ALBUM REVIEW: WAR - The World is a Ghetto

    The story of WAR is moreso the story of Eric Burdon, former vocalist for The Animals - you most likely know them for a handful of R&B hits in the 60s like "House of the Rising Sun" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", amongst others. A solid group in their own right, but after they dissolved in 1969, Burdon looked to create a new group, and the result was Eric Burdon and War - unlike the rhythm and blues of The Animals early days or even the psychedelia of albums like Winds of Change, WAR were a bona fide crossover group that fused rock, reggae, soul, R&B, latin, and jazz all across their sound, which certainly makes for interesting listening. By '72, though, Burdon was out with his own solo career and WAR pressed on. If The World is a Ghetto is any indication, they not only survived, but thrived without their initial front man. Fitting for a group as explorative and lively as WAR is, The World is a Ghetto is fittingly filled with stylistic diversity and expansive jams that encompass most of the album. While some moments invariably lack a little bit of flair, and some moments may even go on too much for their own good, The World is a Ghetto is not necessarily undeserving of its reputation as a classic anything genre album.

     At six songs long, with three over the 8-minute mark, The World is a Ghetto is certainly varied in contents and length with it song choices. The downside of these three longer tracks, as exciting and full as they are, is that it ultimately leaves the three shorter tracks lacking in some realization. The one exception to this is the galvanizing album opener "The Cisco Kid", which features distinctive rhythms and a killer vocal performance throughout - reminds me of a funkier take on Santana's sound. Unfortunately, the other two short moments aren't so lucky. "Where Was You At" is a fine enough cut, but sandwiched in between the fire of "The Cisco Kid" and the sprawling landscape of "City, Country, City", it gets lost. The final of these three, and also the album closer, "Beetles in the Bog" probably stands as the album's weakest moment. Much like the previously mentioned "Where Was You At", it gets lost in the sea of everything else on this album. While I love me some longer tracks, here it does lead to a little bit of smothering out the shorter moments, which is ultimately a little unfortunate - all I'm saying is that "The Cisco Kid" could've been made 8 minutes with a 4 track album, and the end result would probably be just as good.

    Luckily, there's three expansive tracks that make up most of the album here, and this is where you're getting your money's worth. It would be remiss of me to not mention "City, Country, City", which probably stands as my vote for the album's most unique moment. Spanning 13 minutes and with influence from various genres, it really is a brilliant case of wordless storytelling - every little movement, from the harmonica-lead opening to the Latin rhythms and percussive textures to the gentle fade out adds up to an assuredly fascinating piece of music that will probably stand as one of the reasons I go back to this album. The reflective "Four Cornered Room" is the most spacious moment on the album with its laid-back groove, flanged vocals, and group chorus throughout - it has a very late-night feel to the song, and is a more than welcome addition to the album's second side (makes a great opening for the second half, as well). Immediately after, and undoubtedly the album's most iconic moment is the title track: "The World is a Ghetto". At 10 minutes and similarly down in the groove, the bold title track is a grim look at poverty and oppression in the world, and the near impossibility to escape these conditions - for me and for you, the world is a ghetto. It's only fitting that such a conscious and powerful song would be the album's most enduring moment.

     WAR's tendency towards genre fusion and expansive jams is certainly on display throughout the diverse contents of The World is a Ghetto. Not only does the album show of the members' musical prowess, but it showcases their ability to keep a song entertaining past the four minute mark. It's smooth, lyrically conscious, and perfectly able to stew in slower jams and faster grooves throughout. For as storied as WAR is, The World is a Ghetto is a solid showcase of what the group can do.

RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

Listen to The World is a Ghetto.