That’s the Way of the World

Fun album, enjoyable listen, and overall great vibes!

This album was full of ups and downs, but by the end I was pretty annoyed with this album because of the sheer amount of cheese oozing from its grooves. Yeah, some of the instrumentation is impressive, and at times the vocals and melodies were pretty, but that stretch of gospel funk on the entire B-side felt all too goofy to ever be taken seriously, and that final track just felt preachy and sanctimonious. There was hope in the beginning, as even I know Shining Star and enjoy it, but I cannot really seem to look past my flaws with it. If you're looking for something incredibly easy for everyone you know to enjoy, but not much above that, this is that.

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

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

Fun time. Sad it got a little slower :(

It’s impossible to listen to this music and not smile. Absolutely wonderful. I was surprised at the Africana elements at the end but that too was a cool additional element to this deep soul experience.

This was a really fun and vibrant listen. From the first track, the album feels full of life and confidence. Earth, Wind and Fire have that incredible ability to blend funk, soul and pop into something that sounds effortless but is clearly crafted with serious musicianship.

What I enjoyed most is how the album evolves as it goes along. It moves between upbeat, groove driven tracks and smoother, more reflective moments, yet it never feels disjointed. There is variety in style, tempo and mood, but it all works together as one cohesive piece.

The musicianship is outstanding throughout. Tight rhythms, rich brass sections and those layered vocals give everything a warmth and energy that is hard not to smile at. It is the kind of album that instantly lifts your mood.

It even makes me curious to watch the film of the same name, although I have heard that the movie itself does not quite live up to the soundtrack.

Favourite song: Shining Star
Least favourite song: None that stood out negatively
Album artwork: Very 70s and very cool. It perfectly matches the cosmic, soulful vibe of the music

I had a nice happy time listening to this. Straight down the middle, good vibes.

You don't get more classic disco than this. I wish I could hear this with fresh 70's ears and be as blown away as it deserves. This is clearly immaculately produced and masterful. So smooth. So Funky. So lovely. So cool.

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.

Not all disco sucks!

Very summery, funky and cool. I liked it more than I expected to, since I thought they were a bit too disco for me. Still not great, but pretty good.

Good disco album, I prefer earth wind and fires other hits, not sure it quiet merits it’s place on this list.

Smoooooth

Have mercy!

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

Really enjoyed this apart from tracks #4 and 8, was just a bit lukewarm on those but they might be growers. Nice surprise as I only knew a couple of songs from this band. Soundtracked a chilly and wet trip to and from Galway, one listen each way. Also, top notch cover photo!

According to a lot of fans (and also the 1001-album-list) the best of Earth, Wind & Fire.
With delicious funky songs like "Shining Star" and "Yearnin', Learnin'", ballads like "That's the Way of the World" and "All About Love", and jazzy groove songs like "Africano," I can fully understand why this would be the case.
On the other hand there's also songs like "Reasons"; the disco ballads style with those abnormally high-pitched vocals, those sterile strings and horns.

All in all, a really funky and soulful album. It's just not fully the thing for me.

niiiiiiice

Couple of heaters (Burnin' Yearnin' - DAMN) but disappointing in the main