Review Summary: Fire is Red Hot!
This is the Players at the top of their game. Equally alternating between funky rock and ballads there is a lot of versatility here. The title cut is just incredible as it so adeptly mixes funk and rock but there is really not a weak cut save for the closer which is a reprise of Together but it only lasts a minute and is meant more to close out the festivities.
What is really surprising is that the ballads are as strong as the blistering funk tunes. The best of those is "I Want To Be Free" which an ode to splitting up from someone who has hurt you very badly. It is easy to see why it was a Top 10 R&B song and crossed over and just missed the Top 40 charts. Also the old school "It's All Over" updates a 50's vibe and is also a great break up song. The other ballad "Together" is sweet touching love song sang in falsetto.
For the other funk cuts "Running From the Devil" is a funky delight about just what the title says. "Smoke" is hot funk preaching against the dangers of tobacco and "What the Hell" is a mainly rock exercise that is the hardest rocking song the Players ever cut.
This ranks up with Honey as the best Players release ever and is a must have. If you like top notch funk and classic 70's soul ballads you will not be disappointed.
