Customer Reviews

Eric Burdon Declares War

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"We the people have declared war against the people for the right to love each other". Personally I prefer the second title, but then record companies can be such picky people. Eric Burdon & War was one of those unstable combinations that throws out sparks and heat even as it heads toward meltdown. Looking back it seems amazing that the team up of a British Blues / rock singer, a freaked out Danish harmonica player and an L.A. - based R & B / Jazz / Latin sextet came together at all. Their mixture of ethnic background & musical influences created a sound that was as hard to classify as exciting as it was to listen too. Eric Burden & War ran that fine line between genius & total excess as their star blazed a fluorescent trail across the musical stratosphere. The brief career only lasted two years & two albums, (1969 - 71) during this brief time together they performed with a sense of daring, risk, imagination, & adventure. "Eric Burdon declares War" was the first & most successful of the two albums, (the other "Black Man's Burdon" being released the following year) recorded after nearly a year of touring, the band went in and laid down what they were playing on stage with very little overdubs & plenty of ad-libbing. The music captures the kinetic inter play between Burdon & his band mates. Their ability to communicate with and improvise off each other gives "Declares War" its power & its glory. The tension between Burdon's unpredictable nature, War's polished instrumental skills, and Lee Oskar's reckless jamming harmonica runs through the music. Burdon was an artist with a definite message, and working with a multi-racial band was part of his statement. "War" wasn't a name to be chosen lightly in 1969 (or now come to that) it acknowledged both cultural & artistic conflicts & challenged audiences to deal with such issues, at least that's my slant looking at the monikers meaning. The free flowing approach of the album starts immediately with first cut "The Vision Of Rassan" with its name checks to Charlie Parker & John Coltrane, this was the bands tribute to jazz reed player Roland Kirk, and wets the musical palate for what is to come. From there, Burdon leads the band into an expanded exploratory version of Tobacco Road, that had previously been a hit for the Nashville Teens, but not much of their version remains as Burdon uses the lyric as a springboard for an odd erotic sermon, nailed down by War's tight supporting play.

The albums best known track "Spill The Wine" is a Latin tinged daydream of a song which became a number 3 in the U.S.A & a number one in the rest of the world. "Mother Earth" an old blues standard gives us the main theme for the 13 minutes of "Blues For Memphis Slim". As the band coasts along, Burdon expounds upon sex, birth, & morality, stepping aside to allow Charles Miller & then Lee Oskar to strut their stuff. The albums concludes with the vocal workout "Your No Stranger" a nice return to normality after what has gone before. The following year the partnership dissolved, fortunately the music they recorded survives, a remarkable combination of divergent ancestries and united talents. Mott the Dog.

I recently heard "Tobacco Road" being played at a local record store and could not believe how unbelievably funky and inspiring the tune was. I had heard the all time classic "Spill the Wine" and its definitely was of my favorite War tracks however the other songs on this album make it an all time classic War album that I think many have overlooked. "The Vision of Hassan" is not only educational and thought provoking but has a incredible piano riff that sets the stage for this great organic album obviously recorded on a whim with spontaneous conviction. "Tobacco Road" with its 14+ minutes of congo laden groove is one of the most honest funk songs I've heard and can definitely get a dance party started in the right direction. I would not hesitate to add this steller album to your collection.

I have loved this disc ever since hearing the opening piano part on "The Vision of Rassan". What an opening! There have been very few times where the beginning of a CD commands my attention like this one does. It's interesting to hear War in their early stages and how Eric Burdon influenced their musical approach. Burdon's voice is in top form and his raspy blues tone is in full effect. His influence is apparent on songs like "Blues For Memphis Slim". Of course, "Spill The Wine" is the best known song off this one, but overall this is a great album.

I first heard the LP from a friend who brought it back from the US just when it came out. I had to tape it asap and waited for several months until it became available in Europe. What a thrill ! Coming all together, the best blues, the best songs (and meaningful for once), the best band, the best singer ! I have many albums for which time has changed my perception, from abslute fan to reasonably enthusiastic, or less. This is (together with the following double album The Black-Man's Burdon) an abolute master piece, never fails to give me intense satisfaction and pleasure.
I also had the privilege to see them on stage in Paris in the early 70s, a 4 hours concert taking place after the "regular" show at the Olympia Theater. The musicians and the audience were so hot (and high) that the band wouldn't leave the stage. The staff cut the amps, and the concert continued for one hour all acoustic. This is also the best concert I have ever seen.

If I were trapped on a deserted island for the rest of my life, and could only have 10 albums with me....This would be one of them!

Great disc! Most people might not know that Jim Hendrix played his last show ever with Eric Burton and War two days before he died. They jammed on two songs from this disc: Blues For Memphis Slim (incl.Mother Earth)and Tobacco Road. The sound quality of that show is really bad and cuts at some points. Listening to this it makes me imagine what it really sounded like that night with Hendrix playing.

This is one of my favorite War cds I have collected all of them over the years which was hard to do over here because only the first albums with Eric Burdon really made it. They are such a professional band they have the best rhythm section that I have heard when Eric left they continued as before and added their own style to the music.

It's quite disturbing that War's sound wasn't showcased more in Eric Burdon (The Animals) & War's 1970 MGM debut. Even though Eric Burdon declares "War" yielded the smash hit Spill The Wine, you're hard pressed to remember anything you've heard on this LP other than bits and pieces of Eric Burdon's endless ramblings. And that's a shame, because what you have here backing up Burdon's ego and face time is a damn good band.

Burdon's hippie rhetoric reaches sweltering highs and catastrophic lows under the guidance of Jerry Goldstein's production. The pompous Tobacco Road would have been much better in single mode. Instead it's presented here in long form (I Have A Dream version), thus making the road seem like a long and exhaustive black top. Roll On Kirk minus the Dedication is another example. The band close out the set with the gem You're No Stranger, which just so happens to be worth the price of admission alone.

olofpalme63

This is a great CD. There are terrific songs, Vision of Rasson, spill the wine and tobbaco road are classics songs. Everyone who love music must buy this cd.

Very experimental cd. Too different musical styles combined. The only real reason to buy this cd is for "spill the wine".