Title: That's the way of the world
Artiste: Earth, Wind and Fire
Year: 1975
Chronological position: Sixth album
Previous experience of this artiste?: Nothing other than the singles
Why is this considered a classic? I really have to admit I have no idea. It has a number one hit on it yes, but none of the EWF songs I heard when I was growing up, like those detailed below in the comments. It's an okay album but I don't find anything classic about it personally.
My thoughts
One minute (or thereabouts in) ---- Good, great, bad, meh, still waiting or other? Meh
One track in --- Meh but then....
Halfway through --- Good
Finished --- Good
Comments: First thing I'm surprised to see, looking down the tracklist is that there are none of the big hits on this. Sure,
Shinin' star was a hit, but I'm talking
After the love has gone, September, Boogie wonderland ... you know, the BIG hits! Still, after a so-so beginning we settle down with a lovely slow soul smoocher in the title track, and I'm right back in the seventies, accidentally listening to Tony Prince on Radio Luxembourg after the rock show has ended, and thinking hey this ain't bad. Mind you, once Sylvester or the Jackson Five come on, I'm out of here! But this is nice.
I like the super-tight vocal harmonies, one of the things EWF were known for, and the musicianship can't be faulted. Big band:
nine members! So really they should sound like a wall of sound. And they do, but not in an overbearing way. This music just kind of washes over you and, well, makes love to you, ya know? It's Barry White but without the deep voice. I also like the alternating vocal styles, with altos and basses and baritones all in the mix. Hmm, only eight tracks? This will be easy to get through.
All about love is a great soul ballad in the style of Luther, or maybe I should say he sings in the style of EWF? Anyway, it's damn good. Some pretty bad seventies jargon at the end of it though! Oh and hold on: the ending is just terrible, with some sort of looped piano run or something going out of phase. Oh my ears! Almost ruined the song.
Africano is nice, different, very ethnic and I like the flute and kalimba (I think that's what it is) but then it goes into some funky jam like you'd get in one of those old seventies cop shows, and it just sort of sounds silly. Almost a parody really. Maybe it's the guys laughing at themselves, not sure. Bit too jazzy for my tastes too. Sort of goes downhill from there and I lose interest mostly. After a promising beginning a disappointing ending.
Favourite track(s): That's the way of the world, Happy feelin', All about love
Least favourite track(s): Probably
Shinin' star and I don't like the way
Africano develops. Not mad about
Yearnin', learnin' either...
Final impression --- A good disco/soul record but not something I believe I could not have lived without. It's okay but that's about it.
Do I feel, at the end, A) I wish I had listened to this sooner
B) I'm sorry I bothered
C) I might end up liking this
D) Have to wait and see
E) Bit underwhelmed; was ok but a classic?
Added in an extra category for this as I really don't feel any of the original four apply.
So it's obviously an E here. And I'm quite surprised, as this isn't Chic, Sister Sledge or any of a hundred other generic dance/soul artistes I have no interest in. I actually quite like Earth, Wind and Fire, but I'm very disappointed with this album. Well, not disappointed, but not singularly impressed, that's for sure.