War

War

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 4, 1992)
• Original Release Date: January 1971
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Avenue Records
• ASIN: B0000032US
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #94,047 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Recorded while WAR were pursuing a parallel career without Eric Burdon, WAR combined songs dating back to some band members' pre-WAR years with newly recorded music. While the album didn't produce the chart-topping hits their efforts with Burdon yielded, it did solidify the signature WAR sound that would soon propel them to stardom with such soul-groovers as "Sun Oh Sun" and "Lonely Feelin'" (#38 R&B). Ironically, the band would begin its solo career shortly after the release of WAR as Burdon bowed out of the lineup permanently.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Castro's Cuba Exposed, April 3, 2006

By	olofpalme63 (auf der flucht!) - See all my reviews

Referred to as "The Fingers LP" or even the "Bay of Pigs". 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. 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

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars War Drums,Piano's,Harmonica's-EVERYTHING!!!, December 12, 2003

By	Andre' S Grindle "Funk Meister" (Bangor,ME.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.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."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!

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WAR so underrated, July 21, 2007

By	Ray "fury" (perth west australia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

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. 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 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.