War - Why Can't We Be Friends? (1975)

The cover art of Why Can't We Be Friends? perfectly portrays the mood of War's seventh release; why can't we all get along. The the question of the decade, the 1970s were an especially tumultuous period in U.S. and the World as a whole. Released in 1975 it was flawlessly produced by Jerry Goldstein with help from members of the band. The two crossover hits "Low Rider" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?" aside, the album is filled with exciting and interesting moments. The long instrumental "Smile Happy" showcases brass and reed player Charles Miller's skill which is found on most tracks in the release. "So" and "Lotus Blossom" are somber ballads, which are very different than most of the record, but again fit perfectly, adding a mature balance to War's fourth gold record. Lee Oskar's harmonica colors much of the album, most notable on "So" and the suite "Leroy's Latin Lament". Many of the tracks make heavy use of additional percussion other than a drum kit, adding timbales, bongos, woodblocks, xylophones, congas, and cowbell, among many others. "Heartbeat" is a seven and a half minute funk workout, with a Latin tinged percussion track. B.B Dickerson's bass grooves on all the tracks and pushes each track along with a latin/reggae influence. With their last number one hit, "Low Rider", War fell in obscurity, after switching to different labels MCA and ABC, leaving behind a string of hit singles and great albums such as Why Can't We Be Friends? and 1972's The World Is A Ghetto.