Stevie Wonder

[notchreturns]

I don't call many genius, but he fits that bill.

[Psychocandy]

Originally posted by notchreturns
I don't call many genius, but he fits that bill.

I love Innervisions. I keep meaning to get another couple of albums (most advice seems to indicate that Songs In The Key Of Life is the next logical step). I won't dispute that he was a genius but I would say that evidence seems to suggest that something went awry in Wonderland around about the time the seventies melted into the eighties. It was the mediocrity of his output from the beginning of that lamentable decade until the present day that ensured my almost complete ignorance where Wonder is concerned. I assumed that he had always been crap and as a result I only recently, as a result of a review of some remastered CD releases in Uncut Magazine, realised that I had been missing out on some of the very finest and influential music released during the seventies. Anyway Notch...you seem to be a little more educated than I am where Wonder is concerned. Where should I go from Innervisions?

[The Postmaster General]

Songs In The Key Of Life is my favorite Stevie Wonder album, it amost plays like a "Best of" without the horror of the 80's. The songs are just so amazingly heartfelt, and the lyrics really stand out from other Wonder albums for me. It's a double disk and there's not one down moment for me.

Talking Book is also very very good, with tracks like the well-heard funk-bass line of "Superstition" and the classic "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" --- The whole album is worth listening to just for the track "Big Brother" which in the early-70s had already pegged the way politicans patronize the black community.

[notchreturns]

I'm not that educated, really. Dunno that much of his catalogue, just a bit, but from what I've heard.... yikes. I know he's black and blind and apparently played all the instruments on some of his albums?

But yeah... Sir Duke, He's Misstra Know It All, Living for the City, Love's in Need of Love Today, For Once In My Life, etc...

All classic.

[The Postmaster General]

And I like Hotter Than July quite a bit too. It was from '80 - "Master Blaster (Jammin')" is really great.

I think it was after this that he became more commercial when he did the Woman In Red soundtrack. That has "Just Called To Say I Love You" and the horrible "Woman In Red" - he was paired with the attrocious Dione Warwick for the album. I think at this point of his career he had official 'sold out', although I usually loathe the use of that word, I find it truly fitting considering how much of a dip he took in '84.

[BadCoverVersion]

Taking Book is my fave album, fave songs "I Don't Know Why (I Love You)" and "Big Brother".....he's a bona fide genius!

[Rated R]

Listening to Talking Book right now actually, and yes I will agree with the label of genius. Tremendous songwriter, and I desperately need to get more of his work.

[Romero&Juliet]

check out the stuff he made as a kid. the album Down To Earth, particularly. the guy had his shit together when he was like - TWELVE.