Audio CD review:
War - War

War - War

Band: War Title: War Rating: Release Date: 1992-08-04 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Sun Oh Son - War, Allen, Thomas 2: Lonely Feelin' - War, Allen, Sylvester 3: Back Home - War, Allen, Thomas 4: War Drums - War, Allen, Papa Dee 5: Vibeka - War, Allen, Papa Dee 6: Fidel's Fantasy - War, Allen, Thomas

WAR so underrated Their music sounds current now as the day it first came out these guys are all so talented my only regret is that they never came to Aussie. I have had this on record for many years so I was very happy to see it on cd format I feel this is one of the most underrated groups of the 70's and 80's. I have been lucky enough to have collected all their albums over the years. I like most of the early stuff but they are a band to listen to and enjoy. Castro's Cuba Exposed War's first (for the United Artists label) is clearly a top 100 record in any poll on the strength of the brilliant "Fidel's Fantasy" alone. Referred to as "The Fingers LP" or even the "Bay of Pigs". With Eric (The Animals) Burdon spliting to make his hippie dream a reality somewhere, we're ("we're" being the listener) left with the keys to a brand new V8 Impala. . . . and what a ride it was. From the gun blast in the single "Sun Oh Son" to the dark observation of Fidel Castro in the epic "Fidel's Fantasy". War's 1971 release enters the post-Burdon era with a no-holds-barred approach in the social ring. "War Drums" has to be considered as harsh a statement as any in the entertainment world concerning the Vietnam conflict. Charles Miller leaves the hair standing on your neck from it. Then Lee Oskar calms it back down with his harmonica in the classic "Vibeka". Although light years away from the commercial success of the mega-selling "Why Can't We Be Friends?", War's first offering without Eric Burdon has to be considered a huge acheivement given the circumstances involved. Following up the smash hit "Spill The Wine" without your lead singer couldn't have been an easy task. War offer up "three fingers and a smile" here. Even if you're a casual War fan, this one is not to be missed. This is where the War started all over again. olofpalme63 . War Drums,Piano's,Harmonica's-EVERYTHING!!! Not drowning though-on "Sun Oh Sun" they start out in one way and suddenly spin into another idea entirely-the piano-based gospel of "Lonely Feelin'" is a highly celebretory tunefocusing again on War's newfound independance. My goodness "War weighs alot!This is the bands debbut album without Eric Burdon and they try to do ALOT on this album!The songs all have very substantial musical ideas and even when they are more minimal the listener will feel as if they are swimming in this music. "War Drums","Videka" and "Fidel's Fantasy",featuring a chanted rap,are all more sonically elaborate numbers and that feeling is only tempered by the pretty ballad "Back Home" smack in the middle. But don't be put off-even if loose and artsy "War" is definately one of the bands very best albums and a happy omen if you will on the signiture sound this funky band form east LA would formulate in the near future!A must-have!. You can see a complete list of all War discography, or go back to the War tabs