Earth, Wind & Fire is the debut studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in March 1971 by Warner Bros. Records.[3] The album peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.[4]
| Earth, Wind & Fire | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1971 | |||
| Recorded | 1970 | |||
| Studio | Sunset Sound Studios, Hollywood | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 28:08 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer | Joe Wissert | |||
| Earth, Wind & Fire chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Earth, Wind & Fire | ||||
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Overview
editThe album was produced by Joe Wissert. Hip hop artist Ludacris has also named this LP as one of his five favorite records which he considers forerunners of hip-hop.[3][5]
Singles
editThe track "Love Is Life" reached No. 43 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.[6][7]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [8] |
| Village Voice | (C+)[9] |
| Rolling Stone | (favourable)[10] |
| Chicago Sun Times | (favourable)[11] |
| Detroit Free Press | (favourable)[12] |
| Jazz Journal |  [13] |
| DownBeat | [14] |
Lester Bangs of Rolling Stone noted a "heavy Sly influence" and the "smooth harmonies" of The Fifth Dimension on the LP.[10] The Village Voices Robert Christgau was ambivalent towards the album's various musical "cross-references", including "the expert vocal harmonies [that] neither fit the concept nor assert any personality of their own", and said that even its successful songs have "a way of slipping away unnoticed once the record is over".[9]
Larry Ridley of DownBeat, with a 5 out of 5 rating, exclaimed "go out and buy this record and keep your eyes and ears open to Earth. Wind and Fire."[14] Al Rudis of the Chicago Sun Times found "Earth, Wind and Fire brings to mind Bossa nova, Sly and the Family Stone, Ray Conniff, Afro-Cuban music and The 5th Dimension".[11] John Bush of AllMusic gave the album four-and-a-half out of five stars and complimented the song's' "freewheeling arrangements". Bush found "the songwriting was as strong and focused as the musicianship" and praised the LP's social context, noting "unerringly positive compositions, reflecting the influence of the civil rights movement with nearly every song urging love, community, and knowledge as alternatives to the increasing hopelessness plaguing American society".[8] Bob Talbert of the Detroit Free Press also wrote "I'm not sure what to call this group. Afro-gospel-jazz-blues-rock? Must there be a label?".[12]
Isaac Hayes called Earth, Wind & Fire one of the band's five essential recordings.[15]
Track listing
editAll songs written by Wade Flemons, Maurice White, and Don Whitehead, unless otherwise noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Help Somebody" | 3:34 |
| 2. | "Moment of Truth" | 3:05 |
| 3. | "Love Is Life" | 5:04 |
| 4. | "Fan the Fire" | 5:11 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "C'mon Children" | Michael Beal, Wade Flemons, Maurice White, Verdine White, Don Whitehead | 3:08 |
| 6. | "This World Today" | 3:28 | |
| 7. | "Bad Tune" | Beal, Flemons, M. White, V. White, Whitehead | 4:38 |
Personnel
editMusicians
edit- Michael Beal – guitars
- Leslie Drayton – trumpet
- Wade Flemons – electric piano, vocals
- Sherry Scott – vocals
- Alexander Thomas – trombone
- Chet Washington – reeds
- Maurice White – percussion, drums, vocals, electric kalimba
- Verdine White – bass
- Don Whitehead – acoustic piano, electric piano, vocals
- Doug Carn – Hammond organ
- Phillard Williams – percussion, conga
Production
edit- Producer: Joe Wissert
- Recording engineer: Bruce Botnick
- Arranger: Earth, Wind & Fire
- Horn arrangements: Leslie Drayton
- Art direction: Ed Thrasher
- Design: Mary Ann Dibs
- Artwork: Russ Smith
Charts
editAlbum
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Billboard Top Soul Albums | 24 |
| Billboard 200 | 172 |
References
edit- ^ Coleman, Mark; Soults, Franklin (2004). "Earth, Wind & Fire". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 269–270. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ "Great rock discography". p. 254.
- ^ a b "Great rock discography". p. 254.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Earth, Wind & Fire (Top Soul Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- ^ Jurgensen, John (February 10, 2007). "Hit List: Ludacris". wsj.com. The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Earth, Wind & Fire: Love Is Life. Warner Bros. Records. 1971.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Love Is Life (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- ^ a b Bush, John. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Earth, Wind & Fire". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Earth, Wind & Fire". robertchristgau.com. Village Voice.
- ^ a b Bangs, Lester (June 24, 1971). "Earth, Wind & Fire: Earth, Wind & Fire". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone.
- ^ a b Rudis, Al (June 18, 1971). "Yarma and the Karma Dusters mix Art and Politics". Kansas City Star. Chicago Daily News. p. 132 – via newsbank.com.
- ^ a b Talbert, Bob (May 9, 1971). "Music's Finest Hour Symphonic Jazz". newspapers.com. Detroit Free Press. p. 47.
- ^ Lindsay, Bruce (July 13, 2019). "Earth, Wind And Fire: Earth, Wind And Fire / The Need Of Love". jazzjournal.co.uk. Jazz Journal.
- ^ a b Ridley, Larry (October 14, 1971). "Earth, Wind And Fire: Earth, Wind And Fire" (PDF). workdradiohistory.com. DownBeat. p. 20.
- ^ Hayes, Issac (July 7, 1995). Essentials: Issac Hayes on Earth, Wind & Fire. The Guardian. p. 39.