The World is a Ghetto

cool

The whole world? Are we a corner of the universe aliens are instructed not to go to? Maybe that’s why there hasn’t been contact yet. Either way, due to the fact that I have no further comments regarding the planet earth being a ghetto and of course the rigorous time constraints imposed upon me by big music review, let us proceed. Mount your bayonets, men. The Cisco Kid? What, does he wield a six shooter packed with lard? Greasing the wheels of justice. Oh wait. That’s Crisco. Is he trying to sell me the CiscoPone with Ed Bagley Jr.? Oh that’s Cinco. Well. St least thinking about these things helped pass the time. Musically pretty cool, dampened heavily by the constant repetition of a nonsense lyric. The Cisco kid is not a friend of mine. Oh no. The swamp critters opening. Oh wait it’s actually pretty cool. The vocals are far better than before and this was pretty funky. The ol’ thumbs in the middle treatment. Fog settles over a small church in the Spanish countryside. This desert-tinged epic is atmospheric to the point of bringing to mind landscapes across the world. A cowboy out of place and time. Not a lame cosplay cowboy way either. An outlaw pulled right from the 1800’s and dropped into 1970’s NYC. That oughta do it. Enjoy the pre-tourism Times Square and try not to get/spread syphilis you little rascal. A long track, a good track. Another long one folks. The 45 minute run time is divided amongst six songs, so if you’re not already buckled up, your mangled carcass is already smeared across the road. I do talk about runtime a whole bunch hey? OnCinema was onto something about hack reviewers. How niche can I make my references? Not to call plagiarism, but this sounds so similar to Planet Caravan. Right down to the vocal melody. Pretty sweet song to imitate but it doesn’t quite have the focus of its predecessor. Not a bad track but this one is not jumping out the windshield at me. The titular track begins with a warning. A warning that this may be grinding to a halt. Oh here we go. We need a little bit of energy after some extended downtime. At least the previous downtime felt cool. This is death. The gavel comes down resonating through the court of music nerds. Surprise being exhaled through allergy laden nostrils resonates through the wooden courtroom. The crime? Heavily criticizing PJ Harvey and Britpop. The sentence? Death. No last meals in this savage realm. Simply a final song. The world is a ghetto. 9 minutes I await my demise. 9 minutes stretches into the infinity that is my final rest. Woe is the reviewer who besmirches the quirked up indie girls. Fie upon the house of Yorke I scream as the final Starsky & Hutch lick ushers me into eternal sleep. Just kidding. I’m alive. I am jolted awake by funny words like “Beetles” and “Bog.” Luckily it’s not spelled “Beatles” or it takes on the grim veneer of a search party looking for the remains of Ringo in a wetland marsh. This was another dud. War. What is it good for? A few decent tracks, I reckon. This thing had some good moments despite my review, which seemed to frequently return to the concept of mortality; whether mine or that of the venerable Ringo Starr esquire. The netherworld seemed to be lurking beneath each grammatically laboured sentence this album drew out of me. Look. Tracks two and three were fun, and the rest fell off a cliff. Somebody call a search party, or maybe a chief of armistice, as this war is all but over. 2-2.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Where Was You At, City, Country, City

Really enjoyed this

War is an R&B/progressive soul band I've heard a few singles here and there such as "Low Rider" and "Spill the Wine". This will have been my first full album listen, and while I consider The World is a Ghetto to be a decent at times great album, there are elements to it that hold me back from fully praising it. It's weird because the album starts strong with "Cisco Kid" and "Where Was You At" with the bouncy rhythm, smattering of bongos and organ play, and call-and-response vocals that's the fun and inviting side similar to those singles I mentioned earlier. Even the 13-minute instrumental "City, Country, City" invokes those warm feelings as it plays around a central harmonica motif while introducing different progressions with the rest of the group involved. But then I realized there are three different super-long tracks, and each one progressively gets slower and more downbeat in tone. Even though I don't consider "Four Cornered Room" and the title track to be bad and certainly have their place in the larger narrative of racial and cultural divide, they drag the overall momentum of the album down to the point where it felt longer than it did to me. Thankfully, "Beetles in the Bog" ends on an anthemic note. I'd say The World is a Ghetto is a solid album from War that showcased what they were capable of with their sound. It's certainly ambitious with its ideas and execution, even if I felt it could have been done a little better.

Most people, like me, know War as the band that recorded "Low Rider." And most people, like me, know them probably only for that. So I was then pretty intrigued to hear something else they'd done, a full album's worth of content, to see what they were all about separate from "Low Rider." And man was it awesome. I'll never turn down some funky soul, some solid grooves, or some great horn solos. This falls into the same channel as Parliament or Funkadelic for me and I love it for the same reasons. I don't always love tracks longer than 10 minutes, but I'll almost always forgive it for funk music. I don't have a whole lot else to say. This was a banger. Four stars. Standout Tracks: The Cisco Kid, Where Was You At, City, Country, City

Was hoping for more.

A good jam album with a monster at the tip. Nice example of the period, and a fine recording.

Not a huge fan of the three short tracks here (they're not bad or anything, just not that interesting), but the long ones are nothing short of fantastic. If this album were just these three songs, if would be a 9. WAR combine elements of funk, soul, and jazz in a very effective way to create these incredibly fun, catchy, and atmospheric tunes. The shorter songs hold the album back a little, but they don't ruin the experience.

A reasonable listen - no major complaints except for the mega long tracks, but they didn't drag too badly so overall a decent spin

This album is a creative and progressive achievement. I already knew Cisco Kid, but I didn't know how deep these guys go. The great progressive soul of Where was you at, the psychedelic jazz of City Country City. The cosmic blues of Four cornered room. This album is a near masterpiece.

I know a couple of songs by War ("Low Rider" and "Why Can't We Be Friends"), but this will be my first time listening to an album of theirs. I've been looking forward to this album, because based on its cover, I assume it's got some pretty great social commentary. Hopefully this album can satisfy my expectations! Unfortunately, I thought The World Is A Ghetto was a bit of a dud. Musically, this album had some promise, but it never really fully took off for me. It didn’t help that this album started off with “The Cisco Kid,” a song that I actually know, but unfortunately, it’s also a song I hate. The Latin elements that are woven into the instrumentals are pretty good, but I hate the vocals and lyrics, which just so happen to be really repetitive in a way that I find incredibly grating. “Where Was You At” was okay, but I wasn’t really into the organ melody, and the lyrics were pretty repetitive here too. “City, Country, City” wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t very interesting either, and it felt like it just plodded along for its entire 13-minute run time. The second side of the album didn’t fare much better with me; the instrumentals were fine, but the first two songs were pretty long, and just like the first side of the album, these songs didn’t really go anywhere interesting for me. I don’t think this album was bad, but it just didn’t really bring much to the table. I expected this to pack a bit more of a punch, but unfortunately, it just fell flat.

Like it. It’s really short though. Title track lost me.

Nice sound by songs are a little too long and jammy for my taste.

8/10

Solid album. Not my style but I can see whats going on here. Short but sweet, some funky goodness.

Funky, never really got into them but I can dig it.

Never heard this before but really enjoyed it. The name "War" is misleading - it's a very cool, laid back album.

expected metal from the band name, old school rap from the album title, got delightfully surprised by funky soul 🙂‍↕️

This is undoubtedly some of the best-sounding music in this lane. Crisp, fast. and even catchy like the song 'Where Was You At' - albums like this fly by and are a joy at every step. It reminded me a lot of another album I love: Black Market by Weather Report. The song 'City, Country, City' also gave me major Hancock Headhunters vibes with that long key solo and tribal drum pattern driving it forward. This was easily my favorite song here, if only because that serene closer made me feel things. 'Four Cornered Room' sounded like a bluesified Isaac Hayes song. I say that because the little spoken-word segment near the middle reminded me of him. With that said, the title track was really the most soulful song here, with these gorgeous vocal arrangements and lyrics that speak of yearning and longing in the face of injustice. Also, that building sax solo is killer. Although I've heard of 'War' before, it's unfortunate that this album isn't discussed very often. It's truly a magnificent piece of funk-jazz music.

De la soul psychédélique. Et bah c'était fort sympathique.

Slaps.

What an unbelievably delicious album! And I never heard of it. Fantastic groovy soul, carried by a tight and melodic rhythm section (always a good start for me), with some elements of reggae but especially psychedelica. Some long songs but it's functional. Excellent musicianship but nobody feels the urge to show off. A top album and one of the main discoveries for me from the list.

Definitely digging this

Not much to say. Not my cup of tea but didn’t hate it.

Interesting album some nice tones

This is a good album! I like the first track better than the rest. Solid 3/5.

I couldn’t finish it.

I assumed this would be a funk album and a funk band. It is, sort of, but not quite really. The issue is not negative though! What War really is is very eclectic and varying, and super fun! I actually really got into this and when the album ended and my youtube generator just put another War album on, I had not really noticed. Yeah, not just funk or 70's beat or soul or some offshoot of jazz, but all of it, and it doesn't feel overproduced or watered down. Nice. Yeah...

Great. Excellent album.

Awesome

too slow and too long. nothing breathtaking about this record. "City , Country, City" sounds like a bad jam that where musiciens don't listen to each other. boring. the title track "The World is a Ghetto" is the only track i saved. nice chord progression, nice chorus. that's it

It was Ok, but couldn't really make me want to listen to it again.

This project has made me realize that I apparently really like 70's soul music. Kinda a dark album, but well put together with great rhythms.

Enjoyed this! Cisco Kid, he breaks wind all the time.

Nothing spectacular, but solid.

It was okay but I’ve woken up today and don’t remember any of it.

Good listen, nothing mindblowing though

First track is a barnstormer. The rest is good but I wanted more of the first

Greatcalbum

Funky and fun. Surprisingly good

2/21/25

Simple, potent, suprising. I was expecting more pretentious British slop. This album is realy good. The first track is a great opener and the title track is a bold shift. Overall i'm impressed

I really like the sound War has; it really is the funk meats soul meets rock meets latin that is called "world music" now because music critics are largely white americans and brits. This is the real pure version of that sound with a uniquely american twist. When I saw the runtimes of some of the tracks I was ready be put to sleep but "City, Country, City" is one of the best jams I've ever heard, live or otherwise. The key solo about 3/4 of the way through is so good, and the groove goes on so smoothly throughout the entire piece. "Cisco Kid" is a total banger (and is sampled by a great Redman and Method Man song) . I didn't like the last three tracks as much as the first three, but ending with "Beetles in the Bog" to bring up the tempo was a smart move. In any case, I liked this. I'd like to listen to more of their albums now; I only knew their big hits.

Gillar det på direkten. Svängigt och piggt. Är inte ett fan av långa instrumentala låtar men det funkar när man sitter på jobbet. Kul lyssning. Kommer säkert lyssna igen.

Riktigt skön funkakiva! Börjar stark med första låten möjligen lite väl långa låtar sen. Men ändå skönt sound hela vägen!

Tycker det här är bra och gillar lågtempo-funken. Låtarna bedömda var för sig är alla uppe och nosar kring fyrastrecket, men som hel skiva betraktat så blir det möjligen lite väl långa låtar och lågt tempo. Svag fyra för det är trots allt ett riktigt bra musikaliskt hantverk.

it do be funky.

Was unfamiliar with War the group, but looking in to it more, I'm familiar with a handful of their songs without knowing who they were by. This album was a great vibe and a great listen. Recommended.

Fantastic album across the board. Great funk sound that does not feel tired or cheesy. It just feels good and fun to listen to. Great mix of short traditional songs and funky long play riffs. Will definitely listen to again.

"The World Is a Ghetto" is the fifth album by American band War. Psychedelic soul, jazz and progressive soul are the Wiki-listed genres. They all fit. The bandmembers included Howard E. Scott (guitar, percussion, vocals), B.B. Dickerson (bass, percussion, vocals), Lonnie Jordan (organ, piano, timbales, percussion, vocals), Harold Brown (drums, percussion, vocals), Papa Dee Allen (bongos, congas, percussion, vocals), Charles Miller (clarinet, saxophones, percussion, vocals) and Lee Oskar (harmonica, percussion, vocals). The album hit #1 in the US and was the best selling album in 1973 in the US. There were mostly positive reviews and the album has been included in many best of lists. "The Cisco Kid" starts things with congas, a kick drum and a bass. Enter the keyboards and a clarinet. They got the deep funk going. A sax and scratchy guitar are added. B.B. Dickerson singing about the adventures of Cisco and Pancho, cowboys from the TV show "The Cisco Kid." Hey, I liked this show; I remember watching reruns of this show on Sunday morning right before "The Lone Ranger." Good Times! "Where Was You At" continues the funk. A handclap beat. A bluesy guitar and harmonica bring this to a New Orleans-style jazz-fusion. Lee Oskar hammered down on the harmonica. The self-titled "The World Is a Ghetto" slows it down. Why not in a 10-minute-long song. A wah-wah guitar, a sultry horn and more horns. A serious tone in another jazz-funk fusion. The vocals bring this into a soulful realm as they state that people from every background struggle and all the world is a ghetto. Tremendous song! The band really covers a lot of styles in this album, blues, jazz, soul, funk, Latin with percussion and even a New Orleans sound. There's multiple lead instruments and everyone is on on the vocals and percussion. There is a fair share of jamming and I can see how people might have issues with the song lengths (one at 10 and another at 13 minutes). But the highs on this album get quite high particularly in the soulful "The World Is a Ghetto" and bluesy "Four Cornered Room." A great album!

A blender of genres and emotions, War really put an amazing album together. The songs feel transportive and envelop you in a scene instead of describe it for you to imagine

I already knew War because of the legendary song "Low Rider", but I had never stopped to listen to a full album and, I have to say, this is easily one of the best Soul and Funk albums I have ever listened to. Everytime I hear about the best albums in this genre, I hear names like Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield, but I never hear anything about this great band called War. They are very underrated, and they make top quality music. Their Wikipedia article is nothing more than a mere sketch and that is almost a crime. 5 stars of course!

boring

Enjoyable. Not enough to actively seek out again but definitely decent

I never heard it before, I really enjoyed it.

The best-selling album of 1973? I’ve never consciously heard of War before (although I had listened to a handful of tracks in the past according to Last.FM). This will be interesting… Upon listening, my presumption was that with a name like War they’d be akin to Black Sabbath, when actually they were a soul band. That was unexpected. It was pretty good, I’d say a high 3 rounded up to a 4. The standout was City, Country, City with its harmonica & sax fills. I’d listen to War again, this was a nice discovery.

The songs that are a standard length really slap. The long ones just don't do it for me. I guess I'm anti long-song. This is a jam, but I prefer when it's a focused jam.

It's a vibe for sure! Not my cup of tea, but was interesting to listen to.

This was amazing, super cool, long play Santana-like vibes on some tracks. love this.

Going into this album, I knew only 4 songs by War. The opening track here was one of them. And it's a song that has often annoyed me. But giving it a closer listen today, I heard so much more than I ever had before. It was still my least favorite track on the album, but I gained a far greater appreciation for it. As for the rest of the album, it's downright phenomenal. The slow jams, the lead vocals here and there, the harmony vocals, the rhythm section, the latin-infused funk grooves. The album just kept getting better and better. Easy 5 stars.

Kinda fun. Not really my jam, but an interesting listen. 3.1

Absolute masterpiece.

The original War on Drugs

This record exists somewhere at the perfect early ‘70s intersection between hardcore soulfunk and AM radio gold. Certainly not every moment is compelling, but there are enough surprises to keep ya guessing, even on multiple listens.

Decent. Some lovely era defining protest music, a well-rounded sound, sits nicely in the background.

So pleased to discover this.. the soul side of the moon indeed!

dig it

I’ve known of War’s famous songs like Low Rider and Why Can’t we be Friends, and in this collection of songs they held a similar style which was very groovy. I was surprised that it actually was mostly jazz instrumental, although I wasn’t unhappy about it.

Good jams

Not very memorable to me

great really groovy and jazzy at times. I like the concept although I probably didn't pick up on it fully. Some sax solos and random other noises are SOOO loud for some reason. No downsides other than some of the longer songs dragging on a bit (sorry). Favourite songs: The cisco kid, where was you at, the world is a ghetto, beetles on the bog. Overall around 8/10

This is one of a select few albums where the moody, meandering low-tempo funk soundscape wrenches but one response from the listener; “hell yeah”. To lift a phrase from Jay Kay, this is more of a Funk Odyssey than anything else I’ve heard. War feel, more than anything, like a band for the people. The good people, anyway. Yes, the world IS a ghetto, so what’ll we do about it? Let’s start with making a ¾-hour prog soul / funk / whatever the fuck album that’s both easy on the ears and expansive if you take a closer listen, a cacophony of instruments working in tandem to produce a silently feisty musicality that matches the front cover all too well. Genius.

A classic.

good funk. i mean it’s hard to make funk music that’s bad so lol

ngl i expected a punk album, but this is very good. actually a lot better than i expected

They write 8 bars and call it a day. Repeat repeat repeat. It's good stuff, though.

Awesome sauce

Dzika okladka.

Funky Latin influence just sounded so good. Knew Cisco Kid but the other tracks were a delightful surprise

I had a great day letting this album weave its way through everything I did. I have a friend who loves this group. Now I know what I was missing.

i couldnt make it past the 8 min song sory

Jak dla mnie perełka. Fantastycznie się tego słucha. Każdy z instrumentów robi genialną robotę, chłopaki wyśmienicie się bawią, a jednocześnie robią kawał solidnej muzyki. Chyba największym osiągnięciem tego albumu jest fakt, że choć każdy instrument dostał mnóstwo miejsca na indywidualne popisy i eksplorowanie ciekawych brzmień, to całość nie brzmi jak zbiór nieskoordynowanych solówek (I'm looking at you, modern jazz). Synergia wielu świetnych instrumentalistów na tym albumie jest dla mnie tym, co przesądza o jego wielkiej wartości. Plus to zwyczajnie buja od początku do końca. To jest niewymuszone, zabawne, jak flirt z muzyką i słuchaczem. Zdecydowanie album, który będę chciał mieć w swojej kolekcji, jeśli kiedyś będę miał jakiś kawałek swojego miejsca.

I wrote in one review I will side with War to bring down U2 and there is no better ally than that. It' so perfectly moody. Disarray of jazz/soul music perfectly matches urban vibes. I guess musical landscapes are my favourite genre now.

Good stuff right here. If you disagree, that sucks.

Perfect album. Great sound, great message, great performances. I just love '70s funk/soul. Could listen to this all day.

This album got my day off to such a good start! Even the slower tracks were so engaging, Four Cornered Room, I'm looking at you! I don't listen to this type of music enough.

I haven’t rated funk this high before - this album was pretty fun! A couple of ones I skipped on the third listen through, but pretty good overall

Slow, soulful, beautiful funk. Don't know what else to say.

This album is so fantastic. One of the favorite records I own

I feel like I’ve heard of War before, but perhaps I’m thinking of the song (WAR! HUH! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!). I may have even already reviewed a different album of their’s. I can’t remember. Anyway, I did enjoy this one. It’s that great blend of funk with so many other genres, and it’s a shame that funk is such a rarity these days. I wouldn’t go as far as to say I loved this album and that it’ll stick with me, but I certainly enjoyed the listen.

I liked the end half of the album

Love the funky style intro.

Great album.

Good

More relevant and more powerful 50+ years later. Who makes music like this nowadays?

Cool album. Funky, but oddly enough, not nearly as funky as I thought it would be. Solid. Fav tracks: The Cisco Kid, City Country City, Four Cornered Room, Beetles in the Bog

Rly nice and chill

At its core I do like their style - something about the ten minute tracks of what feels like loops continuously layered on doesn't really appeal to me. There isn't enough variety when they go on these benders of songs and by the end, like any bender, I didn't really remember most of it other than the general notion that things felt a little silly.

First half of pure soul and big sounds making it a fun listen, we go to the second half being psychedelic and transcending through cosmos in a whirlwind of sound

I don't remember, I think it was fine?

Very strong opener, and very strong final track. I feel some of the slower tracks are a bit on the boring side though.

..

It was like self made

Such a groovy and funky album!!

Pretty good.

pretty good! i haven't been introduced to that genre in a while and i would say it was worth it but i can't say i'd listen to it all the time and especially at work. it depends on the mood

Decent jazzy album. Nothing amazing. Quite short… but fun little listen.

Well made smooth funky jazz with an edge. Still just background music for me but I didn't hate it.

Cool

Cracker, absolutely brilliant

I’m getting quite an education in funk here. Never heard about this before. This isn’t at all what I expected. Such a great range of expression, amazing dynamics, songs that are both jammy and catchy. Very intense emotional content. This is really a revelation for me and I want to explore the rest of the band’s catalog. Easy five stars and this is exactly the kind of album I want to learn about from this list.

City, Country, City is chefs kiss. Wish I was listening on vinyl. Dang this is just a cool album.

Not my usual listen but super dope soul with excellent musicianship.

I can see the historical importance of this release, but it was not a very enjoyable listening session.

Starts promising, but the songwriting is not up to scratch. The last half of the album is really dull, not danceable at all, and I don’t feel the soul. Too much sax in the monitor

Really loved iy

I always enjoy when an album has a bassist that does not just pluck a couple notes. I think this was groovy and fun. Then it got way jammier than I thought and threw me off. Good for a time and a place. Standout track the world is a ghetto. Fun hearing the original song sampled by asap mob/method man.

This album is actually one song too short, I'd love to have a little bit more. Great album artwork, I like to think that I'm the clown in the suit sitting with the pigeons in the gutter. Also listening to some of War's other albums this weekend, I discovered that they are the creators of the George Lopez shoe's theme song. I would've never guessed, the vocal distortion / lack of soulful singing in that song is a total shift from the rest of their work on TWIAG and Why Can't We Be Friends?

I've encountered War before, but a different super-funky album. This is a mellower offering from them. City, Country, City is is extremely pleasant. The melding of funk, jazz and the twang of harmonica is great. Still, feels like something is missing here. But I don't know what, and my revealed preference (listening to this album 3 times this weekend) suggests I'm a fan.

This was a gem of an album. It was just fun to listen to and it might find its way into my regular rotation. I would give it 4 1/2 stars if that was an option. Favorite Song: City, Country, City

“City, Country, City” was definitely my favorite track. Jazz & funk doing their thing, idk if I’m always in a jam band mood though.

this is a very funky album. i found it really interesting, but ultimately not my cup of tea. that being said, musically it's quite curious and i have a lot of respect for that

Man, that title track is something else.

Really enjoyed this, funky, psychedelic goodness.

Cisco Kid is a well known track. Nice beat, probably a good dance choice. The rest are unmemorable. 2.5/5

Very unique

Smooth and funky

the tracks are sprawling and immersive. the lyrics capture one's imagination. enjoyed it!

Calmly energetic, very nice. A couple of Big Hits, too. I may actually pick up this CD.

Fantastic opening and closing with some high points in between. Not a “must have” as an album because it’s a bit overindulgent in places. It actually feels like the soundtrack to an interesting stage-play. Great, but not as funky as WAR can get.

Loved the funky vibe. Absolutely fire bass throughout. Thought it told a beautiful story too. Thoroughly enjoyed.

A very cool-sounding and very funky record - no big hits though... nothing that really grabbed me. Still I would be happy to put this on for background music almost any time!

The Cisco Kid, immediately feels like i’m in a film. Vocals are raw and creating a big space for the instruments to flourish. The groove doesn’t die. Where Was You At, is incredible. The tempo changes, the choral aspect, pure rhythm. It seems like a very good way to call someone out for not being there as they should have been. City, Country, City, is taking me to church. And it’s not a church I know but I wanna be there. There’s so many layers but nothing is out of place. I want to be in a crowd of people dancing immediately. I would love to know how moving this was live! It does not matter this is a 13 min song, the way it flows through you, you won’t notice. Not a word is uttered. It’s musicians at the top of their game. Four Cornered Room, is a beautiful demonstration that every person in this band played a part. The big group vocals just show that they are one. As i’m listening i’m assuming that it is about dealing with people that have very limited perspective. Not fully understanding them but at least trying to talk it out. The vocals are beautiful, the tones, the runs and riffs, the soul! The World Is A Ghetto, the title track, of course doesn’t disappoint. The meaning is not hidden, they are grateful humans, they have come from the ghetto and they know that the wide world is not much different. There is always good and evil wherever you look, your mission is to keep your perspective as golden as you can. “Happiness is here, have your share. If you know you are loved, be secure. Paradise is love to be sure.” The instrumentation is nothing short of perfect. Beetles In The Bog, a quick burst of energy, packed with all the elements they’ve mastered. Big vocals, tight as fuck rhythm, and soul that genuinely can’t be taught. Need it on vinyl.

Again, pretty tired writing this but this album was okay. These are the longest tracks I've seen on an album and my attention was dwindling. Just don't think I have the patience for this one today. Might update it later, 2/5 for now.

It’s good, but not War’s best. The title track is a banger.

Enjoyed

I've never listened to a funk album all the way through, so this was a cool experience. I was also intrigued to see how short the album was but that it had a 13-minute and a 10-minute song. It was even more shocking to me to see that "City, Country, City" was a 13-minute long instrumental song?? Overall the album was fun. I don't think I'd reach to listen to it again, but I liked how unique it was

3*

This is an incredible album. I hadn't really gone beyond "The Cisco Kid" and "The World is a Ghetto" but I loved the rest of it!

Cool, funky sound. First half was upbeat, second half was more instrumental

I was familiar with Eric Bourdon from The Animals and "Spill the Wine", but haven't listened to much War. I enjoyed the album. I wish I could give it a 3.5. Favorite songs: "Beetles In the Bog" (partly because I love the name), "The Cisco Kid"

3.5 rounded up, loved the title track

Had no idea what to expect here. Generally all OK, but without really hooking me like Mothership Connection, for example, did.

70s classic R&B. Not necessarily distinctive. Bass track and vocals

Apart from “Four Cornered Room”, this album wastes very little time and delivers some great, soulful funk music.

Mostly laid back sometimes meandering funky jams. It's good but it lacks tension, gets hippy-esque.

Interesting, but kind of disappointed

Too slow and too repetitive for me. I didn't enjoy listening to this

This was a fun funk/jam album. It was great music to play while I worked. Not too much about the album stood out to me but it was fun. Great vibes. Some songs went on for WAYYYY too long, but I know that is the style. Actually a 2.5. Liked Songs: "The Cisco Kid" and "Where Was You At"

liked songs: The Cisco Kid, City, Country, City, The World Is A Ghetto This was a really cool album. It's a really cool collection of pieces, and I completely understand the "progressive soul" genre label. 4

i still hates soul. no war, please. i'd rather give peace a chance. 3/5

Really great psych and soul record with cool instrumentation. Faves: where was you at, city, country, city, the world is a ghetto.

Love the vibe of this album. Cisco Kid is a great song.

Always been intrigued by WAR and truly love some of their hit songs. Cisco Kid has always been the rotation but had never done the full listen through. Really enjoyed it but nothing jumped out at me. Would not have guessed this was a #1 album just based on the genre but they must have blended funk and soul with pop pretty effectively. Borderline but i think i need more stand outs for a 4. Good album, no complaints. Boring review.

Strong first two songs but then the rest of these jams feel somewhat shapeless. Love the unconventional rhythm section and the varied percussion, but wish these components were employed in the service of more memorable songs.

Some cool rhythms and fun chanty lyrics, but nothing really stuck with me here. The album itself was fine. Cisco kid is clearly the hit of the album. City, country, city and Found Cornered Room were good as well

Liked this more than I expected to. Some nice funky grooves in here. Not likely to come back to it, but enjoyed it

Enjoyed the title track, but felt like the jams in the other songs didn’t really go anywhere - super groove-based like Fela at times. Happy to hear the album, but not something that stands out amongst what we’ve heard so far.

I have no idea what to make of this album. But I don't really like it. Maybe the lyrics give more insight into its meaning, but I don't really feel like listening to them. The music is lame and doesn't grab me anywhere. When I think of War, it's always with Eric Burdon, that's a completely different story. Yes, I've decided, I don't like this album.

444 Rolling Stone top 500

The Cisco Kid is about the only bright spot for me, I doubt I would revisit this anytime Best Song: The Cisco Kid Rating: 3.5/10 2 Stars

3.5

I have to agree that

Wow. I had no idea anybody cared about this band outside of "Low Rider" and "Why Can't We Be Friends," but I just really loved this. Progressive soul man, there's something about it. This is a truly great album.

Favourite song - Beetles in the bog

War: "The World is a Ghetto." Billy Corgan: "Actually, ..."

I had this one way back in the day when I was doing this project solo. I rated it a 2 then, but didn't leave a review.

Psychedelic Soul Jazz from 1972, although some of the tracks, "The Cisco Kid" for example, have a Reggae feel to them. The album still sounds great.

MID!

Classic.

Oh, I was delighted by the funk and soul in The World Is a Ghetto. I want to call this a chill album, but the funk could get the beat movin' at times! With such long songs, the instrumental parts were absolute fire--and kept that steady groove going. With the wide variety of instruments, each song had its own unique sound. The horns in particular were so powerful and engaging. I don't think lyrics were War's strongest suit, considering how few lyrics were present, but I found myself paying more attention because of the small amount. And despite everything, the lyrics are great! The title song displays the harsh realities of marginalized peoples stuck in the ghetto, "Four Cornered Room" reveals a profound emotional connection, and "The Cisco Kid" has quite the hook while making a Latino fictional character--someone I hadn't even heard of before--sound so, so cool. War certainly didn't need hundreds of words in unnecessary verses to get their point across.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from the group that brought us "Low Rider". Ultimately, I don't think I was suspecting this. It was funky, but in a low-key way (which I guess is what Wikipedia is calling 'psychedelic soul'). I was not particularly wowed by this, but it did keep my attention and I certainly found it to be unique among a lot of other soul and funk type things on this project.

83% Best: City, Country, City; The World Is A Ghetto; Beetles In The Bog Must-Hear? Sure

Ein paar gute Hooks dabei, hätte Potenzial, aber der 13 Minuten Instrumentaltrack hat sich ziemlich gezogen und manchmal plätscherte es einfach nur vor sich hin.

3*

Overall, it’s a highly enjoyable listen that still holds up today, offering a perfect balance of depth and fun.

Queria poder dar um 3,5. Mas não como não é possível... músicas excelentes para um ambiente de personalidade.

Pretty fire. 3 1/2 stars.

Really liked this one.

Jazzy, funky, soulful. This is a very good record.

Good album from a criminally underrated band whose message still rings loud and clear today.

Very cool

Wow this has a groove going

Pretty good for what it is, just not my thing…

Not my kinda music, but like this!

These guys are way more than the Lowrider song. This is a great album showcasing 70's funk at its finest blended with jazz, reggae, and brilliant jam band opuses.

Favourite songs: the world is a ghetto, the Cisco kid Felt a little drawn out at certain points, e.g. city country city, which I know is intentional but wasn't to my liking Otherwise, Beautiful music paired with beautiful lyrics and you can't go wrong

Not my jam

This is a great soul album

Some pleasant songs

Crispy fried soul funk.. Finger licking good.

Cisco Kid I enjoy. The rest is a bit of a slog.

This was alright. don't think i'd relisten

I thought the main album was just okay. I apparently listened to the deluxe version which had some blues versions of a couple of songs that I liked better. It was fine.

Interesting music, but nothing saved.

Dacht dat dit wat later uitkwam dan '72 voor hoe het klinkt, maar ja het is een heel goed album imo. Doet me veel aan PFunk denken, maar zit ook soul in en veel latin, pretty great. Contrast tussen de muziek en teksten is ook nice. Saved that one for sure

ja best tof zie ik mezelf wel nognkeer luisteren

Not my usual jam but I liked the funky jam vibe - have played it a few times and enjoyed grooving along despite a bit too much sax. Probably a 3 but the sunshine is nudging it up to a 4.

Nice groove, nice sound but ultimately just a bit boring.

A classic 'glad this on the list' album and three stars for all its prog soul noodling, but feel my life is complete enough without listening again.

Boring schnooring

Eclectic album. A mix of funk, jazz, Latin, soul, and r n b. Started strong but then took a dip it didn’t recover from it. I like the Sly feel of the first two songs - wish it stuck with that formula.

This was a great find for me today. I'm sure I've heard it before because the album cover is so familiar (cycling back, I think I'm conflating with street corner talking) but none of the tracks were. Super cool, loved the groove and even the long songs kept my interest. Will come back to this one for sure.

Pretty damn good -

the sax is dope liked it but wouldn't buy it for myself

Gott analogt sväng. Lyssna mer! 3+

This album is a four-cornered room, maybe a regiment to be exact, the funk being tight and ordered, tho it’s tapestried with flow too. It’s rich, man, and spatializes itself in its four-angled ghetto, just good enough for moi.

Got “too jammy” as my friend Lou would say by tracks 2 & 3, but the 2nd half really won me over with its soulful sincerity and camaraderie of sounds.

I was really only familiar with their work like "Low Rider." But this was much more enjoyable. I like it.

норм. подойдет фоном под покер или азартные игры

December 4, 2024 HL: title track, “Four Cornered Room”, “The Cisco Kid” 3.5 Didn’t love as much as I thought I would. Maybe the political title and album cover belied the lackadaisical grooves within. Or maybe I’m just burnt out of long, jammy songs. I will not say, however, that I don’t like long jammies in general. Isaac Hayes, Pink Floyd, even Kendrick have imposingly long songs that are often their album’s highlights.

Un festival de instrumentos que forman canciones super interesantes y te mantienen pegado esperando el siguiente instrumento o melodia que estos formen

Für mich zu soulig, wenig innovativ. 2/5

Groovy and funky. No complaints here. 4/5 Highlights: Four Cornered Room

I didn’t hate it but probably wouldn’t listen to again. It’s groovy with soul and rock undertones. City, country, city was fun. Album art very good

I dug this. Jazzy and blues-y, City, Country, City was my favorite song

What a strange ride. A very interesting album, a bit too out to left field for me .

Not for me; barely made an impression at all.

The World Is a Ghetto—that’s why.

I don’t know what I was expecting but not this! It’s great. A bit slow and relaxed, it grooves and flows, some soul and reggae.

some funky ass shit

Lots of moving parts with the instrumentation, but it all felt very cohesive and focused. Different grooves for every track, with clear progressions

Funky but not for me

fun!

Прикольная музыка, мелодичная

First two songs were strong but unfortunately don’t think the rest of the album held up

WHEWWWW. Funky, fucking funnnnnkyy

Would I listen again: no Best track: Title Track. Worst track: where was you at Surprise awesome track: Four cornered room. Weirdest track: city, Country, City Lyrics: lyrics about something it seems but very repetitive. No skips?: no Cover art cool?: yeah. Notes: I literally know about this band except for low rider. I mean it’s fine so far. Nothing objectionable but nothing really memorable for me. So city country city definitely got my attention. Awesome Jam evolving over the course of the track. Production on this is great. Recoding sounds great. Feel immersed during this song. Four cornered room super trippy and groovy. Production on this is amazing. Overall though. If it came in again I’d listen but I would not be like seeking this album out. It’s fine. It’s a solid album but nothing that will require to listen again or go out of my way to hear. There are a few tracks I’d like to hear again, but def don’t need to listen to this all the way through as a whole again.

Pre Low Rider and Why Can't We Be Friends, two all-timers, and the reason most people have heard of War. And that they aren't Edwyn Starr. Cisco Kid is a bop. Second track is funky and alright but didn't stand out. City Country City is also a bop. A good long bop. Four Corners is a good, long, slow bop. Title track is alright. Last track is a bop.

Can't pin down this genre. Something of a mix between soul/blues/funk. It was okay

This album was made at a specific point in time, for a very particular group of people. Whether it translates in modernity is a whole other question, but perhaps this album is best judged looking back, rather then what's infront of you currently.

Until today War just meant Low Rider to me, but I like this. Great accompaniment to housework!

Didn't know what to expect going into this (only really knowing "Low Rider" from War), and was pleasantly surprised - very funky, very good. I will admit to not focussing too much on the lyrics this time as it was on in the background, but I definitely think I'll be going back for another listen - especially the long instrumental track 'City, Country, City'.

É um reggae bem legal, e acho que ouviria mais vezes. Dessa vez eu queria dar um 3.5 mesmo. Mas acho que 3 é melhor. Gostei de The Cisco Kid, 'City, Contry, City' e The World is a Ghetto.

adorei o conceito de prog soul (não conhecia)!!! achei as músicas uma delicia de se escutar enquanto trabalha Destaque: The world is a ghetto, The cisco kid

It started off strong but I did find myself losing interest

Why were some of these songs so long?

Dig

Hey this is pretty good! It doesn’t even have the songs I know on it

Okay, not really my thing

Nice album. Lotta soul, great instrumentals, great vocal work! 'Four Cornered Room' was my personal fave.

Very good music. And idk something just keeps me from giving it 4. The music is really good but sounds a lot like many other funky music? And lacks uniqueness and novelty?

почему-то запоминается так же хорошо как музыка для лифта. и почему-то ямайские мотивы…

bland

Extraordinary. Was hesitant to listening to six song album that was 44 minutes long, but this was intriguing. I felt like I was meeting all the different people in their vibrant community

This album is super groovy. I really enjoyed it. I delayed listening to it, and I really shouldn’t have! My favorite song was City, Country, City.

Country und Blues Combo mit guten Elementen und sauberen instrumental Passagen. Leider aber wenig mitnehmend; trotzdem grundsolide.

I feel a little conflicted about this album. The longer more instrumental tracks were fun and engaging, but I didn't connect with the shorter tracks as much as I would have liked to. A solid world music listen, but not something I'd probably come back to. Top tracks: City, Country, City; Four Cornered Room; The World Is A Ghetto

Un très bon album de soul/funk. Le genre d'album qui se laisse écouter tout seul. 8/10

At any one time I may say War is in my top ten band list. Although I never place any album of theirs in a top ten list, I find this record great and deserving. Nice beat, great lyrics, excellent musicians.

Pretty good. Never listened much to this band.

WAR! What is it good for? Making banging tunes mate. Loved this one

Jazz, Soul und schöne Stimmharmonien passt das zusammen? Ja, eindeutig. Sehr gelungene Mischung.

Having listened to this several times I can quite confidently declare this an absolute banger. I love the mixture of soul, funk, jazz and rock on this album. Definitely one of the most enjoyable albums to be randomly selected so far

I was surprised at how much jazz influence this album had. I enjoyed this album but it was definitely a period piece reflecting the ghettos of the 1970s. Key tracks were the title track and The Cisco Kid, though Beetles in the Bag had some great swagger.

I've always enjoyed War's greatest hits. Had the CD since the 90s. I enjoyed this one but Cisco Kid was the only track I was familiar with prior. Was surprised there were three 10-minute long jams (Four Corner, City Country, and the World is a Ghetto). I totally dug it though and could see myself popping this one on for a relaxed afternoon or evening. I will be exploring more of War's discography.

Good funk album, kind of slow for my taste. The overall message that everyone has problems and you can be successful at any level if you live right is something I agree with, for the most part.

I was interested to here this but this is some really songs where they are trying to create more a vibe than a song. If you are big into funk you might get something out of this, but honestly I wasn't keen 2.5*

Good instrumentals, not sure how often I'd listen to it

Very different from what i expected

The only War album I know but it is great, especially The World Is a Ghetto.

Never heard of this band, but this was pretty good. I liked the overall soul/funk/jazz sound of the album, but the songs were not always as engaging as I would have liked them to be.

The title song is outstanding, otherwise these long-spun-out jams are not entertaining enough to keep me engaged.

A cool album, some long songs annoyed me a bit

Surprised I liked it as much as I dud

Good

Cool funky music. Liked the instrumental in city, country, city

The World is a Ghetto by War showcases the undeniable talent of the band’s musicians, but despite this, I found the album tedious. War has a reputation for their unique blend of funk, jazz, and Latin influences, and while the musicianship is clearly there, the result, in this case, fell flat for me. Though I’m no stranger to lengthy songs, the two extended tracks on this album felt unnecessarily drawn out. Instead of using the length to build something immersive or dynamic, the tracks just seemed to prolong a sense of repetitiveness, making it feel like dullness stretched to its limits. For me, any momentum the band could have built is lost in this excessive runtime. Standout Track: Pass Score: 2/5

This is nice and groovy. I have nothing more to say again.

I mostly know of War from the song Low Rider. This was a funky album and unexpectedly jazzy at times. I could listen to this one again.

Now that was cool. Really enjoyed this one.

Really enjoyed this nugget of funk rock

All around great album. 4.5 at the very least.

Pretty good, nothing I would listen to repeatedly though.

I wasn’t familiar with War previously, having only a passing knowledge of even their biggest hit “Low Rider”. It turns out I’d been missing out on some supremely juicy funk. Bearing the grim title of “The World Is A Ghetto”, this fifth album of theirs boasts knotty instrumental performances and gritty grooves all the way into what feels like civilisation’s total collapse. To my big surprise, it isn’t some obscure buried treasure either: it became Billboard’s biggest selling record of the year in between “Harvest” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”. That’s some pretty good company. Commercial performance aside, “The World Is A Ghetto” really doesn’t feel like an album to please the masses. It’s patient, vast and spacious… one for those moody and broody groovers. For example, the epic “City, Country, City”- a thirteen minute instrumental forming the centrepiece of the record- manages to continue subtly shifting without dragging. It cycles through gorgeous melodic phrasing on acoustic guitar and harmonica, heavier sections with a two note riff and percussive workouts, and a soulful closing guitar solo. The band are all on fire throughout the album, but I must praise MVP Charles Miller, whose saxophone solo in the title track is one of the most soulful, expressive performances I’ve heard on the instrument in a rock context (and I’ve grown up praising Dick Parry in “Money” and “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”). “Four-Cornered Room” is the only letdown, repeating its title phrase ad-infinitum without much shape or intrigue. It’s all atmosphere but little pay-off, whereas the other songs deliver both in spades. The more sprawling, swampy jams are tempered with three more straight-ahead funk tracks. There’s the striking simplicity of mid-tempo bopper “Cisco Kid”… the lightweight whistling organ and double-time shuffle of “Where Was You At”… and to close out the set, “Beetles in the Bog”, as close to a crowd-pleasing singalong finish as we’re going to get. “The World is a Ghetto” is an engrossing, magnetic funk record which just survives from collapsing under its own weight: given enough space to absorb, it will absolutely thrill you.

I thought the instruments were very good. It was solid background music. Some of the songs could have been shortened just a little.

It was alright there was nothing to crazy or anything that screamed this is sooooo good

Fun little album, really enjoyed it. Only reason it's not getting a five is cause I didn't really love the last song but otherwise great album. Really liked the longer songs which is kinda rare, instruments sounded really good, liked the mix of instrumental and vocal tracks, nice variety. Overall very solid and would listen to again.

it's interesting with lyrics and tempos, but not anything that I would seek out to listen to again. another ok background music album. 2.5 stars

Not my thing

Awesome! Love that 70s soul sound, with elements of jazz. Some songs noodle on for a touch too long for me. But a really good album.

The song Low Rider by War stuck with me from years of playing on Grand Theft Auto. Never really paid much more attention to them until now. Prefer not to listen to 13 minute jam sessions but track 3 suits the genre well. Track 1 and Track 4 are the highlights of this album. It's ok!

me surpreendi muito positivamente com esse som

Música ambiental para trabajar pensando que la Guerra es en verdad una movida

Good funky jazz

This is fine! (: I think this is one of those albums that is probably better than I give it credit for. As soon as I started I was like "this is the same as Low Rider", but it got better from there. Still a distinct sound but not boring. idk

Love this album!

I really only knew War from “Low Rider” and “Spill the Wine” for most of my life but I picked this album up at Goodwill for a dollar a couple of years ago and absolutely fell in love with it. Between being a big fan of this album and Santana’s first four albums, I think I may just really like when Latin rhythms are infused in rock. I should probably explore that more. It’s crazy that this was one of the best-selling albums of 1973. I mean, it’s great, but it’s not particularly commercial. Three of the six songs are over 8 minutes long. I'm surprised it was that popular and also that its popularity hasn’t really endured while other artists who had giant selling albums in 1973 like Led Zeppelin’s and Pink Floyd’s and Elton John’s has. In looking at the list of best-selling albums of 1973, I think pre-disco 70’s might be my favorite era of music. Barring Seals and Croft, there’s not really a bad album in the bunch. What an amazing time in music. And this album is a worthy addition to that list.

Another album I've listened to recently thanks to the inclusion of progressive soul as a genre on the site. War's The World is a Ghetto is a loose and sprawling funk/soul album that embraces several styles of psychedelic and progressive rock, jazz fusion, and even Latin music. The Cisco Kid is my stand-out favorite, but the whole thing is consistent in its groove. While it's not something I'd listen to every day (Why Can't We Be Friends would be my pick before this), the highly adventurous spirit and willingness to experiment War showcase in their music shoots down any claim that funk and soul are "simple" genres. 7/10

Enjoyed this!

No es mi estilo

No more jam bands please

"The Cisco Kid" is incredible. Everything else just seemed a little too long and meandering. Not bad though. I would listen if it was on, but wouldn't seek it out.

Vibey soul, jazz, reggea type. Funky af

Great and groovy, fun and chill more than angry or pedantic. Could listen all – or most of the – day. "Cisco Kid" is tops but the record works as a whole and individual songs, too.

I enjoyed this album a lot, especially since it's not a style I normally listen to. The Cisco Kid is great. I also liked City, Country, City even though it clocked in at 13 minutes. 4⭐️

Very pleasantly surprised! Not what I was expecting based on the title and band name. Very American. Mainly funk and soul based, but has lots of additional influences from track to track: rock, jazz, a bit of country. Enjoyed the reggae vibes of The Cisco Kid in particular.

Enjoying Favourite song probably title track or “Four Cornered Room”

Superb. Really superb. A magnificent discovery. I greatly enjoyed hearing this album and I will listen to it again and probably again. 5 stars.

Really enjoyed listening. Didn’t expect this at all. Makes me want to listen to more War. At times it felt a little repetitive or forgettable, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and i think I just need to listen to more of think kind of music to get used to it. Very skilled members.