AntonioFargas said:

Apparently,it was false advertising and MANY fans are pissed.So,there are no bonus tracks on the Target version.However,if you buy the CD at Circuit City,they will give you a bonus CD single of the song "Autumn".One fan who has it says that it is a great song that really should have been on the album.

Check out the message boards at Maurice White's official site:

www.startalk.org

Alot of discussion going on about the new CD.Alot of complaints too about the false advdrtising by Target.

PFunkjazz said:

Don't worry,it was false advertising.There are no bonus tracks.

here's a pic of the free bonus CD single that you will get if you buy the CD from Circuit City...

...


It's also frustrating that "Love Together" (another Raphael Saadiq track) is only available on the UK version...in fact it's the first track on that version....

In addition to not feelin' the Floetry and the Kenny G tracks, I didn't care for the Brian Mcknight either ----it's not bad til you realize he basically made it up from the chorus of "Love's Holiday", and bits and pieces from "After the Love has Gone"....



...
[Edited 9/21/05 8:10am]

paligap said:

Yeah I picked that up too but I still love that song. McKnight meant for it to be a tribute type song. At the end he even says "Now Maurice would say something like this". There are little things on other tracks that are lifted from past songs too. But again, that was kind of the whole point of this album. Give EWF fans something they could relate too and bring back those good vibes and memories. That's what the Floetry song is missing. But over all, I think they accomplished what they set out to do with this album.
[Edited 9/21/05 9:16am]

paligap said:

"Love Together" is a superb song,sounding like classic EW&F.I can't see why they didn't include it on the US version of this album.I hate the way some countries get different tracklists.I don't wanna have to buy multiple copies of the same CD!


In Germany,the song "The One" is replaced by a song called "The Noise"

In Japan,there are two bonus tracks.I'm sure "Autumn" is one of them.

And as you pointed out,"Love Together" appears as the opening track on the UK version.

There are at least two other outtakes that I know of: "Illumination" and "Happiness".


Oh well...I can certainly understand why so many fans download songs
[Edited 9/22/05 3:19am]

DavidEye said:

Circuit City, here I come! Gotta get this CD.

I'm gonna wait a few days and really listen to this CD before I write my review.I need to spend a weekend with it

Hey, is the bonus "Love Together" track on the UK version the same take that Earth Wind and Fire used on "Unity: The Official Athens 2004 Olympic Games" album? that version has EWF with Roots Manuva ( and Raphael)...



...

paligap said:

The UK version is different from the version that appears on the Olympics album.It doesn't include Roots Manuva at all.

DavidEye said:

Man, that does it!!! I'm on the Uk version! Man, I agree, I hate all these different versions!!!



...

paligap said:

It's annoying,isn't it? So many fans were complaining about it yesterday at www.startalk.org and I guess things got really ugly because now the site is shut down!

DavidEye said:

I noticed it was down last night. But do you really think that was the reason?

intha916 said:

Definitely.Did you see that thread titled "Buy Illumination at Target and get two bonus tracks"? Things were getting really,really heated....alot of bitching going on.The last time we had an uproar like this was when Sheldon Reynolds was fired from the band.Stay tuned!

Hey,be sure to go out and pick up the new issue of Billboard magazine (dated September 24 with Gretchen Wilson on the cover).It contains a very nice 10-page spread devoted to Earth Wind and Fire and the new CD.Interviews with Verdine and Philip,lots of photos,a lengthy review of the album,etc.If you love EW&F,this issue is a must-have!!!!!

Thanx,I didn't know the album was out.

Don't know what to expect with that Kenny G collaboration
But it seems the rest is very good,so got to get it.

There's only one song that I'm not too fond of: "Elevated" featuring Floetry.

That one is too "hip-hop" for my tastes,although the music is nice.

lol...I went to Amazon to check out the reviews of this CD and there is a review from our very own Mistermaxxx,bad punctuation and all


Very Bland


if it wasn't for the fact that I grew up digging this Band then I'd spin this disc out of my window.aside from "Pure Gold" the rest of this album is one big yawn fest.it's like hearing a band just going through the Motions.Maurice White is back but mainly in appearance here and there.Philip Bailey ain't knocking me out no more.I miss the Horns,I Miss Larry Dunn,I miss Al McKay,I Miss the Real Elements.this is like a Vegas Lounge Act impersonating a Band that I grew up digging.this is another so-so album&that is Being Kind

intha916 said:

"The One" is an instant EW&F classic.I love it!! I can't get the melody out of my head.

Yep, first impression is good, a very solid album indeed, a couple of fine almost classic EWF tracks, and in general it's great to see them back in the limelight, sort of.

still... don't shoot me folks, but I really consider 2003s "The Promise" to be superior... more "vintage" EWF, better compositions, and absolutely no atempt to sound hip and up-to-date... IMHO the albums only letdown was the lack of uptempo tracks

mind, this is only my initial impression, "Illumination" is on my current heavy rotation playlist and still has time to grow, so let's see...

Dancelot said:

One thing I love about 'The Promise' is that Maurice handled most of the production himself,so it felt like a "real" EW&F album.It even included kalimba interludes,like in the old days.The best tracks ("All In The Way","Never","Where Do We Go From Here") had that classic EW&F sound,horns and all.That album was obviously geared toward their longtime fans.As you point out,the only real letdown was the lack of uptempo tracks.It's mostly a slow jam/Quiet Storm album,but I didn't mind at all.

The new album is an obvious attempt to update their sound,and it's clear that they are aiming for some of the younger crowd.But it's a solid album,so they are forgiven (lol).With the exception of "Elevated",there's not alot of hip hop here,which makes me happy.And this time around,they included alot of uptempo jams.The guest artists aren't too overbearing and intrusive.I like it!

btw...according to the Billboard article,Sanctuary Records is working the new single "Lovely People".The song is being remixed and is aimed at clubs and R&B/hip hop stations.It's a great song and I see no reason why it can't become a big hit.

psychodelicide said:

I hope you have more luck than I did.I went there yesterday to buy the CD,and they were all out of the "Autumn" CD singles

Apparently,they only had a limited amount of copies,and I was too late.

I also went to my local Target store.I saw the 'Illumination' CDs,and there was a little sign stating that it "includes two exclusive bonus tracks".I picked it up,and it contains the same 13 songs that are found on all the CDs in other stores.There were no bonus tracks!


Something really went wrong with the promotion/marketing of this CD.Maybe the CDs with the bonus tracks are lost in a wherehouse somewhere,and will show up later?

DavidEye said:

Damn, sorry to hear that. I still haven't gone out for my copy yet, I should get out to the stores today to check it out.

DavidEye said:

But I'm sure Charlie Wilson CD gets high marks because R Kelly produced most of it. Charlie's CD is the one thats bland and so-so. I like Maxxx but dude seems to hate anything old school that doesn't have R in the mix.

DavidEye said:

I thought the next single was going to be "Pure Gold"?

intha916 said:

Current single is "Pure Gold", which went for radio adds July 4 and is currently moving up the Urban AC charts (www.radioandrecords.com). EWF management is working the "Lovely People" single thru the clubs, etc...to keep that FIRE burning.

intha916 said:

Maxx is cool but that there is the reason I take his reviews with a grain of salt. He definitely knows his shit but it's hard to take the word of someone who cuts for R. Kelly so hard.

psykosoul said:

Yeah...I agree with ya psykosoul. Maxx needs to get past the fact that Al and Larry are NOT with EWF. EWF (and for that matter, practically any of the Legacy acts of the 70s..Stevie, PFunk, etc...) will never be able to re-create what they had going on at that time. Recording is different, studios are different, and everyone is just 20-30 years older. Maurice has Parkinson's...and bless him, he is still able to sing with style and power....I for one am happy for that.

And you know what, everyone of these legacy groups will ALWAYS have the baggage of their peak periods to deal with....to think that EWF is able to generate the publicity and goodwill on their recent tour as well as with this album here 35 years after they formed is just great. Stop comparing it to what they have done before.....there are precious few acts who are "current" 2005 faves who could claim an "All n ALL" or a "TTWOTW" or "Songs in the Key of Life", "Innervisions" (you get the drift) in their resume of releases.

DavidEye said:

Well, we all know that if R. Kelly produced this CD, it would've gotten 10 out of 5 stars from Maxxx, so this is no surprise. Maybe Kelly should've and renamed them Bullets, Lead, & Bitch Fuckers....