Ewf released Raise in 1981 and while

it was a commercial success

fans and critics think it isn't there with Earth Wind & Fire classic albums.

Why?

I find Raise to be EWF most effective body of work.

Yes Earth Wind & Fire had better songs

but this album have the best flow.

And if you want EWF to rock this

is the album for you

combination of gritty funk with hard rock guitars.

my favorite song is Changing Times

this is the review i found on All music.com

by William Ruhlmann

The end was near for Earth, Wind & Fire. Raise! wasn't quite the disaster it was made out to be at the time, but it was their least distinguished overall album since the early days on Warner Bros., with the exception of their participation in the awful Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band film soundtrack in 1978. "Let's Groove" was just a recycled mid-tempo tune from the mid-'70s, and everything else sounded desultory and uninspired. It was no surprise that after two more albums Maurice White and Company decided to take some time away from the scene.-UNinspired???

they sound like they are on fire to my ears

[Edited 12/22/10 8:26am]

Raise was the first album I've won off the radio (WJLB of course). My Love, Changing Times, Wanna Be With You is the shiznit!

Never cared for Let's Groove

Its not that I dislike "Raise", there're some cool moments here & there, its the fact that EW&F started to have a generic sound starting from "Boogie Wonderland" and then on.

Vernon said it best, its started to go downhill on them when they began to second guess their musical moves.

To me, EW&F's finest moments were when Charles Stepney co-produced/arranged their albums. Maurice White might've been the leader, but Charles was the pulse.

"Let's Groove", "I've Had Enough", "The Changing Times".....

I loved it.

I love this album! I love the songs "Let's Groove","I've Had Enough",the rock-flavored "Changing Times" and the two slow jams are superb ("My Love" and "Wanna Be With You").There's no filler on this album,every track is strong.

Soulalive i agree ,no filler

great album

I don't get why people would criticize it. To me it's flawless from beginning

to end. It's definitely one of my top 5 EWF albums.

I agree..it's a great album. I felt the same way about "Powerlight".

JamFanHot said:

I agree..it's a great album. I felt the same way about "Powerlight".

sans Freedom of Choice

While I find the criticism of RAISE a bit strong, the one thing I noticed from the get go is that songs Lady Sun, My Love and Evolution Orange all start off very similarly with what sounds to be a handclap...

I often wondered if it was just my ears or if Maurice intended the songs to follow that pattern....

However, I prefer side 2...from Kalimba Tree all the way thru Changing Times......there is a real snap to the songs....and Changing Times goes in a direction that EWF should have mined a little more I feel....

I remember i bought this album one weekend and got sick. I stayed home

the following Monday from school and played this album for 2 hours.

Love how Wanna Be Wih You segues into Changing Times.

phunkdaddy said:

JamFanHot said:

I agree..it's a great album. I felt the same way about "Powerlight".

sans Freedom of Choice

I'm not too crazy about 'Powerlight' The two singles are great ("Fall In Love With Me" and "Side By Side",two vibrant tunes with the classic EW&F sound) but the rest of the album is lazy and uninspired.

"Raise" has always been one of my favorite EW&F albums. "I Wanna Be With You", "Changing Times" and "Evolution Orange" are some of the best songs they recorded.

phunkdaddy said:

I remember i bought this album one weekend and got sick. I stayed home

the following Monday from school and played this album for 2 hours.

Love how Wanna Be Wih You segues into Changing Times.

You weren't sick....you just wanted to stay home so you could play this record over and over I did the same thing when I got Prince's 'Controversy' album,lol.

SoulAlive said:

phunkdaddy said:

I remember i bought this album one weekend and got sick. I stayed home

the following Monday from school and played this album for 2 hours.

Love how Wanna Be Wih You segues into Changing Times.

You weren't sick....you just wanted to stay home so you could play this record over and over I did the same thing when I got Prince's 'Controversy' album,lol.

The assumption that started this thread is all wrong. RAISE! is the LAST EWF album that most fans universally liked. Critics aside, RAISE! was the last tour EWF did without an opening act for multiple nights in a large arena (capacity greater than 15,000) and sold out all nights. SInce that tour they've played one-night stands in smaller amphitheaters/

PFunkjazz said:

The assumption that started this thread is all wrong. RAISE! is the LAST EWF album that most fans universally liked. Critics aside, RAISE! was the last tour EWF did without an opening act for multiple nights in a large arena (capacity greater than 15,000) and sold out all nights. SInce that tour they've played one-night stands in smaller amphitheaters/

Honestly, I never cared for the RAISE album..other than WANNA BE WITH YOU, I could have done without the rest..