Earth, Wind & Fire (album)

Earth, Wind & Fire is the debut studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in March 1971 by Warner Bros. Records. The album got to No. 24 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.

Overview
The album was produced by Joe Wissert. Hip hop artist Ludacris has also named this LP as one of his five favorite records which he considers forerunners of hip-hop.

Singles
The track "Love Is Life" reached No. 43 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.

Samples
"Moment of Truth" was sampled by LL Cool J on the track "Murdergram", Kid N Play on the track "Energy" and The Jungle Brothers on "Good News Comin' and What You Waiting For". "Bad Tune" was sampled by Brand Nubian on "Dance to My Ministry", Diamond D on "Feel the Vibe", DJ Shadow on "In/Flux" and by Lupe Fiasco on "Carrerra Lu". "Fan the Fire" was also sampled by Michie Mee on "Jamaican Funk".

Critical reception
Lester Bangs of Rolling Stone noted a "heavy Sly influence" and the "smooth harmonies" of The Fifth Dimension on the LP. The Village Voices Robert Christgau was ambivalent towards the album's various musical "cross-references", including "the expert vocal harmonies [that] neither fit the concept nor assert any personality of their own", and said that even its successful songs have "a way of slipping away unnoticed once the record is over". John Bush of AllMusic gave the album four-and-a-half out of five stars and complimented the song's' "freewheeling arrangements". Bush found "the songwriting was as strong and focused as the musicianship" and praised the LP's social context, noting "unerringly positive compositions, reflecting the influence of the civil rights movement with nearly every song urging love, community, and knowledge as alternatives to the increasing hopelessness plaguing American society". Al Rudis of the Chicago Daily News found "Earth, Wind and Fire brings to mind Bossa nova, Sly and the Family Stone, Ray Conniff, Afro-Cuban music and The 5th Dimension". Bob Talbert of the Detroit Free Press also wrote "I'm not sure what to call this group. Afro-gospel-jazz-blues-rock? Must there be a label?".

Isaac Hayes called Earth, Wind & Fire one of the band's five essential recordings.

Musicians

 * Michael Beal – guitars
 * Leslie Drayton – trumpet
 * Wade Flemons – electric piano, vocals
 * Sherry Scott – vocals
 * Alexander Thomas – trombone
 * Chet Washington – reeds
 * Maurice White – percussion, drums, vocals, electric kalimba
 * Verdine White – bass
 * Don Whitehead – acoustic piano, electric piano, vocals
 * Doug Carn – Hammond organ
 * Phillard Williams – percussion, conga

Production

 * Producer: Joe Wissert
 * Recording engineer: Bruce Botnick
 * Arranger: Earth, Wind & Fire
 * Horn arrangements: Leslie Drayton
 * Art direction: Ed Thrasher
 * Design: Mary Ann Dibs
 * Artwork: Russ Smith

Charts
Album