That's The Way Of The World

First EWF album on here. This is their 6th album in just 5 years as a group, and it's also the soundtrack to a movie of the same title that they starred in. As expected, but this is VERY '70s funk. This starts really strong with "Shining Star" which is peak for the genre. The title track afterwards is solid too, but then it falls off a bit after that (though "Reasons" is solid later on. Overall it's a solid listen. I don't think a ton is going to stick with me beyond "Shining Star", but it's fun and funky and a good vibe overall. Side note, but at one point I was wondering what might be some of the most famous songs that don't make this list since they're not on a top album. "September" might be a good answer for this, as it was released as a single and it seems like it isn't on any of their studio albums. Favorite song: Shining Star Other: That's the Way of the World, All About Love (First Impression), Reasons 11/12/24

68/100 "With the way this album was made, I wish that there was more diversity and long length in songs. However, their powerful innovation is what created this albums ideas."

Funky groove, easy to listen to. Not my main cup of tea but a good listen every so often. 3.25/5

Starts with a banger.

Not averse to a bit of boogie music or funk. And this was ok. A bit mellower than you get from Mr Clinton, but OK. Africano I think was the best. But worth a 3

Not listened to much by Earth Wind and Fire, but maybe I should. Smooth funky soul stuff which was only done well in the 70's. A high 3.

Oh my God, it's September band!!!!!! I'm a huge fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's alright, though I can't see what differentiates this album from the other funk albums of the time, or the other albums in Earth, Wind & Fire's discography. Still, pretty alright. That 6-minute ballad from midway through the album do be suckin, doe

Own it, don't love it

Fun, Funky, silky. Love radiates on here

funky soul brilliance. Not quite 4 star but 3 star is far too low too. 3.67 for me. That's the Way of the World, All About Love (First Impressions), Reasons as the standouts for me. EWF originated in Chicago, but on Spotify they're most listened to in Santiago, Chile and Mexico City, then Paris! Worldwide appeal.

Some bangers; some meh.

2,7

Quite disappointing album, I was expecting a much funkier sound, some groovy tunes, more September. Unfortunately, it was just an average pop record. Nothing too exciting.

Not bad. I can see the appeal, but it's just not really my thing. 3/5

Listened Before? N Pretty good. I like my 70s funk a little funkier than this, but it's a decent pop record. Didn't hate listening to it. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Shining Star

Infectious. "Shining Star" is an all-time banger, of course, but there's also a lot of "filler" here.

Nice variety of styles on here, some really catchy funk and a few ballads - entertaining listen, would probably listen to it again to be fair.

Ritmos bem executados, tem um hit, assim vale a pena escutar pelo menos dessa vez.

Background music. 3.2

I somewhat intensely dislike "September" so I wasn't expecting much from this, but starting off with "Shining Star" is a good way to shut me up, apparently. This isn't something I'd put on to listen to normally, but as a background for those dinner parties I never host, this would be perfect. I wouldn't mind owning this on vinyl to look at and be proud of my well-rounded collection. Seriously though, this is good and funky in an innocuous way, but not so innocuous as to be offensive and boring. Also not innocuous enough to ignore the sometimes-obnoxious falsetto. The album benefits from being relatively short. It just feels a bit like the fabric of black American music at this point that it's hard to deny its power. At times, though, this just sounds like interstitial music for SNL, which is not necessarily their fault. That said, if they were white, they might just sound like the Bee Gees which wouldn't be good at all. I'm confused...

Now I know where I'm a celebrity get me out of here got the title intro drum from.

A solid disco album, enjoyed the guitar licks but some songs felt like they dragged on more than they should have.

Is dit een album dat ik gehoord moet hebben voordat ik moet sterven? Dat weet ik niet zeker. Ik kan me voorstellen dat het wel invloedrijk is geweest in de discoscene. Het is lekker funky en vooral lekker als liftmuziek of als achtergrondmuziek in Gall & Gall Gelderlandplein wanneer Wim weer eens Radio Sublime op zet. Drie sterren voor de originaliteit.

Yeah, I mean it's good soul / funk music, but I just don't like soul or funk music. I wouldn't add any of these songs to my playlist, but I also wouldn't actively be annoyed if it came on.

Good, not my type of music but good. Some cool, funky surprises

***An ok album

some great classics here - I love Maurice White (when he died Bilal singer from Philly kind of took over in terms of range - he's one of the only people who can sing like Maurice) and Philip Bailey!!! But not my favorite EW & F album. I wrote a whole big thing about Every Picture Tells a Story and how much I loved it and how I am happily enjoying keeping alive the dying art of listening to an album cover to cover - no idea what happened to it. Why can't we go back and write or edit reviews if we want hmph.

First time I heard anything by them other than September

First time listening to an earth wind & fire album from start to finish. It is nice- Shining Star is a great opening song, and the rest of the album settles into a spulful collection of melodies. I do find myself wishing for some more energy at some points- its a little light / airy for me during some songs. But the instrumentation comes back heavy with Africano at the end. Overall- a solid listen. Probably a 3.5/5, not quite a 4

Sure this has so.e hits, but the ballads bring it down too much. A man singing to a sultry piano don't do it.

EW&F holds a special place in my heart. My parents must have been big fans because I recall finding tons of these CD’s growing up. I love me some funky disco. Yearnin’ Learnin’ is such a banger. I guess for this album specifically, I had higher hopes for some reason. Perhaps it’s because a lot of that sound I listen to is the refined and complete version of it in the 80’s?

Earth, Wind, & Fire is one of those groups that really does hit just right on occasion, but only on occasion.

Kinda dentist officey.

Groovy, put me in a good mood while i was eating granola

Całkiem przyjemne, ale nie urywa. Takie 3,5/5 byłoby dobre.

Relaxing music

Great singing, high energy, soulful and funky, just what I expected from them. I wish there were more tracks. Overall good. Highlights: Shining Star Happy Feelin'

Love the flute solo.

Лёгкий, приятный альбом соул-музыки, но, к сожалению, особо не цепляет музыкально, хотя есть очень красивые композиции.

Good bouncy soulful album that is a pleasure to listen to but doesn't stand out.

Once in a while there are songs albums or artist you know you should enjoy but just don’t fully hit. This is of them. I enjoyed a few songs but not the complete album

Started strong, but ended weak

Nice groovy and smooth 70s tunes for a Tuesday morning.

Liked the first half, second not so much

Great jams. Really enjoyed myself. Some of the songs wore out their welcome a bit, but I'd be happy to listen whenever this came on via shuffle or something.

Starts off strong, dips in the middle, and ends pretty strong. Some of these songs didn’t need to be 6 minutes plus, they could’ve been shaved down. Maybe get rid of the spoken word portion or cut a chorus here and there. There are good songs that just went on too long.

Great. 3.5

Not their best album but I liked the jazzy aspect to it.

Groovy without a doubt though EWF is another one of those groups where I love the singles but the deep cuts dont really do it for me. Still, can't deny the absolute greatness of their danceability.

Decent listen

cheeeesyyy

Funky glockenspiel!

Started out strong, liked the first three songs, but then it kinda fell apart for me. I was wondering if it was the same group. But, they are a great band, and brought us some great music.

This album starts out strong, just what you'd expect from and EW&F album. Then it quickly turns into a hot mess of styles and rhythms and tempos and I don't know what. Yearnin' Learning and Aficano are mid album bright spots for me. Because this is an EW&F album, I'm rounding up on stars

Funky and chill listening, 3.5

That's the way of the world ist sehr bekannt, der Rest nicht. Aber typischer EWF Sound. Kann man mal hören, ist aber für mich nicht herausragend. 3/5

Nunca había escuchado un lp suyo. Sin más (bien para la disco).

3

Was expecting funk, but this is more jazz heavy. Disappointing for me, but I’m sure there will be others who will find this very satisfying. The musical talent is upper level.

At times this album is brilliant with excellent funky musicianship all around. At other times it's cheezy romantic 70s shlock. Liked songs added: - Shining Star - Africano

Fun journey and enjoyed the gospel closer.

Shinning Star is a brilliant song. Rest of the album is pretty good too 3/5

Don’t really get it.. This is an ok album, but why on this list. The really great ones came later..

Pretty decent. Liked africano

3.5 70's AM funk grooves. stoner summer jams

Was expecting to like this a lot more, not particularly wrong here but nothing to get excited about either 3*

3/5

Funny how listening to the new album off the list can set the mood for your day… Earth Wind and Fire will get you off to a fun start!

Good fun album but lack of stand out songs

Okaish progressive soul. Unlikely to listen again.

I got them confused with Blood, Sweat & Tears, who I really enjoyed, so I was kinda disappointed that this album didn’t give me a similar feeling. Then I realized it was a different band. But it’s still decent middle-of-the-road soul/funk. It does alright.

Rating: 6/10 The danceable tracks are great, the ballads not so much.

Pleasant but no peak single to be found.

boogie, smooth, romantic. I like it. Classic bangers

All right. Soul, Funk, Afros and bare chests on the album cover. 3/5 Elements.

this album is so fun fresh and cute !!

I did listen to this album but tbh i mind blanked through it mostly, but from what i heard it seems chill, nothing bad, but nothing extra to make me love it. 6.75/10

40 minute album! love to see it! This is the first album I will say I think is not 'headphones music' in any capacity, so I definitely didn't get the full experience. It's specifically designed to be played out loud, and I think environment is a huge part of the feel. Despite this, it's pretty solid, very fun, funky, groovy, silly and crazy!!! Shining Star, Yearnin' Learnin' and See The Light were great 3/5

Good soul music but get's a bitboring as the album progresses

Very hit or miss record for me. The funk and soul tunes were great. The more disco-y songs just didn’t work for me.

Shining star Very Stevie. That’s the way of the world, better Isley Bros Happy world All About Love, welcome to jazz club… nice! Yearnin’ Learnin: this is decent party music, but it lack the depth of a Stevie Reasons: That 70s soul falsetto never really works for me. Understand you have to give everyone a go songing lead, but stay on the harmonies mate

That’s the Way of the World Firstly, EWF as a band are tight as fuck Secondly, they are excellent musicians Thirdly, some of their songs are superb Fourthly, some of their songs are cheesy as all balls Shining Star is one of the superb songs, a fantastic bit of disco soul pop - groovy, propulsive, excellent musicianship, great melody. Can’t help a bit of white man’s overbite with this. That’s the Way of the World’s horn part is lovely, and the song is great 70s soul ballad with some lovely floating harmonies and backing vocals, and continues the great start to the album. However, as a side note, the ‘Yeaows’ are pure Lonely Island. Happy Feelin’ a song Jamiroquai wish they could write. The bass is a bit mental, as there doesn't seem to be a single moment without a bass note, but it’s not irritating like Jamiroquai, and the song is another strong disco soul groove. All About Love, here comes the cheese, nice and soft, like a melting brie being slowly caressed into your ear canal. The instrumental breakdown with the cinematic horns is great, but the rest of the song isn’t great. Although I do love the weird bit tacked on the end, with the excellent keyboard bass, it sounds like a bit of experimental pop like something of McCartney, if Macca was a 12 piece disco soul band. Yearnin’ Learnin’, some more ‘Yeaows’, and a fun but ultimately a bit of a forgettable track, and the production sounds oddly ‘spread out’ and less intimate and interesting than the rest of the tracks. Reasons, ready for a nice bit of melted mozzarella, nice and stringy, slowly dripped all hot onto your face? Unfortunately this does feel very dated, the vocal on is ludicrous, no wonder this sort of thing gets parodied so much, it’s such a silly very unsexy slow jam. Africano is pretty good, I like the jazz flute intro before it becomes a decent bit of disco funk. See the Light, this is on the cheesy cusp, but despite never going full cheddar, it is a bit soul by numbers and is kind of forgettable. The musicianship on every track is superb, and there are excellent moments - keyboard parts, bass, horns etc, everywhere - and while some of the songs are excellent, the cheese and some of the more forgettable tracks diminish the whole somewhat. It is fun though and those first two tracks are bangers, but it’s not quite enough to push it into the 4s, so I’ll stick it in the high 3s. 🌎💨🔥 Playlist submission: Shining Star

some amazing songs and some that are just good, this would have been a 4 but i really did not like reasons

Drop into the groovy 70s

Earth, Wind & Fire has never been a band I've listened to much, and I don't think that's really going to change after hearing this. The album is -fine- but I have to admit that their tracks kinda meld together for me and I would be unable to identify pretty much any other number than 'September' by name. And that song isn't on this album. I like the bassline, it's funky, it's groovy. But it also becomes a bit samey. The vocal doesn't do much for me most of the time. I can't help but to think that if you are an American baptist this would hit different. But I'm neither of those things so maybe I just don't really get it Standouts Shining Star All About Love (First Impression) 3/5

Their influence on the Bee Gees, strong.

Perfectly chill Monday morning vibes with this great R&B/Soul album. Great listen.

Solid funk/R&B album. I've always enjoyed the sound and vibe of EWF

My first thought when this album started was, "Wait, what? This isn't Stevie Wonder?" Obviously I've heard "Shining Star" before, but I didn't recognize it until the chorus. The song slaps, though. Then the second song opens with one of those lush, 70s smooth rock instrumentals and I was a little hesitant. Was it about to become really cheesy? This is the band that does "September" after all — the most overplayed song in history, and one that I banned from my wedding reception playlist (though to be fair, that's less the band's fault than it is people ruining it the song for me). But I didn't mind it, and the guitar solo is nice. It does probably run about a minute longer than it needs to — when you're on the fifth run-through of the chorus and start scatting on the mic it's time to wrap it up. Happy Feelin' is a fun song. Ridiculous bass line, nice horn section, and some quirky xylophone (or maybe marimba?) part that would be right at home on an Oingo Boingo or Talking Heads track. "All About Love" is another slow song that I was a bit torn about. It's well done and sounds nice, but it's too overwrought and schlocky for my tastes. It's like if Boys II Men did a soundtrack song for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The last minute of it gets really weird, with a spacey organ solo that reminds me of being at the dentist and hearing/feeling the drill attachment's polishing instrument against your teeth — not a fan. "Yearnin Learnin" goes back to the upbeat funky sound that bears a striking resemblance to Stevie Wonder. Can't say I'm the biggest fan of the lead falsetto vocal on "Reasons Why" — it's on the shrill side. And it gets weird again at the end. "Africano" is a fun upbeat jazzy funk instrumental. The album closes with a song that's part spacey prog-funk jam, part Beach Boys love song. Kind of meh. Basically, I liked the odd-numbered, upbeat songs and didn't much care for the even-numbered slower songs. The vocal harmonies are on point all the way through (even though falsetto guy is a little irritating when he's on lead), and they're great musicians. The mixing is also pretty cool when listening on good headphones — they make good use of stereo and space so it feels immersive. I get why these guys are legendary, but this album didn't fundamentally change how I feel about them — a good band that's hugely influential to funk music but just not really my style. 3.5/5

Already know the most popular ew&f songs, but this album represented a similar vibe as what I expected and know from them Very groovy, like bee gees and Bobby Caldwell a bit, smooth feeling and like the background to a "lovers at first sight catch each other's eyes from across the dance floor while dancing with different partners and through a slow motion sequence make their ways towards each other and their first words are just like hi or something equally stupid for no reason" kinda movie or track Shorter starting track, but the 2nd, with the title of the album is a solid 5:45 length that doesn't feel too long 3- (happy feelin') different beat, but brings in the keyboard shortly with the sax to being a disco groovy vibe, interesting lines for sax, glock and xylophone or whatever, simple phrases for lyrics in equal ish groups, not super unique feeling though, not incredibly interesting, but a fun listen still 4- (all about love (first impression)) slow start with smooth talking vocals and piano, not really my vibe or interest honestly, slower and more purposeful feeling, interesting talk ending that feels like it could end a movie or a scene with lovers dancing slowly, linger track that was a bit hard to sit through for me, but was worth the listen, fade out into an electronic keyboard and synth sound 5- (yearnin' learnin') powerful start and opening, groovy, but a more car race kinda vibe than dancing 6- (reasons) slower, more dancy feeling again like bee gees, slow and high vocals, might be my favorite on the album so far, interesting flute like ending (seems a common theme with this album of very different endings than the rest of the song) 7- (africano) jazzy vibe, still very disco-y and lots of sax riffs ans solos, lyric less song that could also back a car race or some other version of a chase by foot or otherwise 8- (see the light) different vibe almost, also really like this one, more techno sounding with less trad? and mote thing keyboard and synth sounds, interesting hand drum sound in the back rather than rock heavy beats and drumming which i love, so this is not my favorite, bit still very good, love the end before the last bit end with voices and in a different language with laughing Very 70s kinda sound maybe? Disco- 1975 (mid of the era and decade) Would give a 3.5 if possible, but can't, so a 3

Good for just chilling out.

nothing here really held my attention. none of it was groovy or catchy enough and the production aint all that good. 5/10

121/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

Shining star is a dope classic song. These guys definitely jam and are super funky. Good listen. 3 stars

What an absolute banger of a song to start an album with. Happy Feelin' is great with the sax and whatever xylophone sounding instrument that is. Africano is a great instrumental jam. This album had some funky tunes mixed in with some soulful (albeit a bit boring to me) ballads.

Groovy, did not strike me emotionally though

Most of what I know from Earth, Wind & Fire is stuff from a bit later in their career. It was interesting to hear more of what they sounded like before they took on disco! Granted, I seem to like their disco stuff better, but this was still a good education and a good album! One thing that was evident to me is that EW&F was already being fairly progressive with their music at this time! This isn't just standard funk or soul; it's got a progressive edge to it, and you can hear the initial bits of disco peaking out around the corner.

Nice soul album with some funky instrumentals and entertaining vocals. I have to admit that at times I struggled to get into the groove with this one, but I can still admire it for what it is.

These guys are a BIG band and Shining Star is a BIG tune (maybe their first real big one) but I wasn't blown away by this album. It's a step up from pure disco of the era (thinking Chic) but it's not quite the same awesome funk or soul as some others from the era (thinking George Clinton and all his bands). Honestly, after the big single and the title track I just kind of shrugged my shoulders. Feels like max 3.5.

I think I want to like this more than I actually do

An unfortunately heavy chunk of this is overproduced schlock, though what is good here is quite good. Besides, even the songs I don’t care for are performed pretty professionally and convincingly. Best song: Shining Star

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.

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.

I'm liking this this morning. 3 stars.

Solid. Fav Song: Shining Star.

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

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.

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

its alright YMN

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

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’

Funky

Solid

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*.

Pretty good for the era.

So So good.

- 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

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.

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.

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

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

Strong start gets weaker throughout

Very fun

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

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

It' nice Fav songs: shining star °|°

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

- 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.

Fun listen

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

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.

- 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

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

Sad September wasn't on it, but very chill

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

Good

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.

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

Not my kind of music

Not bad. Liked Shining star

funky fun

Loved it! So funky and fun!

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.

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

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

Good

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

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

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.

Ok

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

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.

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..

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

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.

#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

Funky goodness.

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

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

Super fun

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.

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.

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.

Good mastering, lots of heavy disco vibes.

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.

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

Easy disco/funk. Would probably listen to again.

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.

Grooooovy maaaaan

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

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.

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.

Schon stark. Es ist zwar nicht ganz so meine Musik, grooved aber schon ganz nett.

Kurcze całkiem spoko stare groovy Tego zespołu co September Podoba mi się ale nie wiem kiedy miałbym tego słuchać

papa Outkast. De blazers reden het spul. Hoe langzamer de nummers hoe vervelender. Maar was dan ook nooit een fan van Ferry Maats' Soul Show. Tros, donderdagavond. Brrrr. Hoe ouder ik wordt, hoe meer ik de up tempo nummers weet te waarderen. En dat komt dan vooral door het koper. Wat heeft Shining Star trouwens een raar einde. 3

Ni frío ni calor. Ni siquiera creo que sea el mejor disco del grupo. Sin un solo hit de la banda estadounidense.

Shining Star is a classic and there is a general smooth funkiness to it, I found myself losing interest near the end.

Definitely good, nothing really grabbed me though.

Nice, just not my thing.

Solid

Enjoyable enough listen. They do slower songs and love songs in a great way.

uplifting and funky as I'd expect

I had a nice happy time listening to this. Straight down the middle, good vibes.

Day6 - the first 2 are great after that i liked yearnin learnin and africano. i wasn’t into the rest of them

this was kinda groovy and cool and i want to say i’d listen to it again but i know i won’t. but background music in the middle of summer on a sunday? yeah it fits that quite well, also i guess i only really know their band for like 2 famous songs but they deserve to be on here for this.

No es un disco que me aporte nada.

JP Rating: 3.5/5. Pleasant album, nice to have on in the background. Good melodies, drags a bit in the middle. Number of listens: 1

Dig the funky vibe, great instrumentation and vocals. Just not sure it would be one that I’d have in rotation, it doesn’t necessarily make me want to groove like I hoped it would.

No es lo mío. Great sound. 3.5

okay disco album, not really a great hit on there

It was a funk fusion of genres at times. Don’t think I’d listen again

it's a good record, the musicianship is fantastic, but aside from the first two songs, i found most of the rest to be kinda corny/sappy, as was the way of radio music in 1975 but is very much not my thing. I'm giving it a 8/10 for the musicians alone.

Shining Star- Vocal techniques are fun and interesting, horns are awesome and guitar + bass dance together nicely That's the Way of the World- Keys and Bass, slower and soulful, supporting vocal parts make this Happy Feelin- Bass takes lead on this, drives the whole piece forward, percussion is more interesting too with hand drums and marimba, guitar doing accompanying chords, vocals are uninteresting in this in my opinion All About Love- Slower, ballad with more energetic horn sections, verses aren't extremely instrumentally interesting but vocals are enough to make it tender and heartfelt, I like the spoken section with backing horns and vocals. Last minute is just kind of weird Yearnin Learnin- I love the keys, bass, and horns on this, and the vocals are the highlight. They ooze cool and I love the vocal melodies, fills, and adlibs. "Stop! Look what's behind you!" This song goes crazy hard Reasons- This one didn't really grab me- I don't find the melody to be catchy, and the horns and bass sound like they're plodding along. Not a fan Africano- Amazing bass, backing horns, and lead horns. This is an awesome groove See The Light- Bassline, and the swap to bossa nova "help them see the light" goes so crazy. Synth also goes nuts

Shining Star is a Jam! Reasons - ultimate 70's shag carpet slow dance song?

the grooviness on africano, gave this entire album an extra star.

Probably not for me but lots to appreciate and some great numbers. Shining Star is great, and plenty of this album feels familiar from film soundtracks and the like. 9/1001

How it Makes Me Feel: Like I'm sitting in my pediatric dentist's office waiting room in 1983. Dancing-around-the-house-with-the-cat funky music. Some good grooves and great bass. Not an album I'd listen to as a whole again but a lot of this works for upbeat housework playlists.

I know I'm the odd one out but while I still like it to a degree, this genre never really gets me fully erect. Sorry Earth, Wind & Fire, it's not you, it's me.

The age of streaming really fucked the dudes who only got to be on the back cover

Groooooooooooovy

Dare I say Funkalicious again! This was groovy baby yeahhh. Starting with Shining Star was good but its a hard act to follow. The rest of the album couldnt keep up with it.

Very funky and a bit more tribal/out there than the hits. Fav track - “Reasons”

Een album van Earth, Wind & Fire zonder September of 1 van hun andere gigantische hits??? Heel bijzonder. Ik ben benieuwd! Volgens mij is dit ook het enige album van hun dat in de lijst staat, dus deze moet dan wel heel goed zijn! Ik moet helaas tot nu toe concluderen dat ik het niet heel bijzonder vind allemaal. Reasons is voor mij tot nu de enige die er echt uitspringt, en dat is natuurlijk met de mooie falsetto die er gegooid word. Loev het. Africano als instrumentale plaat gaat echter minstens net zo hard. Lekker nummer joh! Toch vind ik het in zn geheel allemaal net niet spannend genoeg om boven de 3 sterren uit te komen, dus dat is dan ook mijn oordeel en daar moet je het mee doen. FAVO: Reasons, Africano

Pretty solid disco album. Earth Wind and Fire never miss. Gets a little experimental towards the end, which is interesting.

Not what I was expecting from an Earth, Wind and Fire album. I was expecting more disco type songs. I enjoyed the jazzy cuts, but a few songs contained sections that were completely separate from the rest of the song, which made it sound like a new song was starting. Whilst the sections weren’t bad, the disconnection from the rest of the song felt unnecessary.

Solid funk/soul album. Was exactly what you can expect from Earth, Wind and Fire if you know September.

September, Fantasy (Single Version).

Cheddar, Gorgonzola, Mortadella, Mozarella og alle andre former for cheeze. Ikke deres beste album, men det er gøy da. Det er smooth, det er cool... wait hva faen er den keyboardsoloen?

Interesting listening !

Decent funk album, potentially good background funk

Perfectly fine funk/soul with not much to complain about but it's nothing I'd turn to again

Bit too much falsetto but those horns are legendary

Some classics

You know exactly what you're getting here

Good but nothing great

Boppy

There’s a lot that’s good here, but there’s also lot that just seems a little out of place, like an unnecessarily ornate frame for an understated watercolor painting.

Disco, funk, soul, r&b, jazz all in one record. Nice!

I’m enjoying this, sounds like the it could obviously soundtrack any disco or less obviously soundtrack any fight…at the disco.

Proto-disco-soul-funk-trip. This album doesn't hit me like some of its predecessors. I miss Sly's world weariness and anguish. I miss Eddie Hazel's and Bootsie Collins' shredding. The edge of those records are worn down and polished smooth on "That's The Way Of The World". It's not necessarily bad but it doesn't grab me and thrust me back in time the way I was by Sly and P-Funk.

Not too bad! I have other EWF songs that I like better though.

Shining Star is a great track, I've never previously heard anything else off this album. Funky, jazzy, 70s soul would best describe this. Earth Wind and Fire were some of the best funk artists of their day, this album has some great funky tunes. Overall pretty good

This is a pretty good album, though I feel like it's a bit frontloaded. I definitely enjoyed their more upbeat songs more than their more ballad type ones. 'Shining Star' is the clearest standout and a great way to start the album. I'm going with a middling rating because I enjoyed about half the songs and felt that the album was kind of unbalanced but not a bad listen at all. I didn't dislike the other half of the songs, just could kind of take them or leave them. Standout Tracks: Shining Star, That's the Way of the World, Happy Feelin', Yearnin' Learnin'

Has some really cool (and famous) tracks. However, not all is gold, and some songs are downright weird.

Shining Star // All About Love // 3/5

oke

Perfectly fine though I think I was expecting a bit more. Funk soul with decent production but no killer tunes.

3.3

Shining Star is a musical standard of pure fun. All About Love (First Impression) is prescriptive and good for you. Reasons is a masterpiece and one of the best songs ever recorded. There's not much that I don't like about this album. Perfect for a casual party with friends. (3.25/5.0)

Fairly fun and funky

# 103 : DISCO! Melodic foot tapping funk. Pretty cool. Good album and has one or two classic tracks. Favourite Track : Shining Star Listened : 06/11/2023

This started very strong, got kinda dull with the slower vocal-oriented songs. The falsetto doesn't work for me here, & I think I've heard the same chord progression underneath somebody talking about LIFE too many times. music: appreciated. (⌐▣_▣)

All about Love fort cool dans le genre smooooooth. Sinon avis assez neutre sur cet album.

Groovin' ; great songs with good parts. Love the style and chord sequences. Talented vocalists but style not my favourite / lyrics not to my taste - leans too far towards cheesy love songs. Favourite track was the instrumental

Shining Star - then it gets weird/

"That the Way of the World" was beautiful all throughout and the vocals/instrumentals were very good and relaxing. That was the one song that I genuinely enjoyed listening to and it for sure deserves another listen. Shining Star was pretty cool too.

Well, what a novel listening experience that I never would have listened to otherwise but clearly the talent is undeniable and I can see why it's very good and hugely popular. Cognitive dissonance something something.

Cool😎

top of the shelf funk, would prefer less lyrics, ‘Africano’ is the shit

Next Five songs played by my Spotify Algorithm: KC and the Sunshine Band - Boogie Shoes The Staple Sisters - I'll Take You There The Spinner Sisters - I'll Be Around Bill Withers - Lovely Day Four Tops - Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)

I enjoyed the first couple of songs and was excited to hear the rest of the album. Then....I didn't enjoy it as much. I like Earth, Wind and Fire, but I could be a greatest hits person and not someone who can work his way through their discography. Good jazz, but sometimes a little too smooth bordering on light. I wanted funk and exciting performances, so perhaps my expectations were not in line with what I should have expected.

Its okay not my favorite of theirs. Shining Star slaps

Very nice, easy listening, didn't hate it, but it wasn't a life changer.

Not my thing, tho Yearnin Learning is a jam

Good music, but not my groove

not bad decent instrumentals

var ikke dårlig, men var heller ikke super bra, forventet egt mer fra e,w,f

Funky

This was fun, feel good!

Rent objektivt ett bra album, men ändå inte riktigt för mig. Kanske inte ett album man sätter på så ofta bara för att lyssna på.

It was pretty good, a lot of falsetto though.

Some good songs

A good funk/pop album. Some classic tracks you will recognize; some tracks are hidden gems you may want to give a listen.

The first two songs are cool. The rest lost me. I've always wanted to like EW&F more than I do. They're just too easy-listening for me, and often too cheesy. Still, they do what they do pretty well, but it's just not my bag.

Expected a little better. Will listen to their later stuff, this was a little too rough and jazzy for me.

Good funk, nothing fresh

A few memorable songs. But others not so memorable

Not really my kind of thing. Next!

It's an ok nice album pretty average and nothing special though.

Cool (I don't like numeric ratings. I just give 3 to anyone.)

Seems really entertaining but after 4 listens, I could not catch a tube.

Great tunes! Really joyous.

Fun stiff

Disco