That's The Way Of The World

Earth, Wind & Fire, fellow haters of the Oxford comma, deliver again. I come away significantly more impressed with them, every time we get an album of theirs. It's strong stuff! The first three tracks are kind of unbeatable. I’ll dock them a bit for the album cover, which seems pretty hastily put together. Fantastic, musical, 4/5

Sometimes a funky album is just what you need!

Pretty funky, I enjoyed :)

This is some good stuff right here. Earth, Wind & Fire is a fairly well known band all things considered, but I've never really dived into their stuff before. I've always liked what I've heard though, and this album is no different. This is just a great funk album. The singing is very pleasant. I like it. The instrumentals are well made. They're very fun as well. The writing is also nice. Everything contributes to this being a very feel good album. It's not the most complex thing ever, but it doesn't need to be. It was also a movie soundtrack. It's not the best movie soundtrack I've gotten for this project. Hell, it's not even the best funk movie soundtrack I've gotten for this project. But this is still a very nice album to listen to. 4/5.

Enjoyable to listen to. Upbeat.

Great stuff from that era...

Two amazing tracks followed by an album's worth of experimentation from a group of talented musicians with suspect capacities for self-control and an obvious love of, to use the parlance of their day, mary jane. Not only does the lunacy that ensues make me smile, I actually found myself laughing out loud more than once.

This was fun!! I'd never listened to Earth, Wind & Fire before, outside of probably just "September" and "Let's Groove." The groovy vibes of this were perfect for my Monday morning commute. The instrumental songs were decent but less memorable.

Enjoyed

Great album. Hard not to feel amazing when hearing it!

Si la música funk de los años 70 tiene un nombre, ese es Earth, Wind & Fire. Su estilo fusiona a la perfección con jazz, soul suave y gospel ("See the Light"), incluso podemos encontrar trazas de pop, rock & roll, psicodelia, blues, folk y música africana. Por no hablar de sus brillantes incursiones en la música disco. Este fue su gran álbum, empezando por el fantástico primer tema de vigoroso funk, "Shining Star". Me gusta la balada "Reasons" y, por supuesto, el tema de R&B tranquilo que da título al disco, una llamada a ser positivo en la vida para alcanzar la felicidad. Con menos éxito comercial, también destacaría la exhuberante "Happy Feelin'" y la bailable "Yearnin' Learnin'".

Really good and fun

All About Love reminds me a lot of Outkast (specifically Andre 3000) in the way he has spoken word interludes. Can't recall the song off hand, but the whole structure of it is nearly identical. Spottieottiedopalicous maybe? Not sure exactly what I expected, but this album was very enjoyable end to end. All About Love was a great centerpiece and Africano > See the Light were fantastic closing material. Digging the vibes here and can hear a lot of influence on modern artists. 4 / 5

Exactly as good of an album I would expect from EWF. Africano was a favorite, as was See the Light

Give me all of the funk! I am so happy that this style of music is still made today and might even be picking up way more. These guys are just absolutely iconic. I knew more songs on this album than I thought I was going to. Africano absolutely ripped.

Very fun album

One of the most delightful albums on this list! The year of this album's release is 1975, so it's slightly pre-disco, but with the soul and funk, That's the Way of the World borders on disco. It isn't quite as jumpy as disco music but the smooth vibe is right there. The vocals of Maurice White, Philip Bailey, and Verdine White are positively exquisite. At times their voices could be described as sultry, kind of Marvin Gaye-esque. Of course, there's some African tones toward the end of the album. I appreciate the nod to their heritage, though it was very much a seventies theme. But I love how Earth, Wind & Fire still made the sound their own! The horn in "Africano" or the keyboards in a few songs provide a more modern sound.

Excellent

Little bit of funk. Little bit of soul. Some get up off your feet stuff and some lounging easy going stuff. Great mix of music here.

I had just listened to a different album with a horn line, and maybe it was the engineer, but the horns here seemed so much warmer. Loved the quick transition from "Shining Star" to the title track. I don't think it would have worked any other way. A xylophone in "Happy Feelin'"?! More of that, please! That was just so... joyous. I think the only thing I wasn't big on was the noodling at the end of "All About Love" although I liked the little extra bit at the end of "See The Light". This was just a damn good album, all the way around. I did feel the singing in "See The Light" was a little too falsetto, but I really enjoyed this one. It was just... fun. Top tracks: "Shining Star," "Happy Feelin'", "Africano"

7/10

Funky, but at times a bit to talkey for me. Fun listen though

Another wedding banger, in the best way. So much groove and joy. Feels like celebration.

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

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

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

Funk and jazz. Even had great instrumental

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

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

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

Delightful from start to finish.

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

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

It was fun, tho nothing remarkable

Fun album, enjoyable listen, and overall great vibes!

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

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

So good

You’re a shining star

Such a fun album.

Pretty fun album.

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

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

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

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

Class

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

I see why people like this

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

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

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

Super cool album

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

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

Class :)

Soulful, funky upbeat 70’s.

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

7/10 Better than expected

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

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

Shooting Star!

Groovy as hell!

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

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

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

Fun funk

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

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

7.5/10

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

Enjoyed this album. Fun to listen to

that was not bad, shinning star was a decent one

funky!

Very great

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That’s the Way of the World. So good

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

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

Some tunes

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

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

Solid EWF effort

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

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

Very good RnB, soul, funk record

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

So close to 5 stars great songs

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

Fun album with catchy songs.

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

Groovy as hell

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

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

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

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

4/5

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

well known band with magic sounds

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

funky og deilig

4.5

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

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

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

*голосом Тинькова* Итс окэй.

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

feeeeeeeeeeeliiing happy feeling happy feeeeliiing

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

Feel good groovy-disco

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

enjoyed that

This is brilliant. Got 2 plays today. It'll get more in future

Lekkerder dan ik had gedacht. Meer experiment en veelzijdiger vooral. Jammer dat ze toen nog niet zo goed konden opnemen

Shining star is gas This album is a little old for me Yearnin’ Learnin’ is serving JJBA Very much a groovy album Not my style tho

Loving the amount of “YEOOW” they’re dropping on these songs. Never has a band been more synergized the EW&F and this album is proof

From the first song i was groovin. it’s so clear why this band is iconic.

Dancing through most of the whole album

A different style for Earth, Wind and Fire, with jazzy and soul songs that i think i liked. Another thing it's that it's not hard to listen cause it doesn't last long and the songs are enjoyable

The beginning of the album was great - very chill, very nice, very relaxing... but then things started getting a bit too much towards the end because there were too many instruments at the same time, but that was just the last 2 songs, I think. Overall - better than this jazz guy that we got last time.

Really really enjoyed this one. There's something so comforting about this album. Maybe it's that my Mom was such a fan of Motown/Soul when I was growing up. It definitely made me dance and feel a good vibe throughout.

The first two tracks are bona fide hits and I could hear them just about any day. The rest of the album is pretty high level as well - as first-time listens I also enjoyed Africano and See the Light. The band is tight, super uplifting, and makes you want to dance around with your friends. What's not to like?

Album number one. This project kicks off with Shining Star by Earth, Wind & Fire. A great song to start with because it reminds me that all of the artists in this project are stars in their own right. Props to them for making the list! This album has great 70's soul energy. It's super groovy. Happy Feelin' bass line is awesome. I did not love All About Love but it's kind of a gem in it's own 70's soul-love kind of way. The freaky keyboard part at the end feels pretty tacked on. Africano is an absolutely fabulous get down and groove song! It might be my new favorite instrumental. See the Light makes it feel like the album ends up in heaven or something which is a pretty good way to end an album.

Great classic album.

Lots of hidden guitar licks, etc. that I'd never heard when this was new. Headphones are a marvelous invention, are they not. HAPPY FEELIN' is wild...I don't think I ever heard it before. In fact, most of the non-hirs on this album are terrific.

I liked it

I forgot how funky they are. Awesome horns and lots of love

Great album, great songs, great groove.

- oh hellll yeah - so many good vibes - i feel myself healing - i thought "All About Love (First Impression)" was initially a skip cause it's not an immediate banger but really u just gotta slow down and feel the message

So 70s and dope asf bass lines

Cool

Perfect Friday afternoon

I really loved this album! All around great funk and disco.

Classic soul feel-good music that nobody makes anymore. Best way to start this journey 😊

what does it say abt me if my first thought at the start of the album was minions: the rise of gru.

funky!

Some classic funky tunes

Packed full of soul and rhythm and doused with jazzy groove, this record is full of indefatigable good vibes. If you would like something like that, put on Earth, Wind & Fire and let yourself be transported to a 70s discotheque. Highlight Tracks: Shining Star, Reasons, Africano 8/10

smooth & breezes by fave track: that's the way of the world

Funk!!!!!

Groovy and fun

Standardica za gospodu, nije lose, ofc fanki af, malo tugy

funky af, 3.5 rounded up

Apparently I’m a bigger fan of funk than I thought. No skips at all on this. Just infectiously upbeat rhythms and melodies. My only minor nitpick, which is what prevents this getting a perfect score, is that two or three tracks tack on an extra few seconds of random noodling that I could do without. 4.5/5

A great soul album. Loved the bass lines!

Enjoyable listen! Nice mix of jazz and funk and great voices!

Pretty banging. A lot of these songs have been used as samples in hip hop songs.

It won't get groovier than this! EW&F are a reliable source of good feelings and this record is clear proof. My favorite track in the album must be "Africano". The amount of happiness this instrumental gave can not be described in words. I need to find a kind of scenario in my life in which I would replay this album. This is not my go-to kind of music sadly.

Excellent songs. Different feel to September but very good

Cor this was fun. I really enjoyed bopping my head to this. It felt current too, in ways I hadn't expected. Glad I went back for a listen.

This is distilled funk. Great album.

Er et par skikkelig gode låter her, men overall litt tamt? Er stor fan av EWF men dette var litt for monotont og nedpå for å bli en innertier

A ton of funky fun

Good stuff

Soulifically Funkifying. 4/5

Groovy

Outstanding. Really enjoyed.

mostly consistent with yearnin' learnin' and see the light being a little week all other tracks are great with my favorites being Africano and All about love.

Liked this, it was fun.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Slower than what I expected for EWF Also am I imagining it or is 1:15s into Africano the drum solo sampled on the I'm a celebrity theme tune??

Add me to the crowd really enjoying this. Think the band really hit their stride when Jim Earth and Steve Wind recruited Harry Fire to become a trio

What a fun listen. Funky as hell. A mix of fun fast-paced songs and slow songs for makin' it.

A few classics, and sow gems I only just learned. Africano stands out.

only song i actually know by them is "lets grove" so im going in with no big expectations but a good feeling about it ok im done honestly the album has some bangers but i dislike the fadeouts/lazy outros to songs that sometimes ruin the flow of the album otherwise it bangs

Thought this album was fantastic.

funky and good cannot place where i've heard a specific cover/sample of shining star but i think it was on a disney compilation cd in the 2000s that outro on all about love omg...... reminds me of the one snarky puppy synth solo on lingus i think favorites: shining star, africano

Favourite tracks: shining star; that's the way of the world; happy feeling

Great, great vibe, very fun, few intresting melodies and lots of keyboard, all of the voices together fit great, need to listen to again

Tiefer und vielschichtiger als erwartet. Nicht so Disco mäßig wie Boogie Wonderland, sondern ein gutes R&B Album

This exercise is really opening my eyes to funk. Not sure why I neglected it.

amazing synth, high notes, an energy only black people posses

A very solid funk/soul album with some tender moments. The bass is bumping, the horns are blaring, and the harmonies are tight. Truly one of the greats of the genre; I can honestly say this isn't even their strongest album and yet it's a solid 4 from me. Stand out tracks: Shining Star, Yearnin' Learnin', Africano

Funk and Soul are two genres I’ve never given much attention to. I didn’t expect to like this very much, but the whole album had such a “feel good” vibe, I quite loved it despite myself.

I've heard these songs all over the place but never realized this is what they were. Very fun album with such fun bass lines. Listening to this inspired me to learn a few of these on bass.

Never really gave this album a chance before using this website but it wasn’t too bad. Shining star and happy feeling we’re absolute bops, basically all the songs will get your head movin. I’m giving a decent four because I’m just more into songs with a little bit of a slower pace and less jazzy. Solid album

Couple of busts but great album by a great band

Great album. They definitely lay the groove from song 1 until the end. Cannot go wrong with some earth wind and fire. This is one of those albums you throw on and just let play through, every song is some sort of quality. Perfect for the 70s. Some of the best soul music around. Almost has that celebratory edge to it as well. So creative as well. Somehow they came with the soul jazz yet gave it that funky EWF edge. Personal Favorites: That's the way of the world, reasons

I really like this. It has the kind of mood that you could only find in the early 70s. Very pleasant to listen to.

Pretty good. I haven't heard anything else from these guys other than September since I'm a total zoomer but I liked most of the songs on here except That's the Way of the World and Happy Feelin'. Personal favorite is probably Reasons.

Another album that I already own and have listened to multiple times. It flows from track to track beautifully, no weak tracks, and several outstanding tracks.

So good. I love when bands use more than just the usual instruments. Fuller sounds are soooo good.

Fun, funky album. Love them and their music and vocals and talking throughout.

funky

Not my favourite EW&F album but still a corker, Shining Star is ridiculous.

Amazing album. The perfect positivity antidote to my last two albums 😀 (Liquid Swords and Rage Against the Machine). Lots of variety stylistically from cut to cut. Really exceptional recording quality and virtuosity. Never realized what a great singer Maurice White is, this is just next level.

Really good album loved all about love

One of my favorite styles of soul/funk. Harmonies are enchanting.

As one who was weaned on EWF's spectacular live album Gratitude (Columbia 1975), this one was somewhat irresistible for me to scribble about. Hearing "Shining Star" kick-off (slightly slower than the live version), I was immediately reminded of two things: 1. That funk doesn't need to be especially uptempo to get "all up in you" (as Miles Davis used to say) and 2. That Verdine White is so perpetually underrated as a bass player. Sometimes there are deserving reasons for certain songs being hits. "That's The Way of the World" is a laid-back groove as cool as the other side of the pillow. It never fails to lighten my mood. "Happy Feeling" is new to me (I never had this album) but is a welcome musical introduction, Dig that kalimba. "All About Love" is a "snuggle close" tune perhaps as obligatory as it is generic, but it's very much of its time and band - and isn't all THAT bad. But what's up with that unexpected synth outro? That's exactly the kind of thing that makes me love EWF all the more. "Yearnin' Learnin'" is a total fave too. I only slightly prefer the live version on Gratitude for being just a bit more unrestrained. "Reasons" is a Philip Bailey showcase and as much as one might poo-poo it as another one to make the ladies swoon, it's hard to deny its greatness as just that. If I have a caveat about "Africano" it is that the "Africano/Power" medley that kicks off Gratitude is so damn ferocious in comparison, it kind of makes this version an "also ran." Still, if you don't have that to compare it to, this is surely a great song. The kind of thing that not only elevated EWF from being just another funk/pop band but almost served as a partial template for young contemporary bands such as Snarky Puppy and The Funky Knuckles. "See The Light" reveals some of the real magic and musicianship of the era. I've long held that 1975/1976 was not only a stellar period for just about all musical genres but also one of unprecedented cross-pollination between them. It was the heyday of fusion (the good kind). Jazz artists were dipping heavy into rock and electric synthesis. Many pop artists were trying to make real statements in their music with bolder structures and jazz-inflected chords, and it seemed like funk was getting into everything (in the best way). You can hear that adventurousness not just in the odd-metered intro but in the harmonic content and arrangement of this song as a whole. As it's hard for me to separate out my personal connection and outright love for the Gratitude album, I can't put That's The Way Of The World ahead of it. But it is perhaps a very unfair comparison in that Gratitude is a double album and admittedly more of a greatest hits (as many live albums are). That said, I have no qualms saying that if you only buy one of EWF's studio albums, this is the one to get. - Mike Jacobs

There were two tunes that dragged this down for me, and one of them was apparently one of the hits. But damn, the bass was tight on this, and the horns and vocals... I'm familiar with a lot of this band's material, but mostly from the best-of collection. I was impressed with how talented the players are — which seems like an idiotic insight, but there it is — and arranging was on the album. The horns are expertly used, the harmonies are a cut above, there's more depth here than I realized. I'm definitely sitting between a 3 and a 4, because the two tunes that didn't move me weighed heavily. But hell, based on the good stuff, I'm giving it the bump.

R&B visionaries. Excellent.

Muito bom!!

wholesome, falls apart on the album only tracks though. All About Love is surprisingly good

It was great, very lively, but very 70's.

Much, much better than I anticipated. September is the song I am most familiar with by them and it has suffered from overexposure but this album is really good—these guys really know how to play. It’s a stark contrast to yesterday’s pick, which was mostly undeveloped ideas. These are fucking songs man! I’ll listen again.

Just sit back and let the buttery guitar and bass tones take you away on this one. Obviously Shining Star is, well, the star here, but stick around for the rest of the album too. There are a lot of funky tracks with incredibly solid instrumentation, particularly in the horns. The softer moments really work too, and don't cause the album to slow down or lose momentum.

Earth, Wind(,) & Fire’s trademark blend of musical versatility and energetic positivity is on full display within this rich, dynamic, & socially conscious outing.

If they took off the ballads here it might be a 5/5, but those just pale in comparison to the upbeat cuts. 4.5/5

It has some really nice songs, nothing bad in the others.

It was fun! Had a few songs I had heard before, and it was enjoyable to hear other songs on the album. It's no Johnny Cash, but its my second favorite thus far. 4/5

Funk! Pretty cool. Good songs are to be found, catchy and fun to listen to. Not the most astounding lyrically, but it’s still good.

A vibrant mix of soulful ballads and classic funk bangers. Despite some parts not aging as well as others, the diverse vocal styles and insane synthwork bring this album to another level. Fav Tracks: Shining Star, That's the Way of the World, Happy Feelin', Yearnin' Learnin', Reasons Least Fav Track: All About Love (First Impression) 8.5/10

Hitmaker

Way better than I thought it would be. Great mix between pop, soul and funk.

Lively, romantic, very clean production.

Funky!

Punchy, fun, optimistic funk pop album straight out of 70s Chicago - not that I would know. I've never been to that decade or place. This album is simple, textured, laid back and strikes the delicate balance between cool and cheesy in a way that makes it an all time classic. You can imagine middle-aged parents dancing to this in the kitchen after the kids have gone off to bed. I just listen in bed, lying like a starfish.

Now that's how you boogie, and that's how you groove. Fun and funky on the up-tempo tracks, smooth and cool on the slow tracks. Makes you want to dance, makes you want to be in love.

Bueno, parte funky pero luego de la segunda canción se pone más tranquilo, se nota la calidad de músicos.

An absolute delight to listen to in the morning. Just a great blend of danceable funk, smooth R&B, and earnest soul. An excellent album.

Rad as hell

Some sort of “Elaine-Benes” kinda album

Lush and gorgeous RnB. Deeply evocative.

Funky tracks

Yeah, that's good stuff. The songwriting, the musicianship, the production - all truly top-notch. So much funky soul. Really great. The only detraction is the indelible stank of disco. It's not entirely their fault. Pretty much everything from this time period stinks of it almost and it feels wrong to dock 'em a star for what was a nearly universal problem in music at the time. But I'm going to because disco is the worst.

whenever i think Earth, Wind & Fire i think disco. and they are pretty great at disco but they’re more than that too as this album shows. very good

I was a bit worried that this would end up being boring, but there's some cool songs on here. I'm glad I ended up enjoying it. Maybe I should listen to more by them. My favourite song was Happy Feelin'.

Classic so funky big yes from Harry

Baller. Was expecting it to be good but it was better

pretty funky man! 😎🌍💨🔥

VIBES!

Fun album, great energy. And it's not too long either.

The songs are strong enough; The tags-not-skits approach to soundtrack recording make this one slick package. "Cute" feels dismissive but otherwise accurate to my feelings. Earth, Wind & Fire don't maintain particularly high energy but have no need to: The leisure on several tracks is just right.

BOPPIN

дискодискодискоо

Jazzy, funky, life affirming music. EWF occupies a very specific niche in music that's all their own, one of positivity and joy, delivered on the waves of a masterful groove. You cannot listen to this without cracking a smile, it's such a delight. Fave Songs: Shining Star, That's the Way of the World, Reasons, Happy Feelin', Yearnin' Learnin'

Shining Star (best song) That’s the Way of the World, Happy Feelin’ Reasons, Africano (sax master) and See The Light. Alfa voices and flute and saxs.

A jazzy and funky time for a local soul brother near you. 4.5/5 FS: Africano, Happy Feelin, Reasons

better than expected (which seems to be a pattern with 70s funk for me) Favorite Tracks: All About Love, Africano 4-4.5/5

I really liked that the opening almost made me dance, it was really funny, as the album continues with that sound all along. Even tho the second is kind long and not so funny, I still consider it a very good song. I just wished that more songs had that spirit to dance. Anyway, this thing slaps, just funny and good music. Fav Tracks: Shining Star, All about love, Reasons,

Classic! Love EWF!

Some damn good funk.

excellent funk album

That opening is hot fire. The rest of the album dithers and has its ups and downs. Some peak funk here though - thoroughly enjoyable.

iiiiii don't know how i feel about funk it all just blends together 😬

Buena música disco. Uno de esos discos difícil de encontrar. Me gustó, levanta a pleno y tiene altos arreglos. Tendria que escucharlo de nuevo.

Funky... Groovy... Awesome...

Smoooooth

e,w,&f are good music to listen to. classic and iconic and fun and splash zing zang boom. sexy ass motherfucking ass music.

Dit is wel een feestje hoor. Maar ook een leuke afwisseling tussen uptempo funky disco en wat meer soul-like ballads. Dat maakt dit toch wel een erg interessante plaat. 4 sterren.

Awesome, only way too short!

Nice album

I can never get tired of this upbeat funky soul music

Magical

Groovy, but not enough bangers

Very solid album filled with bangers. Summer night type beat.

Bangin

I’ve always had an admiration for Earth, Wind & Fire for their ability to fuse mind blowing musicianship with gargantuan pop hits (“September”, “Boogie Wonderland”, that Beatles cover…… you know, whatever else). I’d heard “That’s the Way of the World” once before, and let it wash over me a little. Coming back to it now, in amongst the swamp of other albums included on the 1001 list, it shines all the brighter. The first jolting, goosebumps-worthy moment comes halfway through the first verse of “Shining Star”, when Philip Bailey glides up into his signature, silky smooth falsetto. That alone is enough to reveal we’re in the presence of greatness, and then seconds later, the harmonies come in and we reach the chorus. All doubts buried in the Earth, blown away in the Wind and ravaged in the Fire. Moving forwards, things settle into a rhythm of alternating soul ballads with more upbeat, funk or world-influenced offerings: that’s the way of “That’s the Way of the World”. Arguably, the best example of each comes at the start of the album, with its two singles: “Shining Star”’s slick soul-funk and the absolutely gorgeous “That’s the Way of the World”. Luscious falsetto vocals, warm rhythm guitar, strings and glockenspiel underscoring… this title track has it all. While we don’t reach quite the same peak again, there are many more highlights to be found in this set. “Happy Feelin’” is exuberant and irresistible, with my new favourite falsetto singalong (“FEEEEEEE-eeeeelin”) and perhaps the most euphoric kalimba (I think?) committed to tape. “Africano” is also an unexpected treat: instrumental fusion-y bliss, with stunning performances all round. The rest is good (“Reasons”, “Yearnin’ Learning”) to middling: “All About Love (First Impression)” is a softly stirring slow jam, but doesn’t hit on the same level as most of the others here. All in all, though, it’s a supremely groovy album. Summer’s here, and the time is right for dancing to these beats.

Some very cool funky vibes. Africano smashes hard. Prefer the up tempo songs over the ballads. Will check out more of EW&F. More 70s funk please.

Have mercy!

EW&F are dynamite for sure. First two tracks are stand outs but I'm a sucker for good soul funk. What a positive bunch, live would be insane.

Shinin star fah you tah see what yah laife can trulay be

A really excellent record. Not exactly 'my thing' but quite an impressive sound and musicianship, and def if I was looking for something groovy this would be a great pick.

Much more interesting and rich for sit down listening than most funk. lots of fun jazz ideas and less poppy than some other earth wind and fire.

I liked it better than I thought I would, I'll revisit it again I think

Ace.

Heading into this album, the only Earth, Wind & Fire songs that I was familiar with were "Shining Star" and "September" (shoutout 'Superbad' and Demi Adejuyigbe). Funk and soul music are genres that I don't gravitate towards very often, but I thought this was a great album. The songs were all fun to listen to, and I think this album is a standout of funk and soul. As the late seventies were approaching, it feels like a lot of bands that were trying to embrace funk, soul, and eventually disco, didn't have a lot that set them apart from the crowd. However, Earth, Wind & Fire really were in a class of their own, and I think a lot of that is due to Philip Bailey's vocals (for what it's worth, it's become a huge pet peeve of mine that "Easy Lover" is often touted as a Phil Collins song, when it appeared on Philip Bailey's album. I love Phil, but that's a Philip Bailey song that happens to feature Phil Collins). Even though Philip Bailey's vocals are great, the band still finds a way to let the instruments pack a punch when they need to. I love that this album had some longer songs, especially the synth-heavy outro of "All About Love." This is a great album, and a master class on soul and funk.

Funk yeah, baby. The slow songs drag, but the bangers bang! 4 out of 5 stars.

Best one this thing has given me so far (day 4 or 5) Bangers and good shit

What's not to love about EWaF? Funky grooves, great ballads, top musicianship... Soul in the realist sense. Love this record, but it is clearly of an era so I'm not sure it lives up to the legend of their reputation.

The funk is funky (I think that's a good thing!). The highlights for me are the incredible drum and bass going on here, hard to miss. There's also some fantastic brass in some of the songs that I think adds some extra punch.

Good stuff

Great groovy sounds, some classic beats and lyrics. A nice listen for a Saturday morning!

Early 1975 EW&F? It's good! Funky and full of life then slower and soulful..... I like it. A bit mystified why their other lateer stuff is not in the list?

A great disco funk soul album by one of the best soul bands. This album has three amazing songs on it and only one kinda bad song which is really just an instrumental track. It has great replay value. The popular songs, reasons and shining star, stand out far and above as they are timeless hits. Earth Wind and Fire had a great ability to use jazzy instrumentals to keep a funky sound while having impeccable vocals. This is a great listen. 8.2/10

All I can say is that I bet a whole lot of people have gotten laid as a result of some of these smooth and sexy sounds!

Soulful, funky, pretty solid all around d

Sometimes the vocals were a *bit* too much for me. However, it is really really difficult to not like this record.

Good stuff

nice music, i like the funky sound, my favourite numbers are yearning, learning en all about love ( nice instrumental peace at the end )

The first 15 seconds tells you everything you need to know and you either like itor you don't. 70s funk. I dig it, baby, yeah!

Awwwwwyeaaaahhh! This is my kind of cheesy funk.

It's late so I'll be quick. This is one of the albums from my youth that does stand the test of time. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to but I wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

You can hear the joy in this record. It's crazy how great this sounds. Not exactly my style of music, but I've heard parts of this record many times over the years. It was nice to listen to the whole thing.

Cooles Album. Nice sogns. Guter Soul. Earth, WInd and Fire are (one of) the best.

Who's your favorite? I like Mr Wind best.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Happy feeling

Ugh I loved this. I absolutely GROOVED while cooking dinner to this, and I swear to god I will do it again

Overall an enjoyable album, with many highs but also some lows, especially in the high pitched vocal department.

Classic

Pretty stoked to have this one come up in my rotation. I'm familiar with Earth, Wind & Fire as an entity and know the hits, but I've never actually done a deep dive. The only song I knew from this one going in was "Shining Star" - which isn't to say I hadn't heard any of the others - I'm sure I've heard more than a few, but not necessarily been aware or paying attention! "That's the Way of the World" is some pretty epic groove... "Shining Star" may be the big well-known single here, but "Happy Feelin'" is a gawd dayum jam! Pumping positivity with a funk workout - I could listen to this over and over again. And probably will for a bit once this album's over. "All About Love (First Impression)" feels somewhat forgettable at first, but the spoken word breakdown pulled me all the way back in and the psychedelic outro is pretty damn tasty! A lot of times slow jams can take awhile for me to come around to, but this got me on board. And while I may be listening digitally right now, it's a great way to close a side. ...and "Yernin' Learnin'" is a great way to open a side! We've only just begun side two and I'm ready to dig deeper into the catalogue - something I should have done a long time ago already "Reasons" may be the song least likely for me to throw on here, but I do love that it comes off as a slow jam love song and really isn't. "AFRICANO," FUnK YEAH! Another one I could play all day and be mighty pleased. "See the Light" is a nice little wind down to the whole affair. Especially the outro. This is a very solid four-star album for me - it doesn't grab me the whole way through but it sure does for most of it, in so many great ways. Glad to finally have kickstarted a look into the Earth, Wind & Fire catalogue and definitely look forward to more. ​

Groooovy

Of course this is good. Doesn't contain all the hits, but is still pretty good.

It's got some great grooves and music. Really funky. Don't enjoy love songs enough to give it 5 stars but it's a 5 star production.

Love me a tight horn section, and I was surprised how often the keyboard playing and melodic percussion on this album stood out as well. The big funk/soul groups don't always do it for me, but I liked this entire album.

Pretty good, but not my favorite kind of funk. More of a PFunk guy for sure, but this will do in a pinch. B

A fun and funky blend of styles.

Funky. Fresh. My man really threw some rap in there for us. Overall solid album. Was missing that it factor though. Could have been better. 4 stars.