I am amazed at the manner in which EWF has managed to release a product that is both true to its origins and does not get lost in trying to use all the bells and whistles (i.e guests rappers, Neptune-production, Dianne Warren single) that most artists (new and old) think that they need to resort to in order to sell records.

Maurice White and Philip Bailey have such a chemistry and the music sounds like classic EWF without the repetitive familiarity that sometimes taints oldies but goodies after one hears them over and over again. There are potential singles galore, but what I like is that you can hear it from the beggining to end without ever forgetting that it's EWF, but it still feels new and cohesive. The only "guests" on the CD are The Emotions ("Best Of My Love"), Angie Stone, and Gerald Albright, but they only add to what is EWF and don't serve as pasted on marketing ploys.

Here is to many more years of music from the heart. EWF's message of love and light may seem like new age psychobabble to some, but they've been at it before it became fashionable or went out of fashion. Give this release a try and you might find yourself surprised at how good you feel afterwards.


Promise You'll Love It   May 24, 2003
Michael T. Foy (Bensalem, PA United States)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

I'm seriously, honestly impressed by this CD. I must admit, due to Maurice White's on-the-road absences, I expected less than this effort. Not only was I shamed, but I'm sincerely blown away. Every track is a serious contender to ANYTHING, ANY SONG in today's music business.

R&B, Pop, Smooth Jazz, Dance, Latin... most importantly... classic, hearfelt, deep-in-the-groove ballads featuring both Maurice and Phillip... it's all here.

I am not capable of accurately describing the musical importance of EWF and this CD. Take the best "elements" of the EWF sound- Maurice, Phillip, Verdine's driving bass, horns, the Emotions (yes, they participate heavily on a couple tracks)- it is all here.

My favorites... first track, "All In the Way," is a fun marriage of contemporary R&B with classic EWF sound, complete with the Emotions, horn section and kalimba! What a great way to kick off the set... second track, "Betcha'", wow. Phillip Bailey perfectly delivers the ULTIMATE breakup anthem, in a way that could certainly make 99.99% of today's male R&B singers choose a diffent career... but then... Maurice delivers the double KO after track 3's interlude on "Why". I'm talking CLASSIC, purely soulful Maurice White... Then... "Wonderland", an uplifting inspirational/love masterpiece in the vein of "That's the Way of the World," "Devotion," and "Keep Your Head to the Sky" just melts me with its harmony (and appearance by Angie Stone). Just beautiful... One more to cover here, because I must leave a few surprises to the EWF fans out there, and as I'm typing this, I'm realizing that I'm totally loving every song and this review could easily surpass the maximim 1,000 words... Track 6, "Where Do We Go From Here?," I found myself humming the hook at a bowling alley!!! The harmony is totally embedded in my mind now, and if the sounds of pins crashing can't overpower it, I don't know what could. Wow.

I'm 30/White-Hispanic/Male/Married. I'm totally sucked in. DO BUY THIS CD.

Thank you, Earth, Wind and Fire, for your timless Devotion to music and an outstanding new recording. It's an instant classic.


The Promise Is Finally Given To Us   June 21, 2004
Brandon Ousley (Chicago, Illinois United States)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

6 years ago, I was eagerly waiting for Earth, Wind, & Fire to release a new album. Then, I heard that EW&F was going to release a new album called "The Promise". On May 20, 2003, I was excited to rush to the record store and purchase a copy of the new album. Let me just say that "The Promise" is an amazing EW&F album. I haven't heard an album so inspiring and powerful. On this album, EW&F mixes their 1970's heyday sound with today's pop-oriented sounds. "All in the Way" is a lively-pop tune with great percussion work and vocal arrangements. "Betcha" is a more radio-friendly tune. It's a great, mid-tempo ballad with Phillip Bailey singing his smoothest falsetto voice. "Why" is probably my favorite track on here. It's a smooth-drenched ballad with Maurice White singing his most spectacular baritone vocals. The next track is called "Wonderland". It's a neo-soul tune with Angie Stone sharing the microphone with Phillip and Maurice. "Where Do We Go From Here?" is a catchy, smooth jazz tune with a nice vibe in it. "Hold Me" is a mellow and lushy ballad with an infectious groove and hypnotic melody. "Never" is a latin-influenced jam with outstanding horn arrangements. I like that song a lot. "All About Love" is a mid-tempo smooth jam with complex instrumentation. It's a decent track. "Suppose You Like Me" and "Let Me Love You" are a little uninteresting to me, but they have their moments. "She Waits" has great and exciting instrumentation. It also has an infectious bassline. "Dirty" is a hot and funky gem. Overall, "The Promise" is an album that keeps EW&F's legacy going. The two missteps of this album is the interludes and the use of the live horns and percussion instrumentation. The interludes were very spectacular, but they were also uneven and somewhat uninteresting. Another thing I had a problem with was the use of electronic instruments, especially the drum machine, on some of the tracks. They could've used more live instruments, but that is alright. "The Promise" is a knockout record that proves EW&F is still going strong. Maurice keep the legacy going. Hopefully, the next record would be better. A-


THIS is what MUSIC's all about!!   May 29, 2003
A. Edwards (Tallahassee, FL)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

True Musicians. True Vocalists. Outstanding original arrangements. This CD epitomizes what music should be; original, lasting and "real". EWF is back with a vengeance and I couldn't be happier with the outcome of what can only be described as brilliant! Maurice White and Phillip Bailey are truly phenomenal on this as well as the musicians (drummer, bassists, horns, pianos, guitars, percussions, etc.). It's all there, like back in the day. You can sense the love and motivation they show on this new millennium CD. Pick up what is sure to be a classic today.