Although they were catching more flak from critics for an alleged obsession with sociopolitical commentary and quasi-mystical references, R&B audiences hadn't yet tired of Earth, Wind & Fire.
While this album admittedly had less memorable material and was more dependent on what had become production clichés and stock devices, it still landed plenty of hits on the charts.
But it was becoming clear to even the most devoted fans that songs like "Let Me Talk" and "Sparkle" weren't their finest hour.