All Day Music

アルバム・チャートでトップ10まで上昇し、39週にわたってチャートに残り、ゴールド・ディスクを獲得したセカンド・アルバム。最大の特徴は、全米チャート16位まで上昇したヒット・ナンバー「Slippin’ Into Darkness」が収録されていて、熱とクールネスを兼ね備えた永遠の名曲。同じくヒットしたタイトル・トラックのメロウネスにも、雑多なジャンルを取り込んだ彼らならではの質感が表れている。前作『War』で行き着けなかった境地にたどり着こうという気合いが全編にみなぎっており、危険な雰囲気の音像に乗せて警官や政治家の職権乱用を糾弾する「Get Down」や「There Must Be Reason」、ウォー流儀のスウィート・ソウルというべき7分もの大作「That’s What Love Will Do」、お蔵入りになった映画『ゲットー・マン』のテーマ曲で、持ち前のラテン・フレイヴァーが弾ける「Nappy Head」、ブルース・フィーリングが痛快な「Baby Brother」と、ヴァラエティ豊かで聴き応え充分！

As controlled as their self-titled debut was loose, War's sophomore effort, All Day Music, appearing a little over six months later in November 1971, was packed with subtly understated grooves. A hit with the fans, the LP peaked in the Top Ten, ultimately spending a massive 39 weeks on the charts. Side one is a gorgeous slab of mellow grooves and jazzed funk highlighted by both the title track and "Get Down," while "That's What Love Can Do" is an outstanding, textured, sleepy love affair revolving around the band's superior vocal harmonies and a tenor sax solo. The light, spare rhythm is like a warm treacle binding. With just three songs picking up the second half, War steps up the pace across the Latin-influenced jam "Nappy Head," the funky, bass-laden "Slipping Into the Darkness," and the all-out electric blues jam that rips through the prototype "Baby Brother." The latter was recorded live on June 30, 1971, at California's Hollywood Bowl and would, in revised and seriously edited form, be reborn as the monster "Me and Baby Brother" on War's Deliver the Word opus. Not nearly as fiery (with the exception of "Baby Brother," of course) as either their live performances or later albums, All Day Music is still one of this band's best-ever efforts. At times mellow enough to border on horizontal, the songs are filled with such texture and such rich intent that even in the band's quietest breath there is a funky resonance that fulfills Lee Oskar's vision fully. ~ Amy Hanson