Faces | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 14, 1980 | |||
Recorded | March–July 1980 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 65:34 | |||
Label | ARC/Columbia | |||
Producer | Maurice White | |||
Earth, Wind & Fire chronology | ||||
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Singles from Faces | ||||
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Faces is the tenth studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire released on October 14, 1980, on ARC/Columbia Records. [1] The album reached number 10 on the Billboard Top LPs chart, number 2 on the Billboard Top Soul albums chart and number 10 on the UK Albums Chart. [2] [3] [4] Faces was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA. [5]
Faces was partly recorded in the Caribbean island of Montserrat and produced by EWF leader Maurice White. [1] [6]
Artists such as Fred Wesley and Toto's Steve Lukather guested on the album. [1]
When asked in a 2007 interview which Earth, Wind & Fire album is his favorite, White replied, "...probably Faces, because we were really in tune." White also went on to proclaim that on the LP EWF were "playing together and it gave us the opportunity to explore new areas". [7]
The track, "Let Me Talk", reached No. 8 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart and No. 29 on the UK Pop Singles chart. [8] [4] The song, "You", peaked at Nos. 10 and 30 on the Billboard R&B Singles and Adult Contemporary charts, respectively. [9] [10] A third single, "And Love Goes On", reached No. 15 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. [11]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [12] |
Chicago Sun Times | [13] |
Robert Christgau | C+ [14] |
DownBeat | [15] |
Record Mirror | [16] |
Rolling Stone | [17] |
Smash Hits | 8/10 [18] |
Dennis Hunt of the Los Angeles Times declared that "Faces is the R&B album of the year." Hunt added "Faces is expertly written, produced and performed and is considerably better than any of this year's hardcore R&B albums. Just about every song on Faces, which is nearly all upbeat, is high quality. Its danceability rating is as high as any you'll find on an album in this post-disco era." [19] Alan Morrison of DownBeat said that Faces "offer(s) an invaluable lesson in pop and jazz orchestration and production techniques. As a treasure trove of the imaginative technical resources available to the modern pop musician, EW&F’s productions continue to be state-of-the-art." [15] Nelson George of Musician stated: "Faces re-affirms EW&F's role as the world's finest progressive soul band. While not an innovative work, the beauty of Faces is the band's feeling of renewed vigour and spirit, qualities that separate them from the many other good self-contained black bands." [20]
Sal Caputo of Gannett said "Minus Earth Wind and Fire's peace, love and happiness hype, this is a very good dance album by a tight ensemble which occasionally wanders too far into pretension. The two-record set contains spots of jazz, classic-rhythm and blues harmonies, Latin rhythms, modern funk, rock and soul all mixed together in an attempt to create a sort of "world" music." [21] Paul Sexton of Record Mirror gave three out of five stars, stating "they're burning hot enough, but maybe the wind's all blowing in the same old direction". [16] Phyl Garland of Stereo Review wrote that "Earth Wind & Fire's new release, the two -disc set Faces, has all the impact of a live volcano, but, unlike natural eruptions, this one is carefully controlled and every stunning effect is meticulously calculated." She added "all these forces might have gotten in each other's way and produced a monstrously cluttered set, but the way White has choreographed them everything fits together so well that the listener need only sit (or lie) back and enjoy." [22]
Alan Niester of The Globe and Mail exclaimed: "Maurice White might not be the genius some people think he is, but at least he's a master of his craft, and Faces is another well-honed piece of musical excitement.". [23] Richard Williams of The Times wrote: "Earth, Wind & Fire are arguably the most popular soul band in the world and Faces, following the enormous successes of All n' All and I Am, will certainly reach their unusually broad market. The mixture is familiar: reassuringly melodic songs delivered by the outstanding falsetto of Philip Bailey and the plainer tenor of Maurice White with creamingly opulent arrangements featuring a hair-trigger rhythm section and flashy horns. Faces, is however, a two-record set and for all the brilliance of the playing and recording it is hard to sustain deep interest over the distance." [24] Paul Willistein of The Morning Call wrote that "this group's latest two-record set of 15 exceptional funk, R&B and fusion numbers is simply exhilarating". [25]
Elise Bretton of High Fidelity wrote: "Soul Disco like April in Paris cannot be reprised. And when it is transcribed, no matter how accurately, no pianist I know would want to tackle all those syncopated eight and sixteenth notes while singing in the funky, get down style that makes Earth, Wind & Fire the nation's No. 1 nonet." [26] Bev Hillier of Smash Hits gave an 8 out of 10 rating and remarked "Their repertoire ranges from dreamy ballads through funk with a capital F, with numerous other styles incorporated en route. Every member's contribution is vital but Verdine White's bass in particular takes direct control of the feet and the horn section make Dexys sound like the Pied Piper. If you think disco's faceless, you ain't heard this". [18]
Jim Arundel of Melody Maker praised the album, writing: "Earth, Wind &Fire's Faces is fascinating." [27] Gary Bradford of The Pittsburgh Press exclaimed "Faces gets excessive in places, but Earth, Wind and Fire keep a strong afro-groove running". [28] With three out of four stars Chuck Pratt of the Chicago Sun Times exclaimed "this fine funk soul group puts its best face forward on this ambitious and generous double pocket set of intricately produced, high gloss funk". [13]
Isaac Hayes called Faces one of Earth, Wind & Fire's five essential recordings. [29] Music journalist Mike Freedberg also named Faces in his ballot for The Village Voice's 1980 Pazz & Jop critics poll. [30]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Let Me Talk" | Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Ralph Johnson, Al McKay, Maurice White, Verdine White | 4:09 |
2. | "Turn It Into Something Good" | Valerie Carter, James Newton Howard, Maurice White | 4:10 |
3. | "Pride" | Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Freddie White, Maurice White, Verdine White | 4:11 |
4. | "You" | David Foster, Brenda Russell, Maurice White | 5:10 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
5. | "Sparkle" | Philip Bailey, Eduardo del Barrio, Maurice White | 3:50 |
6. | "Back on the Road" | Al McKay, Maurice White | 3:33 |
7. | "Song in My Heart" | Garry Glenn, Brenda Russell, Maurice White | 4:17 |
8. | "You Went Away" | Philip Bailey, Ross Vannelli | 4:24 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
9. | "And Love Goes On" | Larry Dunn, David Foster, Brenda Russell, Maurice White, Verdine White | 4:05 |
10. | "Sailaway" | Philip Bailey, Eduardo del Barrio, Roxanne Seeman, Maurice White | 4:37 |
11. | "Take It to the Sky" | Larry Dunn, Garry Glenn, Maurice White | 3:50 |
12. | "Win or Lose" | Jean Hancock, Jerry Peters | 3:53 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Share Your Love" | Garry Glenn, Maurice White | 3:17 |
14. | "In Time" | Arlene Matza, Howard McCrary, Maurice White | 4:13 |
15. | "Faces" | Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Maurice White, Verdine White | 8:02 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Let Me Talk" (12" Long Version) | Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Ralph Johnson, Al McKay, Maurice White, Verdine White | 6:45 |
2. | "You" (Alternative Mix) | David Foster, Brenda Russell, Maurice White | 3:47 |
3. | "And Love Goes On" (Alternative Mix) | Larry Dunn, David Foster, Brenda Russell, Maurice White, Verdine White | 3:38 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Let Me Talk" | Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Ralph Johnson, Al McKay, Maurice White, Verdine White | 4:09 |
2. | "Turn It Into Something Good" | Valerie Carter, James Newton Howard, Maurice White | 4:10 |
3. | "Pride" | Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Freddie White, Maurice White, Verdine White | 4:11 |
4. | "You" | David Foster, Brenda Russell, Maurice White | 5:10 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
5. | "Sparkle" | Philip Bailey, Eduardo del Barrio, Maurice White | 3:50 |
6. | "Back on the Road" | Al McKay, Maurice White | 3:33 |
7. | "Song in My Heart" | Garry Glenn, Brenda Russell, Maurice White | 4:17 |
8. | "You Went Away" | Philip Bailey, Ross Vannelli | 4:24 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
9. | "And Love Goes On" | Larry Dunn, David Foster, Brenda Russell, Maurice White, Verdine White | 4:05 |
10. | "Sailaway" | Philip Bailey, Eduardo del Barrio, Roxanne Seeman, Maurice White | 4:37 |
11. | "Take It to the Sky" | Larry Dunn, Garry Glenn, Maurice White | 3:50 |
12. | "Win or Lose" | Jean Hancock, Jerry Peters | 3:53 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
13. | "Share Your Love" | Garry Glenn, Maurice White | 3:17 |
14. | "In Time" | Arlene Matza, Howard McCrary, Maurice White | 3:47 |
15. | "Oriental (Interlude)" | Arlene Matza, Howard McCrary, Maurice White | 0:27 |
16. | "Faces" | Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Maurice White, Verdine White | 7:38 |
17. | "Pipe Organ (Interlude)" | Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Maurice White, Verdine White | 0:25 |
EWF horns
Additional horns
Strings
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1980 | U.S. Billboard Top Soul Albums | 2 [3] |
U.S. Billboard 200 | 10 [2] | |
UK Pop Albums chart | 10 [4] | |
Dutch Albums (Dutch Album Top 100) | 8 [32] | |
Norwegian Albums (VG-Lista | 15 [33] | |
Sweden Albums (Veckolista Album) | 23 [34] | |
New Zealand Albums Chart | 40 [35] | |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) | 46 [36] | |
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | "Let Me Talk" | U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 8 [8] |
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 85 | ||
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 44 | ||
UK Pop Singles | 29 [4] | ||
"You" | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 48 | |
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 10 [9] | ||
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 30 [10] | ||
1981 | "And Love Goes On" | N.L. Dutch Single Top 100 | 25 [37] |
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles | 15 [11] | ||
B.E. Belgian Singles (Ultratop 50 Singles) | 26 [38] | ||
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 57 | ||
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 59 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Japan | — | 52,950 [39] |
United States (RIAA) [5] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
Soultracks [40] | U.S. | The 75 Best Soul Albums of the 80s | 2009 | 29 |
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American music band formed in 1969. Their music spans the multiple genres, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.
All 'n All is the eighth studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in November 1977 by Columbia Records. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. All 'n All has also been certified Triple Platinum in the US by the RIAA, Gold in Canada by Music Canada and Silver in the UK by the BPI.
That's the Way of the World is the sixth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on March 3, 1975, by Columbia Records. This was also the soundtrack for a 1975 motion picture of the same name. The album rose to No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul Albums charts. That's the Way of the World has also been certified Triple Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA.
Raise! is the eleventh studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on November 14, 1981, by ARC/Columbia Records. The album spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Top R&B albums chart and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. Raise! has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA, Gold in the UK by the BPI and Gold in Canada by Music Canada.
Gratitude is a double live album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, issued in November 1975 by Columbia Records. The album spent six weeks atop the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and three weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart. Gratitude has also been certified Triple Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
"After the Love Has Gone" is a song by Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1979 as the second single from their ninth studio album I Am on ARC/Columbia Records. The song reached No. 2 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, No. 3 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. "After the Love Has Gone" was certified gold in the US by the RIAA and silver in the UK by the BPI.
Illumination is the nineteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in September 2005 on Music World/Sanctuary Records. The album rose to No. 8 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 32 on the Billboard 200 chart. Illumination was also Grammy nominated within the category of Best R&B Album. It is the final Earth, Wind & Fire album to feature their founder and co-lead vocalist Maurice White.
I Am is the ninth studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in June 1979 by ARC/Columbia Records. The LP rose to number one on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and number three on the Billboard 200 chart. I Am has been certified Double Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA, Platinum in the UK by the BPI, and Platinum in Canada by Music Canada.
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