Customer Reviews

Keep the Fire

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I was 10 years old, I had this in the 8-track format. I loved it. "This Is It" is the big hit, but Mr. Night is the one to listen to. I would probably just get compilation album if you're not much of a Loggins fan, but... any serious collector NEEDS this album. As a note to Caddyshack fans: Mr. Night was used in the movie in the Caddy Pool scene. Later!

This cd is essential to anyone who wants to have a serious classic rock collection.. I grew up listing to a variaty of music, But to this day, this album is one of my favorites..
Don't stop here, buy them all. :)

Since he began his solo career Kenny Loggins' had been able to abley blend pop,jazz-funk and soul into a sleek and distinctive sound all while basking under the name of west coast rock or "soft rock". After his previous album Nightwatch Kenny jettisoned producer Bob James for the better known Tom Dowd. That doesn't really matter much in terms of his music because this album delivered what had to be Loggins' most consistant and fluid album even since his wonderful debut. The album starts out with the only two rockers on the album,the driving "Love Has Come Of Age" and the goofy rockabilly of "Mr.Night" which 80's movie goers will likely recognize from that hilarious swimming pool scene in Caddyshack. "This Is It" is yet another one of those songs you really have to hear in it's entirety to appreciate it's harmonic subtleties. Years of radio ware really took the emphasis off what a great build this song has from this breezy jazz-funk flavor to it's famous disco-pop hook. "Junkanoo Holiday (Fallin-Flyin')" is one of those excellent album tracks that went undeservadly burried in the middle of this album. It's a fierce funk-rocker with this locked down groove at the end with one of the finest slap bass lines ever on a Kenny Loggins album. Loggins is probably the last person whose name would come up for credit with even one hard core funk jam but this song definately qualifies as that one anyway. There are three finely crafted ballads in the folky Burt Bacharach collaboration on "Now and Then" as well as the two jazzy pop closers "Give It Half A Chance" and "Will It Last". One of my main reasons for getting into this album was when I heard about "Who's Right,Who's Wrong". Now musically it's a great saxaphone led jazz-pop groove with a Quincy Jones flavor not lost in the fact of whose providing a standout harmony vocal on the song-the late Michael Jackson himself and his scalling coos and woos provide a great blanket for Kenny's own vocal style. The title song has a nice anthemic pop-fusion flavor to it with some terrific melodic dynamics to it,typical of the late 70's in many ways but still not a bad idea. Even if all the songs on this album don't sound alike the creamy production,musicianship as well as the great compositions make this a stand out 70's pop album with all the good intact and one of the shinning moments of Loggins' career.

As I'm one of the few who still listen to cd's, I'm thrilled to find them in good, used condition. This one plays just like new, so I'm a happy listener.

Is KEEP THE FIRE Loggins' best album? I don't think so but it's an effective sample of Loggins proficiency as an entertaining pop musician/performer/composer.
The nine tracks range from upbeat dance songs to tender heartfelt (somewhat schmaltzy) ballads. THIS IS IT and KEEP THE FIRE are the two biggest hits and are still listenable today. JUNKANOO HOLIDAY and MR. NIGHT are notably infectious and NOW AND THEN is a beautiful ballad. The remaining tunes are passable though not truly remarkable.
Released in 1979, its really the last in a series of radio-friendly discs that exemplified Loggins commercially focused works. Soon he would beome a little more bolder and eclectic in upcoming releases. KEEP THE FIRE is a probable inclusion in any Loggins fan library.

Keep the fire is the best in the logginS catalog...its a must!!!!

Let's see, those who've seen my review of "Celebrate Me Home" know my stand on KL's Music...Huge fan but not of every aspect of the man's career. Here is a prime example of how the sound can vary. This is It...Masterpiece with amazing potential, grace and style. R&B/Pop at its best. Junkanoo Holiday...Cheesy pop tart of music. Who's Right, Who's Wrong...It has Michael Jackson on it, need I say more? Whats good you can for sure tell, what sucks you know for sure. You decide...I like this record when you get to hear whats great, and skip what's crap...See for yourself