By: Wind & Fire Earth Average Rating: Binding: Audio CD Format: Extra tracks, Original recording remastered Label: Sony Number of Discs: 1 Release Date: April 10, 2001
Greatest Earth Wind and Fire Album As an Earth, Wind & Fire (fan)atic I often get into arguments about which is their best album. "All N All" may be the climax of their "classic-era sound" and "Gratitude" a better mix of the original and classic EWF sounds, but "Spirit" is their core. Phillip Bailey's soaring vocals on "Imagination" and Maurice's beautiful, smoke-filled performance on my favorite track "Earth, Wind & Fire" make this the album I play the most. There can be nothing [wo(man)-made] more beautiful on the planet than the music of the Elements of the Universe.
(4.5 stars) Fantastic and very underrated One of EWF's absolute best albums - don't ask me why it's so overlooked! Like Way of the World, it's very ballad-friendly, and those tracks are often the best (the smooth "Imagination", with Bailey's angelic vocals; the inspirational, slightly funky "On Your Face"; the sermon title song, with wonderful falsetto and horns; "Earth, Wind and Fire" has some of their best harmonies, though it is kind of just another EWF song - it's not bad, though). The big hits were both funk, and while one of them (the driving "Getaway") is one of the best tunes they ever did, the other ("Saturday Nite") is merely decent, though bolstered by a stellar guitar riff. Still, so much of their funk is better than that. You also get another one of their jazzy instrumentals, and it really works well ("Biyo") - in fact, it may be the best of those, and that's one great kalimba part! And an amazing soprano sax! The only weak song, then, is the totally schmaltzy message tune "Burning Bush". Don't skip this one over. It's really, really good.
Awesome Album A treasured addition to my'Golden Groups & Artists Collection', thanks Amazon for a timely delivery and for always keeping my shopping time to minimum;I can always find what I'm looking for. Thanks,T. Lindsey
African Spirit The story goes that Stevie Wonder's Song's in the key of life was being released the same day as EWF's Spirit. Motown knew this & moved Stevie's release date up 2 days. Which goes to show you the respect EWF was getting and still gets today. Of course it was not a rivarly going on, but in the mid-seventies, Stevie & EWF were what one might say, the two leading artists at the time in the black community, only Stevie had made the crossover, on his own terms of course, on a greater level than the blatantly Afrocentric EWF. Maurice & the band never really made too much comment about their heritage, but they celebrated it. Wholeheartedly. Not only within the music, but also in its imagery. We won't go into the well known fact of what Egypt is, that should be known by now.
But with this record, Spirit, EWF does something exquisite in making the music & lyrics appeal directly to the community, but at the same time giving it worldly appeal. There is no way to describe this one track by track, it is a total experience. GETAWAY is a great opener & Burnin Bush is an even greater closer and in between is music that will ultimately stand the test of time. Feel that.
Must Have!!! In my opinion, this is the best EWF recording of all time. Buy both this CD and their "Greatest Hits", and you will be in for a true EWF musical experience!
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
