That's The Way Of The World

This was pretty good, not great. I was grooving to it a little but it felt long for 36 minutes. High 3.

Starts out very strong with 2 big hits but I thought the rest was a bit uneven. More jazzy than funky.

A pretty fun listen, from a group who probably does not get enough respect from music critics as they deserve. Though some of it seems corny by 2020s standards, no song on here was bad. Shining Star" is a fantastic opener with a great groove that I wish lasted longer and "That's the way of the World" would not leave my head after I heard it a couple of times. I do think the album is front-loaded with its best songs, so while it's not that long it did tend to drag a bit for me towards the end. Having said that, there is some great singing, lush arrangements and musicianship throughout the album which made it very enjoyable.

The hits are spectacular and even the deeper cuts have so much vibrant energy, I cannot help and get hyped. That said, every longer track goes on unnecessarily long and really ends up dragging the whole thing.

Not a fan. Too eclectic for me

Gear: Fostex TH610 Artwork: gude Laune! Mix: schon schockierend arm an Impact und Slam (insb. im direkten Vergleich mit der durchweg druckvollen Referenz-Produktion auf "Raise!") Musik: 50% schwachbrüstig gemischter Funk/Jazz Spass und 50% austauschbare, getragene 70er Pop-Balladen = 100% 😔 Wertung: 🌍🌍(🌍)/5

5 Shining Stars!

I have this on vinyl so I already knew what to expect. EWF is always bringing the disco energy around. Definitely a top 3 in their discography, it's quick, it's full of soul and the production is absolutely disgusting at most points. One of the best projects for busting a move to. Not too much to say when it comes to Earth Wind and Fire but I will say I'm never not impressed by what they do. So much funk and groove that you can't sit still to.

This is the album on the election day of Belgium and I'm going to give it the same review as I would give to the election results. Not really digging it, but it thought it would have been worse.

I'm liking this this morning. 3 stars.

Solid. Fav Song: Shining Star.

Such a full bodied sound with all the brass and those keyboards! Great listen!

Funk and jazz. Even had great instrumental

Oof. This was rough. At least they front loaded the album wi the good song. It sounded like a parody of funk-rock and soul.

No

Day 18 of listen to 1001 albums, one album at a time. Earth, Wind and Fire known how to make music that just makes you want to dance. Every song on this album just brings a smile to my face. It is so impressive with a perfect blend of funk, pop, disco, r&b, and soul all rolled into one. Truly a great album.

Apparently this is the only EWF album on the list which… seems wrong (I’d go for I Am personally). Still a fantastic record though - it opens with Shooting Star which is about as perfect an opener as you can ask for, and just keeps delivering hit after hit from there

Nothing to dislike here; it's just not my thing.

such an interesting juxtaposition between funk and elevator music. funk parts are soooo good

I know Earth, Wind & Fire's hits so I knew what to expect here, but there were still some surprising moments like the outro of All About Love and Africano.

3/5. There were a couple songs that I really enjoyed. Overall, I liked the album and would be open to listening to more jazz.

Good vibe album from start till end. EWF never gets outdated. Personally I don't think that there is any unhidden gems on this album that gets close to the big hits (september, lets groove, boogie wonderland). 3/5

Earth, Wind and Fire are the quintessential pop-funk band and this album is a good example of that. The R&B-inspired songs, particularly That's the Way of the World, are the better part of the album but the jazz and world music inspired songs, while not as catchy are not a distraction.

Delightful from start to finish.

Does not contain that perennial wedding reception classic guaranteed to get your proudly fat auntie works that double hip replacement barefoot on the dancefloor like it ain't no thing. Does not contain any of the songs said auntie would know unless she is a very hip lady (and a pot head). Does contain a kaleidoscope of sumptuous pop, elegant funk, jazzy changes and songs looking toward a better future. EW&F were always headed toward something that transcended small genre considerations toward a cosmic totality of human being music. Maurice White is fucking genius. Philip Bailey has the voice of a space angel. You like sophisticated dance music? Don't sleep on this.

Great harmonies, feel-good classic 70’s sound.

I need to listen to more EWF 'cause this sounds like overproduced 70s shit to me. They probably invented this production, but damn. A whole album of being-on-hold-with-the-insurance-company songs. Tentative (and generous) rating until I learn more. 3.2

bom, mas nada de mais. Passo, não estaria na minha lista.

It was fun, tho nothing remarkable

its alright YMN

Fun album, enjoyable listen, and overall great vibes!

Holy freaking moly this album was good. Only a few seconds into the first track I could tell that I was going to enjoy this. Funky guitar? Check. Funky bass? Check. Then the trumpets! Everything here is great from front to back. I’m not sure if anything here was on the soundtrack to Undercover Brother but it made me nostalgic for that film. Especially Africano - that track felt straight out of a detective movie. This is an easy 10/10 for me.

After the monologue in All About Love it's clear to me that Earth, Wind & Fire know exactly what they're doing when they make such fun and uplifting music. It felt really special. All in all great fun with some truly epic falsetto

This album was full of ups and downs, but by the end I was pretty annoyed with this album because of the sheer amount of cheese oozing from its grooves. Yeah, some of the instrumentation is impressive, and at times the vocals and melodies were pretty, but that stretch of gospel funk on the entire B-side felt all too goofy to ever be taken seriously, and that final track just felt preachy and sanctimonious. There was hope in the beginning, as even I know Shining Star and enjoy it, but I cannot really seem to look past my flaws with it. If you're looking for something incredibly easy for everyone you know to enjoy, but not much above that, this is that.

Great playing, great grooves, great sound overall. Doesn't feature either of my favourite bangers - Fantasy or Boogie Nights - but it was really enjoyable!

Started strong, but tapered off a bit, for me.

Shining Star is a wonderful track and I enjoyed the rest of the album

Some funky stuff, love it!

best wel chill

A bit of a letdown after Shining Star, but pretty solid nonetheless.

Fun listen. Like the sound.

Some easy listening with a pretty fun vibe.

Favorite Tracks: Shining Star Happy Feelin’

I understand why this was popular back in 1975 but 50 years on and it's just not holding up. It's inoffensive, friendly funk but it's not for me.

So good

Funky

You’re a shining star

Such a fun album.

Solid

Pretty fun album.

I prefer «In the Stone», and I feel like this is 1001 albums trying to sneak in some Yatch Rock while still feeling cool. But come on, this is still amazing!

Incredible instruments. Bass steals the show. Not a fan of the vocal style, but that is more personal taste than lack of artist ability.

very nice

all these albums are just not for me

Having seen them live recently, I know they're better than this album projects. Big fun sound; big fun stage presence. That being said, this album is not all that.The couple big hits kept it from being a 2*.

Really tight band. The jamming worked just as well as the hits.

Thoughts before listening: 70s funk band with some massive hits. Outside of the hits I don't really know their music so this should mostly be new to me. I'd assume there will be some big songs on this album, but I don't recognize the cover. Review: Well, I know the first track. "Shining Star" is one of those songs that everyone recognizes without really knowing who actually wrote and recorded it. Its a great, fun song which is a pretty good description for this whole album. This is the sound of 70s radio friendly funk and soul music, with a mixture of upbeat party songs and more introspective ballads. The musicianship is top notch with jazzy bass lines and horn punches throughout, and its just overall a pleasant listening experience. 4-stars

Brings me into the best mood no matter how upset I can be, this album brings you higher and you cant help but feel the absolute joy of making music and being in the moment.

Incredibly enjoyable and funky all the way through. Their use of different instruments and incredible vocals feels so fresh even today. Loved Reasons and Happy Feeling the most

Not my favorite EW&F album but damn good all the same. Highlights were Shining Star, Yearnin’ Learnin’, Reasons, and Africano.

Not their best.

Class

Not too into this style but the album isn't bad. Enjoyed the funk bits like in the songs Shining Star and Happy Feelin'. Would never listen on my own time but fine with leaving it on.

A bit dated. And that falsetto, yikes!

Earth, Wind & Fire is a great band. One of the most carefree, tight, badass sounds of any band – and certainly any 70s band. Up there with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power, and Steely Dan in terms of consistently great feel-good tunes that are known for their sharpshooter horn hits, high-level musicianship, and impeccable incorporation of jazz/funk into pop music. That being said, this album doesn't showcase any of Earth, Wind & Fire's absolute best tracks, leading me to question why it's the only EW&F album here. Don't get me wrong – the tracks are all very good (particularly the two openers) and generally kick some serious bum – but they don't quite reach the heights I know EW&F's capable of. And as good as some of the songs are, some are pretty forgettable (See the Light, All About Love). Not a huge fan of the vocals in Yearnin' Learnin' either. EW&F pulls off the proto-disco falsetto better than the rough vocal fry. Key tracks: Shining Star, That's the Way of the World, Reasons

I see why people like this

Pretty good for the era.

So So good.

I love them! Takes me right back to my college days.

Lovely funk opening track with shining star. Very upbeat. Some good bass in "happy feelin". Listening to the lyrics, its all about love and the good things in the world. Very positive vibes all round. Some of the tracks could be in a 70's cop show for sure. Overall, nice funky sound but mostly forgettable tracks to me after a first listen. I wanted to like this only a single track clicked with me - shining star. Rating 2/5

Well done album, they have a great sound and was happy listening to each and every track.

Starts out super funky. Slows down a bit in the middle, but overall a very nice listen.

- huge vibes - Shining Star is a classic I didn't know they had more hits than September - Good variety of sound in the second half

- started hot but fell off

So funky, jazzy, just wonderful. I know most of these tunes, but even the ones I didn't know were good. Four stars.

2.5

I've never really listened to Earth Wind & Fire before, but I was looking forward to some funky goodness. The opening track had me excited, but the second track left me cold. Picked right up on the third, then down again on the forth. Ok, so obviously my preconceived notions of what to expect was skewing what I was hearing, so I left and came back later with a fresh perspective. So after coming back this album is still a bit of a mixed bag. The ballady songs don't really do much for me, but there's some great tracks. This is a middle of the road type of album for me.

Super cool album

LOOOOOVE

this was a good album but i don't think it reaches the upper echelon for me. the two big songs on here, the title track and 'shining star' are fantastic, great mid-70s r&b songs. the rest of the album is not quite filler but is not equal to those two songs. don't get it twisted, i enjoyed the rest of these songs to a certain extent - particularly enjoyed 'reasons' (which i could swear i have heard before... it doesn't look like that was a single but it sounds so familiar). the rest of the album is ok but feels like it's mostly r&b ballads, which are nice, but not anything special to me. the ending of 'all about love' is a bizarre mishmash of synthesizers which feels out of place. so yeah, not an all timer for me, but decent enough.

Did not know EWF made soul/funk. Knew them before from their more disco hits. Not a favorite genre but pleasently surprised, especially 'all about love', 'reasons', 'yearnin' learnin''. The singer with a highly note has a nice and unique voice.

Wonderful. I've never listened to this whole album straight through, although I have heard many of the tracks before. Seriously, I'm proud of my country for producing such music.

Cold

Not really my thing.

i cannot believe that i havent listened to this in full before. what an amazing album

Funky album, enjoyable to listen to, but I didn't find any song to be outstanding.

Class :)

Soulful, funky upbeat 70’s.

The kind of album that makes me wanna pick bass up again. Incredible.

7/10 Better than expected

Pretty funky. Liked the first few tracks to dance to and the drum elements of the last track.

Shining Star 3.8 That's the Way of the World 3.5 Happy Feelin' 3.1 All About Love 2.6 Yearnin' Learnin' 3 Reasons 2.8 Africano 3 See the Light 2.8 Score: 3.075

It’s so hard to rate this album knowing that they’re about to make one of the best albums of the century in just a few years. I am grading them against themselves and I know that’s not totally fair but it feels hard to give it a five compared to what comes three years later for them. Still loved it but I know they’re music is about to get a lot better then this.

Strong start gets weaker throughout

Very fun

Their is some interesting musicianship on here, but I generally do not like the songs at all. This is just not a genre of music for me. Another one that I don't like, but since I'm not mad that it even exists it gets a 2.

Shooting Star!

Groovy as hell!

Started strong and got a little monotonous after a while. Still a good funky listen.

I really like Earth, Wind & Fire. I own one of their hits albums. I feel like this is an essential part of my musical listening repertoire.

Ok. A few nice hits. Second half mostly sounds the same. 2.25

REASONS

So much falsetto.

Uhhh.. let's go for it. bottom left looks eerily like prince. Vocal masturbation at its finest. 2 stars.

No AI, no autotune, just real musicians making art. One of the finest bands of the 70s IMO. Thanks for this one. :)

I prefer the up beat songs of theirs, shining star is such a classic

Not my favorite style music, but a fun listen regardless. Shining Star is one of pervasive hits that pops up everywhere, and the album as a whole has a pretty nice upbeat energy that makes it easy to listen to.

Very 70's some good but didn't hold my attention

Some enjoyable funky basslines, and nicely uplifting, just not super memorable

This record makes me want to start a 12 piece band ASAP

Starts off really strong and brings it down for a chill vibe. The final track, See the Light, is an absolute delight.

Fun funk

It' nice Fav songs: shining star °|°

This is an amazing album!

Fun time. Sad it got a little slower :(

This band is another staple of my childhood, their music always brings me back in time!

Some cool funky songs on here! Not my absolute fave but a nice listen

RnB, Soul, Jazz, 1975 -> 3

first listen

I don't have any doubt that this is objectively god, that was a typo, it amused me, good, but my general desire to listen to disco funk or soul ballads isn't that great and it didn't increase over the course of this album. I think my left brain had more fun with this, dissecting it. When in "That's the Way of the World" André 3000, pretty sure that's him, starts singing, in my right ear "never never" over the other, main lyrics and then that becomes louder and center to BE the main lyrics? Some pretty cool bits in here. I'll keep this one in mind. Not entirely my cup of tea, but I might want to listen to it again.

- Pure funk and soul. Impossible not to turn this album on without instantly imagining the bedrooms of the 70s. - Some better tracks (I recognized "Shining Star" instantly), though ultimately little of it stands out on its own. - Probably should rate this higher because Earth, Wind & Fire's sound is so unique compared to many other groups on this list, but I do believe that is the primary reason why this album was included in the first place.

Joyous! Love the weird tangents woven into the solid radio hits.

funk

7.5/10

Eight tracks from the masters of the funk soul genre. The whole ensemble is magic, but the brass section and the bass are particularly electric and captivating. Pure enjoyment. Stand out tracks include “Shining Star,” “Happy Feelin’”, “Yearin’ Learnin’”, “Reasons”, and “Africano”.

Groovy. Took me for a ride. Loved the brass section.

Fun listen

A soul funk stomper every bit as great as sly and pfunk.

Album was very upbeat and good, I really liked it. Some songs were a bit too long for my liking but overall I really loved it

Okay, here's the thing--All 'n All and Raise are both better albums by EWF, but since this is the only one of their albums on the list it's a 5. Nothing beats these guys IMO and they took funk/dance to another level, sort of combining the feel of Stevie Wonder with the sound of Parliament Funkadelic. Every album is a party and smooth as hell--also, they're still touring (RIP Mo White). I wouldn't normally suggest this, but putting their Greatest Hits Album on this list would completely make sense and I would recommend anyone enjoying this album go to the albums I mentioned or the Greatest Hits and you're welcome!

The 1st track, Shining Star, was all over the airwaves, as a #1 hit in the 70s. I've liked it, but never loved it and that didn't change, listening to it this time. The rest of the album was mostly unfamiliar to me. The title track was the other hit single, but it wasn't familiar to me. Overall, I'm not a big fan of this R&B style, but it wasn't bad.

That was an enjoyable "Funk Friday" selection! I'm into it from start to finish but it is probably middle-of-the-pack when it comes to an all-time album list for me.

I'm pretty certain that I've never listened to this album... but Reasons was already on my favorite list. I'm not sure how or why, but I did recognize that song. This was just a blast all the way through, some good keys works on a few songs, generally slammin' band tracks, and absolutely top-notch vocals.

- superb vibes. - would sort as a superb dinner album. good for vibing to in the kitchen, for dancing but not to upbeat, for background while chatting. <3 - due to variety in vocal / instrumental, wouldn't listen to as get computer work done music - big fan of talking at ending 3.5/5

This is a really nice, happy little album. Sometimes a bit excessive with the high notes, but it's a good "Good mood" album. I'm not sure it could switch a bad mood good, because it might just be annoying in that state of mind. But ain't nobody got any reason to be that angry. Just listen and have a good time. It is a little short, and didn't have a ton of standout tracks like the lead single, but not really a bad track unless you don't like some flute jams. Favorite track "Shining Star" 3/5

2 sleepers on a short album. Solid 4. The rest stand out and are pure funky soulful goodness.

Enjoyed this album. Fun to listen to

Not my style, at all.

The album had a rough start but the last 2 songs were straight fire.

Funk master funky mc funk face in da house

Sad September wasn't on it, but very chill

that was not bad, shinning star was a decent one

uplifting happy album. i liked it and it was no too long. 3.0/5.0

funky!

Awesome album.

Very great

Funk Shining Star - funky That's The Way of The World - super stvar Africano

Good

Still think disco should CJ’s after listening to this album? Yes, yes I do. But it could be worse. It could be ambient/electronic/house

Funky and soulful, favourite tracks shining star, happy feelin', africano & see the light

Love me some EWF

O álbum é muito bom, as músicas são animadas e dançantes

The title track features a nice combination of funky bass and breezy guitar licks. Cozy atmosphere. Happy Feelin' is great as well. All About Love slows it way down and has a super cool psychedelic outro. Pan flutes feature in the intro to Africano before polyrhythmic drums come in and excellent saxophone. It's a jazzy instrumental but with a real groove, my favourite track. See the Light keeps the same jazz bass but the vocals re-enter. I would love a whole album of this. I debated not giving this full marks but the highs are high enough.

I've heard Shining Star before, that song goes hard. "Thats the Way of the World"- groovy bass lines, really clean vocals, background vocals add really good texture to the sound. It kind of drags tho. "Happy Feelin"- The saxophone eats, loves the energy, xylophone or smth. "All About Love" is similar sounding to the rest of album, less memorable. "Yearnin' Love'" best song since the first one, absolute banger. The trumpets sound so good, the vocals and beat mix so well. "Reasons" I think I've heard this too, its really good, honestly this is my favorite song so far. Vocals and lyrics so good, production is perfect. "Africano" Who ever played sax on this cooked. "see the light" tuff song there vocals are so peak, the elctro funk aspect is rlly good. 4 total likes.

Amazing album. Uplifting with incredible singing and musicality.

I think this album was a little bit unique. There were some songs that were really funky, and then others that were really soulful/ R&B. I didn't feel a real sense of flow to the record. After a funky song I found myself skipping the slower songs so that I could get to another upbeat one. Every song was great, but I was just missing the flow.

Classic!

Classic soul record with some iconic grooves. Vibrant and electric mood throughout. Perfect party atmosphere.

Started out great and funky, got worse as it got along. Too much just instrumentals. But all in all, not bad. Could very well be used as background music.

Excellent album. Very groovy music and fun to listen to.

EWF is an incredible band but I've never listened to a full album before. I'm surprised this is the one that makes the list. The high moments are great. Shining Star, That's the Way of the World, and Africano really stood out to me, but there's also some corny 70s schlock ballads on here too. My gut says there are better albums out there even if this one sold well because of the movie. Still a fun listen.

Not totally my style, but good fun and groovy music.

4+4

I think this is one of the sexiest albums that's ever been written. All About Love is a highlight, but it really exposes the struggles of 1970s recording technology with a lot of clipping on the drums and trumpets. That's kind of part of the charm though.

Was not expecting to love that as much as I did!

I'm glad I finally listened to an Earth Wind and Fire record in full but the slower songs didn't stand out to me as much, and that's like 80% of the album. I'm glad I gave it a second listen through though, because I found more I liked by giving it a second chance. Still really nice but I'm just not a big ballad person.

Solid offering from a true pro outfit. This is probably their best album but trying to decide with whole stars… 4.25

Going into listening to this album, Shining Star was the only song I knew. Turns out this is a great collection of Funk, Soul and Jazz! Great harmonies, full sound. Upbeat and positive throughout!! High 4

Some good bass lines on the album. Some of the slower songs lost my interest, but overall a good album. 3/5 Might listen again

That’s the Way of the World. So good

immaculate vibes

I LOVE EARTH WIND AND FIRE!!!! i’ve never heard this album though and i definitely wasn’t disappointed!

Most of this album is solid, but there are a couple of really weak tracks that make up too much of the runtime.

Not my kind of music

Not bad. Liked Shining star

Opens with some strong funk, slides into some late-night satiny soul (shag-pile carpet, & mirrored ceiling strongly recommended), dives into disco. The flute opening on "Africano" gave me Osibisa vibes; the shift into strong funk for the second half was unexpected but very much enjoyed. It's hard to listen to this with 1975 ears and thus properly appreciate the space this album held.

Well, that was a discovery. I know EWF but I've never actually listened to them other than what the Radio offers during a hits retrospective. A couple of tracks here I liked, one on different album thatI adore. I was unaware about their funk/soul & Baptist style and how disco era overlapped. I think it's a good album, not huge enjoyment for me though - just interest. An occasional track is a stonker, but this album, for all it being often ranked the best of EWF, it just doesn't connect with me. I'm unlikely to listen to again. I liked the last track the most. I've been unsure if it's a 2 or a 3 for me. I'm not comfortable with it being a low 3 so let's say high 2 stars.

Обаятельная смесь из соула и фанка. Ощущение праздника на этой пластинке преобладает над всем, слушается все очень легко, временами создается ощущение что музыка здесь буквально тебя согревает; красиво, не напряжно, чувственно и как то весело что ли. Тусовка в стиле 70-х на которой хочется бросить все и просто начать танцевать-нраица))

Great positive lyrics accompanied by a power house of pop/funk music. I grew up with this sound, and it keeps touching my heart.

funky fun

Love EWF! Favorite Songs: All of them!

I used to think Earth, Wind, and Fire were a joke. I was ignorant, influenced unfairly by my parent’s prejudice of funk and soul music. My dad in particular was in high school when they were at their peak in popularity, and he was very much in his own musical world, one that he’s never really left honestly - the hard rock of the day, blues, and some jazz (but not much). So EWF wasn’t playing in my house as a kid, and whenever they or bands like them came up, they were scoffed at as being just kind of kitschy and a joke. On my own I have since learned how wrong this was. For one, I’ve learned that all music (and art in general) has merit even if I don’t love it or even like it. But regarding EWF and other soul bands like them, I’ve learned that not only does their music have merit but that it’s also, like, good. In a way that surprises and impresses me continually. This album is no different. Such feel. A soft touch when necessary but man can they crank it up when they need to. Such a talented band of musicians. I have to wonder how big the band actually is given all the instruments here. The vocals? Pristine. Not a note or vocal line out of place. The falsetto on “Reasons” is absolutely incredible and makes for legit love-making music. I really can’t say enough here. Excellent album. There’s a couple of songs I could’ve done without so it doesn’t quite hit 5 stars, but it easily, solidly earns 4. Standout tracks: Shining Star, Happy Feelin’, Reasons, Africano,

You know those bands that are best recognized for their greatest hits album? Like, unless you are a die hard fan, you probably aren’t familiar with most of their music past the most popular songs. Earth, Wind & Fire seems like one of those bands to me. But I respected them enough from the music I did know, like September. This is surprisingly another soundtrack album. Obviously, I have never seen the movie. But I can just imagine how much of a vibe the movie is based on these songs. This is grade-A, high quality disco music. I feel like you would be hard pressed to find another group who lived and breathed funk and disco grooviness as hard as these guys did. The only other ones I can think of that even come close are Kool & The Gang and Sly & The Family Stone. The 70’s were just the perfect time for this sort of sound, and this album transports me right back to that moment in history. Thankfully this is another one of those soundtrack albums where you don’t need to be familiar with the movie to appreciate this. It’s just some positive music that hopefully everybody will get a kick out of. But I was also shocked to hear just how skilled these guys really were. The bass lines are fantastic, the horns are snappy, and the vocal harmonies sound incredible. All together, they make one killer disco album that I totally dig. Rating: 7/10

Outstanding. Everything about it from the writing to the musicianship.

Some tunes

A solid soul album. Feels comforting and nostalgic. It falls into that populous category of albums that are good and that I enjoyed, but am unlikely to specifically seek out again.

Easy listen. Preferred the faster, funkier songs. 4/5

so creative and funky - the jazz and disco fusion is so wonderfully unique and has never really been replicated to my knowledge. unbelievable album.

Solid EWF effort

Compared to other, less popular albums of the era, this feels… slight. Graham Central Station did the rump-shakers better. Rose Royce and Chic had better uplifting, soaring anthems. The Brothers Johnson did better Love Boat interstitial themes. Good, but not great.

Loved it! So funky and fun!

Funky good times. Might have earned an extra star from me but for the slow jams, which I'm just not that into.

Solid funk album, All About Love slowed down the momentum a bit but I love the tracks near the beginning and end.

Listen, it's a good album; it's just not fully for me.

Heerlijk funky, zelfs zonder de bekende hits van Earth Wind & Fire.

Shining Star ist Favorit, Rest ist mir zu cheesy. Africano war auch noch gut.

1 star: dull rubbish 3 stars: alright, good as back ground, wouldn’t save it to my playlist 5 stars: it really caught me, a great experience, I will listen to again and again OMG! What an experience! I have always avoided EW&F (due to a preconceived notion that I don’t like funk), but This album has got some wonderful messages of self empowerment and love. Very special. While I might not save any of the tracks in my play list, I’m giving it a 5 for the positive vibes, All about Love actually gave me tears

Not the most interesting EWF but the back half makes up for it!

BANGER

Good

It’s impossible to listen to this music and not smile. Absolutely wonderful. I was surprised at the Africana elements at the end but that too was a cool additional element to this deep soul experience.

Highlights: Shining Star, Happy Feelin’, Africano. Most songs are easy to bop your head too. It was jarring to hear mini jams tagged onto the end of tracks (especially the closing song!). These outros spoil the vibe for me. Good, but not great. Overall: 6/10

finished it kinda i skipped a song bc it was too long

Very good RnB, soul, funk record

How can you be sad when you listen to this album? Delightfully funky!

Truly a beautifully made album. Great production and instrumentation, plus the singing is top notch. Crazy this was made as "just" a movie soundtrack

An album which is easily listened to in the background. For me not more.

I AM a shining star!!

Favorites: All About Love, See The Light Not my usual cup of tea. Definitely a summer album. It was like listening to an elder give me the low down of life and some wholesome encouragement on the way.

Flipped through it. Not my type music but solid musicians.

This one was funky and fun, mostly a good listen. There were some jarring moments of dissonance, like that annoying keyboard at the end of the 3rd or 4th song that just felt like useless filler material. Overall, good beats, funky sounds, good stuff. Not remarkable, but not bad.

So close to 5 stars great songs

Ok

Clean, Funky, Groovy. Dinner album to dance to. Enjoyed it alot.

Love the funk parts, not as into it when it shows down. So very good on those songs, but just not as strong.

Fun album with catchy songs.

Can't hate on Earth, Wind & Fire! Great album.

Enjoyed bits of that. African bit towards the end not so much, but early parts were pretty chilled and fun. Not something I'd have often but once in a while.

Groovy as hell

erittäin poppi funkkia 70-luvulta. = paras poppimusiikkia mitä on ikinä ollut olemassa = kolme tähteä heh... oli mielekästä listenninngiä todellakin. ei sinänsä valitettavaa, musiikkiahan se on eli taidetta.. miten voi taidetta muuten kuin omasta perspektiivistä nauttia. miten muuten voi kuin subjektiivisesti saada oma ymmärrys irti siitä... WÄÄÄÄÄNG!! VÄÄRIN.. keskiverto albumi ja jos joku sanoo jotain muuta niin olet väärässä africano..

The whole album is very upbeat. Almost too upbeat, with no variation of high and low emotions. I can appreciate how influential this change of music was to the culture in the 70s and paved the way to the Disco 80s.

5/5 record!! Perfect soul/funk album, full of life and love

I really enjoyed this album. Earth wind and fire is an excellent band due to the fact that they are fun and easy to listen to. It is hard to hear a majority of their songs without tapping a foot. Whenever I hear them my mood changes for the better.

4/5 Nice grooves and good vibes. Listened to on 2/22/24. Lost a point due to repetitive theme.

Great album. Fun and funky. Plenty of great percussion and organ.

4/5

This was a really fun and vibrant listen. From the first track, the album feels full of life and confidence. Earth, Wind and Fire have that incredible ability to blend funk, soul and pop into something that sounds effortless but is clearly crafted with serious musicianship. What I enjoyed most is how the album evolves as it goes along. It moves between upbeat, groove driven tracks and smoother, more reflective moments, yet it never feels disjointed. There is variety in style, tempo and mood, but it all works together as one cohesive piece. The musicianship is outstanding throughout. Tight rhythms, rich brass sections and those layered vocals give everything a warmth and energy that is hard not to smile at. It is the kind of album that instantly lifts your mood. It even makes me curious to watch the film of the same name, although I have heard that the movie itself does not quite live up to the soundtrack. Favourite song: Shining Star Least favourite song: None that stood out negatively Album artwork: Very 70s and very cool. It perfectly matches the cosmic, soulful vibe of the music

Not a bad listen but not my jam. Appreciate the talent of the band but not one I’ll be putting on repeat

Yeah, I loved this album; it is so funky and cool to listen to while chipping away at work. Some of the songs were super cool, and some were dated and embarrassing! On the whole, this was awesome and will get another spin soon!

This was pretty funky and I enjoyed it for what it was! Probably won’t be on high rotation as it’s not really my thing

Good sounds! I liked it. Something I would listen to again!!

well known band with magic sounds

I was familiar with Shining Star, but not the rest. It sounds a lot like Bee Gees. It's OK, but doesn't especially hook me.

The upbeat, danceable songs are great. The slower love songs... less so.

Solid hits that get your aunties moving when they come on the radio, or get put on the turn tables at a party (Shining Star, That's the Way of the World.) That said, my mom will have to forgive me for not rating this higher since the non-radio singles don't really hit as hard.

This album is dated and a bit campy but I can't help enjoying it. The funky rhythms, the smooth synths, and the ultra cool brass all come together perfectly. Despite being such a huge group (by my count, there were nine members at the time of this recording), everything fits right into it's place, even with a refreshing amount of empty space in between sounds. I could pass on some of the more ballady songs but the rest is hard to hate. Classic album.

#136. I found the high falsetto singing tiresome after about one song, but that one song was pretty good. This album wasn't able to hold my attention, really. 3/5: fine Song added to playlist: Shining Star I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

Surprisingly fast album. Really only cared for Shining Star. Everything else felt like cheesy 70s sitcom music.

funky og deilig

Decent but not their best.

Funky goodness.

4.5

Saw them live last summer with Santana. Both were still amazing. They did all the hits including the title track, Reasons and Shining Star. So many amazing hits in their history and this album is a great wxample of why they are and remain popular.

Dookie

Great bass lines.

Need to listen again, but it didn’t hold up for me as an album. Some all-time songs, but also some dogs. Does EWF have a complete album? I’ve wondered that before.

Decently fun, funk/soul album. I feel like this could be a lot stronger, but I like the worldwide/cultural influences on the funk/soul formula. Not the strongest in pacing and flow for me. Fav tracks: Happy Feelin', Africano

Great dance music

I don't have too much to say about this album. This is another example of me not realizing how many songs by an artist I already know. Call it ignorance, or call it me taking this band and their music for granted. This band so well encapsulates the 70's funk, and some hot disco too.

This review may be a bit biased as I'm already a fan of EW&F, but this album is one of their best. Just gets that funky 70s sound absolutely right. From the good groovy dancing songs to the slowed heart-felt ballads.

Very groovy. A lot of tracks were missed in my opinion though. Got a bit monotonous.

Listened to this while doing the washing up I think, passed the time

Genuinely thought Africano was going to be the I'm a Celebrity theme song at first.

*голосом Тинькова* Итс окэй.

no

What's not to love!

Super fun

This is not for me

Instant funk IV In your blood, must obey beat Rhythms flow through you

Shoot me.

As peerless as "Shining Star" and the title track are, my brain always comes to Earth, Wind & Fire prepared to dance, and this is very much EWF's Quiet Storm, music-to-fuck-to album. It's a very good take on that, but it's also the province of artists who do it better.

I knew "Shining Star" going into this and wasn't expecting a whole lot but out of all the funk albums we've been listening to this past week or so this one was by far my favorite. Great upbeat songs to lead off in the beginning before things get stranger towards the end, culminating with a great finale. Fuck it, it's a 5.

All About Love (First Impression) sounds like a direct predecessor to SpottieOttieDopaliscious. Highly produced album with funky dance songs (Shining Star, Happy Feelin', Learnin' Yearnin') slower ballads (That's the Way of the World, Reasons). Leaning into a bit of soft jazz (See the Light). Overall a mixed bag. Good musicianship but it feels almost too polished and cheesy at times.

Had always heard they were a singles band and listened accordingly but wow this is just top tier funk and would throughout

feeeeeeeeeeeliiing happy feeling happy feeeeliiing

The fact that this is the only Earth, Wind & Fire album on this list but there are two by Kings of Leon should put both this project and the concept of ranking things in serious doubt.

Feel good groovy-disco

A couple of rockin' classics for sure: Shining Star, That's the Way of the World, Reasons. Good to hear the rest of the album as well for musical context.

fuck yeah this is what music is about

A surprising delight. Good vibes. Will be listening again.

Not my genre

Good mastering, lots of heavy disco vibes.

Classic 70's soul-funk pop. Great start with Shining Star and That's the Way of the World. Overall a pretty solid album. Reasons is a great slow dance, and Yearnin' Learnin' and the instrumental Africano have great grooves.

Birth of he disco. I hate disco. 2 stars

Great album!

Hot damn! Any album that starts with Shining Star has to be fun. This is a really nice record. Lots of good stuff. Very mid-70s. Lots of falsetto. But good. As much as I love this band, I do prefer the greatest hits.

Shining Star and Yearnin' Learnin' gave me real Jamiroquai vibes. The album as a whole as a nice feel to it but didn't really grab me.

An entertaining and varied listen. I definitely prefer the funkier more upbeat tracks to the ballads. Fave tracks - "Shining Star" is a banger. Also enjoyed "Africano".

Groovy disco vibes, loved that it wasn’t too long. Good time

first day first exposure to 70s funk/soul, did not expect to enjoy as much as i did. favorites: shining star / reasons

Not really my favorite album from them.

Quite a nothing album. Happy feeling is a certified banger though.

Easy disco/funk. Would probably listen to again.

Beautiful

I liked it, it was funky and fun to bop along to.

It was enjoyable but not really my style. I don’t have much to say about it cause I just kinda liked it. I’m pretty neutral with it.

Smooth grooves. Funky grooves. Brass and bongos and percussion oh my! Earth, Wind & Fire are always a win.

Grooooovy maaaaan

3.3 good but i expected more from them icl faves: shining star, happy feeling

Serious baby makin' Dad Yacht Funk, so you'll probably need to be in the right mood, but this is excellent even if it feels a little front loaded. A very tight and fun album with some nice surprises with the kalimba and keyboard work. Forgetting this was a soundtrack, I was hoping to hear vocals on 'Afrocano' but oh well. Gonna go ahead and round this one up.

Beautiful album, great notes, tunes, voices, meaningul... short! Enjoyable... 4 out of respect.

Such a smooth and groovy album so far! Song 5/8 now

enjoyed that

Pretty good. Was expecting somewhat cookie cutter 70s corporate stuff but there were some experimental things here as well.

Funk and old school fun.

This is a really nice album. I had only listened to September by Earth, Wind & Fire before, but some of these songs are just as good!

Not my kind of music but clearly quality music from good musicians and vocalists. Enjoyed the funk jazz and excellent jazz sax. Good flow of songs in the album. Cool and would happily have as background music, but equally good to listen properly to for a while with the good production, mix and quality instrument playing.

Funky, what a groove. Shining Star is such a great first track.

As with many things, my introduction to "Shining Star" came from the Muppets, as it was played in "Muppets from Space" in 1999. I knew of the band, and I know they got some hits. I still love "Shining Star" but as I listened to the rest of the tracks, nothing really did it for me. The disco style of music is one that is fun when you're at a party or with friends, but it's not really great for sitting alone in your car in traffic. EW&F are fine, but not essential listening in my book.

This album starts out great and then slowly gets meh. The first three tracks are peak-disco feel-good jams, but then the album gets more R&B romantic disco. It's not BAD, it's just not my cup of EW&F tea. I much prefer the big band, crispy vibes EW&F.