The gospel-tinged “Devotion” will leave you swaying in your pew. “True devotion, blessed are the children.” “Devotion” gains its strength from the swirling vocals of Maurice White, Phillip Bailey and Verden White, who plays a pace setting bass against a foot-tapping drum beat. Bailey’s delivery is very Kendricks-like, but this is Eddie Kendricks without sin.

“I’ll Write A Song For You” puts Bailey up front again, awash in trilling strings. There’s nary a horn in sight until the second verse, and the early acoustic part of the song sports an atypical modest pop arrangement that puts EWF in the soft ballad territory mined by The Stylistics. As the band picks up the beat, Bailey gets into some vocal gymnastics. His wailing goes a bit overboard near the fade, sounding like a very uncomfortable prostate exam: “We write a song, baby, ow! Ow! Ooooow!” Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful song.

“Wait” has a classy, high-stepping Ellington arrangement with a piano underlay that sounds like Chicago’s “Saturday In The Park.” Listening to it you begin to understand why the two groups tour together playing each other’s songs. “Wait” focuses on infatuation, rather than love, making it an anomaly in the group’s canon. It’s a cute diversion from a group that was joyful, rather than whimsical, and it’s a welcome change, as playful as a couple of adolescents skipping through the park holding hands.

With its middle-eastern feel, the percussion-driven “Fantasy” turns the spotlight back on Bailey. The Phoenix horns snake in and out of the arrangement like a proud cobra, snapping and biting at the heels of the vocals. It’s a magnificent performance that the Pharaohs would be proud of. Another huge hit, “After The Love Is Gone,” allows Andrew Woolfolk to step forward with a polished sax solo. “After the love is gone, what used to be right is wrong, can love that’s lost be found?”

“Reasons” is a career performance by Bailey. He doesn’t waste anytime stretching out his voice. The strings and horns reverse roles with the strings taking the low parts and the horns top off the arrangement. The rhythm section carries the load in “Imagination,” an appropriate closer. Bailey believes every word of what he’s singing and proves it by shredding his normally controlled falsetto. Bailey finds yet another way to convey a beautiful vocal with sounds and tone, rather than words.

EWF were to say the least, excessive in every way. They didn’t have just one horn player, they had three; three singers and two rhythm-minded guitarists, yet the army of musicians never tripped over one another. Occasionally their subject matter did. One of their more verbose interests was spiritualism. It wasn’t the fact that they were spiritual people that was confusing; it’s the way they conveyed it in their songs. With its sitar-like lead in, “Keep You Head in the Sky” is a prime example. It sounds like an ode to a lover, but it gives props to the creator. A bit heavy handed lyrically, it has an effective acapella ending with Bailey’s vocal soaring somewhere in the clouds. “He gave me ways to be free, but forced us to live in reality. “All About Love” is sappy, dated, and as result a bit embarrassing. “We never spend time talking to you, so we let you know how you feel about love,” drones Maurice. A dance floor number, it’s very much in keeping with the “quiet storm” style of R & B popularized in the 80s and 90. Maurice raps his way through the third verse with a few passé “right ons” and “you dig” s thrown in. He goes off on mysticism, partying, and ego tripping. “If there ain’t no beauty you gotta make some beauty.” You might want to put this one in the closet with your dashiki, Maurice. “Spirit” focuses on Phil Bailey and his usually effortless reach for the sky vocal prowess. But this is Bailey at his most agitating with too many high notes. The flat arrangement gets better, but it’s sporadic and gets short circuited by over ambitious lyrics: “Every time you smile you blessed child, our spirits perpetuate. Our spirits meditate love and faith.” Huh? Phil Bailey won’t you please come home.

Earth, Wind and Fire’s “Beautiful Ballads” is intimate make out music you’ll want to play for that special someone when the lights are low and the wine has begun to take effect. As the song says, you will find peace of mind.

Posted February 20, 2007 Permalink