HERITAGE
Released: 1990
LP Charts: #19 R&B, #70 pop
Before we get to the horrible, let’s look at the bright side!
Here we go… THE BRIGHT SIDE: Heritage is more of an Earth, Wind & Fire album than 1987’s Touch the World (C+) was. The ‘87 LP had Maurice White, Philip Bailey, and a bunch of studio musicians. Heritage sees White and Bailey back, of course, but also the return of Verdine White, Ralph Johnson, and Andrew Woolfolk from the classic lineup. Plus plenty more studio musicians, but that’s FIVE actual members of EWF on the album instead of just two.
Okay, that was the bright side.
Now for the horrible.
Heritage is a terrible album. It’s one of them albums that became more and more common in the 1990s. A legacy artist, in a sad attempt to be relevant, is saddled with a bunch of contemporary stars (MC Hammer) and flavors-of-the-moment (The Boys) who stop by for weak collaborations. Granted, EWF had been flailing for relevance since 1983’s flop Electric Universe (D), but Heritage is way worse. EWF was fully out of sorts as they employed all the worst excesses of New Jack Swing without importing any of the charm or vitality that that genre’s best artists (Guy, Keith Sweat, etc.) had.
Only two songs do I ever want to hear again from this LP. “Good Times” (a not-wretched collab with Sly Stone; 6/10) and “Daydreamin’” (6/10).
Everything else sucks.
ALBUM GRADE: F
MILLENNIUM
Released: 1993
LP Charts: #8 R&B, #39 pop
Mercifully on Millennium Earth, Wind & Fire retreated to a musical safe space. This was made possible for two big reasons. First, the enthusiasm for New Jack Swing had died down by 1993 and big ‘80s drums had finally run their course in pop music. Second, a nostalgia for the 1970s was beginning to take hold meaning EWF could be more themselves without sounding dated to the outside world.
None of this should be construed as EWF making a great or revelatory album. Indeed a musical safe space isn’t necessarily going to bring out creativity or daring-do.
“Even If You Wonder” exemplified the comfort zone, for better or worse, that EWF finds on Millennium. It’s nothing you haven’t heard before from them. The only thing new is that it has a ‘90s aesthetic instead of the classic ‘70s recording sound. “Sunday Morning” (#20 R&B) isn’t re-inventing the wheel either, but it’s delightfully joyous.
Plus it has a solid electric guitar, which also graced “Even If You Wonder”.
“Divine” is a song that fully marks itself as mid-90s and not early-90s. Thank God. Mid-90s R&B was so much better. There’s blobby synth and keyboards that were becoming more commonplace at this point in time and would later be transmogrified further by producers like Timbaland.
And bless my soul, EWF rediscovered Brazilian music on “Honor the Magic”. There’s actual percussion besides programmed drums. Like congas and shit. It’s been a minute. Let us celebrate. “Love Is The Greatest Story” is actually pretty decent New Jack Swing despite my earlier protests against the genre. And Prince stops by gifting EWF the super funky and brassy “Super Hero”.
ALBUM GRADE: C
Despite the genuinely good moments, Millennium runs into the problem that the double album Faces (C+) had back in 1980. It runs for far too long: 16 tracks (including interludes) that span 63 minutes. That means smothering out the good with a lot of average material that isn’t all that compelling. If they had a judicious editor, chopping off the weakest 20 minutes easily woulda got this album up to a strong C+; just like how Faces woulda been a B if it had some decent editing too.
Song Scores
Even If You Wonder: 6.5/10
Sunday Morning: 7/10
Blood Brothers: 5/10
Spend the Night: 4/10
Divine: 6/10
Two Hearts: 5/10
Honor the Magic: 6.5/10
Love Is The Greatest Story: 6.5/10
The “L” Word: 5/10
Just Another Lonely Night: 5/10
Super Hero: 7/10
Wouldn’t Change A Thing About You: 6/10
Love Across The Wire: 4/10
Chicago (Chi-Town) Blues: 5/10
IN THE NAME OF LOVE
Released: 1997
LP Charts: #50 R&B
Right from the jump, In the Name of Love sounds fresh. It’s basically an old school funk band performing with late 1990s technology; not an old school funk band trying to sound like a late 1990s band.
(ASIDE: In the Name of Love was a slightly truncated version of the album Avatar that was released only in Japan in 1996. I’m reviewing In the Name of Love since it’s the album that got a full worldwide release.)
“Rock It” is grunge funk with influences from George Clinton. The band is woofin’ like they’re on “Atomic Dog”. “In The Name Of Love” is a feelgood pop-funk jam in the vein of “Sing A Song”. Yes, that means it’s pretty darn good. “Round and Round” has a pretty sweet electric guitar.
“Fill You Up” might be the first double entendre in EWF history. It took 25 years, but they finally had a moderately freaky song! “Revolution (Just Evolution)” has a little Stevie Wonder in it, but also an unnecessary rap. “Keep It Real” buoys with go-go drumming and percussion.
“Right Time” is a straight up old school ‘70s R&B love song. Imagine a watered down version of “Love’s Holiday”. That’s this. Which means it’s still good cuz “Love’s Holiday” is nearly perfect. “Cruising” feels like a gentle breeze and although it veers close to smooth jazz it doesn’t cross that hazardous threshold.
Oddest song of all is a cover of “Love Is Life”, which appeared on Earth, Wind & Fire’s first album way back in 1971. Don’t crucify me, but this version might be better than the original.
ALBUM GRADE: B-
This is an unexpectedly good album from Earth, Wind & Fire. Legit good. Not really good, definitely not great. But something to proudly hang their hat on.
Their best LP since Powerlight (B+) in 1983.
Song Scores
Rock It: 7/10
In the Name Of Love: 7.5/10
Revolution (Just Evolution): 6.5/10
When Love Goes Wrong: 6/10
Fill You Up: 7/10
Right Time: 6.5/10
Round and Round: 7/10
Keep It Real: 6.5/10
Cruising: 7.5/10
Love Is Life: 6.5/10