Eric Burdon Declares "War" - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Album Description
Capturing the improvisational energy the band would soon become famous for, WAR's debut with Animals frontman Eric Burdon burst on the scene and on the charts with the erotic, Latin-tinged hit "Spill The Wine." For rock icon Burdon it was a dream come true, blending his powerful vocal style with a raw and creative blues band. Standout tracks include "Vision Of Rassan," "Blues For Memphis Slim," and the simmering soul revamp of John D. Loudermilk's blues classic "Tobacco Road."

Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Mott declares War May 25, 2001
27 out of 30 found this review helpful

"We the people have declared war against the people for the right to love each other". Personally I prefer the second title, but then record companies can be such picky people. Eric Burdon & War was one of those unstable combinations that throws out sparks and heat even as it heads toward meltdown. Looking back it seems amazing that the team up of a British Blues / rock singer, a freaked out Danish harmonica player and an L.A. - based R & B / Jazz / Latin sextet came together at all. Their mixture of ethnic background & musical influences created a sound that was as hard to classify as exciting as it was to listen too. Eric Burden & War ran that fine line between genius & total excess as their star blazed a fluorescent trail across the musical stratosphere. The brief career only lasted two years & two albums, (1969 - 71) during this brief time together they performed with a sense of daring, risk, imagination, & adventure. "Eric Burdon declares War" was the first & most successful of the two albums, (the other "Black Man's Burdon" being released the following year) recorded after nearly a year of touring, the band went in and laid down what they were playing on stage with very little overdubs & plenty of ad-libbing. The music captures the kinetic inter play between Burdon & his band mates. Their ability to communicate with and improvise off each other gives "Declares War" its power & its glory. The tension between Burdon's unpredictable nature, War's polished instrumental skills, and Lee Oskar's reckless jamming harmonica runs through the music. Burdon was an artist with a definite message, and working with a multi-racial band was part of his statement. "War" wasn't a name to be chosen lightly in 1969 (or now come to that) it acknowledged both cultural & artistic conflicts & challenged audiences to deal with such issues, at least that's my slant looking at the monikers meaning. The free flowing approach of the album starts immediately with first cut "The Vision Of Rassan" with its name checks to Charlie Parker & John Coltrane, this was the bands tribute to jazz reed player Roland Kirk, and wets the musical palate for what is to come. From there, Burdon leads the band into an expanded exploratory version of Tobacco Road, that had previously been a hit for the Nashville Teens, but not much of their version remains as Burdon uses the lyric as a springboard for an odd erotic sermon, nailed down by War's tight supporting play.

The albums best known track "Spill The Wine" is a Latin tinged daydream of a song which became a number 3 in the U.S.A & a number one in the rest of the world. "Mother Earth" an old blues standard gives us the main theme for the 13 minutes of "Blues For Memphis Slim". As the band coasts along, Burdon expounds upon sex, birth, & morality, stepping aside to allow Charles Miller & then Lee Oskar to strut their stuff. The albums concludes with the vocal workout "Your No Stranger" a nice return to normality after what has gone before. The following year the partnership dissolved, fortunately the music they recorded survives, a remarkable combination of divergent ancestries and united talents. Mott the Dog.

5 out of 5 stars War declares a classic   February 12, 2001
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

I recently heard "Tobacco Road" being played at a local record store and could not believe how unbelievably funky and inspiring the tune was. I had heard the all time classic "Spill the Wine" and its definitely was of my favorite War tracks however the other songs on this album make it an all time classic War album that I think many have overlooked. "The Vision of Hassan" is not only educational and thought provoking but has a incredible piano riff that sets the stage for this great organic album obviously recorded on a whim with spontaneous conviction. "Tobacco Road" with its 14+ minutes of congo laden groove is one of the most honest funk songs I've heard and can definitely get a dance party started in the right direction. I would not hesitate to add this steller album to your collection.

5 out of 5 stars Declaring WAR...   October 27, 2005
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I have loved this disc ever since hearing the opening piano part on "The Vision of Rassan". What an opening! There have been very few times where the beginning of a CD commands my attention like this one does. Its interesting to hear War in their early stages and how Eric Burdon influenced their musical approach. Burdon's voice is in top form and his raspy blues tone is in full effect. His influence is apparent on songs like "Blues For Memphis Slim". Of course, "Spill The Wine" is the best known song off this one, but overall this is a great album.

3 out of 5 stars Burdon's hippie logic gets in the way of War   April 4, 2006
4 out of 6 found this review helpful

It's quite disturbing that War's sound wasn't showcased more in Eric Burdon (The Animals) & War's 1970 MGM debut. Even though Eric Burdon declares "War" yielded the smash hit Spill The Wine, you're hard pressed to remember anything you've heard on this LP other than bits and pieces of Eric Burdon's endless ramblings. And that's a shame, because what you have here backing up Burdon's ego and face time is a damn good band.

Burdon's hippie rhetoric reaches sweltering highs and catastrophic lows under the guidance of Jerry Goldstein's production. The pompous Tobacco Road would have been much better in single mode. Instead it's presented here in long form (I Have A Dream version), thus making the road seem like a long and exhaustive black top. Roll On Kirk minus the Dedication is another example. The band close out the set with the gem You're No Stranger, which just so happens to be worth the price of admission alone.

olofpalme63

3 out of 5 stars Good Hippie Rock   May 31, 1998
2 out of 6 found this review helpful

This sounds nothing like the classic funk band War would later become, but on it's own merits, as a sample of early Seventies British R&B-influenced rock it's pretty solid. Features the nicely grooving period classic "Spill the Wine", with those hilarious lines "Spill the wine/dig that girl!" Beginners to the band should look elsewhere, though.

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