Reviews (page 7 of 12)
My dad absolutely loves this band. Queue the PTSD from all the rides in the ‘78 corvette with dad to Low Rider (off a different album) If I could summarize this album in one phrase, it would be “just the tip” why? I feel like I’m being blue balled. The creativeness is here. The talent is here. However, it’s short and doesn’t feel very structured. This album is groovy as fuck for what it is though.
This album came out two weeks before I was born. To my ears this kind of commercial funk is the sound of The Rockford Files (complimentary). It's okay: It seems to strive for urgency but takes a pretty loose approach getting there. Nostalgic but a little plain. I do really like Charles Miller's sax work though.
Enjoyed more than I thought! Instrumentals were fun
not my favorite, but not the worst!
Good jam sections, very easy listen
Solid. I had only known Cisco Kid from this album before. Thought the songs kinda dragged a bit, the longer ones in particular, but cool sound.
Una gran mezcla de ritmos.
Why can't we be friends (and more albums sound like this)?
Ok
Listening session: august 8th, while going for a walk Listened to before: no Thoughts: more funky than I expected, but a bit too slow for me to be a true funk classic Favourite tracks: Cisco Kid & The World Is A Ghetto
Pretty great first half that showcases a killer group of musicians. The second half loses steam as the band pursues songwriting angles that don’t exactly play to their strengths. Regardless, I’m very happy to know more (anything) about this band, and I love their working-musicians-make-good vibe.
I thought this album was solid, but it didn’t blow me away like I had wanted it to.
This album was fine, I couldn’t really get into it as much as I was hoping.
Shrug, funky men inte funky nog för mig
1972 Progressive soul The cisco kid
Second half better than the first I like the album and it’s an easy listen with a nice beat and dynamic changes. But I don’t quite put in on the level of Björk at 4 stars and in the absence of 3.5, I’ll have to go with a 3. But I’d say a decent listen I’d come back to.
ya like jazz? got kind of old, just not cultured enough for the long ass songs
Some funky tracks, especially side a, but felt some of them were too overlong
Wah-wah, chacka-chaka, wah-wah... Sounds like a blaxploitation soundtrack made by Osibisa, Santana and Chicago. 3.5/5
Pretty cool album. Soulful, funky and rather chilled on the whole. An easy listen.
Cooler als erwartet
Languid
Funky and interesting but does get a bit slow. 3/5
Funky jazz instrumentals, soul chorus vocals not my thing. Particular love for City, Country, City.
Incorporates some Latin instruments and rhythms to soul. Thought the album cover didn't carry the vibe but all they had to do was put some slower tracks in a minor key and it fit the mood quite nicely. The long tracks were the best, reminding me that soul works well when you let it simmer and cook long enough. I wish there was just more groove to it though! With a bleak mood, the songs feel like they're getting somewhere but not arriving there yet.
This album isn't for me, but I get it. great musicianship and a whole lotta funk!
Arranca top pero decae
This was great. Listened to it during a morning walk in the beach. Good time.
A bit repetitive, decent funk
Not a bad album but very long for 6 songs, not really a jam band kinda person. but can hear the talent
Listens: 4 Standout Tracks: Where Was You At, The World is a Ghetto A perfectly fine entry for the List. I don't know if I ever realized that these guys aren't just a one hit wonder group that made Low Rider; they are in fact exceptionally popular and have multiple hit songs and plenty of accolades to their name, this album included. This album is easy listening. Good grooves and chill singing. I hope some more albums from War show up on the List.
The first couple tracks were fun and funky. Then, it goes full 8 minute track jam band mode. Too bad.
Funky prog. Quite enjoyed it, especially when the Latin beats come in.
Really liked this. Some of the long tracks made me antsy to hear the next track, but other than that, it was really solid.
chill. groove. catchy. funky.
There are some great moments on this record but overall it’s not for me. Maybe at a different time of my life.
Made me want to listen to more War, but probably won’t listen to this album again
Know nothing about War. Where they a usa thing or did it just pass me by. Solid and enjoyable except as we went near to jazz. Happy enough to have on in the background
I’m not high enough to appreciate this full value. I also don’t get high, so I fear I may never get to lol
Jazzy and a little bluesy but I don’t mind
There were some good grooves on this - "City, Country, City" felt like something that could have been on Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters album - and the shorter songs stuck out to me a little more, but overall it was just too chill for what I really like when listening to this type of soul music.
3.5
Fine enough, it does lack a bit of direction without Eric Burdon. It’s kind of a generic Funk album. It has some nice jamming but kind of feels aimless in its approach and doesn’t reallt go anywhere. It’s all very decent but it’s one ear in and out the other. Still, good enough to put up and might be worth revisiting.
I had high hopes for this album. In the event it was fine, occasionally a little more than just fine, but not terribly memorable.
I enjoyed this more than …The Dandy Warhols Come Down which I listened to yesterday. That being said, I didn’t think there was enough here to merit a 4 star review. Still, a very high 3 stars.
some funky tunes. The titular song is a melancholy number, with some fight at the end. The other tunes are invitingly funky, if a little too jammy. Given that Low Rider and Why Can't We be Friends are on the same album, is that album not on the list? Or do we have two War albums to listen to, in which case, The World is a Ghetto loses a little credence as not as good as Why Can't We be Friends.
Not exciting as a constant, but it's got some unique and enjoyable sound to offer
The Cisco Kid was a good opener, and it's the only song I had heard. The ethos of the rest of the album was akin to a Norman Lear production—gritty, urban, cluttered but not despairing. Called to mind the 70s TV shows Good Times and Sanford and Son, with good humor and strong spirits triumphing over harsh realities of street life. City, Country, City was like an expansion of the theme songs of some of those shows, and it kind of captures the feel of the early 70s, as seen on TV.
dachte erst katastrophe aber dann richtig guter jazz!
fine
This album had a good start with the funkyness, then it became less and less enjoyable as the album went on.
It started strong with the cisco kid, but then it turned into a really slow and boring drag with a lot of repetition. Overly long and bland instrumental songs followed by repetitive and boring songs, this album had the right groove setup but the wrong execution.
It was fine, "City, Country, City" can take a hike. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.
Just okay. Cisco Kid, yes, but the rest just metza metz.
I should listen to more War.
I enjoyed the album. 3.5 Stars
While I'm familiar with War, it's really just for their couple of radio hits (which are not on this album), so I'd never heard any of these songs before. Lots of funk and really well done album. For me personally, though, it fell off quite a bit about halfway through. The second half of the album just didn't feel like it had the energy of the first half. Definitely a good album, but probably not one I'd listen to on a regular basis.
Fav Tracks: Four Cornered Room, The World is A Ghetto
fav songs: the cisco kid groovy, laidback, soulful 65/100
Fun fact: there are 2 albums (including this one) named "The world is a ghetto". I know that nobody cares but nobody is going to read this boring review anyway. Its probably the only fun thing this album has cause I dindt really like it. A combination of it not being my style of music and some of the longuer songs being bloated as fuuuuck. I hope I get something more interesting after cause this aint it. 2,5/5 and ill flip a coin to decide if its a 3 or a 2.
I enjoyed this. The sheer musical prowess displayed throughout this album is such a joy to witness. I particularly loved City, Country, City. The rest of the songs were good, but they didn't quite grab me for whatever reason. I think this is the kind of album that deserves to be witnessed live. The energy, the intensity, the whimsy, the rhythm, the cacophony of instruments and voices, the give and take between the performers... You're meant to experience this in a full-bodied kind of way, not simply as a casual listener. This album begs to be moved to. The repetitive structure of the songs becomes almost hypnotic, a beckoning to lose yourself in the fullness of the experience. This music wants to be dug into, rooted around in, unearthed, reveled in... Who knows. I'll likely come back to this album at some point. I think it will grow on me. For now, it's a solid 3.5.
Highlight: Four Cornered Room
Ok. Yeah alright. I don't know this Cisco kid but I'm glad for him. Oh thank god it's short. Yeah this is good I like this vibe. Very fun very nice. Where were they at. What a question. Again I like this it's just not really playlist music. Fml man why are there so many instrumentals. I think the world's nice. I like it here. Favourite: The Cisco Kid Least favourite: Where Was You At
A few songs were too long, but overall I enjoyed the album. Soul with a good bit of funk on it. The title track resonates more now than ever.
Didn't totally work for me, but there's something here I think. What is this band good for? Something. Three flat.
Pretty nice! Absolutely loved "Four Cornered Room" and "The World Is A Ghetto"
Muy bueno, excelente atmósfera. City, country, city la siento similar a hola pequeño ser pero no es tan rockero, es completamente instrumental. Es como un R&B, soul, funk, blues, una mezcla que queda muy muy bien. No los conocía y me parece re válido que esté en esta lista.
3 - good
Real funky, great vibes. Can't see myself coming back to it
Cerramos la semana con unos completos desconocidos. De a momentos, medio Santana (el mejor ejemplo es City, Country, City). No me volvió loco pero me pareció un disco que ambienta bien. Hasta la semana que viene, gente
This album gives me the masculine urge to take the law into my own hands and track down serial killers in San Francisco in the 70’s
Cisco Kid is such a great song ... um ... well that's really all I have, Cisco Kid is a really great song.
5/10
Not what I expected, pleasantly surprised.
good jazzy sound on this. i'm a sucker for gang vocals too and they're all over this one
Pretty neat. Nice funky instrumentation.
like some listeners on this platform noted, the album becomes slower towards the end, but oh wow it started off amazingly. I gotta say, jazz is not my genre, so I don't feel it's fair me judging it. I will do it anyway lol. As for a non-dedicated listener, I'd say it was good!
Fun listen. Four Cornered Room kind of grinds the album to a halt, but everything else is enjoyable.
This was a good Friday album. It's not for me but I can understand why so many people in the reviews love it. 'Beetles in the Bog' reminded me so much of 'Tusk' by Fleetwood Mac that I had to immediately listen to that song after, which was also a fun Friday vibe.
another band i only know from classic rock radio and movies. overall, it's pretty good, but i don't know if i hear this one in any future rotations
A little bit bit of nothing not bad but not great either
Decent, but was hoping for more vocals.
Some funky grooves here Fave track: The Cisco Kid (the prototype for Low Rider)
Cool jams soulbrotherman. 3.5/5
Not really looking forward to 44 minutes of funky soul jazz fusion It was okay, and well timed for a summer afternoon Glad to have heard it
I like a groove, and War really know how to find and lock into a groove. And stay there, and stay there, and stay some more. Sometimes that’s great like on the opener Cisco kid and sometimes the song is lost to the groove. Despite that it’s always soulful and funky. A great summertime record
6/10
I really enjoyed the overall instrumentation of this project and vocal performances. It’s a well made project that is enjoyable all the way through. Though the songs are mostly about 10ish mins it can be lengthy. Overall Score: Decent 6
It was ok
Not bad. Definitely need to listen again, but on first listen I don't necessarily hear why it's a classic.
This is so good. Soul, jazz, rock fusion. It's a mood, but one I'm not sure I'm always ready for. Like, I enjoyed it but wouldn't necessarily seek it out.
2,5/5
This was an interesting album for me. An r&b album with jazz, rock, and country infused in it, an unpredictable listen that keeps you on your toes. Not really something I would seek out to listen to again, but I’m glad I got to hear this
heel goed, beetje saai wel op den duur
(75/100)
Sounds like a war statement, and what a coincidence: the band’s name is war. Kind of like it, but isn’t somethin for every day. I wouldn’t eat my breakfast listening to this.
sympa !
I really enjoyed all the funky percussions. There’s range. The band is tight. The music is well made. It gets a little clunky with the harmonica bits. But otherwise this is pretty good. Beetles and Cisco are excellent.
Really enjoyed this one some good tracks
Good vibes—just not my vibes. ★★★
It is fine. Relaxing 70s soul album. 6/10 Top song City, country, city
A good but not great funk album. Some enjoyable bass licks and guitar riffs. An enjoyable background listen.
I like the band and their sound but a lot of this album was pretty boring and just drawn out instrumentals.
A pretty unique sound! Nice!
Fun
'why can't we be friends' ist besser als dieses album hier... Und bekannter... Warum haben die das nicht eher reingenommen? Trotzdem ein ganz gutes und spaßiges album. Eher so eine 3.5/5
1 - The Cisco Kid (a languid and tropical groove opens this album. There's a tense atmosphere throughout this though even if the lyrics don't say too much of substance. It's a wonderful foot tapping groove nonetheless and a promising opener) 4/5 2 - Where Was You At (following the sort of disconcerting opener, this song is more relaxed and conventional by this album's standards. It's got the classic call-and-response hook mixed with the sparse backing of a bass, electric piano and a wonderfully airy harmonica. It lends a very optimistic feel to this song and actually made me smile a little...! They key change at the end is a welcome surprise) 3.5/5 3 - City, Country, City (I was not expecting a 13-minute epic on this song, but I should have figured as much after seeing a 40 minute runtime with only 6 songs. Early on, it's led by a harmonica that later "transforms" into a saxophone that leads an almost tribal jam. It continues like this for just a little (a lot) while longer with each instrument getting its time to shine, especially that Hammond. This one is very jazzy by comparison to the early funk songs that preceded it. Based on its title, I can believe this song works in a 3 act structure, with it returning to its calm ambient opening for the final coda. Quite progressive by all standards) 3.5/5 4 - Four Cornered Room (there's quite a bit of unusual wobbly percussion to start this quiet, ambient piece. It picks up when a multi-layered vocal comes in to add some energy, but it still retains its meditative, psychedelic sound throughout its 8 minutes. This feels like a psychedelic soul answer to Black Sabbath's Planet Caravan; I ended up liking this one more than I believed I would when it started up) 4/5 5 - The World Is a Ghetto (this one is another 10-minute jam. I really like how the singer(s?) really shine front and center on this song; the harmonies and group sections make this song feel like a living, breathing embodiment of its concept. There's a lot of breathing room in general on this song, perhaps to make the listener take in the somewhat unusual metaphor. The brightest moment of this is the psychedelic guitar that accompanies the screeching final coda, preceded of course by an elegant yet still untamed saxophone. The high point of this album to my ears) 4.5/5 6 - Beetles in the Bog ("when the sun goes down" is indeed one of the best opening lyrics to an obvious closer I've heard. This one sees the entire band combine every strong element of the album into a single, succinct track. It grooves hard, pays homage to its roots in blues and earlier traditional genres, and even has appearances by the contemporary instrumentation. There's really no better way to close this album out) 4/5 OVERALL - 7.8/10
70
Pretty ok
honestly pretty cool album. Found myself liking the instrumental songs like City, Country, City.
Cisco kid came on and I was thinking this was going to hit a 2 stars, but by the time I hit Four Cornered Room I was sold. My 4 and 5 star albums are reserved for those I'd add to my own collection, which means I might rate a bit hard, but I wouldn't add this in so, alas, 3 stars, but well done all the same.
It’s good
niektore piosenki brzmialy jak brzeczace muchy wgl nw czy jakas przesluchalam fo konca, tak pozatym troche gowno, ostatnia teraz slcuham i nie jest taka tragiczna cjyba? chyba jednyna ktora moglabym sluchac jako tako edit ccualam jeszcze napisac ze okladka spoko
just like rontgen 3.6 not good not bad
groovy
i've never heard an organ solo before this album and now im angry that i haven't heard an organ doing this stuff before now. also shoutout to the saxophone my god. very fun stuff. that being said, i don't think this is the kind of music i'd sit down and dedicate my attention to listening to. worked good as background car music while i drove, though. faves: City Country City, The World Is A Ghetto, Beetles in a Bog
good tracks, I like the sound, the vocal effects on ‘four cornered room’ are great. Like the message. Longer tracks get a tad repetitive. 3.5 oversll
While this album was far from blowing me away, it had enough aspects and layers to it to keep me interested most of the time. The Cisco Kid had some cool funk to it, so the record got off to a good start for me. That continued with Where Was You At, which felt like an early (almost lo-fi) song from Funkadelic. City, Country, City is really drawn out, much longer than it needs to be. That said, the battle between the slower, more drawn-out harmonica and the faster saxophone really captured the country/city contrast they were going for. It just didn't need to be 13 minutes, even if there was a decent musicality throughout. Four Cornered Room might have been my favorite song on here. Yeah, it's a slow crawl at times, but it sets a mood that I really enjoyed. The title track had some excellent solos in it and bounced around enough in different styles to be worth the listen. Felt a bit let down by the later parts of the song though. Had a strong message earlier, but they struggled late to convey it lyrically (that sax though!). Beetles in the Bog was a solid closer, just didn't do a lot for me either way. Solid album. Had more potential than it really paid off, at least for me. Worth the spin. 3-stars.
It ok I thought, another one that had the odd moment but. didn't really grab me. Might require a few more listens perhaps...
Some solid bass lines, and you can definitely feel the Motown influences. Overall, decent. Not really my jam as an album overall.
I've been getting a bit burnt out by the list recently. I'll have to give this one another listen in the future and come back and adjust the rating but for now I feel like this is fine. 3/5
Quite a fan of a lot of this. The 13 minute instrumental didn’t do much for me, however, and considering it’s 1/3 of the album, we’ll round down.
I don't think War meant for this to be a pleasant listen but I enjoyed the extended 10 minute toe tappers.
Funky from start to end, a melancholy album with a quick beats
Um bom álbum de fundo pro trabalho, como vários outros dessa seleção. Difícil avaliar sem ter o contexto da época, e acredito que será assim em muitos outros. Deve ter tipo 200 álbum que tu realmente vê que é diferenciado, e os outros depende da época ou é filler uhhauhua. Mas vamos seguindo. Gostei da capa.
It’s okay, chill enough good vibes. Easy decision for 3/5.
Nada mal aunque tampoco es muy bueno cono hot buttered soul
Приятно и богато Да нет хитов, но есть свой стиль и свой вкус Это блин вкусно И не растянуто, спасибо Впечатление хорошее, может даже и переслушаю 3.2
1001 albums to hear before you get to the wrong ghetto 79# I love the Low rider song of them, but that's what I know from them Listening to it, The world is a guetto track I already liked very much. A 10 minute track that repeats itself but never gets tiresome or samey, and it pretty much sums up what this album can do for 44 minutes with just 6 songs. A chill jam that has it's moments of catharsis and comes back smoothly to a laid back session with the boys. Vocalists voice is amazing, real smooth and the piling up of voices to make up a chorus help it so well.
Started strong but then just fell off.
Long songs. It was interesting & funky
I really enjoyed all the funky percussions. There’s range. The band is tight. The music is well made. It gets a little clunky with the harmonica bits. But otherwise this is pretty good. Beetles and Cisco are excellent.
Ok
Much closer to the mark in the second half of the album, I was looking for something longer and more all consuming and I got it. First couple of songs felt like get a sloppy kiss from grandma when your horny, unwelcome but at least it’s wet
Em no se
It's OK, but a bit boring. It's mostly instrumental, so it's fine as background music but there's not much to say.
At first I thought, ok, cool, a fun 70s album. Then I listened to City, Country, City and thought.. huh? Ended up pretty average. Harmonies were nice.
Pleasant enough, mostly passed me by
The Cisco Kid Where Was You At The World is a Ghetto
The music gives me the impression of exploring an urban environment on foot. I thought it was pretty cool.
It’s very groovy. Not a great deal of substance in the lyrics despite giving the vibe that it should have. Still, psych-y, jazzy, and largely decent songs. I wasn’t particularly taken with the longest track an instrumental at the end of side one, but I do usually end up with a couple of the others stuck in my head every time I give it a spin.
buen album cortijo pero el tema de 13 minutos es un monton
This looked and sounded far more appealing than it actually was. I didn’t hate it though. It got better as it went on, the longer songs were more to my preference. It sounds like the music would have benefitted from being deeper and more explorative, but they were too conscious of keeping to “safer” realms. Wasn’t shit though.
A little nauseating but not bad, maybe I'll change my mind.
Really liked City, Country, City but found the rest of the album slightly uninspired. Good base to it but just not quite right somehow.
Pretty decent. Not my favorite War album. I did enjoy The Cisco Kid a lot though.
Interesting version of soul and funk music with epic song structures.
Good music but not something I’d choose to listen to!
Välillä ihan jees meininkiä, välillä vähän turhan perus. Potentiaalia oli, kokonaisuus taipu silti kolkkiin
Letkeetä meininkiä ja ihan viihteellistä jamittelua.
A largely forgotten band. Not bad
Super chill
Rating: 3.6/5 The album artwork is great. The album started off strong. The Cisco Kid has now been added to my saved music and the title track I will come back to also. Overall, the album was very listenable, and I think I would have loved it back when it came out. I'll have to go and listen to some of their other work.
Pretty good, I liked it enough to potentially listen to it again if it comes up in a playlist
Only listened to half but I liked it!
interesting
Not bad, but pretty unmemorable.
Pretty good album, lots of soul.
With an album title like this from a group called "War," I was expecting something more overtly political. This is funky and mellow and quite good.
I think there's a lot of great instrumentation here, reminds me of Weather Report, but a number of these songs long over stay their welcome. Could be 15 minutes shorter. 3 / 5
took me a few days to listen to this full album. not really my style or interest but it generally sounded good.
un 7/10? la canción título estaba buena.
Not sure how to describe this one. Much more mature than I thought going in, has a 70s / Latin vibe.
I like funk, but I feel like 10+ minute tracks don’t work that well with the genre
A mix of funk, rock, blues and jazz. I was expecting more, but it often feels like the album cover, a bit washed out. It's good, but it feels like something is missing; but I suppose that's the point isn't it? Best Tracks: The Cisco Kid; Where Was You At; The World Is A Ghetto
Really wanted to like this but not a lot really stood out. Good background listen.
I guess war is good for absolutely sumthin'. Favorite Track: "Four Cornered Room".
The Cisco Kid - the instrumental is gorgeous and really serves to place me inside of the fiction but I find the vocals too harsh? Idk how to describe it properly but a lot of the delivery is quite blunt in a way I find challenging to follow. Overall though I found the narrative quite fun and the morality of Cisco is quite interesting to puzzle out. City Country, City - A genuinely really gorgeous soundscape. I had a lot of fun listening to the soulful funk of it! The World Is A Ghetto - Titular bitchular so I had high hopes and I liked it a lot more than the lyrics of The Cisco Kid! The chorus of deeper voices stand as excellent contrast with the main singer and the mournful/optimistic tone is so very well done! The songs from this collection are quite long and I really enjoyed The World Is A Ghetto so will end my review here!
Funky
Decent but I’m not into funk
Musically amazing, just don't think I'll listen to this a lot. Cisco kid was one of my least favorites on here
de bonnes idées sans jms être fou 3-/5
The journey of musical discovery continues with the 70s funk of War, which has been a good, chilled out Saturday morning listen. High points for me were Four Cornered Room and The World Is A Ghetto, with it's epic sax solo. I'm not so keen on the meandering City, Country, City but overall I spent an enjoyable couple of hours finding out about War. A high 3 stars.
Groovy
This record is a pretty enjoyable mix of jazz and funk. Some of the songs overstayed their welcome by quite a bit, but the overall length was pretty quick and easily digestible. The singing on the whole did not add very much, and was to some of the songs' detriment. The last two tracks were standout four or five-star songs, but overall this record is just pretty good.
3/5 Nice album. I've heard better soul and funk though, but it wasn't too bad. Maybe I need to get a better ear to appreciate the genre better.
Unfortunately I think this caught me on the wrong day
i liked the first few songs
7/10 - a nice mix of genre straddling discoish music; few songs but good length
The tracks are too long for my liking - they don't really stay engaging throughout.
Nice grooves. Cisco kid nice. The 50th anniversary edition has some cool "making of" tracks where they feel out the song in the studio.
3.5
Reallly liked the first song and the rest were better than expected. Not sure it’s enough for me to put this album on again so I’ll go with a 3.
Pretty good, but not very memorable in my opinion.
Recognized the first and last song. Cisco kid was longer than I remembered. A Little Rock/funk. Can see where j Geils got some influences
I've heard "The Cisco Kid" many times, but never on my newer system and it absolutely slams! What a bass line. "City, Country, City" is immersive! Incredibly talented musicians. Side 1 (first three songs) is outstanding. I could listen to it on repeat. 5 stars! Side 2 meh - It just doesn't grab me the same way. I'm sure it would grow on me with more listens, but for now - 2 stars. Overall: 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3. Still a treat listening to this album!! Nerd Corner: I listened to the original album through qobuz. I thought some of the vocals were off key. I then listened to the 50th anniversary edition to see if they auto-tuned it. And shit-howdy they did! It sounded sterile and more compressed. As usual, re-mastered albums IMHO do not sound as good as the originals unless you have the right engineers doing it.
Funky and groovy for a lot of it, but disappointingly languid for too much of the album.
Starts off strong with the first two tracks, but then City, Country, City is way too long and repetitive, a jam that doesn't really go anywhere. And then it follows up with Four Cornered Room which is just kind of a drudge. Then it ends strong with the final two tracks. I mean, these cats can obviously play, but what is the word for this record.... uneven.
War by U2 yesterday and The World Is a Ghetto by War today? What's next, War in Iran? Too soon... The World Is a Ghetto was a solid listen – not necessarily exceptional the whole way through, but I had a good enough time with it. "The Cisco Kid" is also a certified and undisputed hood classic, so it's probably worth listening to the full album at least once to hear it in its original context. Highlights: The Cisco Kid, City Country City, The World Is a Ghetto
Not bad but I didn't connect with it
After the first classic song, the album leveled off. Nothing awful, just cool music that I could take or leave.
This album doesn't really go anywhere.
Would relisten
solid stuff
City, Country, City
gut
Decent listen.
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 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.
Surely the genesis of all porno soundtracks
Standouts The Cisco Kid City, Country, City
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.
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
Really enjoyed this. Not something I was familiar with either.
I quite like the instrumentalism, little bit samey samey.
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.
Solid
sorry not my fave, not bad but did not feel super wow to me in the moment :)
My notes
It's good, but possibly a bit slow?
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
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
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
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.
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?
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.
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.
Pretty good. If only there were more non-jam band songs. Cisco Kid is a bop
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.
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.
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
פרוגרסיבי החושילינג וזה ניהיה משעמם כבר אבל נחמד קצת זה וייבים
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
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
Funky, but it gets repetitive and isn’t helped by 3x 10 minute tracks back to back.
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.
City, Country, City is a jam. A methodical, soulful, jazzy, politically motivated Tuesday morning it is.
Something a bit different - another example of an artist I wasn’t aware of and an album I would never have listened to - decent
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
a little vibe to start the morning, okay
Solid grooves that I bopped along with. Doubt it will ever see rotation again, but it was an enjoyable listen.
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.
6/10… funky soul / *1972
Very good, chill, well put together. I dug the #1 album from the year I was born.
Interesting addition to the list. I really liked it, and I’m glad I gave it some time.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Good jazzy funk, not a bad listen, some tracks a bit repetitive.
Groovy
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.
vibing!
13 minute song is crazy did not know they also made the george lopez song nice favorite song: the cisco kid
3.5 on a good day
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
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.
"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.
Not awesome but now awful.
good
Two decent songs bookend some well produced ambient meandering that seems more like it belongs on a soundtrack or in a jazz lounge.
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.
Good groove throughout. Cisco and ghetto are high points. Some of the other tracks are a little long, but still a jam.
it’s nice. not my type of music but it sounds good.
Love the first song!
Ok, not favourite
Not too bad
It was pretty good!!
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.
Pure Art. Some really long songs as well. Love the vibes. Got ready to it a few times. 3.5/5
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
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.
Cool. 3.
Reminds me of Houmous & Chutneys legendary album ‘The Worlds Not A Ghetto, It’s Lovely’ 2.7 2/6 Where Was You At
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.
not bad, wasn’t much lyrical content as im used to but it felt right