War – The World is a Ghetto

War – The World is a Ghetto

Time for some real latin-tinged funk.  Released in 1972, War’s The World is a Ghetto is their third album after Eric Burdon departed.  Many feel it is their best album, and I agree.  If you know War from “Spill the Wine”, “Low Rider” and “The Cisco Kid”, I believe you’ll be refreshed with a little dip in the deep end.

The musicianship, sharing of “leads” between the players & the overall production results in a very headphones friendly album that you can put on, sit back & enjoy the sonic journey.  One can even get lost in it, if you’re in the right frame of mind.  The percussion and bass really stand out, with guitars, saxophone & harmonica taking turns grabbing the spotlight.  For me “The Cisco Kid” and “The World is a Ghetto” are the stand out tracks, although the others certainly hold their own.

This is a 40th anniversary commemorative release, which includes 4 previously unreleased tracks.  The original album ended with “Beetles in the Bog”, itself a fun little number.

Here’s a link to a review at AllMusic.com.  

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