Customer Reviews

Harvest for the World (Exp)

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It's remarkable how harrowingly ironic things have suddenly become.

First, watching HBO's "Band Of Brothers" and putting yourself in the spectrum of training, hair-trigger timing and eventual battle. And now with Tuesday's bombings of the Pentagon, the World Trade Towers and the shaking of a society that we have taken so much for granted.

Funny, but when I first purchased the long-overdue CD reissue of "Harvest For The World" (and "The Heat Is On") by the Isley Brothers, I bought it purely for the fact that this was a long lost scripture of soul-groove finally making a comeback. It was only for that reason...

Who knew what comfort this album would bring me during the last 48 or so hours. This is not only the Isleys' masterpiece, but the title track is possibly one of the most powerful statements of human tolerance whose time has finally arrived. Back in 1976, not too many people wanted to hear a song like this, but for the ones who did listen, they knew damn well what Ronald testified and what others wanted to masquerade with indifferent disco and hard rock. Hey, the 60's were over, right?

Well, with the new millennium bringing us some unusual challenges up till now, I think the title track is more than appropriate, it's relevant. This is not a flowery, "teach the world" to sing kind of song, but look in the mirror of a world that has not been spared by war or the terrors of evil. And with all divisions associated in times likes this, i.e. political, religious, etc., we're all human in the end. That's the plain and simple truth.

The rest of the album is a stone masterpiece as well, with the hard funk-folk groovers like "People Of Today" & "Who Loves You Better" (Ernie Isley...WOW!) and their finest balladry moment to date on "Let Me Down Easy". Even the bonus track "live" version of "Summer Breeze" is magnificent.

The Isley Brothers have always been a class act. It's only now that their music is being regarded as timeless pieces of rock and roll and more than 70's period soul. The Isleys don't demand your respect, they only ask you listen. And once you have, you'll never have regretted that move forward.

Peace.

After scoring their first number one album, The Heat Is On, The Isley Brothers' followed that classic up less than a year later with 1976's amazing Harvest For The World. The band has always had something to say and never have they said more than on the amazing title track. A call for understanding and unity, the song has more relevance today than it did twenty-five years ago. The album is worth it for that song alone, but the rest of the album stands up as well with "People Of Today", "Let Me Down Easy" and "At Your Best (You Are Love)" standing out. The album peaked at number nine on the charts.

From 1973's "3+3" to 1983's "Between The Sheets",
with the exception of 1981's weak offering "Inside You",
the Brothers Isley were riding a creative & self-contained
wave that produced some of the funkiest jams of the 70's
and some of the most sensual and beautiful slow jams
ever in the history of R&B!

Not to mention their pre-3+3 output which ran all
the way back to 1959's classic "Shout",
1962's "Twist & Shout", 1966's "This Old Heart Of Mine"
(from their Motown period) and 1969's funk classic
"It's Your Thang"...the Isley's are indeed a dynasty
the likes of E, W & F and P-Funk!
There influence is incalculable and will be felt for infinity!
But this particular offering...
1976's "Harvest For The World" produced the
Isley's most clear cut socio-political message to date!
But aside from the stellar title track, the stand-outs
of this album are the ballads "At Your Best (You Are Love)" ,
which was covered by the late Alliyah on her debut CD,
and "Let Me Down Easy", which definitely was the reason
for a swell in the birthrates of black america in 1977!

The fast jams of this album were sufficient and
likable at the time this album was out...
"People Of Today", "Who Loves You Better" and
"So You Wanna Stay Down" still get much love
from life-long Isley fans!
But truly the gem of the album is the title track
and that slammin' intro to it that puts it
in a league with Marvin's "What's Going On",
Stevie's "Visions" and E, W & F's
"That's The Way Of The World"!!
If you buy any of their '73 to '83 output, you can't go wrong!
But just skip over "Inside You"...yiiish!
Even the Isley's could have one stinker in their over 45 yr stellar career which is still going strong!

Finally released after years of searching to no avail, "Harvest For The World" has been re-issued on CD. This would have to be the quitessential Isley piece right next to "The Heat Is On" album. For years, I would visit music stores and just check the Isley section hoping to find Harvest there among the rest of the releases. You were able to find everything but.

I already owned "The Brothers:Isley", "Get Into Something", "Brother,Brother,Brother", "Givin'It Back", "3+3", "The Heat Is On", "Go For Your Guns" & "Winner Takes All" each on CD. In the past I owned Harvest on wax and on cassette. I was truly hurt not to be able to add the Harvest CD to my collection. I eventually gave up. Then, After the terrorrist attacks, I happened to browse at the Isley section and noticed the Harvest cover. I couldn't beleive it! They only had one on the shelf and I quickly snatched this gem. They couldn't have picked a better time to release this one.

I also picked up Earth,Wind & Fire's "Head To The Sky" re-issue CD and the messages on that one were just as satisfying....Especially the cut called "Evil". Food for the soul during these troubled times. Isley fans....If you have never heard Harvest, I suggest you go out and purchase this one soon as possible. Definately a solid addition to any CD collection.

3+3 as it were follow up the massive "The Heat Is On" with
yet another torrid collection,not unlike Stevie Wonder's multi-
album winning streak of the same vintage.The tital track is a
lovely,topical piece of funky soul overliad with Ernie's pretty
acoustic guitar-great times for everyone."People Of Today" and
"Who Loves You Better" are both white-hot JAMS in the finest
Isley Brother tradition,the latter featuring Ernie's best amplified electric guitar (oh how he misses Hendrix!).The two
slow grooves are pleasant enough but it's the jerky finaly of
"You Still Feel the Need" that more or less answers our question-
we still feel it and we want MORE.And we got it!

This great album is one prime example of quality music that has been conspicuous in its absence from the U.S. CD market. Having found it on vinyl two years ago, I have been prepared to pounce on a CD reissue ever since. It offers a nice helping of everything good about the Isleys.

The title track is a strong anthem with a great message. Another "message song", "People Of Today", also gives listeners a slice of tasty, up-tempo funk to sink their teeth into.

The grinding, guitar driven funk that the band is famous for gets good play here with "You Still Feel The Need".

"(At Your Best)You Are Love", the thoughtful ballad that helped launch the gone-too-soon Aaliyah's career, was my main motivation for seeking this title out. To my pleasant surprise, an equally impressive love song, "Let Me Down Easy", is also part of this effort. Both of the aforementioned ballads should be treasured as showcases for Ronald Isley's unmistakably sweet vocals.

Now let's clamor for domestic reissues of other Isley classics like "Live It Up".

When Ronald,O'Kelly and Rudolph decided to bring there other sibblings on, that is when The Isley Brother began to take off with the likes of EWF,The Gap Band and the other groups of the Early to Mid seventies.Harvest for the World was that LP that did it for me.Even tho "Giving it Back and Brother,Brother,Brother" had the original three brothers, but with the addition of the three that did it.A must have for any Isley Brother fan.

Just as u heard certain albums i.e. Showdown, Heat Is on (Exp) (one of my all-time favorite albums), 3+3, Between the Sheets, etc., you know you'll love this 1. This one cooked me up since I bought at a used thrift store. Truly love the interlude/intro to "Harvest for the World", as my friend Mistermaxxx said, this is a Must Have 'cuz every song and hit is a CLASSIC, I mean it's all the way thru know I'm saying?

Truly feelin' (At Your Best) You Are Love (once remade by the late Aaliyah (RIP), produced by nobody but the R. aka R. Kelly, the Pied Piper of R&B, find this out on Aaliyah's 1st debut and again on the posthumous greatest hits collection I CARE 4 U), plus others like "Who Loves You Better", "Harvest for the World" (we know that one), so on and on.

Truly timeless, relaxed, old-school flavored, really funky, really tasty, real relax, so sexy, so into emotion and maturity, etc.

I don't own every Isley Brother's albums but this one is my really my favorite. It's great art by all means. This album is just an excellent blend of funk, soul, pop and rock.
Just listen to "Harvest For The World" and you'll feel like you want all the album. And all the tracks of the cd are just as fantastic as this one, that's to say!
This band is one of the more consistent in the music history but also unfortunetaly one of the most underrated.
If the legacy continues today thanks to the productions R. Kelly has nicely crafted for them, they have to be remembered almost as a band of more than 2 members, whose creativity was really high.

Tracks like "Who Loves You Better" or "So You Wanna Stay Down" are genuine slices of raw funk.
But the band really shines too on the ballads. Their cover of Betty Lavette's "Let Me Down Easy" is just stunning! Talking about cover, but in inverse order this time, fans of the sorely missed Aaliyah will recognize "(At Your Best) You Are Love". Here you will find the original version from the Isley's, which is simply amazing.

What a great idea to have included in this re-issue this superb live performance of "3+3"'s "Summer Breeze".
Moreover, what can you say about Ronald Isley? His voice is just among the best, that's no lying. It's my favorite male voice along with Smokey Robinson and Eddie Kendricks.

Believe me, this album is just essential. I advise it very highly to any person which is interested in soul, funk, R&B or even rock'n'roll. It's nothing less than a masterpiece! You have been warned.

TOP 5
1. Let Me Down Easy
2. So You Wanna Stay Down
3. Harvest For The World
4. (At Your Best) You Are Loved
5. Summer Breeze (Live version)

this is a Album that I use to Rock like Crazy back in the day&still feel So Warm when I hear the title track that truly challenges the World to come together as one people.tight MusicianShip&the Whole Album truly is on point.this is a Must Have Isley Brother's for your collection.