Of the four unearthed Songs In the Key of Life outtakes, I'm hooked on this one the most. Sporting a mellow bossa nova-tinged groove, Donny Hathaway's spirit all over this one with those wicked harmonic shifts only Stevie can pull off. music.apple.com/us/album/my-…

Album of the day. Coming off the heels of the breakthrough success Earth, Wind & Fire garnered with 1974's Open Our Eyes and 1975's That's the Way of the World, 1976's Spirit is often given the middle child status in the band's classic 1974-1980 run, and that's a terrible shame. I've always found it to be Earth, Wind & Fire's gospel album—a spiritual song cycle that finds the band tightening up their all-encompassing musical prowess while empowering the minds and souls of the weary, whose faith and hope were being tested by the times. While optimism fills up a great deal of this classic, there's also a somber undertone that creeps into the mix. It's also worth noting that this album was dedicated to longtime co-producer and arranger Charles Stepney, who died of a heart attack during the completion of the album sessions. Maurice White always had the fervor and charm of a Baptist church minister and on this album, his gospel vision comes through vibrantly clear: the escapist opener, "Getaway" rips like a fiery Sunday morning hymn, setting the tone with its knotty horn charts and lively, razor-sharp funk groove. From there, the band gets deeper into the inspirational mode with the buoyant "On Your Face," with its dynamic call-and-response vocal work and the majestic love ballad, "Imagination." The band then works through a mix of mythical ballads and melodic grooves that underscore their celestial, positive vision. A beautiful soul masterpiece that represents Earth, Wind & Fire at the peak of their powers.