AMG Review of Beautiful Ballads

Thom Jurek
All Music Guide

This 14-cut ballads collection from Legacy is culled from Earth, Wind & Fire's glory years with the label between 1973 and 1979. There are many classic cuts here; well, all of them actually, that rate in the slow burner hall of fame. Cuts like 1974's "Devotion," and "Keep Your Head to the Sky," from the 1973 album of the same name are here, along with "Love's Holiday" and "Be Ever Wonderful," from 1977's All 'N All, as well as the super bad "Wait," from I Am in 1979. While it is tempting to think of this as simply a comp, putting all these ballads together on a single disc creates a fine vibe for digging into the truly lush and romantic side of one of the greatest groups of the '70s.