This one snuck up on me in the best way. War builds a whole atmosphere here, drifting between funk, soul, Latin grooves, and long-form jams without breaking a sweat. Not every moment hits with the same intensity—there are definite valleys—but the peaks more than justify the journey. “City, Country, City” is the highlight for me. The extended instrumental stretch feels alive, with the Hammond solo sliding in like it’s been waiting the whole album for its moment. The band plays with such looseness and confidence that the whole track ends up being one of those rare jams that earns its runtime. The better-known songs (“The Cisco Kid,” the title track) still shine, but it’s the overall vibe that really carries this record. It’s warm, rhythmic, human music—easy to sink into and surprisingly durable. Not quite a soul-shaker in the five-star league, but absolutely a strong and rewarding listen. A solid four that earns its place.
čak i okej, premda na trenutke trunku traljavo
Pretty good! Liked Beetles in the Bog the best - the sax was super fun and sooo early 70s (in a good way, imo)
This album is why I continue to do this project! What an awesome jam session. The auxiliary instrumentation was fantastic, rippin on organ, flute, sleigh bells, flexatone and more. I really liked the guitar/organ mix that opened City, Country, City.
Unique but not really my thing, the last 3 tracks carried it hard. I was enjoying the long instrumental track a lot but it overstayed its welcome and lost me in the last 1/3rd when it became only percussion. Highlights were Four Cornered Room and The World is a Ghetto
Standouts: - City, Country, City (nvm this has stopped standing out when is it going to end??) (it's still got 2 minutes I didn't know a burn down could be this long) - The World is a Ghetto I'm excited to see what long jazz songs are like -----The Cisco Kid---- -----Where was you at---- It's been 2 songs and I feel like they were meant to start at some point but they ended instead ----City, Country, City---- This has a ton of texture so far How long is this outro? ----Four Cornered Room---- This song is following the pattern of not starting ----The world is a Ghetto---- Title track is the first song to actually use it's length to good effect ----Beetles in the Bog---- One of my main complaints about the whole album is I can't remember a time when more than one instrument was playing at the same time. This is probably great music to have on in the background but sitting in a coffee shop listening to this I found myself waiting for it to end. 2
See scarecrew review
Idk how to adequately talk about Soul yet lol, loved listening to this and wasn't the experience I was expecting from what I had previously listened to of War. Very chilled and some lovely sax. The title track is amazing, the saxophone solo is incredible and I had no idea War had such an insane sax player. Absolutely my favourite track, 100% going to need a relisten. Also adored Beetles on the Bog, leaving the album on a great upbeat spirit.
I really love the sound of this. The band has so much synergy, great instrumentation all around this. Very enjoyable soul jams - it's rlly my thing.
The World Is a Ghetto has a strong atmosphere and a clear point of view, but as a full album it does not always sustain its impact. War blend funk, soul, Latin influences, and jazz into a laid-back but socially aware sound that feels very much of its time. There is a looseness to the grooves that works well, giving the music a lived-in, street-level feel rather than something overly polished or grand. The title track is easily the centrepiece, long, immersive, and genuinely powerful in how it captures frustration and resignation without turning preachy. Other songs have moments of warmth and rhythmic pull, especially when the band lean into their percussion-heavy arrangements and relaxed interplay. The musicianship is never in doubt, and there is a strong sense of chemistry running through the band. Where the album falters is consistency. Some tracks feel underdeveloped or drift without quite earning their length, and the mellow vibe can blur into sameness across the runtime. While the mood is strong, not every song carries the same weight or memorability. The World Is a Ghetto is an important and often enjoyable record, but as an album experience it feels more solid than exceptional.
Side one would be great to put on at a party - liked this way more than I thought I would funky and groovy and great album art
> The Beatles
Album funky y jazzy, bien bacilon. City, country, city me gusto harto, un instrumental que se siente como un viaje de lo que dice el titulo mas otros temas medios psicodelicos
Good listen. Funky and fun.
Incredible musicianship here, with a lot of enjoyable funk that makes you not care if the songs are 13 min long
Some of it a little hit and miss, but was a good accompaniment to cooking a roast dinner
Enjoying the funky tunes. Quite a good album.
I like the funkiness, although seemed like another front ended album
Solid 3
wow.
Just ok.
Cisco Kid and Beetles in the Bog are super groovy
Didn't really do anything for me, but still solid
Really bloody good. High 4
classic
Favorite Track: The Cisco Kid
Banger all the way, groovy dirty and thicc just like I like it.
Definitely outside of my usual genres, it’s got a cool sound. I struggle with extremely long songs and repetitive lyrics, but I still found things to like here.
This was really good. Cisco man was an awesome intro
Solid funk groove.
Quite recognizable early 70's soul. Good groovin', but doesn't quite reach the heights of Curtis Mayfield or Marvin Gaye for example.
Another record that's been on my "to listen" queue for a long time. Very enjoyable record, I had the 50th Anniversary version playing and went through two of it's discs. Up until it got to the blues tracks, I enjoyed it quite a lot. I especially like the old school latin soul stuff, but the jazzier tunes were really nice too!
This is a progressive soul-funk album in which every song feels quite different from any of the others. The first track is my favourite. It is very funky and funny. People point out that it incorporates elements from Latin Funk, but my first though was that it sounded very reggae like. Second song is more Soul inspired and it is also quite funny with the great use of harmonica, but it doesn't reach the same level as the previous one, feeling a bit repetitive. The following three tracks are the longest tracks on the album, and it is from this point that I lose the interested due to their length. 'City, Country, City' feels like a prog-rock song with all the different solos from different instruments, but that don't really add anything. 'Four Cornered Room' is a very slow soul track that keeps the same pace and melodies through the whole 8 minutes it lasts, making it quite tiresome. 'The World Is a Ghetto' has some nice vocals lines and a great saxophone solo. But again, I wish it wasn't 10 minutes long. The final track, 'Beetles In the Bog' is a great closer to the project that comes back to the ideas from 'The Cisco Kid', but this time, I can see the Latin influences. Overall, a good album, but I wasn't crazy about it with how long some of the songs are.
I’m a beetle and I live in the bog
3.5 good jam vibes
I honestly had no idea War was a Black band because I guess I didn't know anything about them at all haha. I really only know Low Rider and Why Can't We Be Friends, and I always forget those songs are by War.... This photo goes hard: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_(band)#/media/File:War_(US_band,_1992).jpg Groovy, raw, feels great. Love the grittiness of the vocal performance of Cisco Kid. Where Was You At - yeah I love this shit. It feels so good. I'm a sucker for a band member enthusiastically yelling "yeah!" in the background just because they're really feeling it. Cool changes all over the place, and then it just kinda fades out quickly haha. A bit weird ending but I forgive it. City, Country, City - solid jam but I feel like I'm getting spun around a little bit. Long drawn out jams aren't really fun for me unless I'm playing. Self-indulgence, I guess you'd call that. Four Cornered Room - woahhh a rare flexitone appearance!! These bg vocals are very sick. Flanging... Holy shit this is so sick haha Cool album. Lots of sick harmonica, rhythms, big gang vocals. The longers tracks felt a little meandering. But cool overall! I'll have to check out some more from War's discography.
Cisco Kid is definitely familiar! I am into 70s funk but from a pretty passive place, it’s not a type of music I feel spiritually connected with, but I can definitely feel the vibes radiating off of this record and they are great. Musicianship is very impressive, love the organ sounds, percussion arrangements are so good. Feels great to listen to on a sunny drive. I love the long jam tracks. As a prog kid this is where I feel a kinship with these types of bands. I might throw it on for something feel good now and again, but it doesn’t have major staying power for me.
My opinion flip-flopped between "this album is a bomb" and "this album is the bomb" -- often times within the same track.
Not a sentiment I normally agree with but war rules
good but won't relisten
Kind of a funky jam band vibe. Lots of cool brass instrument work. Has almost a Latin flavor to it. Unfortunate that this album didn't have 'Lowrider' on it, but it was a fun enough listen. 3/5
Day 98 Every song starts well, every single is at least twice as long as it needs to be imo 6/10 Highlights The Cisco Kid Beetles in the Bog
Pure 70's funk.
Another album not exactly in my wheelhouse but enjoyed listening.
Never heard war before , enjoyed the track , well produced and another great soul album and would listen again
Whisked me away during its runtime. Fantastic performances across the board and lovingly produced. Prog soul. Lush and effortlessly cool.
You know, this album was cool but way too long and maybe not the best? I liked the rhythms, but each song was really repetitive instrumentals.
Stoned, blissed-out early 70s jams. Yes. Incredible album.
Still hate jazz
Really like this album. I have listened before, and war are a great band. I think they have more influence on the funk world than I even realise. The world is a ghetto is just beautiful. beetles in the bog is a great end to the album, feeling hopeful but almost cautious with the way it sounds. Really enjoyed four cornered room. Feels like it could be the soundtrack for industrial America.
This was really interesting, can’t think of anything quite like this. Feels like such a hybrid of so many different styles and so ahead of its time. Never heard of war at all. Big thumbs up from me. Interesting ideas across the board, makes me glad we're doing this project
It's hard to go wrong with any War album really. This one is a pleasant listen as it travels through some groovy tunes. The Chico Kid starts us off in a good mood with some hard funk. Along the way, we get some great jam sessions. With only 6 songs over 44 minutes, this album is a real easy listen with an important message of protest if you stop and really listen.
Groovy. The album slowed down towards the end, but the music remained entertaining to me. Cisco Kid and Where Was You At were my favorites because of high energy.
Paradise Is Love To Be Sure 1001 Albums Generator 163 (11/17/2025) War is a band I am only familiar with through their immense influence on the hiphop scene through sampling. I've never actually listened to them before but I was quite pleasantly surprised. I don't know exactly how to categorize The World Is A Ghetto; it's primarily funk and soul, but it has some influence from jazz and rock as well. The Cisco Kid starts out with a deep, complex groove that almost sounds Latin inspired at times and honestly could have gone on for 10 minutes and kept my attention. Luckily, the two songs here that are over 10 minutes are probably the strongest songs on the album. City, Country, City is a really strong instrumental jam that some people may say goes on too long, but I found it really intriguing the whole time. The World Is A Ghetto and Four Cornered Room are both more slow and vibey jams, with the latter being especially psychedelic. If I were to choose a favorite solo on this album (a daunting task to be sure), the sax solo around the 6 minute mark of the title track would definitely be up there. It's so impressive. The only point of relative weakness to me is Where Was You At, which isn't necessarily bad, but didn't stick out to me much and I found the kind of bluesy sound a little bit cheesy. Beside that, I don't have many notes to be honest. Fantastic album. 5/5. Favs: The Cisco Kid City, Country, City The World Is A Ghetto Least Fav: Where Was You At
Great funky rock with a jazzy energy. I don't know if any one song stood out to me, but this is an all-around great vibe with strong performances throughout. 3.5
Super fun album. I love the wild virtuoso harmonica parts on "Where Was You At", along with the great sudden fadeout that occurs. Really interesting ideas on this one. "City, Country, City" is a fun jam. Sometimes overly jammy songs / albums can be hit or miss for me but I put this one on and really grooved to it.
302/1089 - Too repetitive.
Not my style and I didn’t enjoy this album
A West Coast urban locked in funky groove. I have never really liked "Low Rider" or "Why Can't We Be Friends" but this kept things going on a Friday.
Amazing that this was the #1 Billboard album of 1973. It’s a really sophisticated blend of genres, and I liked but didn’t love it, though maybe it would grow on me with repeated listens.
pretty good jazzy album but not the strongest finish
i thought the world was a vampire :(
Yea this is good. One I’ve never heard and really good. Thanks.
Quite good. Enjoyed it.
Given that I only knew their self titled hit, I was surprised to hear how instrumental and vibey the rest of their music is, at least on this album anyway.
It's definitely a War album, 70's chill album. i can see this as the soundtrack to "The Big Lebowski", specifically when The Dude is visiting Jackie Treehorn. It's ok, not my bag.
The A side was AWESOME. I was really enjoying the 70s funk music. I realize the older I get, this is the one genre I have really been getting into... Parliament, Funkadelic, etc. The B side was tough to get through. Overall decent album.
Was hoping the whole album would be like Cisco Kid
Definitely a fine example of the early 70s
I loved “where was you at”. Great album and if I could give a half star it would get 4.5. I liked it so much I listened to another one of their records. Great funk sound for 1972!!! I bet KC and Sunshine Band got their inspiration from War!!
Ricardo para escuchar. El tema principal tremendo. Nota: 3.4
Sehr cooles Album. Habe vorher noch nie Funk/Soul gehört, aber das Album hat mich abgeholt.
pomimo tego że bardzo lubię funk, to w tym przypadku niestety nie przypadło mi to do gustu, możliwe ze względu na elementy jazzu i pomimo, że znam jedną piosenkę tego zespołu
Not bad.
Nice!
Nice instrumentals. Pretty solid album
I liked the Cuban-adjacent groove, but for the most part, this was funk torture for me.
i enjoyed this
A wonderful listen. War really blends funky soul and progressive movement together.
Interesting. Has a real time and place feel about it. Enjoyable, funky album but lacks real star quality.
Solid funk, but most of the songs overstay their welcome.
it's interesting. funky, very well played. screaming 70's out loud, not an album I would play regularly, but it wouldn't be fair to deny it's a good record.
This was a positive surprise. I had never heard of this band before, but what they did here is really good stuff. Very enjoyable from beginning to end. No skips album.
Absolutely LOVED this "vintage" gem. Every note, lyric, rhythm was a pleasure to listen too. Happy this was on the list.
No, I'm not getting this at all. Well played, certainly, but it is failing to connect. 2/5 (thinking it 'must be me').
Mostly funky and at times, a soulful record. It's pretty good. Favourite Track(s): City, Country, City Least Favourite Track(s): Beetles In The Bag
I really really enjoyed this album. Nice jazz and soul styles, nice instrumentation and great to listen to while working
I’ve only ever heard “Lowrider” by Wat. Excited to see what they’ve got! Genuinely enjoyed my first listen. The Cisco Kid was a highlight. Heard a few samples from this record on hip hop albums. Some space jazz grooves with plenty of funk. Not my usual taste, very happy to be exposed. 3.5/5
Funky
It’s a strong record that channels what I imagine the ghetto sounded like in the ’70s. Hints of African rhythms run through every track, and the album’s real gems arrive in its second half
wow it was funky and full of soul!
Awesome album yo listen to when reading.
Ok well, I thought WAR was a band of Mexicans so that surprised me. I also thought WAR was more rock than anything so that surprised me. I’d say they are less funky than Parliament but down the same lines of musical journey. I was originally all in but I find the music wearing on me. Nothing changes. I wish that wasn’t the case.
Fantastic! Great fun top to bottom
I'm beginning to learn that the 70s was an incredible time for the cross-pollination of funk and Latin grooves.
Funky, Chill, maybe a sunny day in the hammock or an evening drive
A promising album that never really takes off. It's just a little bit boring. It's slightly jazzy prog rock, and it does work well together, but they're also the two most overindulgent, wankfest genres going, so to combine the two, you can imagine the result. Really really long instrumental sections that meander all over the place and don't seem to end. 'The Cisco Kid' sounds exactly the same as 'Low Rider' which coincidentally is another War song. 'Where Was You At' was a pretty catchy foot tapper. But the rest is pretty forgettable. All the songs seem to merge into the background with me not having heard anything notable or anything to make me enjoy or hate it.
Ég kann að meta svona.
8/10 Not what I usually listen to but interesting to discover
Great album. Funky, jazzy, had something to say without beating you over the head with it.
Absolute class. This was cinema.
Before this, I'd only heard their hits. This was such a GROOVE. Why weren't War bigger?
Most of this didn’t do a hell of a lot for me but there are certainly moments I really enjoyed, like Beetles in the Bog. (3.5 stars)
Слушал в наушниках пока ходил и кайфанул.
I was familiar with War before this, but only a few songs. I was not expecting to be blown away like I was! 10/10.
What is this good for?
this was also awesome as hell
Прекрасно. Новое открытие. Обязательно послушаю еще эту группу. Удивительный микс черной музыки и классического рока. Может даже и 5 можно поставить. Но пусть будет все таки пока 4
What is this genre, funk Latin RnB rock? New band / album to me. Album grew on me / got stronger as it progressed. Could see myself getting into that instrumental long track if in the right mood (once the sax heavy bits passed) and the next one (zoom zoom zoom one with the talking bit). Title track was good but would be improved with less sax. A 3 after initially thinking it would be easily a 2. Where Was You At would be better if it was called Where To Is You By.
Liked this quite alot. Definitely a whole album thing if you're going to do it. Can imagine me revisiting a few more times
Thought the first couple tracks were fairly rudimentary funk but from the fusion of City, Country, City onwards I was hooked, lined, sinkered. Another good find from this era following last weeks Isaac.
Totally oblivious to this band going into this, so not sure if what was to come. Turns out that if I knew what a wheelhouse was this would be squarely in it. Funky, chilled, unexpectedly fun grooves. Only 6 tracks and a perfect album length. It’s a thumbs up from me!
I did not like this album as much as I thought I would. Still, it’s three stars for being different at the time in Eric Burdon is awesome.
Listened to 50tu anniversary edition.
3.0 - Ok
Funky jazzy album and a good listen. One annoyance...bad grammar. It's "Where were you" or "Where have you been" NOT "Where was you at" fuck's sake.
Grew up with 2 songs (below) on this album but why I have I never listened to the whole thing before? The Cisco Kid The World is a Ghetto
Good jammin
Interesting album. I was familiar with The Cisco Kid, but nothing else. Progressive funk/jazz which is cool to groove to. I didn't love it, but I did find it an impressive work.
This album crept up on me. Deeply soulful and funkybut a little slow for my personal taste. Highlight was "city, country, city
приятный альбом. но в середине немного затянутые две песни были, как-то поднадоели. но в целом очень даже неплохое
Jazzy funky rock album worth checking out again
You can bet your sweet ass and half a titty these tunes really set the mood with their soul and groove. It’s outta sight. Can you dig it?
Classic and relevant. Full stop.
I did not expect the music to sound the way it did based on the title.
A soul groove that reverberates with a choir of voices melting through every instrument. The album cover is a must-have and makes me want it for that reason alone. Favorite tracks: hard to choose! “Cisko Kid" (number one) because of its reggae sound that resonates with the overall concept; and number three, "City, Country, City," whose solos truly stay in your mind and almost seem to sing to you.
Enjoyed it
Clearly talented musicians, and I really liked some of the songs, like Beetles In The Bog. I'm not really a fan of the instrumentals though, they get boring after a while. High 3
Preferred this funk to yesterday’s funk. Decent enough record.
Have heard some War tracks, nothing on this album. Funk, soul, rock. It's good but doesn't move beyond that for me. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? No Owned: No: 22/1001, 22/90 (24%) Will I get? No
I dig it.
I think this is a good album, I just tend to zone out in spots.
pretty good, probably be even better at night
cool funk
classic
A few decent grooves stretched to eternity, mostly leaving you wondering when anything will actually happen. Smooth enough to nod along, but somehow it never really goes anywhere. Perfect if you enjoy music that feels like it’s taking a nap.
I like this album The funky music to the sexy sax
Desperately dull
Funky
A great album! Love the funk!
1. The Cisco Kid - 7 Repetitive lyrics but still an enjoyable sound none the less. For a soul/funk track it's very good. 2. Where Was You At - 6 Another good soul/funk track. Kinda confused by the pitch change in the middle of the song that then quickly removes itself just as abruptly as it came in. Outside of that, it's a decent track. 3. City, Country, City - 8 Brilliant jam track with loads of great instrumentals to love throughout. Superb track. 4. Four Cornered Room - 3 It's just a boring track. Like a really bad coffee shop jazz vibe. 5. The World Is A Ghetto - 6 Decent jam but the intro is very slow and it's very hard to get to the most enjoyable part of the track which is after about three to four minutes in. 6. Beetles In The Bog - 5 Fun track to end the album off with but definitely not as great in lyrics, vocals, or instrumentals as The World Is A Ghetto. Average Rating: 5.83 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 2.92 Rounded Up: 3 Stars
I'm a sucker for bands with great horn sections. That said, I don't think this has aged particularly well. It's a good listen, but not revolutionary.
Bopped along to this but not a new favourite
Really quite enjoyed this!
Damn. WAR can hang. Like probably everybody else here, I only knew "Low Rider" and "Why Can't We Be Friends;" both solid songs, mind you. But this album's a feast of groove, all a lot of fun to listen to -- somewhat funky, somewhat soulful, somewhat reggae, somewhat latin. Major vibes.
Good classic soul; I usually lean towards high energy in soul music; this was a bit too laid back. But that’s purely musical preference and by no means discredits how good this album is.
Loved this 🎷🎷🎷🎷
I loove this album, the way that every song made me feel, how nice the experience was, love it all, added them in my playlist, such a wonderful moment
Naja. Gut. Schön, ...aber Top 1001 Alben? Hat mich nicht so berührt, als dass ich nicht den Verdacht hätte, da gäbs nicht 1001 bessere Alben. Von demher eher tiefes Rating. Aber generally pleasing vibes.
eigentlich mag ich funk, aber auf die ebene hab ich nicht gefunden
Its cool. Han leider nüt schlaus oder lustigs dezue zsege. Not my favorite aber hans gnosse.
Amazing, high energy album!
Funk/reggae. Very nice unique sound! Rest seems to be more standard funk/soul. Interesting to have a long instrumental on track 3. Four Cornered Room is slow and atmospheric. Jazz jams in title track. Nice. Best track - The Cisco Kid 3 or 4 stars, first track was an eye-opener. 3 overall but a strong 3
Slow and steady funk, good mix of styles. Feels progressive and interesting, Longer songs are great and give the band a chance to shine. Very much a fan. 4/5
Jotain hyvääkin
Some solid beats and meaningful lyrics in these super long songs. I liked the overall feel of the album, even if some of the songs and topics blurred across a few songs. 6/10
Haas funk psychadelic funk blues….pretty fun
Ended up being a good amount of funk. Not too funky, but surprisingly well rounded. Like a slightly less funky Parliament. Not my best review. But really good still
Was enjoyable! Short, good songs. The World is a Ghetto is catchy and nice. I haven't heard much of War in the past other than Low Rider and I liked this.
Finding albums like this is why I love this app
Defintely novel, and I wouldn't have been turned onto this had it not been recommended.
Driving down from a cottage listening to "City, Country, City" as you pass by Toronto for the 2nd time in 3 days really makes it feel like this album was sent from the album generator gods. 3.5 (for the 3.5 hours we drove).
Wow, this was a wild ride. It's a wonderful melting pot of groovy tribal funk, warm bassy jazz, afro-soul and even hints of reggae as well, with the heritage of War's members shining through really tastefully and genuinely. A couple of tracks err on the lengthier side, but they earn their running time through being consistently interesting and engaging. Amazing discovery which has made its way onto my purchase list.
Very funky 70s vibe.
started off a bit shaky but got really cool and groovy
super funky
As much as I appreciate the Chicano lowrider culture prevalent around me growing up in LA in the ‘70s and ‘80s - and as much as I was looking forward to my first War full-length - this record didn’t knock me out. I’m shocked to find out it was the top-selling record of 1973. It goes too jam band for me, extended musical journeys that left me clocking how much of a track I still had to listen to. It still sounds nice, wouldn’t mind it in the background, a three.
I had previously heard a few tracks, but had no clue how much I would actually love the album. After The Cisco Kid opening, came the funk, and the groove, and the jazz (that I actually liked), and an organ, and so on, and so on. Had me hooked. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Cisco kid, City Country City, The World Is a Ghetto, ⭐⭐⭐⭐: Really liked it.
Great funk. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): The Cisco Kid, Where Was You At, Beetles In The Bog ⭐⭐⭐: Liked it. Saved some tracks.
3.5
70's ghetto bluesy rock. not my thing
immer noch das gleiche 50 jahre später: The World Is A Ghetto. grooviger sound, sehr geeignet als hintergrundberieselung.
Nicht meines.
A strong album throughout, with two all-time standout songs in "Cisco Kid" and "The World Is a Ghetto."
Music was great! Lyrics were repetitive and not great. I enjoyed it
So good all the way through. Super textured, yet extremely cohesive. Thoroughly enjoyed this record. 4.4 outta 5
Fun, some of the tracks were loooooong
3/5
The cover art is gorgeous; bleak, gray, colourful, childlike! Very funky, really liked some bits Will give another proper listen!
Fine
Great band
Seems that this is another instance where I've overlooked a band because their most well known hits have become somewhat of a cliche and appear all over popular media (or maybe I've just watched Dazed and Confused a few too many times?). That said, I absolutely love both Low Rider and Why Can't We Be Friends?, so I'm not really sure why I never bothered looking any deeper into this band. Disappointed I've been overlooking them because, holy hell, The World is A Ghetto is astonishing! Groovy, funky, jazzy, soulful. I am already on my third listen and might just keep listening to this all day.
Ok not one I truly connected with
Wonderful neo-funk album with sweeping storytelling.
I had only known Cisco Kid (and Low Rider) from War before. This was a fun album! Very "Shaft After Dark" vibes to it.
Quite good - got some grooves. Dug the first half of the album a lot, but felt it kinda petered off in the latter half. Regardless, I've solely associated War with "Low Rider", and I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Now I've got to listen to more War...
Pretty decent and funky. I never knew more that what its good for or whatever its called but I enjoyed this well enough. Nothing too great or nothing bad. Just average type.
This may be War, but what is it good for?
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘐𝘴 𝘢 𝘎𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘰 is a smooth, jazzy soul record with some truly great instrumental passages — 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺, 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 in particular feels like it could sit comfortably next to Herbie Hancock’s 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. The musicianship is top-notch, but the vocal tracks don’t always match the brilliance of the band’s grooves. Still, it’s a fine example of early-’70s fusion between funk, jazz, and soul.
I forgot about this album, which was much discussed when it was released. War had moved into a different type of music as they went into the 1970s. I never heard the entire album, only ‘Cisco Kid’ and the title track. I really enjoyed it listening to it now, except for “Four Cornered Room”.
War... what is it good for? A good album cover, I suppose. Also, Wiki tells me they "transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic lineup", so I feel a little bit guilty for not liking this. But it's definitely more focused on (guitar-heavy) music than lyrics, which isn't my preference. Although "zoom zoom zoom (x5) / as I sit in my four-cornered room" should have been a pandemic anthem for academics everywhere!
Rating: 6/10 The first two songs are the best, the longer ones meander so would need to re-listen to this to see if it clicks more.
This was a gorgeous album. I loved every track.
Killer jams. Great old 70s funk. It kicks off right with The Cisco Kid and keeps going. Dig this album. But going to the "will I seem this out to listen again?" Probably not, but I did enjoy it. 3.5
Best jazz album yet
War (the band) is good for a good time!
Effortlessly cool.
Great vibes, great skills. It genuinely sounds like they were having fun making music together. Some songs dragged on a bit too long for me, but I think in the right environment this would really draw me in. As it is, 3.5 stars.
I went into this expecting similar songs to their hit song (everyone knows what it is), but boy was I wrong. I listened to this a couple of times. City, Country, City was outstanding. Love me a 13 minute keyboard/bongo/guitar solo. Every time I was grooving and peeked at what song I was listening to it was this. The World is a Ghetto was arguably the best song on this album, though. In fact, this whole thing is incredible. Through every listen I always felt like this was just one big song. I was not expecting this from War, especially since Low Rider feels nothing like this.
When you are asked, “Do you want the funk?”, the answer should be clear.