The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 2

1	Turn on (The Beat Box) 4:39
2	Let's Groove 5:34
3	After the Love Has Gone 4:24
4	Fantasy 4:36
5	Devotion 4:48
6	Serpentine Fire 3:49
7	Love's Holiday 4:21
8	Boogie Wonderland / The Emotions 4:47
9	Saturday Nite 4:01
10	Mighty Mighty 3:01
11	Keep Your Head to the Sky Bonus Track 5:10
12	I'll Write a Song for You 5:23

Barnes & Noble

This sequel to the hit-packed THE BEST OF EARTH, WIND & FIRE, VOL. 1 is a worthy successor that leans heavily on the group's late-'70s and early-'80s material. Masterminded by drummer and bandleader Maurice White, EWF have always represented the uplifting and somewhat ethereal side of funk, as opposed to the more randy and earthly pleasure-seeking Parliament/Funkadelic. Noted for their powerful horn section (which Phil Collins later enlisted for his solo work) and Phillip Bailey's wistful falsetto, this ten-piece L.A. band gracefully moved from bittersweet ballads ("After the Love Is Gone") to sinewy soul serenades ("Serpentine Fire") and sweeping epics ("Fantasy"). But during this period in their illustrious career, the dance floor is where EWF truly stood out. Who can forget "Boogie Wonderland," the group's disco duet with the Emotions, or "Let's Groove," a Top Five smash anchored by rhythmic bass, punctuated horns, and vocoder-accented vocals? Also included are a pair of bonus tracks: the inspirational "Keep Your Head to the Sky" and the delicate ballad "l'll Write a Song for You." This supreme addition to Earth, Wind & Fire's available catalog reasserts their place in music history as shining stars of soul.Dave Gil de Rubio

All Music Guide

The second collection covering hit singles from the '70s top funk and soul band, Earth, Wind & Fire. This anthology has recently been supplanted by a box set covering virtually all of their big Columbia singles and some early Warners material. If you enjoyed their disco and late '70s cuts more than the early tracks, this anthology is worth getting. The 2000 CD reissue has two bonus tracks: the moderate 1973 hit "Keep Your Head to the Sky" and "I'll Write a Song for You," from the 1977 album All 'n All. ~ Ron Wynn & Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide