That's The Way Of The World

Unremarkable. Fine music, talented musicians, but nothing too special for my taste.

twas okay, didn't save any

Because it’s not something I really listened to prior to listening through these 1001 albums, I didn’t adequately appreciate how broad funk is. It’s less a genre than it is a whole style of music. However, like most styles of music, there are going to be iterations I like more than others, and Earth, Wind and Fire are on the softer end of it, and I like my music to be heavier. There are some okay moments in here but it’s not my thing. Didn’t hate it, don’t feel a need to go back to it.

3 de 5 El disco llevó a la banda al estrellato comercial gracias a su grandiosa fusión de R&B, soul, pop y jazz. Es una oda a la espiritualidad y también una crítica a la industria música, logrando un equilibrio perfecto entre arreglos orquestales ambiciosos, ritmo y vocales cautivadoras. El disco fue creado en el momento más alto de creatividad por parte de la banda, haciéndolo sobresalir sobre sus contemporáneos. A destacar: Track 2 - That's the Way of the World Track 3 - Happy Feelin' Track 6 - Reasons Track 7 - Africano

I should like Earth, Wind & Fire a lot more than I actually do. I like the style of music, I like the performance, but in the end I'm just bored.

Great album and tunes thx!

Definitely one of the best Earth, Wind, & Fire albums! It combines Soul and R and B to get this sound that many other groups at the time couldn't replicate exactly. Insanely good!

2 Favorite song: that's the way of the world

Definitely good music here but not my fav genre and I was a little surprised that I dont like it more.

If you like this type of music it’s quite good. I don’t. 2.5

This is just feel good music. I frequently return to “That’s the Way of the World” and “Reasons” (it’s worth watching Killer of Sheep for the wonderful scene of a child singing along to this record on their toy turntable) but I forgot about some of the other beautiful textures on here, especially EWF’s innovative use of synth, melodic percussion, and auxiliary percussion throughout.

Just pure happiness, man. Good vibes all around. Great production. Side 1 and Side 2 could be sold as two different records. You got your feet moving and suddenly you feel your heart moving too. Great record!

Soul music at its finest. An uplifting album that works as an antidote to the world around us. Super funky, jazzy and fun.

1.5 / 5 Best: Africano Worst: All About Love (First Impression) Weirdest: All About Love (First Impression) Honorable Mention: Shining Star Really disappointed by this one. Besides Shining Star, not super funky like I expected from EW&F but in a bad way. There are some highlights in the instrumentals (Africano) and vocals, but overall I felt most of the tracks were overly cheesy and uninspiring, especially the love ballads.

#27 Overall a good vibe, but most of it doesn't stick with me. The title track is great, but I wish there were other tracks that stood out as much.

What happened to water

Vince raised me right !!

A few standouts, but mostly would play this as background music.

Africano just slaps.

Great album! Love E,W& F.

Not really my type of music.

Close to 3 stars

Groovy af.

Funky, fresh 70s soul. Smoother than fresh jar of Skippy! 4

Das is mir alles viel zu sülzig.

Ziemlich trivial.

Gute Vibes, teils mir aber zu horny und cheesy.

First time properly listening to Earth, Wind & Fire. I really enjoyed it for the most part. A couple of the slower songs didn’t do that much for me but I definitely want to check out some more from them after this. Top Track - Either Shining Star or Africano

Funky as fuck and smooth and shit.

I know Earth, Wind, & Fire made albums and are more than just the singles they released but for some reason, in my mind, I always have a hard time imagining this band releasing actual albums. That being said, this was a fun and funky album. Some great songs that hit even though I was not fully awake when I first heard them. 4/5

Funky fun

Not the best Earth, Wind, and Fire album they have, but still decent!

Really close to a 5. Great music that just puts you in a good mood. Thoroughly enjoyed it every time I listened.

Fun upbeat, have heard portions but never listened through

A little hit or miss, but I really liked the faster, funky songs. Also there were a couple moments in the album they did some experimental synth/organ parts that were really interesting

YESSSSSS so many hits on this album and every song is a Banger, put me in a great mood listening to this on my morning commute fave - see the light (my #1 most played song on spotify 😌)

i now truly understand the seductive power of a good falsetto. tended to prefer the shorter songs (typical for me) but enjoyed the entire listen. fav: yearnin' learnin'

A good album, I liked That’s The Way of The World and Yearnin' Learnin' the most.

Some funky songs but a lot of corny songs too

No. 208 I liked the majority of this album. It had some variety and a couple of classic funk and R&B songs.

I expected to find this only listenable but actually really enjoyed it.

Classic soul. Easy listening. Great harmonies.

nobody has any right to give this any less than a 4

fsdfsfs

R&B-1975 Jojo Refrence Shining Star, Reasons, Yearnin' Learnin' 3.9/5

Even if I'm not a disco man, I can't rate Earth Wind & Fire lower than 4. This album is a funky good time.

I loved the first three tracks but it fell off after that

I’ve had an uptick over the last few years in my interest in Earth, Wind and Fire. I have been mostly pleased with my listens, especially a great live set from 1973 on YouTube. That’s the Way of the World sends me back to my original feelings about them. They have the occasionally amazingly catchy, at times funky, song, but too many tracks that do not fit my style. “Shining Star” obviously fits the first part of that description. I also enjoyed several songs where EWF let the percussion fly, such as “Africano” and “Yearnin and Learnin.” They had much to hold my interest musically. The ballads fell flat. The worst was “All About Love”, which had the singer talking as he lectured about love. I am sure millions love their chorus of alto and falsetto voices that appear on many tracks. I have never found this style appealing. I yearned to hear the bass and baritone vocals the Temptations would employ with Melvyn Franklin and Otis Williams, gosh even David Ruffin’s tenor would add some balance. Lyrically and musically too many of the songs offer platitudes and bland sounds. I rarely found myself engaged, rather I became somewhat annoyed with their songs.

2,5

Buenísimo.

3.5 Some great songs at the start but then it does drag a bit later on

YEAHHH

An absolute vibe start to finish. Loved the harmonies, and the jazzy interludes (some of them made me realise where Jacob Collier might have gotten some of his inspiration from). This sounds more than anything like a movement, and a moment in time, and like a hot, hot summer. I gave it three goes round in total just to see if it would wear out a bit, and it honestly didn't. Standouts: hard to pick when there are only eight songs and it all flows so seamlessly as a single entity. But the way That's the Way of the World, Reasons and See The Light build to their climaxes is wonderful.

Favorite Track: Shining Star

A ton of fun. Earth Wind and Fire had an incredible run in the 70’s. They are lost known for a few disco style songs, but they play with a lot of different genres in a relatively short run time here.

Dope

Happy Feelin'

It's 3.5

Great album, love the high energy, musicianship and upbeat vibe

Too many mid-paced or slow ones to clip a four, but I loved lots of it!

That’s a weird one with mixed bag of genres. Kind of fun but lacks coherence between tracks

All good!

It's a cool album for sure. Makes you want to groove, get up and dance, and helps you feel uplifted.

Fabulous, exquisite vocals, melodies, and instrumentals! I loved this one!!

I never know what to expect with this list, and I guess I’ve been so used to rock or hip-hop albums that I just didn’t expect an Earth, Wind & Fire album to pop up. The album is eight songs and 38 minutes long. I’m down. I know Earth, Wind & Fire is an R&B band, I guess. I think they went disco in the late 70s, but I’m not sure they were always that way. Our good friend Wikipedia says they could be classified in multiple genres. Some of the best bands usually are. Plus, I think they were a legit band, as in they weren’t necessarily a singing group. They had singers and players of instruments. Whatever the case, I know they are looked at as masters of their craft. I see the first song is Shining Star, which I’ve heard about 1,000 times, and you probably have too, whether you know it or not. So let's dig in. Track 1 is Shining Star, and it’s that Shining Star song. “You're a shining star No matter who you are Shining bright to see What you could truly be Shining star for you to see What your life can truly be Shining star for you to see What your life can truly be Shining star for you to see What your life can truly be” The song starts out funky, and the horns are exploding. I don’t think I ever really listened to the music of this song. The guitars are incredible in this song. They’re played by Al McKay and Johnny Graham. Great stuff during the verses and gritty, grimy funk during the solos. I’m a sucker for horns, and they really stand out. Wow, it’s such a short song, but a great way to open the album. This was the first single off the album. It went on to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Soul Singles charts. It also won a Grammy for Best R&B Duo or Group Performance. Hmmmm, apparently this is a soundtrack to a movie also called That’s the Way of the World. The movie also stars the band Earth, Wind & Fire and Harvey Keitel. The movie is about the music business and the lives of record executives. Sounds exciting.....not. Track 2 is That’s the Way of the World, which is a little softer and slower. It sounds really cool. The horns are putting it solidly in yacht rock mode. This was the second and last single off the album. For some reason, I think I’ve heard this song. The vocals are incredible. There are times for harmonies and also times when a solo vocalist sings in front of backing vocals. Rolling Stone called this album “make-out music of the gods.” I think I’d agree, especially for this song. It’s funky, jazzy, but not too funky and jazzy, if that makes sense. It goes down smooth. It can be background music or a song you want someone to listen to with a purpose. I like this more than Shining Star, and I loved Shining Star. Great stuff. This was not as huge a hit as Shining Star, but it did hit #5 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and #12 on the Hot 100 chart. Track 3 is Happy Feelin’ and were back to an uptempo groove with saxophones taking the lead of the horns. Up until now, it was more of a brass-starring horn section. This sounds like a song you’d listen to driving in Miami on that street that’s right on the beach. The singing is way up there in the falsetto. Now, what I think is a kalimba has been introduced. It’s just a weird xylophone. This song is a driving song, almost like you’re on the run, but you’re on the run from a gang of hot chicks trying to kidnap you to extract your seed for procreation. You don’t really want to escape and go on the run, but you know it’s just wrong to be out here kidnapping people. This album, so far, is blowing me away. It’s just fun as hell. Track 4 is All About Love (First Impression), and it starts with someone talking about what’s to come in the song. You know how much I hate talking in songs, but it doesn’t irk me as much in R&B love songs for some reason. It’s the Barry White Exception. With that being said, this song is slow and seems ominous for some reason. The vocals are kind of scaring me. The horns are blasting it out, though, with the brass is back in the lead. Not my favorite song, and now we’re back to talking. This kind of talking, I hate. Right on? But he’s talking about how occult, mysticism, and astrology are fine because they can help you. “They give you an insight into your inner self.” Huh? Woah. Just when I thought the song was over, there’s a weird synth instrumental that sounds like two robots finding love. This must be the First Impression part of the song. I like it better than the actual song, and it’s just bleeps and bloops. This whole track was weird. Track 5 is Yearnin’ Learnin’, and we’re back from the phantom zone, and back to funk and soul music. I wouldn’t say this is disco, but I bet it was in the clubs at this time. It’s got a great groove. I’ll say, the music isn’t what I expected. I’m not a trained musician, so I can’t technically explain what I mean, but the music isn’t the typical R&B grooves you normally hear. It seems Earth, Wind & Fire were pretty experimental. Which I love. This was a good way to bring the album back up from the weirdness of All About Love. Track 6 is "Reasons," and it seems like another "get down with your woman" song. “Now, I'm craving your body Is this real? Temperatures rising I don't want to feel I'm in the wrong place to be real Whoa, when I'm longing to love you Just for a night Kissing and hugging And holding you tight Please, let me love you With all my might.” Just a solid love song with some excellent electric piano plinking. The backing vocals are solid, and now the brass comes swelling in on the chorus. I hear some chimes tinkling in the background. There’s something about this song that reminds me of the Pina Colada Song. It’s the music or the rhythm of the music. I also get a little How Deep Is Your Love from the Bee Gees from this song. Both are great songs to be compared to. I assume Phillip Bailey is on lead vocals, and he’s up there. Bailey sings one of my favorite songs, Easy Lover with Phil Collins. That’s a banger. Track 7 is Africano, and it’s an instrumental. It starts with someone showing off on the flute. I hear some Asian sounds on this song as well. While there are no lyrics, there is background singing from the band, just no words. The song seems to end around the one-minute mark before starting back up, funky as hell. The percussion is so cool. They’re using a clavinet, maybe? This song is pure two cops chasing a perp on the streets of Miami. They’re running down alleys, through open doors of stores, and out the back. They’re dodging cars as they cut across streets. I need to stop storyboarding this chase, I’m getting way too into it. All I can say is this song creates magic in my brain. It’s inspirational. Gritty 70s cops movie in Miami as they try to stop the cartel from taking over. We know, and they know, in the end, nothing can stop it because of America’s greed, but by God, they’re cops, and they bust bad guys! That sounds like a great movie. Track 9 is See the Light and it sounds like the continuation of the movie I’m writing. I was sure this was instrumental, too, but there are vocals. This song gives me Curtis Mayfield and Super Fly vibes. Oh wow! Bailey got up so high on that night that I’m not sure I actually heard it. The song has changed into a groovy, sunny little song and not gritty and dark like it started. Bailey is an all-time voice. It’s a shame he’s not as well known as, say, a Lionel Richie. Richie was able to have a huge career outside of the Commodores. Bailey never really hit it big as a solo artist. I can’t believe it, but I’m leaning must-listen on this album. There’s great stuff on this album. It’s a summer album you can put on and just bliss out to. It’s also an album for lovemaking. It’s also an album for dancing. It’s also an album for writing gritty cop movies. Beyond the music, the lyrics, which I didn’t spend nearly enough time on, are also poetry and philosophy, as much as R&B lyrics can be. The lyrics are also filled with spirituality. From See the Light, “Give me strength, when temptation calls. Lift me up when life's battles make me fall. Shelter me from the evil and the wrong. So when ya call, dear Lord, I said I'll be strong. Walk with me, when the stormy nights are cold, In your hand lies all control.” I went into this thinking, " Why is this album on this list?” Now, I’m thinking, “Why have I never heard this album before now?” I loved the album, and I think you will too. Listen to this album immediately.

Groovy

Pretty good

A half decent house band could match this. They'd do even better if they skipped the soul ballads altogether

Great players and I recognized a lot of the tunes but didn't like many of them.

An odd choice for a band that had a number of big hits over their career: a soundtrack to a truly obscure movie (starring Harvey Keitel and of course EWF). But I'm glad they got included in the collection, and this seems like a good album to showcase their style and talents (at least to my fairly ignorant ears). "Shining star" sets a high bar for the rest of the album, and while most of the longer tracks aren't quite as compelling (especially the narrative parts of "All about love"), it's a fun album and largely well-paced.

Nothing gets me off my feet faster than the opening guitar to "Shining Star"--flashback to me at 17, dancing in my room in my underwear, occasionally exhaling through a crack in the window. And if there ain't no beauty, you've got to make some beauty! Thanks for showing us how, EWF!

All a bit slick and smooth for my taste, but impressive nonetheless. Like a distilled version of the 70s, for better and worse.

I didnt love this and am surprised I didnt. Nothing stood out to me about this album and it didnt excite me as much some of their other work. Less boogie-able than Boogie Wonderland (obviously)

5/10 Dull disco

3.5/5. Pretty good collection of funk/soul/pop music, which from what I understand was partially a soundtrack to a film of the same name. I haven’t seen the movie so I’m just judging the album as is, and it’s alright! I think Earth, Wind and Fire have a few much better ones, but there’s still a lot of good grooves on this thing. My favorite is probably the instrumental jam near the end of the record “Africano.”

Great band. Soul and rythm always

not my cup of tea

Muy guapo. Le saben

Brill

Just another soul-whatever. Not my cup of tea.

Love it.

Talented and fun album blending several different styles. A little too heavy on the disco stuff for my personal preference, I think if I was in a different mood I would rate it higher.

I enjoyed the more upbeat, funky songs, but felt some of the slower, soulful songs dragged on a bit and at times it was just a bit too disco for me. Overall, it was enjoyable enough, but it’s just not really for me and I can't see myself returning to this album as a whole.

This is what I wish Stevie Wonder was like

Its impossible to hate on this. Its so fun and vibrant. Its cheesy, but soulful and jazzy. Even kind of trippy at parts. Its something that I just like to have playing in my house while I make breakfast. Everybody feels better listening to Earth Wind and Fire.

5/10… soul / funk / *1975

Un poco repetitivo, pero puro retro, puro verano y puro placer

Very good listen, worth the time, probably not one going on my repeat though!

Pretty good soul and disco

Exactly what you’d expect. It’s good, danceable party music with solid harmonies. Not much to complain about.

This is solid. I think the best songs on this album are also the longest, specifically That's The Way Of The World and All About Love (First Impressions). I also enjoyed Happy Feelin'. This isn't entirely my style of music, but Earth, Wind & Fire have always done it well, and I will never really regret listening to one of their albums.

An enjoyable listen

5.5/10 Highlights: Yearnin'Learnin' Shining Star

what show/movie has a scene where the characters sing shining star???? driving me crazy

groovy ahh, mood lifter, house party ahh vibe

Love me some soul music

Nothing special at all and not something I would really listen to again. It was just alright 70s soul.

There’s a 50/50 split here between really lushly produced, catchy as hell funk and these big soulful ballads, and my personal preference leans hard towards the former. I really didn’t know much about EW&F outside of September, and because of my upbringing and the way my music taste was formed, always kind of wrote them off as corny disco guys. But over the years I’ve dipped into so much stuff that is clearly pulling from disco, funk, and soul records of the ‘70s, so I had a feeling I’d vibe with it. Shining Star’s the clear frontrunner here and it’s hard for anything that follows to hit the same highs. It opens the album with so much energy, and I felt like that energy gradually dropped off throughout the remainder of its runtime.

As I hoped, listening to a singular EWF album makes a great difference in the feeling of how smooth their music can be. Here, there’s great flow between softer ballads (fantastic vocal showcases especially on Reasons) and harder funkier tracks (Happy Feelin’ absolutely has the sauce on that baseline, Africano also goes hard) in the right way to keep you attuned to the movement, which I was missing on their Greatest Hits - it’s one thing to make great tunes, it’s another to make a great album. It’s definitely still all on the more soulful disco side of funk compared to some of the other stuff I’ve been listening to recently from War and Funkadelic, but no one does it quite as well as EWF y’know.

Nice technical playing and melodies, but a bit of cheesy for my taste. Sometimes good cheesy, sometimes annoying cheesy

DISCAZO. ME ENCANTÓ. No le pongo 5 no sé pq, sería un 4,50. Buenísimo. Mucha onda, mucho groove. Súper movido, divertido e inspirador. Te pone CONTENTO. Nunca había escuchado un disco entero de este gran grupo. Gracias. Definitivamente voy a explorar más

I skipped ahead a lot on this album. It just wasn’t for me.

Earth Wind and Fire's music is the kind that can almost certainly improve your mood. The culmination of the incredible vocals with gorgeous lush harmonies, the rhythm guitar and fender rhodes providing an aural backdrop, the effective use of brass and the funky drums and bass holding it all together like glue... it's magical. Shining Star is so tight and effective as an album opener... all the way to the layering found in See the Light, this is very close to a perfect album.

So groovy, so smooth, so 70’s. Wonderful stuff from a wonderful group of musicians. 1 listen Favorite Tracks: Shining Star, Title Track

Expectation: -> Earth, Wind & Fire circa 1975? I'm guessing I put this at 4 minimum. After listening: -> No surprise to me that this will be an album and band I plan to return to on the regular. This was even better than I expected. My lowest ranked song is just a fraction below my highest. Track ranking: Love World Star Reasons Happy Yearnin Light Africano

Classic stuff here. I hadn't listened to much of them before but this was really good.

I wanted to love this (and I did enjoy it) but some of the tracks were a bit too 'easy listening' for me. However, Earth Wind and Fire are one of my absolutely favourite bands with their fantastic ensemble sound. The classic EW&T-sounding tracks here are fantastic and the ballads are not too bad but I want more of the tracks that demand to be danced to. Hope we get more Earth Wind and Fire albums on this app.

So nice to finally get some disco on this site! I think this album is much more than just disco, though. There’s an impressive blend of genres here, including soul, funk, and African influences. It also reminds me that disco is mostly remembered for its dancefloor hits, but the genre had plenty of slower, ballad-style tracks too. This album handles both sides remarkably well.

not their best but good

Way too chill. 2.5

I think any time that something starts with Shining Star, it's gonna be a good time.

Not me not knowing who sang shining star until today.... Lizzie McGuire movie rep!!!!!

This sounded so bloody good

Funky

Absolutely fantastic album. Happy, uplifting and groovy

It was almost perfect. Enjoyed the funk for sure there were some Skip songs.

Damn near perfect album. What a ride this is. I have no notes. Really love that one musical idea they have at the end of each song that just builds in each track until the end. Like dessert after eating your food. Idk. Cool album Highlights: That's The Way Of The World, Reasons

groovy. chill. funky. awesome.

Nice enough, but a bit smooth for my tastes, nothing stood out for me.

Starts off with a bang - the first 2 songs are really great. After that, the album turns into a much smoother, softer sound. It's all well executed, but doesn't grab me as much. The only other song I really loved was Africano - despite the slow start it then explodes into this jazz fusion section which is so cool. It's a good album, certainly enjoyable but not super stand out except for a couple songs and I'm definitely more likely to return to their other records.

cool one

I tried to like this more, I really did. Shinning Star and Happy Feelin' are both stellar but then you get to e.g. See the Light and nope.

Didn't grab me as much as it probably should have.

Pretty good

grooovy

I'm lucky enough to have seen them at Bonnaroo one year and was an amazing show. This album is a classic and loved the bass from Verdine White. Massive influence on hip hop & funk artists.

I love this funky throwback!

Dear (some of/most of) the rappers. When sampling Earth, Wind, and Fire, maybe sample some of their respect for women too. This is how you do it: positive, gentle, civil, humble, to the point of incipence. Of course, there is one rapper who certainly took more than samples from Maurice White and Phil Bailey - there are plenty of moments on The Love Below that sound just like this, down to the flute. But what Andre 3000 does as a bit, White and Bailey do sincerely. If Andre asked for a hug and a squeeze, you know he's rally asking for more. But, I believe, Maurice White means what he says and he says it straight. Except for the syncopation. Groovy, charming, expertly executed Valentine's Day cards. 3 I am sure there are no great songs on this album. The shallow proceduralism of the lyrics almost rules that out by itself. Even if there is a sense of tongue in cheek much of the time, it’s hard to credit any way the likes of: Kissing and hugging and holding you tight/ Please let me love you with all of my might (Reasons) The music though, is terrific. It feels organic in spite of very tight arrangements and the added gloss of strings and horns. There is musical detail but without clutter - impressively judicious. The bass is sublime. 3/5

Not for me.

Dear god the back half of this album is just non-stop heat. This band has no weak link and no MVP (although Verdine White comes close), everyone is just firing on all cylinders for 39 minutes straight.

c'est chill mais ils ont fait mieux que ça en vrai non ?

I liked the funkier, groovier tracks on this album. The rest were fine, but not as engaging to me. I feel like I'll need to give this one another chance at some point since I kept getting distracted while trying to listen. Still, I mostly enjoyed what I heard. Overall: 3.2/5

Fave Tracks: Africano, Shining Star, Reasons

Absolute bliss

Man I just wanna listen to EWF all the time

Delightfully colorful with solid grooves and wonderful harmonies. Probably something I will only grab once for in its entirety and cherry pick the classics. Definitely something my mom would slow dance drunk to.

Was not a fan

It was a fun time

Ça sonne très bien pour un truc de 75 je trouve. C’est sympa. Bon c’est pas mon truc mais ça s’écoute bien.

It's a bit telling that Africano stood out as far superior to the others. I did not really dig the singing on this. I am not having a good day for falsetto.

2 pisenka juz mnie wkurwia nw czy przebrne orzez calosc 3 tez ssie dalej wcale nie jest lepiej wkurwia mnie to

nice jams

Bring the funk

I don't love the ballads, but the rest is such a groove. A good vibe album that's hard not to enjoy! It's very, very 70s, but that's not always a bad thing. 3.5 rounded up.

5/10 fav song was see the light the instruments used throughout the album were really good

Cancion Favorita: All About Love (First Impression)

This is fun. I already knew "Shining Star." Maybe it's too early in the morning, but I feel like I don't have much to say lol

Sometimes a 5 star band gets a 3 star album rating, that’s the way of the world

Maurice's voice range will never cease to amaze; I lowkey think I would've thrived living in this era, maybe even being in the band but I guess we'll never know; Shining Star a classic; Thats The Way of The World is just true; the synth outro of All About Love scratches my brain so good;

It was too oldie for me

This was fun to listen to. Great instrumentals

I throughly enjoyed this album from start to finish! I don’t think I’ve listened to a full Earth, Wind & Fire album before and it was a great time! Overall, I enjoyed this soulful, funky, and R&B album and I would listen to it again in the future!

hell yeah to this!! funky, dancey, fun!

This album is surprisingly so good. It's a very enjoyable record with some great tracks. And the different sounds that appear in here are all so well combined and majestic that I've loved listening to every single second of it. So, I'm very delighted by this one.

Overall: 7/10 This is funky and fun and I actually knew a couple songs! I get the feeling that they have better albums than this one but I really enjoyed this. Fav Song: Shining Star

As an album it’s very skippable.

This was funky, I liked it. The album aged much better than I expected. 3/5

This thing was just kind of fun with at least one hit and a few other bops to appreciate. 3.5 stars rounding up to 4.

Torn on this one. If I could do 2.5 stars, that's what I'd probably do. Has a couple good songs, but it's just ok to me.

fire

Faves: Shining Star That's the way of the world Reasons (lol Hitch)

It's mid-70s funk. It's okay, I suppose. There was a lot of this around in the 1970s. I would skip EWF on Top Of The Pops (for a trip to the kitchen to get a Tupperware beaker of cherryade) whilst waiting for something I liked to come on. I appreciate it more now, but would never play this by choice. The upbeat funky tracks get three stars. The slowies one star. Averaging out at two stars.

That's the Way of the World starts off wonderfully, but it comes to a grinding halt with All About Love and it's just too short of an album to regain momentum successfully after that point. Favourite track: Happy Feelin'

Pretty great! I was surprised to see that none of the Earth, Wind and Fire songs I expected are on here... I knew "Shining Star", but the rest of the album was new to me. No "September", "Boogie Wonderland" or "Let's Groove"... But even so the album is fantastic.

Funky!

This was a fun listen. High production value. Enjoyed the narrative-style on All About Love - surely an influence on Oran Juice Jones (In the Rain). Random thought while listening: 'this is the kind of song that could leave you pregnant.' How many Justin Timberlake songs sound just like Yearnin' Learnin'? 4/5

🕺

Great music and vibes on this one!

wow this album was so interesting and cool and nice, i love r&b

what an amazing album buddy!

Heat

Hmmm

Nice chill listen. The 1001 project has really made me realise how much I like funk and soul

Some good old funk. None of the big hitters on this however so stuck with a 3.

Funk is funk. I have already forgotten the whole album however

Amazing, so good for when its sunny outside big big fan

I had a lengthy description and review written, but this app deleted it for me so screw it. Four stars.

this sounds so modern and is 50 years old. stunning Would I listen again: happily Deserves to be on this list: yes 4.4

Primera vez escuchando esta banda que venía posponiendo hace rato, conocía la onda pero no sé que Arranca muy bien con el primer tema, me gustó mucho y me sorprendió Lo mismo con el segundo tema, muy bueno El tercero siento que decayó un poco comparado con los otros, como que no le sumo algo nuevo comparado con los otros, sin embargo, buen tema también El cuarto arranca como una balada típica de los 70s hasta que llegan los vientos y me gustó bastante El quinto tema me gustó mucho también aunque disocie un poco Lo mismo con el sexto El séptimo me gustó mucho el cambio que hace, es muy groovy muy bueno El último le da el cierre de una forma espectacular Overall me gustó mucho, se va a la playlist de vibing in the 70s, volvería a escuchar. 9/10

Muy bueno

first time intentionally sitting down to listen to Earth, Wind & Fire. 70's soul/lite funk. there are much better representatives of this out there IMO, but respect.

This is a fun one. Old school!

i feel like springtime jumping up and down

I liked the pan flute

I liked it okay, but it wasn’t my personal favorite! I think “Reasons” was the best in the album personally.

The talent of the group is unmistakable. Beautiful harmonies. The lyrics are lovely and I can appreciate the work that went into creating the song and album. It's just not my kind of music.

Not my favorite but had some highlights. Reasons & Shining Star are my favorites.

good music the song all about love stood out to me as the emotional peak of the album imo the ending of the album was cool but a bit too experimental for me

Really great record

Absolute musical gospel. This band and album should be in a museum. Their influence is felt every day

its aight.

Oldy, good songs, but belong to the past.

Easy to listen, very relaxing. Surprise by this.

5/10

I thought I would have a lot more fun with this album than I did, unfortunately. With this band being so well-known, I think I had much higher expectations going into it than an album I'd never heard of before. I enjoyed the first track, 'Shining Star', as it really set the tone for what I was expecting later on. The issue is that if you have a song with a strong opening, the rest needs to meet that level, otherwise it only gets worse from there. This review has sounded quite harsh, I think, but it is just my opinion on this album. Vocally and instrumentally, this is amazing... The groove in some of the tracks is unmatched, but where it falls flat is the songwriting for me, for a lot of the tracks. Some of the songs feel kind of forgettable and something you'd have on more in the background. Stand-outs: Shining Star Happy Feelin' Africano

Pleasant easy listening From a group who can do better.

What about Water? You can't be the Avatar without mastering all the elements.

Great funk

I will always love EWF.

muy buenoo

This is a well produced album and I believe Nancy Griffith was a revered player. I really liked the song "Fly by Night.

The GOATs.

Major disco vibes

divertido, el álbum entero como si está muy bueno, las canciones por separado algunas buenas y otras normales

I think this genre just isn’t for me 2nd disco album I haven’t cared for too much 2.5/5 Favorites: all about love (first impression)

this shit smacks!

Cool stuff, but definitely not for me

Funk yeah!

Jó kis album, vannak rajta számok amiket biztosan fogok még hallgatni, de esőben hallgattam és azthiszem a soult nem így kell, főleg nem ha ennyire funky Szóval lehet csak azért 3 csillag, mert emiatt nem tudtam annyira átérezni

This album kinda my therapist

Afro futurista?

Bij het ene nummer vind ik die hoge kopstemmen heel erg irritant en bij de andere weer heel goed. Persoonlijk ben ik met dit soort bands meer fan van de rnb en soul achtige nummers dan de over de top feestnummers. Hetzelfde gevoel heb ik bij kool and the gang. Ze kunnen wel fantastische muziek maken, maar kiezen vaak voor feestmuziek. Disco is niet helemaal mijn vibe maar op dit soort albums kan je wel verborgen pareltjes vinden. De synthesizer die je soms hoorde tussen de albums door vond ik heel leuk. Dat de muziek was gemute en je de harmoniën kon horen vond ik heel leuk. Het nummer reasons was heel irritant. Het album was goed en slecht tegelijk.

Had er niet zo veel zin in maar toch wat leuker dan verwacht, goede vocals, alles super strak. Veel verschillende stijlen die in de muziek zitten. Een mix van van alles of is het een echt eigen geluid, ik ben er niet helemaal uit. Het is af en toe wel iets te gladjes voor mijn smaak. Er zitten niet echt spannende of hele verassende dingen in het album. Heel solide maar niet tijdloos. Africano leukste nummer

Een typisch drie sterren album, het is oke, het is lekker dansbaar en funky maar het mist een beetje orginaliteit, het heeft me niet doen verassen. Je kunt verder horen dat het goede muzikanten zijn en ze zouden een fantastische bruiloftsband zijn.

Gott funkdiskósoul

no es mi estilo, pero estuvo bastante bien

why don't they like water? ;)

Svært ikke at blive i godt humør

Nice vibeee

Feel 9/10:Groovey with some great instrumentals Length 7/10: 8 songs and 40 minutes long is reasonable Musicality 9/10: The bass is great throughout. They have amazing drums and some good little splashes of instruments Flow 8/10:Going from groove to groove feels natural and not forced Understandability 6/10: I personally have trouble hearing what is said Overall 8.7/10: I’m impressed musically alone let alone the vocals and everything else. Great

Greatest R and B album of the 1970’s!!

The songs really capture that ’70s U.S. vibe and even remind me a bit of GTA 3. But personally, this soul-jazz-Africano sound isn’t really my thing.

Fun album! I would describe it as disco-soul. Really nice arrangements and I enjoyed the layered vocals, but the standout was the horn section, those guys were playing their asses off. Didn’t care for the one slow ballad toward the end of the record, I thought it detracted from an otherwise great, high-energy funky dance album. Strong 4/5, would listen to this again in a heartbeat.

Täytyy olla huonosti tuntemani Soul / r&b -hengen ehdotonta parhaimmistoa! Mieletön albumi, Amerikan fiilistä ja isosti. Ja mikä soittotaito; varsinkin bassokuviot useammassakin biiseissä mutta etenkin Happy feelin’ ja Africano. 4/5

Asi que si tienen más canciones aparte de September xd. Suenan increibles todos los instrumentos juntos, en ningún momento te aburres de lo que estas escuchando.

Pretty nice album. Don’t like dance music like this that much but it was refreshing.

It’s a party for sure, but it sounds kind of cheesy at this point. Every late night infomercial in the 90s featured this stuff heavily. Hard for me to look past that and see it for what it is.

bland

I liked a lot of the instruments, specifically in Aricana. I am just not a bit soul music fan!

groovy, donne envie de dancer

Banging. Not so fussed with the ballads, nice but just don't hit the same as the disco bops

Complete joy from one of the best groups around.

Coneixia es grup però no aquest disc. Comença molt be, després se va desinflant una mica però tot i així si seria un àlbum que me podria posar. Tenen cançons millors però m'ha agradat bastant!

This is good. Tho not quite Sly & The Family Stone, Earth, Wind & Fire are about as close as you'll get to that genius. The only thing missing is Sly's ability to turn cliché into something necessary, unexpected, & original. Few artists have that capacity: Sly Stone, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson come to mind. That's a major deficiency, & it's a wonder that the collective can overcome sappy sounds & soppy lyrics: 'Share the feeling w/ your brother / Don't stop caring for one another'; 'Take the time, make up your mind / It's all about love.' But they do overcome it, they overcome it w/ soul & sincerity, w/ lightness of vision & simplicity of heart. Don't think too much is what they seem to be saying, e'en on Slyish 'Yearnin' Learnin'.'

Classic, smooth R&B. Huge hit in "Shining Star". This is not where my main musical interests lie, but the melodies are catchy and the harmonies amazing. Only downside for my taste are the somewhat random add-on endings to tracks when the main song has already ended. As I listened to this a second time, there are some filler tracks on "Side B."

Some good songs, others annoying

Listening to this makes me think that they're almost certainly my favorite band's favorite band. Even if that's not 100% true, they almost certainly had some influence over a lot of music that I listen to today. Coordinated chord hits, funky guitar riffs, big horn section parts, and vibey as hell. Also, pretty indicative of their talent that one of my favorite songs on the album was the instrumental. I'm not sure if I'd call this a great album, but it for sure is a good and vibey one. Earth, Wind, & Fire just have such a high floor. They could sneeze and create a good song. Favorite Song(s): Shining Star, Africano

Hell yes! Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Super classic tunes.

Enormously likeable, it somehow doesn't quite click with me. It's good, no question, and beyond that it's the sound of adulthood as heard by my childhood (I was 2 years old when this came out). But I appreciate it from a distance.

I'm sorry, because I am very aware that this one's on me, but this is too chirpy. I need some misery inside me ASAP. It's the vocals. I can handle a small level of giddiness and joy musically, but it's very telling that my favourite song here was also entirely instrumental. I just don't want to have to think about disco.

Exceptional musicians create a HUGE sound! Makes me wanna dig more into …

Best Song: Africano. Despite being an instrumental track from a band with such iconic vocals, the saxophones absolutely slapped here. Worst Song: All About Love (First Impression). This kind of "narration over music" would probably go over well in a live setting, but it kind of falls flat on recording. Overall: A lot of fun. Great groovy funk and soul. Kind of surprised that this was the Earth, Wind & Fire album chosen to appear on this list, but it's still a solid record.

Listened to before? No Context? The album that propelled them into stardom; considered to arguably be their best. *Reviewed in a holistic format* "Shining Star" has to be the universal childhood song. Even if you've literally never heard it before, it's your childhood song, somehow. It just has that power. That universal goodwill is really what defines this album. Everything is about connection and reassurance. "You'll find peace of mind"—"don't stop caring for one another"—"you got to love you"—"I'm a blossom in the sun." It's so positive that I'd find it obnoxious if it were lesser sonically. Instead, this is an album that actually puts me in a better mood. I honestly haven't met a single person who doesn't like EW&F. Again: they're universal. But, yeah, it is great sonically. The bass in this thing is incredible. I love the funk guitars. It uses the more "dramatic" instruments in all the right places, sparing the listener from an overload of fanfare that so many albums of this time period and genre tend to have. It's also very rhythmically complex. The standout in terms of that is obviously "Africano". Man, is that an amazing song. I will say...I don't like "Reasons". I can't stand that song. His falsetto is really annoying. It's the one song on here that actually does piss me off with it's overwhelming positivity and lovey-dovey-ness. The instrumentals are good, but man, please drop it down an octave or two. The human voice is an instrument, and this type of falsetto singing just reminds me of a really self-indulgent guitar solo or perhaps some shriek-y harmonica. I will say, the backing vocals are amazing, at least. My only other critique of this album is that the talking on "All About Love" very heavily dated it. It's also just...bad. The lyrics and vibes do make up for it, but it's not a great addition. Despite that, I would put this as one of the all-time best soul-funk albums. I genuinely don't know who could dislike this thing as a whole. There's a song on here for anyone and everyone.

I would rate this a 10 if I could.

This is exactly the sort of music I love, so as far as I’m concerned, 4 stars... :-)

Shining star - 4 That's the way of the world - 2 Happy feelin' - 4 All about love (first impression) - 2 Yearnin' learnin' - 4 Reasons - 2 Africano - 4 See the light - 2

Fun to listen to with a surprising about of depth and grit based on what little I knew about Earth, Wind & Fire.

Fav- all about love 3/5

Me dio musica, me dio cultura, me dio jazz, me dio TODO lo ame

7/10

This was fun. Made me realize that like 90's and 00's R&B / pop rap would not have been possible without these guys (looking at you, OutKast) 4/5

Truly did surprise me with the level of production on this album. Earth Wind Fire but I never truly knew they had albums of such high caliber.

Got some bangers, but some real yawners too

This was fire

Oh okay don't hurt em. Yeah man. I'm a shining star. I believe it. No notes this is so cunt. Really enjoying this. I wanna strut down a popular avenue in the sun to this. And it's short. This is so cruising with some cunty shades in a convertible with a little ascot. Fuck yeah. It's just so easy to listen to and enjoy. Music to my ears even. This is actually amazing I love this. Like a better americano or what?? I want this to be the way of my world baby. Wonderful instrumental. I see the light. Favourite: Reasons Least favourite: All About Love

Really cool music, but oftentimes too overwhelming for me

Love Earth, Wind, & Fire on the dance floor but doesn't quite hit the same while sitting at my desk. I know there are certain settings where this would hit way better and that is what saved it at a 3

#94/1001 🇺🇸 I wanted to like this more than i did. My favourite track was an instrumental, this tells me that it was his falsetto vocals that i'm struggling with. Best Tracks: Africano, That's the Way of the World.

These guys bring the funk, no doubt, and it starts off great with "Shining Star" and rge anthems "That's the Way of the World." But the more ballad like songs are just OK and lack distinction. It picks up again towards the end with "Africano" with its funky flute and world music vibe. An uneven album but these guys were masters of the genre.

They've got the groove for sure. Always thought of EWF as a disco band, but this is much more in the realm of soul/funk. I think they're maybe more of a greatest hits band for me. I love the first two songs, Shining Star and the title track, but then, other than the fantastic instrumental Africano, I felt very neutral. Enjoyable, but nothing else was super attention-grabbing. But give me all their hits lined up - that's an easy five stars.

Funky, groovy, præcis som man tænker et Earth, Wind and fire album fra 1975. Overrasket over All Albout Love og det “elektroniske”

chill, si tuviera un cafe pondria este album de musica de fondo

Rating: 3.5/5 I really enjoyed listening. I moved. I grooved. I don't know if it is necessarily my first choice of music, but I can appreciate it all the same.

really enjoyed - but again i would only save about half the songs.

Toral jam including a few big hits

muy alegre, sonidos ritmicos que me invitan a sentirme fluyendo, ritmica, alegre. muy buen sonido, me gusto para estar en casa chill

do u remeba very good! fav: yearnin’ learnin’ four star ⭐️ yay

pretty good!

Super jazzy et funky ! Pas le meilleur album de Earth, Wind & Fire mais le groove est là ! Note : 3 À réécouter : Oui

o melhor álbum em um bom tempo nessa lista! 4/5.

honestly, shit was so majestic that it sent me levitating

2.75

Africano is a whole ass vibe and I am here for it.

Decent disco

Hmmm I don’t know how I feel about it groove is definitely present but I’m not sure I connected with it to the level I thought I would

Lost interest towards the end - still pretty fun though

This is a great 70's funk/soul album. There are multiple songs that I recognize from radio play in the 70's/early 80's. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #420 (2020) Best Songs Shining Star That's the Way of the World Reasons Africano

This album sounds great! It's rich and varied in sound, it's funky, soft, soulful, and raucous as you move through each track. It's pretty short and sweet, and would be fun to listen to if you're in the mood for something jazzy with wah-wah guitars, synths, and organs abound. Standout tracks on this listen were "Shining Star" "Africano" and "See the Light.c It's a fun listen, not my usual thing but I liked it. A solid 3 for me.

Pretty solid funk record, definitely like this better than the later more disco stuff, and Shining Star is a phenomenal song.

like it, added to my vinyl collection.

Cool shi

Stand-out tracks: That's the Way of the World, Happy Feelin', All About Love, Reasons, Africano, See the Light

Highlights: Shining Star, That's the Way of the World, Happy Feelin', Reasons, See the Light Haaaard opener. Damn... Fire. The whole record was right up my alley, but nothing unexpected. I counted on it to be one of the records I would gladly listen to and it didn't disappoint. The second half was surprisingly chill compared to the first one. Especially by the end where it even begins to sound more refined, almost like some lounge music in See the Light. On that track there's a bit of Stevie Wonder influence too with the synth usage.

EWF! A long-lived institution, coming soon to my town. Deciding whether to get a ticket, I read up on their many achievements, and recent concerts. I respect the endurance, the arranging, the hits. This album is still the first I'd ever listened to start to finish. There's a lot to like - it's generally "a lot" - the tracks are crowded. Interesting that reviews when it came out were not uniformly positive. I was curious about lyrics but better not to bother, they really are platitudinous. But the funk seems good :-) I'm fond of Shining Star - I may replay a couple of other tracks - but the album as a whole left me a little cool - I will say it's Good, 7/10.

Funky funk

Diverted my expectations, I generally only listen to their hits, but the music on here is still a solid listen

really thought i was gonna like this more. bass player is obviously great. i really liked africano, that was sick

Definitely my favorite funk album so far. The songs feel dynamic and memorable, where I feel like a lot of similar albums get a bit repetitive.

some nice soul, some nice funk. slow start but it finishes real strong. maybe one more banger would bump the score up. favorite song is Yearnin' Learnin'. strong 3

Rating: 6/10 It’s alright. Liked the first three songs, Shining Star being one of their downright iconic songs and the title track being a great one too. After that, it’s fine and pleasant

Pretty awesome instrumentation, weirdly I didn't recognize any hits, big fan of the brass 6.4/10

Was digging the first song and thinking "Maybe I've never given EW&F a fair chance. Then things slowed, the funk fell away, and there were some dull songs. Soul songs that just don't touch upon my soul.

Solid album

a banger very good especially the fourth song.

It's a fun album. I think some of the moments on the album get a little repetitive. 3/5

In 1975, the low-budget film "That's the Way of the World" was released. It predictably flopped at the box office and unexpectedly propelled Earth, Wind & Fire, the creators of the eponymous soundtrack, to the top of the charts. The film, however, is completely unnecessary to understand this album: it's classic funk-soul, performed by nine members on a variety of instruments, including some quite exotic ones. It's also a story of hard work — Earth, Wind & Fire had previously released five unsuccessful albums, but they didn't give up and, with their characteristic joy, continued to move forward, and they were rewarded for it. The album dips slightly midway through the album, when the obligatory "Ballads" section begins, but everything else is sound so technically well and sung so positively that a three-star rating would definitely be too low.

Decent funky instrumentation with occasional bouts of brass and piano adding some welcome flavour. Vocally, however, I can't contend with this. "Africano" was, by far, the standout as it's just an instrumental bop.

This album truly captures a time and place. This is transportive, indeed. Not my go-to style but kind of top-tier music in its genre.

This just wasn’t for me. Maybe I dislike happiness or something, but it was way too cheesy and a lot of the songs sounded too similar. I also hated the spoken word sections on “All About Love (First Impression).”

Started out thinking this was going on the shelf, but as it went on, I was less into it.