Earth, Wind & Fire Albums (27)
What The Critics Say
Following 2003's The Promise, Earth, Wind & Fire went back to the studio and refined and updated their approach to music with a more contemporary neo-soul sound on Illumination, and the gamble paid off plentifully, as it's one of the group's freshest and most fully realized album since the glory years of the '70s, when the group was releasing one timeless single after another. What makes Illumination work so well is their approach to staying contemporary without looking ridiculous in the process. The production from start to finish is polished and ready for prime time urban radio airplay, while still maintaining a sensibility of the old-school sound that made it work in the first place. Guest appearances are the norm, rather than the exception, with nonstop cameos from a wide range of artists, from OutKast and the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am all the way to soft rock horn tooter Kenny G. But the crown jewel of the album is unquestionably the eight-minute jam "Show Me the Way," with Raphael Saadiq handling lead vocals in a way that should make Maurice White blush with pride, confident in the knowledge his influence is very much alive and well in the next generation of soul musicians. The album's final pieces are puzzling, as Brian McKnight's eloquent appearance on the ballad "To You" is roughly knocked out of place as the fitting closer by a smooth jazz cover of OutKast's "The Way You Move," an ill-fitting move for an otherwise outstanding record. Sequencing error aside, Illumination is the musical defibrillator other aging soul musicians should grab a hold of and take note. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide
'Live at the Velfarre (Japan)'
Release Date 6/30/2003
Tracks 18
Label Cutting Edge
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What The Critics Say
A certain reverence needs to be paid toward a group that can manage to still produce interesting, soulful music well into a third decade. Earth, Wind & Fire has endured practically everything a music group can experience and still remain true to the very essence of what made it popular. However, those expecting a knockout traditional Earth, Wind & Fire record will be slightly disappointed with The Promise. Though the magic of Philip Bailey and Maurice White's instantly recognizable vocals is still potent, there are a few things that Earth, Wind & Fire fanatics will immediately notice are different. The use of drum machines as opposed to a live drummer on the majority of the record takes some of the energy and magic out of the delivery, especially when revisiting classic moments of the group's career. Unnecessary interludes also serve more as distractions than interesting segues, and take away what little cohesiveness The Promise holds. Individually, the songs are still well-produced and hold up on their own -- and all would be considered suitable for a smooth jazz/adult R&B setting. Overall, The Promise still retains many of the qualities that endeared fans to Earth, Wind & Fire so many years ago -- it's extremely soulful and soothing, and the loyalists will eat this release up (especially with the renditions of older songs). ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In the early '00s, Earth, Wind & Fire's hardcore followers were given a few more reasons to smile when various labels put out some previously unreleased live recordings from the soul/funk innovators' '70s/early-'80s heyday. One was Legacy/Columbia's That's the Way of the World: Alive in '75; another was Live in Rio, which came out on EWF's own Kalimba label in late 2002 and focuses on a 1980 appearance in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In terms of packaging, Live in Rio isn't as strong as the Legacy disc. There are no liner notes (other than a short blurb by Maurice White), and no recording date is given. One has to visit EWF's website to ascertain that Live in Rio is a 1980 recording, although a serious EWF enthusiast could guess that it was recorded around 1979 or 1980 because of the selections and the lineup; most of the musicians heard on this 55-minute CD have long since left the band. But if Live in Rio's packaging leaves something to be desired, the performances are nothing to complain about. In 1980, EWF was very much on top of their game, and die-hard fans will be thrilled to hear live versions of hits like "Fantasy," "Boogie Wonderland," "Getaway," "September," and "Serpentine Fire." Observant listeners will notice that this CD sticks to EWF's post-Gratitude output -- that is, songs they recorded after their live album Gratitude, which came out in 1975. You won't hear "Shining Star," "Devotion," "That's the Way of the World," or "Reasons" on Live in Rio, although EWF probably performed some or all of those hits at this concert -- arguably, Kalimba Records should have offered the Rio set in its entirety and simply made Live in Rio a two-CD set. Nonetheless, the arrival of Live in Rio is still something to celebrate. The vast majority of EWF fans will agree that Gratitude remains the band's most essential live album, but Live in Rio is still a valuable -- if imperfect -- addition to their catalog. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'That's the Way of the World: Alive in '75'
Release Date 4/23/2002
Tracks 11
Label Sony
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What The Critics Say
This isn't really a major archival release, but that doesn't mean it isn't an enjoyable one, either. Capturing a series of highlights from Earth Wind & Fire's breakthrough 1975 tour -- all selected by Maurice White -- That's the Way of the World may not have the ebb and flow of a proper live set, but it does have the advantage of burning bright consistently throughout the record. This isn't just because of White's very selections, but because this is when EWF was at their peak as a white-hot funk band, laying down tight, monstrous grooves and turning out lively, interesting jams on top of that. All of that is captured well on this nine-track live album (not counting the "Overture" and "Interlude"); even when the group brings down the tempo on "Reasons" and "That's the Way of the World," the music doesn't turn flaccid -- it still smolders. This doesn't quite mean it's an earth-shattering release, but it's a fun record, something that the group's fans -- particularly those who loved the group's early peak years -- will surely dig. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Take Two'
Release Date 1/1/2001
Tracks 10
Label Sony Special Products
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What The Critics Say
Earth, Wind & Fire's return to Warner Bros. with 1993's Millennium proved to be short-lived -- the album failed to meet the company's expectations commercially. Four years later, EWF ended up on the independent, Miami-based Pyramid label with the surprisingly retro In the Name of Love. More personnel changes had taken place, but thankfully, Maurice and Verdine White and Philip Bailey were still on board for what was EWF's most live-sounding, least high-tech offering since 1983's Powerlight. (However, EWF had been touring without Maurice since 1994). Live horns and real instruments abound, and everything from the ballads "Cruising," "When Love Goes Wrong" and "Right Time" to the punchy funk ditty "Rock It" sounds like it could have been recorded in the 1970s. One very pleasant surprise is a remake of "Love of Life," which the pre-Bailey EWF embraced on its self-titled debut album of 1971. Bailey's son, Sir James Bailey, raps on the sociopolitical "Revolution," but on the whole, this excellent CD is unapologetically retro. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
