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Serpentine Fire, Jupiter). Fantasy). For me, Earth, Wind & Fire are the preeminate R&B group. The melodies are memorable and playfully satifying (Ex. All'N All is one that picks you up and makes you appreciate the quality of music of the 70's, back when we heard this stuff in it's rich analog glory. This album from 1977 is the all-time classic. Every song is excellent and the whole album has a funky groove that continues to resonate to this day (Ex.
Lyrics are tremendous with lots hidden messages along the way. It has a pure gospel feel to it with simple yet profound lyrics and incredible vocals, horns. "Serpentine Fire"- Pure power and mysticism, a song about the rising of the coiled, serpentine energy up the spine & through the Chakra's till it reaches the crown & enlightenment occurs. Who truly understood the power and magic of this song with it's unmatched lyrics and hard funk influenced rhythms. This song builds to an absolute flurry of brilliance at the end with the vocals soaring to places that just having never been reached before.This group was able to bring together many elements from Jazz, Funk, R&B, Rock, Latin & Classical musical influences and merge them together into a sound that was not then nor has it since been duplicated. Their lyrical content was second to none and greatly under appreciated by "so called critics" like Rickey Wright. Maurice's gorgeous tenor shines in this song which ends with a nasty funk laced guitar solo by Johnnie Graham. They understood the rich and unprecedented history of the African people worldwide and brought this knowledge in mystical terms to the masses.Like all great prophets before, the Elements spoke in parables and those with eyes to see and ears to hear were amazed and electrified at what was being revealed.
This is a truly wonderful display of musical innovation & inspiration. Great Keyboard by Larry Dunn and Verdine tears it up on the bass."I'll write a Song for You"- This may be my personal favorite on the album. One of the true highlights of the album."Brazillian Rhyme"- This is probably their most famous "interlude" ever. Great keyboards, horns, bass and nasty rhythm guitar work. Those who study ancient eastern religions will understand this one totally."Fantasy"- One of the hits off of this album that you hear all over FM radio & has been featured in a miriad of soundtracks to films. Beautiful piano intro that precludes some of the most astonishing strings & horns you'll ever here. Rickey Wright, in his so called review of this album, stated that it wasn't a "concept" album. Nonsense.
Great movements and progressions throughout the song with nasty trumpet & sax solos by the Phenix Horns."Be Ever Wonderful"- After the most gorgeous intro i've ever heard (the longer version on their box set is other worldly) comes this song. Beautiful song written by Phillip and Al McKay, this song is both a love ballad & a mystical adventure. It showcases the groups unparalled vocal harmonies with Phillip Bailey's falsetto leading the way. Stunning acoustic guitar by McKay & Graham on this one with lush orchestrations & the Elements outstanding melodies and vocal harmonies."Magic Mind"- This is a pure funk tour de force. Great bass guitar work here by Verdine "the Fire" White as well."Love's Holiday"- After a short interlude, then comes this beautiful ballad by Maurice White.
For those who have the double LP "Gratitude", this will remind you somewhat of the jam "New World Symphony". They truly were the Elements of the Universe and the Greatest Band of all time. "Runnin"- This is the instrumental selection that has everything you'd expect for Earth, Wind & Fire. Earth, Wind & Fire were a concept band in and of themselves, every one of their albums from the decade of the 70's had 2 main concepts, Oneness & African Pride. Pure poetry in motion about a lover describing his undeniable devotion to his soulmate.
Pure poetry here as a lover asks the object of his affections, "Would you mind, if I touched if i kissed if i held you tight till the morning light". This album is one of the finest expressions of musical & lyrical genius as you'll find. Lyrically, another masterpiece which those who've studied eastern religions will get without any problem."Jupiter"- This is the song were the Phenix Horns get a chance to show off their other worldly talent with a blazing intro that burns throughout the entire song.
Add another classic to an already stunning catalog. "Fantasy" and "Loves Holiday" were my favorites when I was a kid, but I have really grown to appreciate the album as a whole (especially "Be Ever Wonderful"). By this time, EWF could do no wrong. Once again from start to finish, an album so beautifully crafted that it stuns the senses.
As many before have noted, "All 'n' All" is indeed a masterpiece - a term I don't use lightly. Not only genres, but time as well; few albums endure past their decade of release, but "All 'N All" has engaged many people I know who were born long after the album's original release date. And while I enjoy much of what EWF produced both before and after "All 'N All," this album, to me, represents a nadir for the group. And while much of what they released after "A&A" is really pretty good stuff, I still return to this album again and again for my EWF fix.
Listen to it. This work melds many varied types of sounds into what can only be described as a musical "Perfect Storm." Everything just seems to come together, and there is NO filler here. If you are a Soul/R&B fan, you probably already have this album. If you don't like it, listen again. If you're not, go get it. I own almost all of EWF's offerings from the band's start, and continued to buy their music long after the release of this album.
While "All 'N 'All was not the most commercially successful album the band released, it is artistically without comparison. Trust me on this; you will not be disappointed. It almost seems as if everything they did before, as good as it was (and make no mistake, it was - and is - excellent music), was but a preamble to this 39-minute opus (surely not long enough, but with the added tracks now available on the re-release, this is somewhat improved). As the years have rolled by, more and more of my Rock-oriented friends who eschew R&B have fallen under the spell of this album, which I suppose illustrates that music which is well-written, well-produced and well-performed can and does transcend genres.
No qualms about it.After this album,the elements leaned more toward the pop side.Bottom line,I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ALBUM.VERY ESSENTIAL EWF LISTENING. People tend to use the words "classic" or "masterpiece" too sparingly these days.In the case of "All N'All",I believe both of those words actually apply.During 1977,the band was in peak form all the way around,and they nailed everything to a T on this album.If you don't believe me,put some decent headphones on and listen to "Serpentine Fire" or "Fantasy".But wait,there's still "Love's Holiday","I'll Write A Song For You",the Grammy winning "Runnin'" and "Be Ever Wonderful".Any true EWF fan knows the interludes "Beijo" & "Ponta De Aria" (Both named "Brazilian Rhyme" on the vinyl LP).To me this is EWF at their best.Other people have other opinions but oh well.On a scale from 1 to ten,I would easily give this album a 11.
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