1981 studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire
Raise! is the eleventh studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on November 14, 1981, by ARC/Columbia Records.[1] The album spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Top R&B albums chart[2][3] and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart.[2][4] Raise! has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA, Gold in the UK by the BPI and Gold in Canada by Music Canada.[5][6][7]
Production
The album art was designed by Roger Carpenter and Raise! was illustrated by Shusei Nagaoka.
The front cover of Raise! features a presumed Egyptian female figure. The name of the band is present on the front cover, but the title is not.
On the back cover there is an illustration of a female figure in a sarcophagus, which is also divided into a purple left side and a blue right side. The sarcophagus appears to be hyper-modern. The title of the album is presented in the top left corner of the back cover.
Raise! was produced by bandleader Maurice White. The album marked the return of rhythm guitarist Roland Bautista, who last played upon 1972's Last Days and Time. The LP was also reissued in 2015 with seven bonus tracks.[8]
Singles
Off the album came the single "Let's Groove", which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[9][10] A song called "I've Had Enough" also got to No. 29 on the UK Pop Singles chart.[11]
Another song entitled "Wanna Be with You" rose to No. 15 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.[12] "Wanna Be with You" also won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.[13]
Critical reception
The Philadelphia Inquirer gave a 3 out of 5 star rating, stating "And while there are no surprises here, the group offers another session of class music, fortified by strong melodies and appealing lyrics. The skilled blend of classic funk and mainstream values guarantees wide acceptance for this release. The groups shifts nicely from mellow ballads such as 'My Love' to upbeat material such as 'Let's Groove'."[16] With a 7 out of 10 rating Fred Dellar of Smash Hits found that "White's production is impeccable; the vocals float and flare, the horns urge you onto the dance-floor and the rhythms make you stay there".[19] Hugh Wyatt of the New York Daily News described the LP as "a real gem".[21] With a 4 out of 5 stars rating Ken Tucker of Rolling Stone said "With each new album, Earth, Wind and Fire remain relatively true to their original sound: elaborate, neatly orchestral funk, influenced equally by American and African sources. But the band also keeps its ear to the radio. Accordingly, Raise! reflects the current wave of street-gritty black pop, from Lakeside to Rick James. Most of the tracks crank up the bass and feature rattling percussion that scrapes against the beat." Tucker added "On Raise!, White’s romanticism is slinkier, more seductive."[18] With a four out of five stars rating Alan Coulthard of Record Mirror found that Raise! "sizzles from start to finish".[17] People exclaimed EW&F's "New Age songs are ingenious sonic tapestries that blend tribal chants, zesty horns, brilliantly varied percussion, funky-flavored guitar rhythms and 2001-ish synthesizer sounds. Here an instrumental called Kalimba Tree melds into the LP's best cut, You Are a Winner, which has White's lead vocals bobbing and weaving with Philip Bailey's. The lyrics are mostly power-of-positive-thinking messages that might thrill Norman Vincent Peale but are no match for the music’s complexity."[22] Richard Williams of The Times wrote "Paring away the overachievement of Faces, EW&F return to something like their best form".[23]
Variety noted that "breathtaking production and a perscussive, non stop fusion of funk and rock power light up the entire album".[24] Barney Hoskyns of NME said "Raise! is a thundering collection of the best noises around, urgent, controlled and meticulously glossy. Horns pump and spurt in golden ecstasy, percussion stamps and cracks through the usual mass of nibbling guitars and synthesizers, and White's voice is as strong and soaring as ever".[25] The Village Voice's Robert Christgau proclaimed EWF "turn their sparkling harmonies and powerful groove into a pure, contentless display of virtuosity".[20] As well J.D. Considine of the Baltimore Sun wrote "Raise! puts Earth, Wind & Fire back on the rock and roll road".[26]
Music critic Nelson George also placed Raise! in his ballot for the 1981 Village Voice Pazz and Jop poll.[27]
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