Quad LP/Tape Poll Earth, Wind & Fire: That's The Way Of The World [SQ/Q8]

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Rate "That's The Way Of The World"

  • 8

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 6

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5: So-so

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 1: Bad Mix, Bad Sound, Bad Content

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    7

EMB

2K Club - QQ Super Nova
Since 2002/2003
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Feb 8, 2004
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The Top 40 Radio of My Mind
A most interesting Quad title from 1975: #1 album, two great hits, even a touch of jazz here and there....
 

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The penguin from Bloom County??? :confused:


"Thhhhpptt, ACK!"
-Bill the cat

Or is it "Magnum Opus", as in "Masterpiece", that you meant to say?

Which IS the best EW&F Quad release??
I have heard that the Live album is the best..but studio albums?
 
This one for sure, followed by Head to the sky, Spirit and Open Our Eyes.
Don't know why but the Q8 of all EWF are pretty rare.
 
As an album -- classic.

As a quad mix -- fair at best.

Best mix is the title track -- very discrete, faithful, dynamic.

If you're looking for the #1 hit version of Shining Star, sorry -- you won't find it here. Same performance, but far different mix. The a capella ending is missing a critical third harmony part. I think that's due more to the fact that this album is a sountrack (to a movie no one saw). Soundtrack versions of hit singles are almost always inferior to the single, which is usually released later (well-known examples include "The Way We Were", "My Heart Will Go On", and many of the Saturday Night Fever hits). Compared with the single heard on round the globe on radio in the summer of '75, it's really pretty limp. To hear what might have been, put on the remastered CD of EWF Greatest in Dolby PLII or Tate.

"Reasons" -- another great EWF track is included. Incredibly, this wasn't a single, despite wide airplay making it one of their best-known songs. The version here is inexplicably limp and lifeless, while the stereo mix really pops.

Being a Columbia release, with the star power of these great tracks, this should have been one of the greatest quad releases of all time, but it isn't.

"Spirit", the follow-up, is a far better surround mix.
 
I remember special ordering this title back on quad LP in 1976 at the record store across the street from my first job. The title song is notable for the differences in the mix, especially the different string arrangement in the part coming out of the choruses. I've posted that mix on YouTube.

[video=youtube;6z0_VTBwcbo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z0_VTBwcbo[/video]
 
I wonder if anybody here knows if or had pre-release info that this was ever considered for Multichannel SACD release, along the lines of the Isley 3+3 and The O'Jays' Ship Ahoy Quad mixes..?

it seems an obvious contender, imho!

the Gratitude EWF M/C SACD seemingly came out of nowhere but is still wonderful and I'm "grateful" for it, don't get me wrong but I love EWF's Thats the way of the World album the most and would so love to have the quad mix of it in decent sound quality!
 
I wonder if anybody here knows if or had pre-release info that this was ever considered for Multichannel SACD release, along the lines of the Isley 3+3 and The O'Jays' Ship Ahoy Quad mixes..?

it seems an obvious contender, imho!

Actually, it's not.

Though it boasts three popular tracks, unlike other repurposed CBS quads (O'Jays, Isley Bros) neither the mixes nor the poor sound quality hold up as 21st Century material. Many also seem unaware that this is a soumdtrack album to a small film nobody saw. As such, it doesn't even contain the hit versions we're familiar with -- those came later, as they usually do. Title track is ok, but check out the 1998 Greatest Hits remaster for "Shining Star" and "Reasons" for comparison and see for yourself how lifeless and lame those tracks sound on this release.

As we've seen many a time, in the quad world just cuz it's chock full of hits doesn't mean it's any good.
 
Actually, it's not.

Though it boasts three popular tracks, unlike other repurposed CBS quads (O'Jays, Isley Bros) neither the mixes nor the poor sound quality hold up as 21st Century material. Many also seem unaware that this is a soumdtrack album to a small film nobody saw. As such, it doesn't even contain the hit versions we're familiar with -- those came later, as they usually do. Title track is ok, but check out the 1998 Greatest Hits remaster for "Shining Star" and "Reasons" for comparison and see for yourself how lifeless and lame those tracks sound on this release.

As we've seen many a time, in the quad world just cuz it's chock full of hits doesn't mean it's any good.

it's not - in your opinion :)

i would respectfully say that we can have a difference of opinion without you point blank voiding mine by simply saying "it's not" just because you disagree..!

i also don't see how we really know the true fidelity of the quad of this album, from the quad master tapes.. as all anyone's ever heard to this point is coloured by the deficiencies and limitations of SQ encoding (and vinyl itself) and of 8-track sound quality in general.
 
I'd also add that while you may not personally care for the surround mix on this one, eggplant, that is such a subjective thing it's hard for any definitive to be made on it.

I used to have the Q8 and I really enjoyed it, so there's two conflicting opinions already.

are these things ever as open and shut as they first appear!? I don't think so.
 
That the mixes differ substantially from the stereo hit versions is a fact.

My statement regarding sound quality may be opinion, but it's an informed one.
Before shooting the messenger, do yourself a favor and take a listen to the stereo mixes alongside the quad; then tell me you still like them.
 
10. The best selling soul act in the world from this album on, for many years. The reason: they're THAT GOOD! I have this on SQ, SACD 2ch & CD. The fidelity is far from awful, yet not quite state of the art. The hits are great and the rest is pretty good.as well. This was their breakthrough and when the late, great Charles Stepney began to exert his influence on Maurice & the guys. When Charles talked, even Maurice listened.

My fave Quad is Open Our Eyes, which I have on SQ & Q8. I also have Head to the Sky on Q8, which is greatly overlooked. I have Spirit in SQ and the two MC SACD's. They are as deserving of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as anyone. In the day, we used All n All as a demo. I have it on a 2ch Japan SACD and would love to hear an MC mix. It's crisp and well recorded, and every track is stellar.

Soul/funk doesn't get any better: funky, yet sophisticated; commercial, yet pushing the envelope of creativity. Their lyrics are inspirational, not gangsta raves. Shining stars, indeed!
 
That the mixes differ substantially from the stereo hit versions is a fact.

My statement regarding sound quality may be opinion, but it's an informed one.
Before shooting the messenger, do yourself a favor and take a listen to the stereo mixes alongside the quad; then tell me you still like them.

As I'd previously mentioned, I've already heard both mixes and compared them, I'm well aware of the differences between them. I enjoy them both on their own merits.

As I said before, your perception of the sound quality could be coloured by the formats they're presented on.. Q8 & SQ hardly being the best-sounding.

I'm not shooting anyone, just respectfully expressing a different opinion from yours.
 
Listening to the Quad mix of this for the first time right now. Interesting, to say the least.

For the record, the stereo album mixes are the same as the hit versions. I don't believe that the singles were mixed either for single or for the GH album. That this was a soundtrack album has nothing to do with it.

But these mixes are VASTLY different from the stereo LP/CD mixes I've heard 1000 times, for sure. All sorts of differences in the instrumentation and vocals. I going to guess whoever did the Quad mix was nowhere around when the stereo mix was completed. Maybe he never even heard it!

Not saying it's bad, but it's certainly different. A new take on an old favorite for me for sure!
 
Another overlooked gem is their first Columbia album, Last Days & Time. It was the first EWF album I bought and I became an instant fan. Only available in glorious 2 ch.

They didn't really form a band personality until this album, an underrated gem. As for TTWOTW, my guess is whoever did the remix was well familiar with the stereo version and decided to expand the sound to include parts either mixed down or left out of the original stereo mix. There are a lot of differences to be heard, but it's not a total reworking or misguided work the way one could argue about the quad AQUALUNG, or Streisand's STONEY END (to name two).

I do believe "Shining Star" was the same on 45 as on Lp, but the title track was radically edited for 45 release, and hard to take because the full album version works quite well and, I believe, would have been a hit at that length. Not a good edit there, IMO.

ED :)
 
They didn't really form a band personality until this album, an underrated gem. As for TTWOTW, my guess is whoever did the remix was well familiar with the stereo version and decided to expand the sound to include parts either mixed down or left out of the original stereo mix. There are a lot of differences to be heard, but it's not a total reworking or misguided work the way one could argue about the quad AQUALUNG, or Streisand's STONEY END (to name two).

I do believe "Shining Star" was the same on 45 as on Lp, but the title track was radically edited for 45 release, and hard to take because the full album version works quite well and, I believe, would have been a hit at that length. Not a good edit there, IMO.

ED :)
Yes, the title track was edited for 45 but not remixed.

I wouldn't call the quad mix misguided. It's quite enjoyable in many ways. I really enjoy the interlude bits. But it lacks that smoothness and tightness the stereo mix has that is such a hallmark of EWF records.
 
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