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Album of the day. Happy 45th to one of Earth, Wind & Fire's all-time great albums, 1979's I Am. Two immediate takeaways: * I miss brass in pop music. Peak-period Earth, Wind & Fire had a mighty godsend in the Phenix Horns section, whose intricate horn charts added a lasting exuberance and buoyancy to the band's overall sound. Tom "Tom Tom 84" Washington, Ben Wright, and Jerry Hey's arrangments shine throughout this 1979 classic. * This has to be one of the most immaculately sequenced albums of the '70s. Earth, Wind & Fire had proven themselves to be masters of putting together cohesive works prior to 1979, but they hit all cylinders for I Am. Some have criticized this album as the moment cracks began to show in EWF's armor, favoring overblown production tricks and an all-too-pristine studio sheen meant to appease wider pop and disco crowds. And that's a valid argument. But, I Am remains a pure joy (the album's first side alone is a thrill ride in and of itself).