1987 studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire
Touch the World is the fourteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in November 1987 on Columbia Records.[1] The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and No. 33 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart.[2][3] Touch the World was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.[4]
Overview
Touch the World was produced by Earth, Wind & Fire leader Maurice White.[1]
Artists such as George Duke, Marc Russo and Ricky Lawson of Yellowjackets, Jeff Porcaro of Toto and Edwin Hawkins, Walter Hawkins, Lynette Hawkins Stephens with The Hawkins Family appeared on the album.[5]
This LP ended a four-year hiatus for the band, with Maurice White reforming the group by bringing back longtime members Verdine White, Philip Bailey, Andrew Woolfolk and Ralph Johnson. Touch the World also marked the debut of former Commodores guitarist Sheldon Reynolds to the lineup while Sonny Emory went on to fill the drum chair.[6]
Singles
"System of Survival" was written by an unknown composer known as Skylark. Coming off the album as a single, the tune reached number one on both the Billboard Hot R&B Songs and Dance Club Songs charts.[7][8] System of Survival was also nominated for a Soul Train Award for Best R&B/Soul Single – Group, Band or Duo.[9] Another single, "Thinking of You" reached number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart.[10][11]
Critical reception
David Emerson of The Boston Globe called Touch the World "one of their toughest and most convincing records ever".[22] With a 3 out of 4 stars rating Connie Johnson of the Los Angeles Times declared "Touch the World, while not great, is still good enough to further secure EWF's niche in pop/funk history".[13] Chris Heim of the Chicago Tribune wrote: "Sweet and silky ballads, the distinctive vocals of Maurice White and Philip Bailey, and an overall air of humanitarian concern continue to be obvious group hallmarks. But there is a tougher, sadder and more predictible atmosphere here as the group discovers it hasn`t been so easy to Getaway from grim realities."[23]
With a 3 out of 4 stars rating Ken Tucker of The Philadelphia Inquirer called Touch the World "the best album this vocal group has released since 'That's the Way of the World".[14]
People described the LP as "a class operation and an attractive return" that "can stand on its own merits."[24] Jon Pareles of The New York Times noted that "Touch the World aims for hits by grafting old Earth, Wind and Fire trademarks..onto up to date arrangements and current concerns".[25] David Quantick of New Musical Express stated "the toughness of the title track pervades much of the..LP and to the good". He also pointed out that "you the hipster can buy this record and liven up your evenings no end."[20]
Roe Hoeburger of Rolling Stone gave a 3 out of 5 stars rating and found "Bailey’s falsetto sounds as pure and piercing as ever, but he often needs White’s sly, low counterpunch to bring him back from the stratosphere." Hoeburger added "Yet White and Bailey’s words were always simple, delivered with a lot of pride and passion, enough of which they’ve regained to make Earth, Wind and Fire once more significant and timely."[16] With a three out of four star rating Harry Sumrall of the San Jose Mercury News wrote "Touch the World is a potent reminder of what funk is all about. Maurice White and his mates have made a record that hits at the solar plexus - like all funk should - but also at the mind and ear."[21] Pamela Bloom of High Fidelity proclaimed "Touch the World is nothing if not contemporary (but)..the message, as always, is stop, step back, and turn up your light".[26]
Touch the World was nominated for a Soul Train Award in the category of Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year.[27]
