Reviews (page 8 of 13)
2.75
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 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.
Cool shi
Funky funk
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
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
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.
Started out thinking this was going on the shelf, but as it went on, I was less into it.
Lots to like in here.
A funky listen but not the best listen.
Get some culture!
Muy importantes al parecer, dentro del funk de los 70 así tipo disco. No los conocía.
Not a bad album but not really my genre. Something good to have on in the background but don’t think I’ll be rushing back to listen to it.
I really dug this today. I needed something funky. I had never listened to much of this group besides September. It's a great mix of funky and soul, upbeat and ballads. Shining Star was a great opener
A couple bangers but probably wouldn’t listen again in its entirety
Mi aspettavo di meglio da loro.
Some stuff that was good craic
Enjoyable
A fun time but I did zone out a bit. But definitely full of jams
Best album ive listened to so far by EWF. Happy vibes, dont love EWF lyrically but the melodies are nice.
Pleasant.
Fun and funky. The first two songs are the best
Album #47, Earth, Wind & Fire, That’s the Way of the World ⭐⭐⭐ This is going to be a relatively brief review for me. I didn’t love it. I didn’t really feel much towards it at all. I don’t think I needed to hear it before I die, but I did……and yeah! Nothing really stood out to me, and nothing really annoyed me either. I could tell there’s a big mix of genres going on. For example, on See the Light there’s that blend of jazz and African-style music, and across the album it’s mixing funk and soul throughout. It’s not straightforward music. It’d probably be more rewarding with multiple listens, but it just didn’t grab me in any way, so I think three stars is pretty fair. My favourite track was Reasons. I loved the falsetto on that. The vocals are great across the album in general. I didn’t think the lyrics were anything special though. I also really didn’t like the spoken word bit at the end of All About Love where he’s telling me to stop what I’m doing and think about things, such as love and life and this and that. I don’t have time to do that right now! But yeah, it didn’t do much for me. On to the next one.
This was actually pretty fun. Much better than expected
I'm not impressed in my first listen, but also find myself humming to some of the tunes... Honestly a fun album.
*Starts off with some great songs but slows down a little too much by the end
Decent listen.
Groovy music by a groovy bans. Peak 70's here, but in a good way.
Funky bass
Some joyful funk and soul! Outside of Africano there's nothing too special going on, but it IS groovy. Standouts: That's the Way of the World • Africano
I know this is objectively a good album but it does not hold my attention other than a few standouts like Shining Star and Yearnin Learnin.
I had high expectations for this one. I wasn’t disappointed; but I wasn’t blown away either.
Todella hienoa laulantaa. Ihan ok biisejä ja sopivan pituinen levy.
The falsetto, the horns, the organ and synth, classic Earth, Wind & Fire. Only recognized the opening track, Shining Star, but the rest were smooth.
Definitely one to listen to again. Great vibe.
upbeat boogie
Shining star See the Light Africano
It was an ok listen, very campy. Not my favourite music style, feels pretty dated but was a nice up lighting vibe.
it’s aight i like the blues a lot more tho!
Couple good songs
Ok.
Aside from the big singles, sorta meh.
신나고 편하게 듣기 좋음
Not my favorite EWF album
4 народа жили в мире, но племя воды в группу позвать забыли - that’s the way of the world, I guess Там кажется было что-то похожее на джаз, это приятно
groovay
pleasant soul/funk
Solid disco funk album
While soul isn't my wheelhouse, this was upbeat and uplifting. It was an enjoyable listen.
Outside the first song, this was actually a tad boring
Great
First listen. It’s a bit too 70s funky disco for me, but the lads are great. Slicker than the light up floor at 2001 Odyssey Disco
Quite nice
i like this
Take us to funky town
3/5
Some very catchy and recognizable tunes. Enjoyed but won’t listen again.
I knew i was going to like this and I did.
Pretty sweet set--and tight--of killer grooves, soul and disco jams. Tastes, feels, and sounds like apex slick mid-70s R&B funk. What is not to like?
Love the groove and the immaculate production. Some of the songs are a little filler-ish.
The first half was very good but at the end it was a bit too much. Nevertheless a fun listen.
It's funky, it's groovy. A lot to like about this. Interesting to see the origin of the 'I'm a celebrity get me out of here' drums. Favourites: Happy Feelin' Yearnin' Learnin' Africano
This would have been epic in the nightclubs in its day
looove the instrumentals in this so groovy and such an easy listen
Didn’t recognise any of these songs but still enjoyed them a decent amount. Good mix of upbeat and easy listening.
groovy baby
I'm off on another tangent. An artist I really like, The Dear Hunter, announced a new album yesterday which is the next part of a story they are telling over short films, LPs, an EP and an augmented reality game. The last LP has very funky Earth Wind and Fire vibes in places and I'd been meaning to listen to some EW&F as a result, so this was lovely timing. I really like funk. I've said this a few times now, but I genuinely didn't know before starting this project that that was the case. 300 albums in, the Generator has provided some utterly terrible records (in my opinion) but it has shown me the way of the funk, so for that I am grateful. That being said, this album is a bit variable for me. Shining Star, That's the Way of the World and Yearnin' Learnin' are all great. For my taste, the other tracks vary from pretty good (Africano) to "no, absolutely not" (All About Love). So it's getting a middling mark. 3/5
Just a plain fun album. Like it a lot. Even the songs that aren't timeless hits are fantastic.
Soulful, fun and funky (what they should be called). I hope Earth, Wind and/or Fire (not sure which one is which) are receiving some royalties from I’m a Celebrity with the use of that drum jingle!
Everything ive heard of Earth Wind and Fire has been plain Boogieful. This has more depth. Soulful. I Liked it. Bit manic at times Not terrific. But good. Poached egg, No toast.
It’s nice and chill but didn’t wow me. Feel like he came in on the wrong key on Reasons and it was too late to back away from it.
Otra banda imprescindible, con casi 100 millones de discos y una sección de viento increíble. Al nivel de Blood, Sweat and Tears pero con mucho más estilo y ritmo, tal vez Sly & The Family Stone y Funkadelic sean otros referentes mejores. Prince fue un admirador, como cualquier músico de los 70 en adelante. Siempre recordados por September, Fantasy, Boogie Wonderland y That´s the way (I like it) así como sus shows en directo. El paso a Columbia fue un acierto y ente disco sacan todo lo que lllevaban dentro. Este ya su 5 o 6 disco, y con Shining Star y la homónima como mayores éxitos. All about love es una joya que cierra la primera cara. Reasons y sobre todo Africano son lo mejor del segundo lado.
Smooth disco vibes to listen to in the background
One of the best R&B albums of the 70s
2.75/3 - Not what I'd regularly listen to but alot alot of fun. Nver really gave them a chance outside of the few big songs. Shining Star is the craziest start I LOVE it. I would give this intor a 5/5 but the rest of the album wasnt as potent until Africano. Fav Songs: Shining Star , Africano
Two 100pt songs to open, then falls off
Not my fav. Alright. Missing the hits
I quite liked the guitar action but couldn’t really get into it, not bad just not really my piece of cake.
Liked: That's The Way Of The World, Yearnin' Learnin', Reasons, See The Light Disliked: All About Love (First Impression)
Solid enough soul
Earth, Wind & Fire is a band I've never really explored outside of their big singles. That's the Way of the World didn't do a whole lot to convince me I was missing much. The record starts out really strong; Shining Star and That's the Way of the World are two different but very groovy tracks that get you in the mood for the rest of the album quite well. Happy Feelin' carries the momentum a little bit, but by All About Love it's completely gone for me. The rest kind of goes in one ear and out the other. Verdine White develops his bass playing significantly a few years later, but I think his baselines on this record are pretty weak, and the poor mixing doesn't help at all. I don't know if it's something with the digitization, because this record seems like an unusual miss from George Massenburg outside of those first two tracks. The brass really struggles as well, owing partly to the trend of over-exposed trumpet mixing at the time. The vocals sound great, but the rest left me a little offput. Outside of all of that though, the iconic EWF sound really starts to find its footing on this record. They haven't quite found out how to make earworm-worthy melodies yet, but the instrumentation and structure is there. They get into a groove that is nothing short of infectious. While I think there's a lot that could've been done better on this record, That's the Way of the World has a few great tracks and a wonderful starting point for their sound to develop in the coming years.
I liked the song thats the way of the world but the rest was kind of forgettable
This is smooth and undeniably well-made, but it didn’t fully grab me emotionally on first listen. The grooves are solid and super clean, even if I kept wanting a bit more bite or edge at times. It definitely feels like an album, though a few tracks stand out more than the rest rather than everything hitting equally hard. I really respected the rhythm section and the overall polish and how locked in and effortless it sounds, I just wasn’t totally pulled into its world yet. That said, it feels like a grower more than a miss, the kind of record that probably clicks harder once you live with it a bit. I get why it’s a classic, even if I’m not fully there with it yet.
I was excited to get this one as I have always loved the title track. But the rest of the album was not nearly as good and a couple of tunes didn’t work for me at all. So 5/5 for the good stuff and 2/5 for the rest. I added the title track to my Generator playlist.
Standouts Shining Star Africano
It’s alright.Not something I would play often .
I get that it's an iconic album, but it's not for me. I liked the songs I knew!
Enjoyed this, probably wouldn't come back to it. Nothing on the rest of the album hits as hard as the first track does. It's all really good, but nothing as attention getting as the opening to the album. Fantastic musicians, great vocals and I'm happy I listened to it.
Easy enough to listen to. Not a favoured genre for me
It's pretty good, but it's also shit.
Первые две песни вайб. Потом ну нормально. Лучше я послушаю диско, чем еще раз ZZ Top.
Лучшая песня: Shining Star Худшая: All About Love Пара песен норм, включая инструменталку, напоминающую заставку из часа диснея на РТР, остальное - хрень
слушал, пока был за рулем, начало клонить в сон
В начале была такая предпринс свага, что подумала, вот это альбом попался. Потом снова разрозненные однотипные треки на 80 млн минут, что осталась разочарованной
Начали за здравие и очень быстро ушли за упокой. В целом, ожидал больше диско и удивился что альбом звучит так, как звучит.
Yacht rock meets funk
3/6
Shining Star is a banger, the rest is okay
Fun and upbeat, but doesn't have enough that stands out or connects for me. Low 3
Just didn’t quite grab me - even if this is a pretty solid album
Singles great, the rest variable quality but always listenable.
This is a very warm, exuberant, kind hearted album with plenty of pep. Outside of the big singles though, I do feel a slight disconnect. It's a fun, warm listen which I’m sure would make a great party record which sits pleasantly in the background, but doesn’t give me anything deeper than that. 50% Earth, 50% Wind, no Fire.
High 3 for me on E, W & F, all lovely stuff but nothing really grabbing me which is a shame as I thought I might be really into a full album by them after loving various singles
This album is really lopsided. The front half is incredible then it just starts losing me
Has a couple hits I’ve heard a bunch before. Has some deep cuts I’ve never heard but enjoyed them because they’re different. I feel like at this point in their career they probably just were playing what felt right. 3.1/5.0
Groovy little listen
Je connaissais Earth, Wind and Fire de nom, mais c'est la première fois que j'en entends. C'est donc du funk, autant dire que je n'y connais rien, mais l'écoute était tout sauf déplaisante. Et c'est à peu près tout ce que j'ai à dire sur cet album !
3.5 i want this on vinyl
This album starts off really strong but fades quite a bit down the stretch. “Shining Star” and “That’s The Way Of The World” are by far the best songs on the album, but after that the songs kind of meander a bit and the last few are way too long. “Reasons” is probably the strongest track of the second half of the album. I really wanted to like this, and started out loving it, but this is definitely an album that peaked early and was overall just okay.
I liked this overall. Just wasn't quite as fun as I was expecting, only knowing Boogie wonderland and September. Really liked the Gospel breakdown in All about love.
It is interesting that I have never even bought a greatest hits of this band despite the fact that I love soul music. This was nice but pretty much just went over my head.
There is such a tenderness and feel in these tracks. Medicine for a bad day.
Fine to listen to but doesn't really WOW me
started strong, but most of it was kind of boring. expected more disco vibes.
Quite fun. Musically very pleasing, a lot of good instrumentalist chipped in. In that regard it is a great album. Still, somehow it didn't really pull me in. I had fun listening to it, but I didn't miss it after it was finished. It's a very accomplished, well produced album, but just didn't hit me the way it could. I wasn't too convinced by the lyrical side as well. Just not entirely my vibe.
så kjekt! en herlig onsdag med disco // Det er heeeelt sykt hvor forut sin tid dette er. sånn skikkelig høydepunkt: All About Love, Yearnin' Learnin', Reasons
While I’ve heard of them, this was my first time actually listening to Earth, Wind, & Fire. It was a good listen! Liked all the songs, there were none that stood out more than others.
Heard of the group but never listened to the album. Right off the bat I can tell I’m gonna like it. As is 90% of this list it seems, it was realeased between 70 and 80 but it’s such a different sound. Great production, great vocals on shining star. Keys are so good. Way of the world is good not great. I like the harmonies a lot. Just a little basic. Happy feelin is really fun. Apt name. Good production and good lyrics. Live the horns. And the xylophone too. Really unique. Slowing it down for all about love. Definitely a love song. Not my style but good production again. Ending is really cool. Not sure how they made those sounds. Yearnin learnin is a really good song. Really fun production, good lyrics. Pretty catchy too. And then back to pretty slow with reasons. I like how it’s jumping back and forth between fun and emotional. Africano is really cool too. Again super unique sounds. Not often do I like a song with no lyrics but this one does it. See the light is fun. More of the same. Good production good vocals. Overall this album is a breath of fresh air. Worth a listen for sure. 3.3 stars
Day 1 of listening to different albums from this website and today was Earth, Wind and Fire. I am familiar with a lot of their music but only know a couple of the tracks on this album, which turned out to be the singles they released from the album. This was their 6th studio album. I loved the richness of all the instruments. I did feel like some of the later tracks were just the band jamming and having fun together and weren't as exciting as the singles on the album. 3/5
3.5
lost me a little bit in the middle but shining star is GREAT and even when it drops off a bit it isn't bad by any means. good album
First three tracks: Great. Next four tracks: I don't care . Last track: Randomly fantastic.
Fine, easy listening. Shining Star and Yearnin' Learnin' were my favourites. This is my 5th 70s albums of the 7 I've generated, and I think I need a change!
First time listening this band except September Smooth songs That’s the way of the world
“All about love” I like the instruments on this one.
I used to think music was about identity. You were a punk rocker or a Deadhead or a jazz snob or a folkie or whatever. That was your tribe and that was how you related to the rest of the world. But as you get older, your identity turns out to be about a lot of other things. And as you learn more about music and musicians, you realize there are just two kinds: good music and bad music. Earth, Wind & Fire used to represent a lot of what I hated about the radio in the 70s. It wasn't pop, it wasn't soul, and it certainly wasn't jazz. It was just edgeless, coffee table music. But you know what? They're pretty good! This album has a couple of the big hits like "Shining Star" and the title track, but it has a lot of other kinds of songs: slick funk, romantic ballads, proto-disco, falsetto acrobatics, and even some subtle premonitions of hip-hop. And now that I'm not hearing these songs on cruddy AM radio, I can hear the serious pop craftsmanship on every track. The only thing is, I still don't really groove to music that's this smooth. So it's good, just not my thing. On the other hand, it does not have the all-purpose party anthem, "September," which I've heard so much that it has a Clockwork Orange-type gag reflex effect on me.
Soul and harmony
I thought this album was fine but just pretty boring, nothing really stood out to me. 65/100
Her får du mye for pengene: Litt gubberock, litt Bee Gees, litt crooner. Helt ok, tåler gjenhør.
Excellent funk album.
I thought I was going to like this more so maybe I was a victim of my own expectations. It was good but I only loved a couple of songs.
As a movie soundtrack, it’s good enough. “Reasons” and “Africano” stand out in particular. But if I had skipped it, I wouldn’t be upset.
album daora, vibezinha boa - 6,5/10
7/10
funkyyyy
Groovy fun
This is one of those albums where I recognize the greatness, but soul/funk is not one of my go-to genres, and having Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On so recently (And getting What's Going On? a while back), it's tough to really be into this record in comparison. Some really great stuff here, particularly the title track, All About Love (First Impression), and Africano. Never was huge on Shining Star despite it's popularity. So yeah. Great record, just not really my thing, and there are other records out there from this genre that I much prefer and would rather go back to.
It’s Shaft-errific! Perfect music for your Boogie Nights theme party.
Fun album, but not great. Just good. Can't see this getting less than a 3 or more than a 4 from anyone.
Quintessential 70s album, I obv knew shining star and that’s a bop. Not an album I would go to often but overall enjoyable. 3/5
Groovy, but not spectacular
Nice!
An image of Elaine Benes from Seinfeld pops into my head. She's jerkily dancing around in front of her bemused coworkers, an undignified routine that George Costanza describes as "a full body dry heave set to music". That music, it turns out, is the opening track of this album, "Shining Star". I recognised it immediately. The song, and the album, kick things off with some seriously funky soul with great guitar solos to measure. This is the type of soul music I love. Songs like "Yearnin' Learnin'" keep that funk going strong, but there's a lull in the songs in between. When the tempo drops it's easy listening, but too easy: there's nothing too interesting happening when the funk stops. The album does, however, end very strongly with two almost experimental songs that blend soul, funk, jazz and afrobeats. "See the Light" leans into jazz harmonies, before dissolving into a frenzied improv session. "Africano" brings jazz flute to afrobeats and funky soul, and it's brilliant. For how enjoyable it is, there's not a lot that's properly exceptional. I'd definitely throw this on again, especially "Africano" and "Shining Star", and if I do, I'll dance to the latter like a full body dry heave.
Middels disco er jo helt greit
Hørt 12/01/26.
Låtene med groovy rytme er gode, men blir fort bakgrunnsmusikk. De andre låtene, som All About Love og Reasons, er bare kjedelige.
Softer than the mid 70s funk i like to jam on. But still great music.
It's hard to deny the joy in this album and although I don't seem to recognise any of these songs specfically it also seems to reflect much of the music that was on the radio when I was, pre-teen, so there is also something nostalgic about it for me in a slightly "background" way. Would I go out of my way to listen to Earth, Wind and Fire again? Probably not. But enjoyed it while it lasted..
Starts strong, I liked the first three a lot but everything after that didn't do it for me. Africano wasn't bad once it got going, but I'm not a huge fan of instrumentals like that. Shining Star and Happy Feeling were good, I went back to hear them again.
I've never dived too deep into Earth, Wind & Fire, but I do know that some digging would be worth it. I know this is one of their more popular albums, and sure enough, I know Shining Star, an iconic song. But there's quite a bit here that's worthwhile. It's funk, it's soul, and it's very easy to listen to: There's something positive and pleasant about That's The Way Of The World that makes it hard to dislike. But, I must admit that my favorite material here is all the stuff that adheres closest to funk. Also, the mysticism here really seems to bug some people, but honestly I'm ambivalent to it. This didn't exactly change my life: there are some funk albums I know I prefer, and I didn't gel with a couple songs here: but, this is an enjoyable listen, and regardless of what I say, Earth, Wind & Fire are legends.
3.5, there has to be a certain vibe to want to listen but it's a vibe
3.3 Well-done but not uniformly my style
Ritmo disco, me ha gustado. No conocía ninguna canción.
It's okay though not many good songs. Very repetitive.
Classic.
Good, but not that good
Super fun and funky - really liked this. Very enjoyable to listen to - I know their big singles but liked listening to an album of theirs in full. A 3.5 album for me.
A bit of 70's soul never hurt anyone and this album is mostly OK. I didn't much like the high pitched volcals on Reasons but the rest was OK. Musically pretty varied and easy to listen to. I don't think I've listened to an Earth, Wind & Fire album end to end before and quite enjoyed living some of the music from my youth.
1/5/26 - fun, funky & upbeat. 7.5/10
Fun and funky. Favorite songs: Africano and Shining Star
I feel like this album is really frontloaded, it started super strong and then by the end I was ready for it to be over. I think its just the last two songs though, the rest was good. Favorites: Shining Star, Happy Feelin', Reasons
3.5 !!! so fun
Started off strong, but lost speed after the second track. Pretty much just ok.
chill but in a positive way
Great album opener but got a bit boring at certain points, but good background album
nice, soul and warm. Like it. 3/5 ——————————— Added to Liked Songs Playlist: — Shining Star; — That's the Way of the World;
It's fine, and easy to listen to.
Just more good stuff
Shining Star is the standout on this album, the rest is just ok. I had to skip through a few (All About Love, Reasons, See the Light) and the others were fine.
Not all of this has aged well, but some of it has carried through. Nothing outstanding in either direction.
Amazing vocals and some all time classics.
Groooooovyyyyy!!!!
liek an 8-9/10 kinda was distracted when listening and then my dog bit a random guy so points off for that but the first song is fire
It's a vibe
Really good album
I live for the funk, I die for the funk
3,5
Actually alright
Some real bangers, but a few that didn't resonate with me.
It’s okay but I just prefer other albums
Was really good I love the melody
Never really listened to James Brown before and now I want to do more of a deep dive. There’s so much energy and emotion in his music that makes you want to hear more. Loved the instrumental bridges between songs. This album is quick and easy to listen to, but it also has so much depth. Love
1- já tinha ouvido, mas não sabia de quem era. muito boa 2- amei 3- amei 4- mais lenta, me deu vontade de pular ela, termina com um prog estranho 5- animadinha, gostei 6- lentinha, groove gostosinho 7- somente instrumental, bem doida 8- groove progressivo, muito louco acho que só gostei das 3 primeiras mesmo, mas é um som bem groove, negro, gingado, bem feito de ótimo gosto
165/1001 Earth, Wind and Fire - That's The Way Of The World Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❓ Where this really shines are the funky, jazzy songs, which have a far looser sound than the more soulful ballads. The mix of the two seems evenly spread and wish it was more in the formers favour.
Hyvä levy. Pitää joskus paremmalla ajalla kuunnella uudestaan. 3/5.
Some of the songs sounds like they belong to a musical, the endings in particular. Not a fan of the horns on this album they pierce my ears. I really like the positive attitude these guys have. This is definitely an album where I wouldn't turn it off if it was on, but I wouldn't go seeking this.
Sind schon 2-3 banger dabei aber alles in allem nicht ganz meins
Cool, man!
Starts strong, but gets weak. Still, it's fun funk/soul/disco.
Loved some of this album. Reminds me of my parents
It's good to build out your understanding of artists by listening to works other than their big hits, but ultimately this did to me what other R&B and Soul tend to do - just wash over me, leaving little lasting impression.
Ég var að vonast eftir einhverju sem kæmi mér í gott stuð þegar ég sá hvaða hljómsveit var í vændum en hún náði mér aldrei í eitthvað rosalegt stuð.
Pleasant enough, not what I would usually listen to. Bit too much use of falsetto and some tracks have instrumental parts that seem unnecessary (All about love and See the light, i'm looking at you)
This is typical Earth, Wind And Fire. They're their own genre that's difficult to explain. Sorta soul, funk, and disco mixed. I probably won't listen to this again though. Favorite Track: "Shining Star".
Aight
I enjoyed this one. It was fun but didn’t make a huge impact on me. I liked the instrumentation and it felt nice and varied but I’m not sure I would go back and listen to the whole album. Fav song: Africano Least fav: All About Love (First Impression)
Think I reached my funk limit at some point listening to this album. Maybe I'd enjoy it more if it was playing at a party rather than at my desk. Favourite song: Yearnin' Learnin' Least: Africano
A decent enough listen. But in the end…too much earth and wind, and not enough fire.
I could do without the slow jams on this, but the upbeat stuff is good and you can see why these guys get respect. Not bad.
Good and funky but didn't hit as hard as I was hoping. Thought it would be a 4* or higher after the opener. Slipped to 3* over the course of the album. 3.5/5
Interesting listen, great instrumentals, but just too many total cheeseball moments.
3. It’s good, not my favorite EWF.
EWF is a great band but, imo, they didn’t make great albums. Killer singles, no doubt. This is one of those cases where the hits collection should have been considered, as theirs is absolutely impeccable. This record? Good but not great
Never listened to EW&F growing up. Only recognized Shining Star by name, but I'd definitely heard 3 or 4 others before. All in all it was enjoyable but kinda wore out it's welcome a little by the end.
I dug it. True classic 70s soul.
Are there any pop music bands this large today? Is this even possible? In any event, when “That’s the Way of the World” cooks it throws out funky grooves that would make the most stoic among us want to cut some rug. The more soulful tunes are good too. My issue, is that the combination of songs, the composition of the record, doesn’t always work, for me. The individual songs all work, but it is hard for me to pinpoint what mood I’d need to be in to want to listen to the album. Several songs are now on my cocktail party playlists, but that is not what this project is about. 3.5*
01) Shining Star - 7,5 02) That's the Way of the World - 7,5 03) Happy Feelin' - 7,0 04) All About Love - 6,5 05) Yearnin' Learnin - 6,5 06) Reasons - 6,0 07) Africano - 5,5 08) See the Light - 5,5 TOTAL: 6,50 (65/100) Current ranking: 521/748
A good album. I probably would have gotten into it more if it had been a bit funkier. Loved the first three tracks, and "Africano" was quite good, but the rest didn't do much for me. Not bad, just not great.
This one started off great but then started to fade. But still some good funk!
yeah idk, was ok
Earth, wind, fire and funk to your heart.
Funky and enjoyable. A bit forgettable towards the end but the start was fantastic.
Bueno
Good record, funky. Nothing exceptional imo
Kod mene nema dobitne kombinacije kad je funk u pitanju. Ako je sve živahno onda mi je statično. Ako uspore onda mi je to dosadno. Svakako jedan od boljih funk albuma dosad.
Groovy beats. Each song had instrumental breaks I found it easy to nod along to. Shining Star kicks off the album, which is a classic motivator I was happy to revisit.
фанки соул диско, ну нормально, люблю послушать но надо ли оно мне? вопрос
Like Seinfeld!
Shining Star was sweet, the rest was good but didnt wow me. I’m sure I’ll see another EW&F album on here.
A feelgood album. 3.5/5
Solid
3.5
I thought I'd like this more. It was OK.
Fun and funky!
Again, not my genre but a musically good album. However, it has Africano on it which is nostalgic for me as a UW HMB alum. I have to say the marching band version is a lot more exciting, though. Wikipedia classifies this as a soul / funk album. Totally makes sense.
It was pretty enjoyable. I can’t think of one song that really stood out
Bass, bass, bass 3.5/5
I think I'm starting to get Earth, Wind, and Fire. I'm not too familiar with their music beyond the radio hits, but what I've heard seemed a bit thin. The vocals feel too far forward, robbing the disco of any punch. That seems backwards for what I've always assumed was intended to be 70s dance funk, which I usually like. Unfortunately, I'm still not a fan of EW&F. But I now understand that their vocals are a cut above most disco faire. Their music is more like funky R&B, and I see the appeal there when if it creates a bit of dissonance for me personally. I was even moved in places. I look forward to hearing more EW&F, but right now it's cool but not for me. Three stars
This album started strong and hit so many styles within a short run time. Made up for in fun what it lacked in cohesion. Great driving music.
5/10 I spontaneously sprouted bell bottoms and platform shoes. Send help, may groove to death. 11-06-2025
I just accidentally took the most sexually charged bike ride
Just not into this one from them as much as I'd hoped.
I felt that this was very middle of the road stuff. There were bits that I enjoyed but, overall, I've heard a lot better from similar artists.
Album #949 I love Shining Star. The other stuff just isn’t as good. It doesn’t help I listened to The Temptations album yesterday. Similar music, but that one was superior.
Smooth soul with some funk.
That's a lot of falsetto and funk.
First track a banger. 2 is mellow, not bad, some cool guitar and keyboard play. 3 is uptempo with drums forward. A xylophone?I like, base is driving
Some bangers but not an overall hit
nice, soul and warm. Like it ——————————— Added to Liked Songs Playlist: — Shining Star; — That's the Way of the World;
Listened on 26th October 2025
Some stinkers on here. All the slow tracks are too smooth, too slick. I don't like those. But the other tracks (Shing Star, Happy Feelin, Africano) are so good. Because of those tracks: 3/5
This is good? I've no doubt that if this type of music is to your taste you'll love it. Enjoyed
When they're funky, they're great, but a bit too much easy listening on here to make it a total classic.
A fine record. Nothing too surprising on it. I am curious about the movie, though. Harvey Keitel is always interesting.
3.5
Shingles Star That's the way of the world Excellent musicians
Smooth soul grooves with some fantastic groovy singles mixed in a nice listen.
First time listening. Know the band for September and Boogie Wonderland. This is much more funk than disco though, abd very well put together. I imagine Prince liked it, can hear the influence. If more 'disco' was like it may have survived.
This album has a smooth, polished groove that’s hard not to enjoy. The band’s trademark mix of funk, soul, and jazz is all here, wrapped up in silky production and warm harmonies. It’s got a laid-back elegance that makes it easy to listen to, though at times it can feel almost too clean, like it’s missing a bit of raw edge. The title track is the obvious highlight, a perfectly crafted slice of soulful funk that still sounds timeless. “Shining Star” brings some extra energy and stands out as one of the more memorable moments. The rest of the album settles into a comfortable groove, never dipping in quality but also rarely surprising. That’s the Way of the World is an undeniably well-made record, smooth and confident from start to finish. It may not hit with the same force as the band’s best work, but it’s hard to deny the craftsmanship. A solid listen, even if it doesn’t fully catch fire.
Shining Star
It started great, kinda went downhill. Slow songs are long and boring for the most part.
Ça groove, c'est sympa mais on n'est pas surpris, toujours un peu pareil, groupe culte.
Very fun album. It's as I expected from Earth, Wind, and Fire. Some funky dance grooves is about as much as you can ask!
Nice soul/funk album, pretty fun and interesting listen, slower than expected throughout the middle. A perfect amount of 70s soul cheese talking 3.5/5
Great band. Great songs. 38 Minutes. The first two songs are the best on the album.
Funky and pretty good
all of the time
Not bad, but not as good as their usual work. Ryan describes it as "fine".
It just didn’t wow me. They’ve got a good groove, but nothing stood out to me in this album.
3.7, slow and jazz. amazing range of octives. some songs are too long (5 mins plus). there is not a sudden vibe change, you can pradict the music. same vocals motion. same way to ending songs (lower it till you here nothing). album for early morning or watching the sunset or to fall asleep to.
Very good Nearly a 4, but it sorta drifts off towards the end. Good but not spectacular
they sound like they are enjoying themselves
pretty solid, but wasn't mind blowing. was pretty distracted while listening, may play a part. 3/5
Interesting enough but not super engaging and not great.
Not a bad record. Of course shining star is a classic, and I really liked Africano and See the Light, but many of the others didn't hold my attention. Still, good overall. 3/5
Pretty enjoyable listen actually, groovy but not my type of music
It was ok, nothing to write home about but nothing to switch off in a hurry. Philip Bailey has a good voice but capable of more.
I like it. It doesn't pull me in as much as I'd hoped, but I can't fault it. I'd happily listen to any of the individual tracks again.
Enjoyed this one even if it perhaps sounds a little dated now. As ever with me, it’s all about the bass with this genre, and it’s on point here. Some of it reminded me of that Eddie Izzard bit from years ago about ‘sexy tunes’.
Some songs find a good groove but it just doesn’t hit the same heights of some of their other work. Personally, I quite like the jazzy noodling that turns up every now and then but would have probably been better standalone as it just ends up detracting from the vibe it’s otherwise trying to give off.
I think having heard September my too many times for too much of my life has ruined a lot of their upbeat flavor. Undeniable in their genre I suppose. Loved the horns.
3.5
Another 3. I liked it but did not love it.
Bit smooth and jazzy for my tastes.
Some great songs but overall, not really for me. I was also doing some plumbing work while it was in so I may have to give it another spin.
This made me feel good as shit. Me rikey.
I love the funky tunes, the ballads are also nice but they're more typical 70s mainstream. This album doesn't contain the hits I've previously heard before by this band. Good album, close to 4 stars.
Standout Songs: Shining Star That’s The Way Of The World Reasons
First song is a banger. Rest of the album is just ok.
WOW
Some classic 70s soul and funk on here, but interspersed with forgettable tracks. High 3
Quite funny and really funky. Some basslines are really really incredible. Overall a good record!
Everyone knows the two singles from this album (Shining Star and That’s the Way of the World), but the last two tracks are the best on this record in my opinion. ‘Africano’ sounds like a theme song and/or background music from a 1970s action TV show. Overall it’s pleasant listening and rates three stars.
They gave us this one 2 days too late!!! (I must say, I have seen enough of the 'September' gif this year to last me a lifetime, but I do like the song. So I'm feeling positive about this album -- even though I know 'September' is not even on it.) I love 'Shining Star', but that's because it's in "Muppets from Space", one of my letterboxd top 4. It is a bop though. Plus, Gonzo gets a happy ending!!! (spoilers). I'll be honest, I assumed some of the vocals in this song were dubbed in muppets, but no, it's just the original :'D The rest of the songs are solid. Good energy, fun. The beep bloop robot ending of 'All About Love' made me chuckle. Could do without the falsetto of 'Reasons', but it's not the worst. I couldn't take my time with this one, so it's just a high 3, but it's very solid. I just don't think I'd listen to it outside of this (but I could see myself bumping it up to 4 on another day). Highlights: 'Shining Star', 'Africano' (groovy)
i do like earth, wind & fire, but as I've gotten older and more into funk and soul, it's hard to not hear them as the more commercial and slick version of many of their contemporaries. it's fun, but there's just not a lot for me to latch on to, no crags or rough surfaces, to stretch an analogy. plus, i would say that this album doesn't even particularly stick out compared to other ew&f I'm familiar with. it's fine, but I'm not gonna get up in a lather about it
I'll get my criticisms out of the way first. Folks call this "soul music", which is fair enough, I suppose. But it's a little too close to disco for my liking. Each song is about 2 minutes longer than it really needs to be. Earth, Wind and Fire leans pretty heavily (too heavily) on singing in a falsetto, which gets grating. But, as far as disco (or disco-adjacent) goes, this is one of the better representations of the genre. I still don't love it, but parts of this record are pretty tolerable. There's some incredible musicianship on display on this record with a wide range of instruments. I'll never revisit it, but I guess I'm not sad it showed up here. 2.8/5
Fun listen. Very funky. Standout songs: Shining Star Africano See the Light
None of the EWF tunes that I know are on here but I enjoyed it. Africano a stand out track.
I like disco music, I liked this album. I think it was just one of those albums you put on without realising huge distinctions between the songs, and then before you know it it’s over. A pleasant listen, though I can’t claim to say it was anything too special that made me think anything fantastic of it. A good relaxing listen.
I'm not going to give this much time as I'm not a disco or soul person but Earth, Wind & Fire have pleasantly surprised me with this album. It is fun, groovy and I enjoyed listening. It's still not my genre and I won't be listening again anytime soon but thanks EW&F showing me I'm not completely soulless.
Some of these songs are really tight and solid, and some are a real loose mess.. This album is kinda all over the place.
Album that I like much less than I respect it. It’s good it’s just not my thing.