Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Pretty chill and groovy, good lyrics, a little bit sleepy overall. I'd give 3.5 if this project had half-stars, but I'll round Stevie up to 4.
Härligt men hade kunnat trimmas ner lite
Toppen!
Brilliant album. Essential classic. Diverse, innovative arrangements.
He's a genius, but some of these ramble on a bit long.
God I wanted to love this and I…didn’t. I only liked it, sigh. There are some all-time classics here and Stevie is always Stevie. He’s wonderful to listen to. But many of the songs arrangements tilted orchestral mid-‘70s, almost Muzak at points. It’s a 4, but only because it’s him.
Meh
4/5
Beautiful album
Wowza this is a big one. Recognize the intro of Love's In Need of Love Today from Jay-Z's 4:44. Have a Talk With God is awesome -- will have to come back to this one. Village Ghetto Land is made up of synth'd strings, but sounds great. Contusion is a wonderful prog-funk explosion of an instrumental interlude. And Sir Duke is one that everyone and their mother knows -- and rightfully so, its a jam. TIL that Gangsta's Paradise is based on a Stevie Wonder song. Isn't She Lovely is another song that everyone knows; fine little ditty. Black Man is a hell of a jam. All Day Sucker is a fucking jam through the back side. Although this was quite long, it was a great listen. The vocals and writing are fantastic end to end and the upbeat songs ripped. I'll say that there were a few points during slower songs where I sort of glazed over and lost focus. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this. High 4.
This album had tons of hits holy moly Pastime Paradise was hilarious because I had no idea it was the original for Gangster's Paradise. Plenty to like in this album, especially because it clocks in at 1:45 which is really the only downside of this whole album. The entirety of it is full of great songs. High 4, but could easily be condensed down to an hour.
Have really enjoyed all the Stevie Wonder we've gotten so far and I know this is his magnum opus. All jams and then we get to Sir Duke which is absolutely incredible. Having I Wish right behind it just makes this seem like a greatest hits (I know it's not). TIL this was the original Gangsta's/Amish Paradise. Isn't She Lovely has been on my chillin playlist for quite some time what a beautiful song. I can see why this is revered as one of the best albums of all time, but something doesn't click enough for me to give it a 5. Either it being too long or some songs just going on a bittttt too long to make me lose focus. Either way I can see this being a 5 from me eventually, but today it's a high-ass 4.
Excellent. Should probably be a 5, but just too many songs.
Wasnt sure it would stand the test of time, but most of it does. Some really well written music.
This is a long ass album Stevie. I can see why this is considered a masterpiece, but honestly I could live without 4 or 5 of these songs and several of the extended intros/outros that seem to make every song 6 minutes long. You can hear the influence from this album in so much of the music from a generation later, either directly or indirectly (I had no idea “wild wild west” and “gangsta’s paradise” were direct Stevie rip offs). I also thought the sappier songs that weigh down his other albums have a little more juice on this one. Deducting a point for length (and the fake blind thing).
4.3 Deducting a half point for being fake blind. Probably essential for any record collection
What a joy this album is. It’s a little too joyful and has a bit of an agenda (an agenda I support, but nevertheless, one that is a little distracting). Stevie Wonder’s compositions are wonderfully complex and musical. And the man can *sing*. A joy, but not one I’d leave on repeat because it may be too joyful for my tastes. A 4.
This record is overflowing with hits, influence and fun. 3.7 outta 5
Solid.
Great album - Sir Duke is a classic
Could make an argument for a 5 here. It’s crazy the influence this album has had on the music world.
Great album but too much fluff to give a 5.
Is it good? Absolutely. But I don't think its five stars. The instrumentals are all great, as is the singing, but it's just not quite there. Too many of the songs just drag on, like they don't know how to end properly. This is especially evident on the second half of the album. However, it is still worthy of this list, but I'll give it 4 stars.
Haha I remember putting this vinyl on one of our early floor hangs at my old apartment and being like “this is one of the best albums ever!” Then we started making out and got bummed out by Village Ghetto Land and had to change theeee channnelll. It’s actually so funny to think of us making out to “families buying dog food now, babies die before they’re born…” and not knowing each other that well. I didn’t listen to this whole thing, but I have many times, and I love putting this album on to clean. Isn’t She Lovely is just so sweet
Disc 1 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ disc 2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Double Album Sir duke I wish Isn't she lovely
Patch Notes The one-two punch of Sir Duke / I Wish is nerfed. It was too broken. Coolio and Will Smith were removed from admin status. That one song with Wii Menu Music mistakenly used as backing was fixed. Isn't She Lovely has been duplicated in place of all the filler tracks. Now it appears 6 or so times on the album. Seriously, when it's great it's incredible, but anyone can see this album is too long. Save some for the nineteenth, Stevie!
Incredibly strong album, Stevie Wonder at his best. However, I really do think this album suffers from too long of a runtime. Nothing here sounds bad at all but my mind can’t help but drift off and want a different soundscape, 1 hour and 44 minutes is far too long for an album that sticks to the traditional RnB sound. Looking at Content alone, it’s a 5. However while the content is great, it’s too much of the same for too long to maintain that 5. Favorite songs off this album are Sir Duke and Black Man.
The upbeat material here is very, very good. I can see the influence on a lot of the funk artists I enjoy. The slower, easy listening stuff can be a bit of a slog. Still, this is clearly a very high quality album
Vraiment bien rien a dire !
J'aime trop la soul, Stevie Wonder le goat je le savais bon mais là c'était de la très bonne.
Pretty good. Great voice, great lyrics, groovy and fun instrumentals. Nothing not to like, but for me, just not the exact style of music I listen to. This is about as good as a album can get without me wanting to come back to it. Maybe a song here and there, but not the whole album again. It's also iconic, so bonus points there for what it's worth.
Muy bueno, aunque no es un estilo que me enganche mucho tiempo seguido. Temazos inolvidables.
4/5
gangsta paradise original version
Espectacular. Suena tan grande y relevante como dicen que es. Esteban tiene un sentido del ritmo que no tiene nadie. Pido perdón por no haber escuchado suficiente música suya, intentaré hacerlo a partir de ahora La de samples y covers que han salido de este álbum es heavy. Favs: I Wish, Black Man, As
Bangers
Had no idea gangsters paradise was taken from this album. Funky stuff. Liked it
So many highlights. Never outstays its welcome. No bloat. Interesting throughout. An easy 5.
Some great songs, and what a voice! I wanted the bass to be dialed up a little funkier and some of the songs dont know when to end (looking at you joy inside my tears)
I was expecting this to be 5-starrer for me, what can I say I guess I'm more of an Innervisions guy. Some of it just went on a little too long for my warped 2025 brain, but Stevie Wonder in the 1970s was on fire.
So verstücklet glosed dasi gar nüm weiss öbs bahnbrechend gsi isch oder biz überdurchschnittlich. Guet ischs sicher sehr gsi! Und mal d OG version vo Paradise z lose het sehr spass gmacht. Lehn mi vlt biz us em zugfenster aber ich denke vier Weltwunder het de Stevie verdient
Stevie rocks
Love SW. But there are others I like more.
This album is very pleasant
This could have been a 5!star album. But there was no need for it to be a double album. There was bloat, no need for the extended version of isn’t she lovely. But the core of this album is awesome - production, musicianship, his voice - all top tier. One hour and 44 minutes is too much.
****A very good album. Easy listening.
Day First listen- I have been meaning to listen to this album as a whole for a long time! Such a precious and a pleasant album, the tracks are very enjoyable and Stevie's voice is marvellous.
Weird gem - Sunset - Dreamy. Muy bueno, sobre todo la primera carátula, la segunda ya innova un poco más y no me agrada tanto
Well, this is another album I will have to buy. I knew the singles, of course... I grew up in southern Michigan in the 70s and 80s... but I had no idea how good the rest of the album was.
Stevie Wonder is in the same category as Michael Jackson, George Michael, Madonna etc in that I know they are the best at what they do but it’s not something I’d voluntarily listen to. There are some superb tracks on this album (As and Saturn are my favs) and to make a double album as good as this is almost unheard of (Beatles white album the only one I can think of that’s better off the top of my head) but I’ll prob never listen again so it isn’t a 5 star album to me. Same as Madonna’s Like A Prayer, a 4 seems fair because its undeniably good, just not my thing.
An explosion of creativity from a singular talent. Suffers a bit from bloat. Were there enough quality songs for a double album? I don’t think so. Eliminate the subpar tracks, which are predominantly on disc 2, and you have a tight all time great album. That may be picky because there are so many all time great songs here.
Wow! This was amazing. His voice is beautiful and I am so used to hearing a few classics that I was a bit shocked on a couple of the songs like, Pastime Paradise.
It's been awhile since I've listened to this one, but you can hear the influence he has on all genres of music from the time this was released. 4/5
Always loved this album. So incredible prolific to stick so many incredible songs on one album. Black Man and Isn’t She Lovely were stand outs this time. Forgot the beautiful sweet and long outro for Isn’t She Lovely.
4.5
great album but very long
I didn’t listen to the whole album as it is quite long. But it is a real feel good album and there are some fun tracks. I didn’t know gangster paradise came from one of stevie wonders’ songs. Normally I can’t stand religious music but the more religious tracks on here were great.
It's Stevie. It has the juxtaposition of all of his great albums for me. He gets so cheesy you get constipation and then he gets so funky it shakes all your shit out. There's rarely anything in between. He often hides pretty heavy messages behind his insanely catchy melodies - the man is a beast. This is an *important* album in every sense of the word. Yes everyone should listen to it - but the cheese!!!! Best Tracks: Sir Duke; I Wish; As
There is not a whole lot you can say about this one that hasn't already been said a million times, an amazing album by an amazing artist.
Quality piano playing. Fun and funky to listen to.
pleasant background music
Great stuff -1 star because I wasnt able to listen to the full thing
It's a solid, easy to listen to funk album.
Listened to one song. I need a job where I can listen to the whole album every day!
It’s just music that makes you feel good, you know? I will say, 1 hour 45 minutes is toooooo long, so I’m taking away half a star. But I’m giving it right back because I just happened to check Wikipedia while listening to Isn’t She Lovely and learned that it was written about his first born, which made me tear up because my first born went away to college last week and I love him so much and I’m so sad and excited for him at the same time.
Well, it's certainly the best 18th album of all time, right? Stevie Wonder is someone I've had mixed feelings about, but other than it being long, and having some duds that fell in the middle, it's a great album. It versatile in genres, and style; you never know what you're going to get(what do you mean that wasn't Coolio's idea?). The closing track gives me "Animal Crossing" vibes, and overall, it's such a a pleasant album to listen to. Favorite Track: "Pastime Paradise".
As a double LP recorded after he opted against retiring from making music and signed a fat new deal with Motown Records, this feels like a pure flex by Stevie Wonder. It’s a kaleidoscopic, sprawling, nearly overwhelming melange of soul, R&B, funk, tropicalia, proto-electro and Afrofuturism. “Contusion” even brings some jazz fusion to the mix.
It is so rare that you get a minor-chord jam with a hook as good as "As" has!
Knew the singles, did not expect a double Lp. Even the less good songs are not worth skipping.
Not just an LP. But a double LP. And not just a double LP. But a double LP + 7". Kind of nuts to pull that off. But he did. And somehow made a song with a crying baby in it heartwarming rather than annoying.
Had to skip 'Isn't She Lovely' but otherwise an album full of joyful bangers
Nice
A joy to listen to. All be it, a long a joy. 4.5⭐️
Not a perfect album, even the non-hits were hitting me just right. There's some ridiculously good funk on that album. 4 stars.
Some classic tracks on this album, and some great ones I've never heard. "Sir Duke", "Isn't She Lovely", "I Wish" being so major for Stevie and "Pastime Paradise" being pivotal for Coolio. It's an enjoyable album.
No me gusta mi automático recuerdo del pendular man. Pero admito que sus producciones son exquisitas en el reto instrumental y compositivo
Some slow jams in here for sure. Sir Duke and I Wish pick up the tempo. Pastime Paradise led to the great Gangsta’s Paradise by Coolio and Amish Paradise by Weird Al. Isn’t She Lovely is a really sweet song about his daughter. I like the whole sound of the double album but the lyrical portion is over in the middle of the song. After that it’s just instrumental jams, which isn’t terrible from someone named Stevie Wonder. It does get a bit long though.
Undeniably a great and classic album from one of the best to ever do it. It's influence and imprint on society is huge. That being said, it's also a bit long and bloated. Not my favorite even though it's likely his best.
wow Pastime Paradise. No idea Gangsta's Paradise had direct inspiration from this song. Overall this album is incredibly soulful and funky. The lyrics are powerful and significant, but at times hidden behind music that feels upbeat and positive. It's a very interesting juxtaposition. Not to mention the obvious hits Sir Duke, I Wish, Isn't She Lovely; Pasttime Paradise and Village Ghetto Land were very interesting songs that made me stop and reflect for a bit. Disc 2 was a bit exhausting and difficult to get through. With the exception of Isn't She Lovely, I just got tired of it. There were so many parts where there was some dialogue or dramatic scenes in Black Man and Isn't She Lovely specifically that seemed so out of place and distorted that it was difficult to enjoy the song and in Black Man specifically, lost meaning. I understand the point of Black Man is to shine light on the achievements of people of color throughout history, but the part with the teachers and children regurgitating facts was more annoying than powerful since you couldn't really hear what they were saying other than the......color of the skin of the person they were shouting about. Is it about the accomplishment, the person, or are we just reducing them to the color of their skin? I think we could think of a better way to highlight the achievements of black or indigenous individuals in the past. Overall, If we put Isn't She Lovely on Disc 1 and just removed Disc 2......it would be a better experience.
Brilliant 👏
This is probably the first 4 I'm giving to an album I'm unlikely to listen to again. It's not for me, but the music was just undeniable.
7/10 Massive amount of hits in one album. 8-11-2025
Great!
Great work
Vrhunski album, uvijek ga je gušt slušati. Rijetko što mi može biti ispod 4 njegovo, pa je tako i ovaj put. 4/5, 8/10
Listen again.
Highlights: Sir Duke, Love’s In Need of Love Today, I Wish, As. In a nutshell: a culmination of greatness. I am generally adverse to double albums, because they’re fraught with filler. Stevie and the band start strong, get wobbly on Side B and Side C and finish strong on Side D with "As" and "Another Star". A lot of jamming to fill out the side length... But that is the only criticism I have. SITKOL is a legacy album and its influence spreads far and wide. Overall: 7/10
Cover 6 Love Stevie Wonder's voice. This album took me several listens to get into. Initially I just thought it was not for me. But the problem with music is, depending on my mood, an album can either be 3 stars or 4 stars, even 5. So my opinion for any album should only be considered with a grain of salt. One of his best albums despite not havung many radio friendly hits.
Very good! Sonically not consistent but every song was interesting and fun to listen to.
Difficult not to enjoy this funky, soulful, progressive record with masterful musicianship and songwriting (at least aspects of). It’s simply a pleasure to listen to. The songs are fun and groovy or emotional and heartfelt. The whole album is strong with only occasional moments where I get a bit less interested, which is still impressive given the long runtime (the 3 song run of Contusion - Sir Duke - I Wish is next level). Can’t really criticize any musical or technical aspects - it feels great, it sounds great. The bass and synths alone are enough to keep me listening. Overall it’s an album that I like and admire very much, but just not an all-time favorite that I go back to at any time. Certainly a massive achievement and no argument from when that it’s highly discussed as one of the best of all time, and its given me a greater appreciate for Stevie Wonder.
His eighteenth album. Wow, this is a one hour and forty four minute long double album. His eighteenth ! By this stage you'd think that he'd be running out of ideas or just phone it in. Nope. Magnified vocals, production and delivery. Isn't She Lovely is a beautiful song. Sir Duke is another good one. The album is an epic, sprawling mess of genius song writing and musicianship. It's fucking long though.
Great album… I’ve always loved Stevie Winder growing up. Had no idea that pastime paradise was a thing though!
4 - great album but had to much bloat
Stevie at his apex. It does not get much better than this. His voice….the instruments….the music…..the melodies….the messages….it’s a masterpiece.
Objectively good, not really my thing compared to other jazz/funk type stuff
Masterful. Pulls you into a world of groove. It’s amazing how many songs have sampled and nicked bits of this - this feels like tapping into the source. For its length there doesn’t feel like much filler, but it is too long even without the bonus EP. For that reason it loses a star, but a very strong four. Stand out tracks: Contusion, Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely
Only thing that hurt this was the length. Could have been a little tighter but I won't be too upset at getting to listen to all this good music. My first real listening of Stevie Wonder. I had heard most of his hits but never at length. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Definitely added more than a couple of the songs to my hits playlist.
Lots of great stuff on here, but a few skippable songs for sure.
While I knew that Stevie was one of the greats, I've never taken the time to sit down and listen to a full album. I was a little annoyed that it was an hour and 44 minutes, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can't believe how many songs I recognized! His voice is incredible and every song was beautifully crafted and rich and just a lovely listen. This is why I do this project - so I can visit albums that I've never taken the time to visit and hopefully finding gems in things I've overlooked. This was wonderful.
4.5 :)
My man can't see a thing but still kills it on every track.
Love a bit of Stevie. I think my favourite of his albums - as a bassist sir duke is by default one of my fave bops ever
almost a masterpiece cause some songs are filler, but so many faves
A bit too long
Un disco doble de Stevie Wonder que probablemente esté entre sus mejores, pero que tiene, para mí, un gran problema: es excesivamente largo, a mi parecer. El disco 1 es absolutamente genial, el disco 2 me pareció en su mayoría relleno, a excepción de As, una canción que he amado siempre y me sorprendió que la versión original fuera de Stevie. Mismo caso con Wild Wild West y Gangsta´s Paradise. Todo salió de aquí.
Probably his best. Love Sir Duke.
Ok it's way too long and some parts slow down but it's elevated by some real surprise bangers.
Some great songs and vibes but very long
Better than Coldplay
Long but great album. Pastime Paradise was the first time I heard it not knowing that Gangstas Paradise was basically a cover. Best song was Sir Duke
Interesting how long it takes this album to get going. Contusion is where it really starts going. Wonder if the gospel start was a strategic choice. Most of the songs here would benefit from radio edits. I appreciate the funky jams, but they get a lot of airtime. Ordinary Pain and on definitely started to feel repetitive within the songs and as a whole. Good music, might add a few songs to my playlist to listen to on shuffle, but not an album I'll listen through again. 4*
This is an excellent album. No question. Worthy of the hype. There are tracks here that are truly ascendant that warrant a five star rating. It's technically incredible, versatile, and an undeniably pleasant listen. I would agree with a bit of the modern day sentiment that it's a bit bloated. There are tracks that feel out of place, overly long, etc. That being said, I'm a walking contradiction as "As" is an all time favorite of mine. Thankful I had the opportunity to listen to this in its entirety. I can't help but wonder what this album would be like if reduced by a third.
Sir Duke Pastime paradise
What an album, what a talent!
Knew more of these songs from samples 🫣
Was gonna give this a 3, bc I was expecting only a few good songs amongst this double album. But was surprised to hear a few bangers I wasn't familiar with, and also learned Gangster's Paradise is nearly an exact copy of Past Time Paradise.
Muy bueno
This was fantastic, loved the energy on this and liked hearing the original sample for “Gangsta’s Paradise”. 4.5/5
Excellent
Pretty heavily produced, super ambitious album
Definitely one of the greatest albums.
Sometimes literally preachy but whatever. I'm sure it fit the times. I can see why about half of it has been sampled though.
Was amazed to learn that Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise was a rework of Pastime Paradise.
This is his *eighteenth* studio album and it's somehow still packed with memorable songs. "Sir Duke," "As," "Isn't She Lovely." Somehow I wasn't aware of "Pastime Paradise" and I almost had to go lay down after I heard it. "I Wish" walked so "Wild Wild West" could run. Probably others too I am forgetting. I think this is a big step up in quality above the other two Stevie albums that have come up. My only complaint is the runtime - Stevie, you obviously you like making lots of albums, just cut this up and pad out the count even further.
It was good had a lot of songs I liked Like Village Ghetto Land, Past Time Paradise, Sir Duke, and Saturn
Groovy tunes. Almost perfect, just not quite.
A real achievement but not quite doing it for me
Primera vez escuchándolo, grata sorpresa de saber que ganstans Paradise uso un canción de este álbum, buena compañía de fondo para las mañanas frías de Buenos Aires, hoy fueron 2°.
I love the funky upbeat tunes of Stevie Wonder, but the slow ones always grate on me
A great album
I’m still mad about Limp Biscuit yesterday. This ALMOST makes up for it. Has anyone ever been on a heater like Stevie Wonder here? Innervisions , Talking book and this one of the greatest runs in music history. It runs a little long. Would probably be a 5 star single album.
Favorite Track: I Wish
Good album. Great hit songs
4.2 - It's good, don't get me wrong he's great. It just feels soooooo bloated
Timeless album, one can actually pinpoint how this masterpiece got referenced or influenced other media that came after. It's so well produced it's tough to acknowledge how experimental it is also. I personally don't think I'm aged enough to fully appreciate it, thus the 4 stars, but I'll surely come back to this one every year. Fav tracks: Joy Inside My Tears
Vaya discazo la verdad. Buena musica, buenas voces, buena producción y buenas vibras. Me esperaba cosas buenas porque sabía que Stevie es un buen artista, pero guau. Se notaba la cantidad de pasta que había para hacer música en la época porque suena brutal. Una cantidad casi perfecta de variación entre canciones en cuanto al estilo y el flow, mezclando baladillas chill, con soul y medio funky por momentos. Las lineas de bajo son espectaculares, sobre todo en temas como "Saturn" o "Sir Duke", el cual es el hit del disco y un top caciones de la historia. Destaca tambíen la originalidad e innovación en cuanto al sonido en algunas canciones, ya que suenan mas a los 80 que a los 70. El disco 1 es un 10/10 sin duda. Y de hecho probablemente regresaré de vez en cuando. Puede ser medio banda sonora de verano quien sabe. El disco 2 pega un bajón. Todos los temas de 6 min para arriba son canciones de 3 min cuya ultima secuencia de acordes se repite hasta el infinito, y ni los primeros minutos merecen especialmente la pena. Me da rollo porque realmente se llevaría el 5 el album si no fuera por el disco 2. Tambien en general 21 canciones son una burrada pero bueno, si fueran todas como el disco 1 no impotaría. Resumiendo: Disco 1 -> 10/10 Disco 2 -> 6/10 Conjunto -> 8.75/10 (supongo)
Menuda putísima pasada de album. Las primeras canciones son mega brutales y Stevie wonder es un compositor exageradamente bueno. Lo malo q las ultimas canciones decepcionan un pelín pq las primeras son super buenas pero en general es muy buen álbum.
1st half was 3 ish stars for me but really liked the 2nd. There’s a 45 minute 5 star album but it’s stretched out a bit with some filler
Can't be anything but a 5 star rating. Legendary.
It was good but a little long, should have cut some of the fat. Also, they did Stevie dirty on that colonoscopy album art.
Stevie Wonder's only double album - full of great tracks.
Obviously it’s a classic with numerous outstanding tracks … but it is too long (double albums should be reserved for greatest hits … which I suppose this is!)
Great
Overall it was good. I didn't really enjoy the two or three songs and I could have done without the extended child bath sounds, but aside from that I really enjoyed this.
A bit mixed but the highs are SO high and it feels so cohesive - 7/10
Good blend of R&B, pop, jazz and smaltz. Didn't remember that Gangster Paradise is an offshoot of Pastime Paradise. Sir Duke was a staple of my pre-teen self.
He's so awesome, I hear the influence he had on so many other artists in every song.
Stevie Wonder is such a talented guy. He writes all songs, masters the groove by playing most of the band instruments and produces his own records. This is great album, but maybe few songs too long.
Ultra sleek and almost too sleek to my taste. Big credits for amazing multi-instrumental Wonder.
The vocals are amazing. A really enjoyable album.
that ish was long good for sure, crazy range in genre while still adhering to a lot of jazz/funk archetypes favs probably village ghetto land, contusion, and summer soft
Great album with a lot of hits, soul filled.
Good Stuff.
Could do with revisiting from time to time as it is such a big album. A very enjoyable listen though and a good balance of recognisable and new songs for me.
Love's in Need of Love Today 3.5 Have a Talk with God 3.6 Village Ghetto Land 3.3 Contusion (instrumental) 3.7 Sir Duke 3.8 I Wish 3.7 Knocks Me Off My Feet 3.7 Pastime Paradise 3.8 Summer Soft 3.6 Ordinary Pain 3.6 Isn't She Lovely 3.3 Joy Inside My Tears 3.4 Black Man 3.5 Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing 3.6 If It's Magic 3.5 Asking for It 3.6 Another Star 3.7 Score: 3.582352941
Classic funk album
Granted, there are a bunch of fantastic songs on this album, but it does go on a little long for me. There seems to be a bias in this list that long albums are great albums. I can't agree. A little editing would get you a really great album. Throwing everything on the wall and celebrating that you you nailed it on a half dozen songs doesn't make a great album. Don't get me wrong, Songs In The Key Of Life is a great album. I'm speaking to the concept in general. This album could have been a 5, but not for me as it is.
This album is even weirder than I remember. Very inventive and creative, with several classic tracks. Listening in one go is too much of a good thing for my tastes. Would be better as originally on vinyl with a break every 20 minutes.
if i were reviewing this album back when i first heard it... when i was 14... i would've said it was one of the greatest albums of all time... now, as an old man, my review of it has somewhat tempered a bit... 20 songs... which if pared down to about 15 would be at the very top of every list... oh but those five... they now seem like preachiness... and a bit overdone... but, musically it is like a trip through the world of R&B's many stylings... "I Wish", "Isn't She Lovely" and "Sir Duke" were all timers... but my favorite song was always "As"...
I've only heard this album a couple of times and didn't remember it well. My problem with many of Stevie Wonder's albums is there are a handful of solid hard funk/soul then a lot of whiny songs that lack that hard funk edge. So most of the first disc doesn't suffer from that, it's best moments are transcendental--I Wish is my favourite, but Sir Duke and Pastime Paradise are obviously absolute classics as well. Have a talk with god isn't the kind of track you'd think would have a deep funk groove, but it definitely does. Second disc opens with a longer album version of single Isn't She Lovely which made me think my baby daughter was talking before I realized it was the track. Joy Inside My Tears... pretty whiney. Black Man is a solid funk track. Then the latter half of the second side gets a little slow for a while, with some high points. As is good, then Another Star solid. 4/5, would be a five if not for some filler--could have been shorter. Probably Stevie's best album.
Good work. He played it safe while opening up. Great album
Amazing incredible music, but wow it really is so long. Some of the songs go on for longer than I could enjoy.
Can’t go wrong
Four stars, but more of a really-begrudging-3.5-rounded-up-to-4-stars four stars. There's so many good songs but it can be toothachingly sweet on the whole.
A bit controversial maybe, it’s good and all but is it a bit on the long side? I have listened to Stevie in a hits capacity so it was nice to hear an actual album and when Pastime Paradise came on it blew my mind, I thought Gangstas Paradise was an original thing!
[5/10]
Very impressive double album with one strong track after another. I have probably heard the big hits a few too many times but great to discover tracks I never knew like Saturn. A lot of the songs are a bit too long though and I could have done without the two instrumentals!
Bangers after Bangers, somet8mes a bit too sweet
Vyborny, asi ne do hospody :D
How can it be mere coincidence that I got this back-to-back with Ray Charles? It's a very solid album, but I wasn't quite as transported by it as many others were. I liked it a lot, just the same. Kinda like the Ray Charles album -- a solid four.
Great album by one of the Greats.
Ok.
Truly WONDERful album.
Absolutely fantastic album! Never heard the whole thing front to back before but all the songs are complete bangers. Phenomenal record, deserving of all the praise!
Well I was just complaining about the lack of nu jazz and the generator comes out and reminds me that Stevie Wonder did all that stuff back in the 70s. This is the culmination of an amazing decade of albums. Have a Talk to God has some seriously wonky synths and sound effects. Village Ghetto Life combines a Wendy Carlos baroque synth with socially consciousness unmatched by anyone but Gil Scott Heron (maybe Chuck D?). Contusion is a dizzying fusion number which feels just like the kind of bewildering confusion that comes from a TBI that leads straight into Sir Duke, which starts out like a big band swing number before some of those iconic chord changes and about the funnest horn line in the world. I Wish is a rollicking funk number with a direct line to George Clinton. Pastime Paradise is of course a critical track for anyone who came of age in the 90s. Ronnie Foster and Wonder on Summer Soft soar with every verse. The second half is weaker with quite a few longer songs that probably could have used a razor. Highlights are Black Man for some more consciousness and some great solos, As for the gospel choruses and All Day Sucker for recognising fellow genius George Clinton. I do question the track ordering, it seems to go from social consciousness to big brassy fun to love ballad without any rhyme or reason. Two separate LPs might have been more effective. I know people find this frustrating because of its length and I see where they are coming from, but I feel like its just a demonstration of how deep and broad Wonder's talent went that after three of the best albums released in the 70s, when he's demoralised with tired and thinking about leaving music he could still put out another double LP reprising everything he achieved.
All of Stevie’s albums in the 70s were part of my constant listening during that decade. So much consistently brilliant music from this phenomenal musician. Every song on this album is genius.
Rating: 4.5/5 | Favorite Track: Sir Duke --- A nearly perfect album – I'm upset with myself that I waited until this point in my life to listen to this. I adore the warmth and the optimism of this album; it's simply fun to listen to.
What a ride. The jams are JAMS on this, although I’ve never been a ballad guy.
Excellent. The first disc would get a 5. The second disc has some great bits but didn’t quite reach the sustained high level in my opinion.
Long album but worth it. I can see why Stevie Wonder is a living legend. Lots of solid hits
Really enjoyed. Team Stevie!
:)
this is one of my all time favorites, great vibes and ive heard it alot for years so i dont have much to say, this is truly songs in the key of life i love this album
Iconic
Masterpiece.
Dear Stevie, the album cover looks like a butthole with your face shining out of the middle. I'm sure it looks better in your minds eye. Thankfully its not reflective of the music, solid album. Lots of sample genesis. you get an extra star for that.
A classic album and for damn good reason. Stevie Wonder is one of those artists who is instantly recognisable and utterly unique. Really enjoyed this one!
Wow, what an absolute joy this album was to listen to. Double LPs are always bloated and self-indulgent - and the same does apply in Stevie’s case. But the pacing here is so strong, and the bangers so well placed that they mostly stave off the exhaustion. Yes, the tunes are just that strong. On first listen it’s genuinely difficult to pick a favourite side let alone song. Side 1 and 2 feel more concise and focused, whereas Stevie kind of just loosens up and takes the listener on a long groovy journey towards the end. If like me you’ve given yourself over to the groove by side 4, you’re going you have a hell of time. A high 4 for me on first listen but would not be surprised to graduate that to a 5 if I find myself returning to this one. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Fourth SW album I've been recommended so far, I think this might be my favorite. Had no clue this is where 'Gangsta's Paradise' comes from.
😍
Amazing just a bit too long. CUT IT DOWN STEVIE
Ok, Stevie is great, but this album is way too long and the baby crying on Isn’t She Lovely always makes me uncomfortable. There are some undeniably great - masterful even - tracks on this, but I could speed run Mario 3 faster than this. 3.5/5
This is clearly a master at work with some incredible songs…but I just didn’t connect on an emotional level/ visceral level with most songs in the same way I do things I love.
Probably a 5 star for me if it was trimmed to single disc. That’s true for most double discs. I can only think of a handful of double discs that hit the whole way through.
First album, and maybe rating it a little too low because of that. A lot that is undeniable, obviously, but I could imagine a single disc that's *perfect* and it's not an LP I return to all that often. 4.5 stars would be more accurate.
Was so hyped when I saw this one come up but I was a bit dissapointed not going to lie. Sir duke As and isn’t she lovely are fantastic but feels like the other ones don’t really live up to them. Still a good album overall thought The added baby sounds on isn’t she lovely were sooo unnecessary as well Specific rating - 4.2 Fav song- Sir duke Least fav song - Saturn
Way better than Talking Book-a ton of variety and great songs. My only issue is that, at almost 2hrs long, there is too much weight to avoid some adult contemporary flab. Overall, though, a great album and probably my favorite of his.
There is a LOT of good stuff on this. Blending R&B, Disco, Jazz, Pop, Soul, Gospel...big boppers to iconic ballads.
Always love Stevie dubs, it the best but always love the energy and makes me happy to hear his albums.
A lot of fun songs and sounds on here. I probably wouldn't have guessed this came from the 70's because it still sounds fresh to me. Also, who knew this is where Gangsta's Paradise came from? Not me.
Really cool to get this as my first revealed album. Bought the vinyl a few years ago when I received my turnable as a birthday gift from Nicole.
Very good R+B, easy listening. "I Wish" is a total classic. I think this would have been better served by being 1 LP, since it dragged at times. Overall I really enjoyed it though.
A lot of pleasant songs
Fantastic album! 4.49/5 - just because there are a few tracks that don't land for me.
Great
Pretty classic album definitely deserves to be on a shorter list of albums you must hear. Favourite song: i wish
An all-time classic, and even more rarely, a double LP that doesn't overstay it's welcome and would be hard to find any flak. This album is songbook of American culture and music in itself. Stevie Wonder at the peak of his songwriting prowess, sprinkling elements of world music throughout. Best Tracks: - Sir Duke - As - Another Star Worst Tracks: - Pastime Paradise - If It's Magic Rating: 8.5/10
Ok first double album that isn’t overlong or self indulgent. Sure not every single song is a classic but there aren’t any duff ones or fillers on here either! I listened right through in one go and that says something, I could quite easily listen to the whole thing over and over with no need to skip any songs.
Fun album, but ages long! I was kinda bored of it after two days listening.
Det er lissom hele pointen at den skal være lang, men føler stadig lidt at der gennem sig en 5er her. Mange bangers, højt niveau!
As funky as talking book, as righteous as innervisions and as out there as FFF. Ticks all the.boxes. if it weren't for Contusion (and I'm a jazz fan) it'd get a 5
After so much great music in just that album, I'm like... damn. Stevie. What a man.
More is less’ rings especially true for this album. Some tracks are absolute musical bliss, while others feel completely dull in comparison. Many of Stevie’s albums seem to struggle with this disconnected flow—perhaps it’s just me.
That Stevie is a genius is clear if one looks across his catalog. This double possesses some of his best material but also some pretty forgettable stuff. Sir Duke is a classic. Isn’t She Lovely is a deceptively simple piece of joy. I cherry pick off this record and wouldn’t generally listen end to end.
This was my favorite of the Stevie Wonder albums we've gotten. I wish it wasn't a double album, it wasn't good enough for almost 2 hours of music, but I enjoyed most of it.
Thank you Stevie
Not really my thing but super good and didn’t realize about coolio song
Really nice album with some crackers on it. Quite long but very good 8/10
Stevie's magnum opus, zo staat hij in ieder geval te boek. En alhoewel ik echt wel denk dat dit zijn hoogtepunt was van creatieve vruchtbaarheid, waarin zoveel samenkomt op persoonlijk, muzikaal en politiek vlak, moet ik toch voorzichtig zeggen dat 'Songs in the Key of Life' wel enigszins overgewaardeerd is als 'totaalstuk'. Het trio funk-oriented albums dat voorafging aan dit werk (Vooral 'Talking Book' en 'Innervisions') belichamen m'n favoriete Stevie Wonder periode, en die twee albums in het speciaal werken wat mij betreft een stuk beter als totaalplaatje. En ik ben gewoon niet zo fan van de transitie van Stevie naar de synth-heavy eighties. Er mag ook best vaker benadrukt worden dat deze gigaplaat voor een significant deel gevuld is met - voor Stevie's doen - ongeïnspireerde en slappe meuk. Nummers die vaak te lang doordraven waardoor het tempo uit de plaat is. Plaat twee gaat hier echt aan ten onder vind ik. En dat is een doorn in het oog na plaat nummer één, die bij vlagen subliem is. Als hij het daar bij had gehouden dan kreeg hij geheel terecht 5 sterren, maar zelfs op mijn positiefste dag kan ik plaat twee niet meer dan 3 sterren geven. Die wordt volledig gered door misschien wel zijn beste productie in 'As'. Ook de funk in 'All Day Sucker' staat me wel aan, en 'Isn't She Lovely' is - ondanks dat ik geen fan ben - wel een belangrijk ijkpunt in zijn carrière. Eindconclusie is dat kwantiteit het in de loop van het album weet te winnen van kwaliteit, en dat hij vooral met vier sterren wegkomt omdat deze explosie van creatieve input ook echt wel de voedingsbodem bleek voor een aantal van zijn beste liedjes in een weelderige loopbaan. 8/10 Highlights: Sir Duke I Wish Summer Soft As
3.5
Flies by for a nearly two hour album! I can’t believe Gangsta’s Paradise samples a Stevie Wonder song! 4.5/5 stars, half star off because it really is lonnnnggg!
Only a few tracks bothered me (lengthy, boring, ...), so in general a very good album. Apart from the singles, take notice of "Black man", an excellent funky soul track.
Het enige nadeel van dit album is dat het te lang is. Maar damn, wat een fucking goed album. Wat een stem, wat een riffs en wat een bass. 4.4
I’ve never listened to the whole album front-to-back in a single listening. I fell like it takes a few track to get going, definitely found the middle half to flow great, then maybe a few towards the end a like meh. But still, it’s a classic album for a really good reason.
Some bangers but a bit of filler the too; unnecessarily long album
Takes time to kick in but when it does!!!
Klasyka. Te utwory są w świadomości społecznej od lat. Coverowane, śpiewne na karaoke i przesłuchaniach. Człowiek zapomina, że ktoś je musiał zrobić skomponować. Płyta niemal kompletna, momentami radosna, czasem nostalgiczna. Głos Wondera wyjątkowy, przyjemny. Melodie poruszają. Nie jest to do dla mnie płyta uszyta pod mój gust, ale doskonale wiem, czemu się tu znalazła. Isn’t she lovely to zloto. 8/10
Great funk/r&b
I enjoyed listening, some songs were a bit long or harder to listen to (Contusion) mostly just a lot of instruments, but I enjoyed a lot of them, good feel to the songs. Likes: I Wish, Knocks Me Off My Feet, Pastime Paradise, Summer Soft, Isn't She Lovely
The most petty nitpickiest thing I could say about this album is there are some great songs that derive no benefit from being 7 or 8 minutes long. They could have been cut in half and been better. Addition by subtraction. Other than that, fucking fantastic 4+
This album is pretty great, with a ton of great songs you know, a strong theme and some good variety. My only complaints are that there's to much material to keep up the quality, and the feel dips into a cheesier area that would come to be known as adult contemporary. Still, the pluses are so strong, it my be his best work.
Ok. Better. Like it
Big fan of Stevie Wonder, but I believe this is the first non-greatest hits album I have listened to start to finish. It’s a pretty darn good one. A lot of gems. Top 3 songs: 1. Sir Duke 2. As 3. I Wish Most poignant lyrics: Pastime Paradise Other songs to appreciate: Joy Inside My Tears, Ordinary Pain 8.5/10
There was a recent question on BlueSky, along the lines of 'what's the most classic and revered album that you've never knowingly listened to?'. My immediate thought was Songs In The Key Of Life. Well now I have, and it's very good indeed. Every element is of such quality - the musicianship, the production, the songwriting and of course the vocals. It's also clearly so often ripped off - everyone from Coolio to Jamiroquai to George Michael owes a debt to this record. That's the compliments out the way, now for the reasons it won't get a five star. The first thing is very much a 'me problem'. It's too chirpy by half, and the only song with any sort of edge was Black Man. That's not bad in itself, but it's a lot to contend with for the length of the record. That brings me on to me second issue - it's yet another case for the prosecution in the argument that there is yet to be a double album made that wouldn't be better as an absolute killer single album. Unusually, the issue here isn't (just) that there's too many songs, but that each of them is a three-minute gem wrapped up in an eight-minute indulgence.
Stevie is always a good choice. Such a mood booster. Whoa, didn't realize Pastime Paradise was sampled.
Some great stuff…but it didn’t have to be nearly 2 hours long…
This is a double album. I listened to the original release, not the later releases with extra tracks. Certainly a popular album when it was released, with a few hit singles. Very smooth listening, with a nice variety of songs. Stevie Wonder is one of those artists that has some very good tunes, and a lot of songs that I don’t like (although not horrible).
I mean it’s Stevie Wonder. This was the first time I have actually listened to this album and it didn’t disappoint. It has a little bit of everything and goes to show how talented of a musician Stevie really is. It mind shattering how much musical ability and genius he has, and we are all so lucky he shared his skill with the rest of us. I previously only listened to the popular songs that you would hear on the radio or in media, but I deeply enjoyed hearing others that weren’t so mainstream.
Pretty cool album, I’ve never really listened to Stevie before. He’s got good sound and I enjoyed most of the album. Couple songs weren’t my favorite but added a few to my playlists.
A bit too long for me but there were some bangers
A way too long double album. Personally, I feel like there is enough filler that it could have easily been cut down to 1 album. Props to Stevie Wonder for giving his fans all they could handle, but it was a struggle to digest this much in less than 24 hours, and becomes a tedious on the back half of the record. I enjoyed the jazz fusion/rock of "Contusion", the funkylovefest for the big bands of yore in "Sir Duke", "Pastime Paradise" (the source of the sample for Coolio's "Gangster's Paradise", and "Isn't She Lovely".
Thoroughly enjoyable listen. Sing it, Stevie!
Sehr cooles Album, kein einziger Song den ich schlecht fand. Es wären fünf Sterne geworden, wenn ich mehr mitgegangen wäre, aber so war es einfach ein schönes Album zum Anhören - 4 Sterne
Viele Banger drauf, richtig gutes Album. Bisschen fehlt auf 5 Sterne.
An excellent eclectic mix of classic tracks
I really enjoyed it. Special shutout to Pasttime Paradise, I loved it and can see why Coolio wanted to borrow the hook.
Why didn't anyone tell me Stevie Wonder was so good?! Also, really fun hearing Pastime Paradise. Of course I knew that Gangsta Paradise was a sample, but I didn't realize how much of it...
What a legend! So many hits on one album and in so many genres. I’m not sure it needed to be a double album though, but overall very good!
Some of Stevie's best (Sir Duke, Pastime Paradise, As, Black Man, Another Star) and some of his worst (Isn't She Lovely, Contusion, Have A Talk With God). Lose the schmaltzy ones and make this a single album, it'd be an all-timer. Still great as a double album, but too many skips.
A little bit long tbh but obvi an iconic album
Pretty great. There are some real bangers, and outside of that there are just solid songs. Not a miss among them.
I'm less of a fan of some of the down-tempo stuff, but when they slap, they slap. Plus, it's always fun to come across a song sample in the wild.
Don’t know that it can be less than 4 stars. Ding it slightly because it is very long and loses some quality.
Sprawling, sensual, wild, overlong, gorgeous, transcendental, overlong, weirdly written, utterly funky and one of a kind. Stevie had a lot to express on this album, and he let it all flow. It doesn’t all work, but it’s unique and legendary.
What a nice surprise. I always knew Stevie Wonder was super famous, but never cared to listen to his music. Generally it is really not my style, but this album was so soothing and nostalgic. Pastime Paradise WHAT, seriously, discovering that made my day.
Gangsta paradise!
I'm sort of surprised I didn't like this more. There definitely wasn't anythingI actively disliked, but I'm surprised there weren't more songs that grab me. This would probably be a 3.5 for me, rounding up to 4
Started a little slow, but once I got to I Wish it picked up a bit. I never realized the parallels between Pastime Paradise and Gangsters Paradise, that was a cool connection to discover.
Goddamn it this is so varied and brilliant even though I'm not a paid up Wonderer can't give it less than four stars. Liking all the single album edits in the reviews which would make it pretty flawless.
This album is highlighting why I thought doing this whole 1001 albums thing would be fun/informative - e.g., Pastime Paradise - how have I never heard this song? Why is the only version I know of it sung by Coolio? Does anyone make original music anymore??? SO MANY QUESTIONS. Anyway, Sir Duke is probably #1 song of all time, don't @ me. The reason this is getting 4 stars and not 5 is because why on earth is this not only a 2xLP, but a 2xLP *with a bonus side*?? There are too many songs that I skipped that should not have been included on here to make it a 5. Sorry, Stevie. All the jams though, no doubt.
LOVE’S IN NEED OF LOVE TODAY- really cozy and vibey track. I love the message. Playlisted. HAVE A TALK WITH GOD - liked this one a lot! I’m not religious so it probably hits even harder for those who are. I like how he added the female voice, really put the icing on the cake for me. Was a little thrown off at the start cause of the instrumental but I like weird songs. Only complaint is that it’s too short. Playlisted. VILLAGE GHETTO LAND - As a band kid I like the instrumental, but it’s a bit boring for me. I found it hard to keep my focus on the song. The topic is important and I’m surprised someone was making a song about it in 1976! Didn’t love the singing over the instrumental though, for some reason it didn’t quite match for me. Missed the playlist. CONTUSION - This is the kind of instrumental I always imagined when I thought of Stevie wonder (as someone who had never listened to him before) aside from band songs I don’t listen to a lot of music without words, but I do have a study playlist so this is definitely going on there. Might start dancing though! Playlisted. SIR DUKE - love this one! It just has such a great vibe that makes you want to get up and go skip down the street like the main character of a movie :) great message, music really does bring everyone together! Playlisted. I WISH - man this one really just lifts your mood! This is a song to play first thing in the morning to lift my spirits before I have to go out and face the world. Playlisted. KNOCKS ME OFF MY FEET - wasn’t sure about this one at first, but the chorus got me. Oh I don’t wanna bore you~ I love you I love you I love you~ super sweet song and very chill to listen too. Playlisted. PASTIME PARADISE- well I was today years old when I learned that gangsters paradise wasn’t the original lol. This one’s better in my opinion. Love how it’s talking about how we live in the past a lot and need to just live in the moment. Playlisted. SUMMER SOFT - The chord progression in this one is genius! I find myself just walking around my house singing “winter’s gone~” Playlisted. ORDINARY PAIN - I have to say, was not expecting that switch up! I really enjoyed the feature, whoever she is, she killed it. “I won’t panic~” Playlisted. ISN’T SHE LOVELY - wow I’ve definitely heard this and just didn’t know it was Stevie wonder! Such a good song, it makes me want to have kids so I can feel what this kind of love feels like. I really feel the harmonica in my soul. Playlisted. JOY INSIDE MY TEARS - I’m not sure why but this one just didn’t hit for me. I found it boring, not as emotion provoking, and I don’t think it needed to be as long as it is. Not Playlisted. BLACK MAN - super funky! Loved the breakdown and the message is really important. It was relevant in 1976 and is still relevant now. Playlisted. I AM SINGING - really liked the instrumental on this one. Was so close but just barely missed the playlist. IF IT’S MAGIC - beautiful song, the harp is gorgeous. Everlasting music. Playlisted. AS - this song feels like pure poetry. I love how he changed his tone in the middle of it. Playlisted. ANOTHER STAR - wow so many genres in one song! I loved the flute towards the end, though maybe I’m biased because I play flute. Good track, but I don’t quite like it enough for the playlist. SATURN - such a beautiful song! Great lyricism. Underrated in my opinion. Playlisted. EBONY EYES - this song sounds like it meant a lot to black girls and women! It’s just not for me. Not Playlisted. ALL DAY SUCKER - pure funk! Loved this. Playlisted. EASY GOIN’ EVENING - this sounds like a song for the credits of a sitcom. Sounds great, just not something I would come back to every day. Not Playlisted. WOW this was an amazing album! Solid 9/10
A few great songs. A few less interesting songs.
Kind of a difficult one to rate. On one hand, its got some of the best songs of the 70s on here. Pastime Paradise, I Wish, As, Joy Inside My Tears, Sir Duke and the sweet Isn't She Lovely are all great tracks. On the other hand, the near 2 hours runtime with the bonus EP does really drag on, and some songs, especially on the first side, I didn't really care for. Great album but I'll probably pick out the songs I like here rather than listen to it in its entirety.
First listen: I think I’ve listened to this album before. But maybe never in full. the album artwork is so cool. Contrition is a very cool song. Sir Duke would be great in a soundtrack. Kind of feels like a song that Jackson 5 would have been influenced by. I Wish is such classic funk. Ah so the Pastime Paradise —> Gangsta’s Paradise makes sense. It makes GP seem like less of a good song, I didn’t realise how much was copied. Does this go beyond a sample? Summer Soft feels like it shows a bit of a different vocal range for him. Would defs get this album on vinyl or CD.
I think I like the idea of Stevie Wonder more than I like his music. The power of I Wish and Sir Duke are undeniable, but a lot of these songs go on for long after I’m done listening to them. Not that they aren’t really good, just too long. I still love Stevie, but I’ve learned that I don’t generally dig a full album, particularly a double album.
OH YEAH BABEEYYYYY!!!! THATS INSTRUMENCE
Beautiful album, perfect for studying. Only the last 4 songs kind of bored me. 8/10 Fave track: Love's in need of love today
This seems like a great album, that just didn't really click with me. It feels very earnest throughout, and veers between personal and political. Maybe it's the lack of cynicism, the religiosity, or just how politics have changed in the half-century since this album was made that felt like it was keeping me at arm's length.
One of my favourites from my childhood, but only because there's a great single album in there, and another album full of self indulgent nonsense
Not exactly my thing really but I did really enjoy this. Definitely this is an impressive record sonically and no doubt an achievement in recording.
Obviously great ~ a must listen for anyone always
Beautiful album. Takes me back to childhood.
Starting off strong! I already knew this album's biggest hits but hadn't heard the majority. I also had no idea Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" sampled "Pastime Paradise" from this album. I love learning things like that. Favorite songs: "As, "Sir Dike", "All Day Sucker", "Saturn"
3-4
A comprehensive work and a great album by a great musician. Nevertheless, I don't really warm to it. There are a few tracks on the album that are so much a part of my musical world that I've never thought about who they're by. But I didn't get really excited when listening to them. 4/5
So good.
Has some absolute classics here but I think this is a bit more spotty then people seem to admit. If it it was trimmed to one album it would have been amazing, a common problem of the double album. 4*
Great album, even if it was a little long winded. Hoe the hell did Coolio get into the album though? I was so confused
Some good staple songs Why the weird outside noises during the last 1-2 min ?? Bit repetitive on some songs
I would LOVE to rate this a 5, because the first half and the end absolutely rip. Masterful songwriting, amazing grooves, instrumentation that's certainly seventies but is truly timeless. But all the songs from Joy Inside My Tears to Another Star all drag or are simply not to the caliber of all the others (except Black Man). This is still objectively one of the greatest albums ever, but I can't help but feel that there's fat to be trimmed. 4.5
Great album. I had no idea this is where Gangsta's Paradise got its genesis. Will never hear it the same again.
A double album is a bit much, but several of my favorite songs were on here. I also learned that Coolio Gangsta's Paradise is a near copy of Pastime Paradise (this makes me conflicted in that I love Coolio's version, but it feels ripped off). All in all, this is a good album. 3.5 stars.
A superb double album of Stevie Wonder during his most creative and innovative period. Plenty of highlights including Sir Duke, As, I Wish and Pastime Paradise.
Some really great songs on here. Really enjoyable album. Will be keeping it saved in my regular rotation.
Other than it being too long, I throughly enjoyed this album. So many hits and samples for future hits
Pretty great album. Music, lyrics, vocals all of the highest standard, and it still sounds great in terms of production. Unquestionably one of the all time greats. I don't think this needed to be a double album though, if it were condensed to one album every song would be a killer. But even the weaker Stevie songs are better than most other artist's best efforts.
4☆/5 11.18.2024
As I’ve said before, not the biggest Stevie fan. I will give this a 4 because it does sound nice and there are some good tracks and I don’t want everyone to get mad at me, but it is too long and his voice bores me after a while.
i likey
Banger. Lots of good classic Stevie on here.
The breadth and depth of musical styles and emotions, and the way these are weaved together throughout and speak to us is why this album is so good and why it will always resonate.
This album is super long, but it has some really great songs on it. Isn't She Lovely and As are both singles I'm super familiar with, and Contusion kind of blew me away. Overall, the album was great. It's long enough that I didn't pay close attention to every song, but it's also one I'm looking forward to playing again, and maybe just picking an LP side at a time. 4.4/5
Long album, but good. I enjoyed it and would listen to it again (perhaps in smaller bites). 3.5/5
I’ve always found this slightly overrated, I prefer the tighter pace of Stevie’s single LPs, but it’s hard to deny how much he’s cooking during this period. A wealth of masterpieces. A-
This is a pretty amazing album. It's an hours and 46 minutes long. I looked it up and it was originally released as a 2 LP vinyl set. Released in 1976, it has held up very well. It does not sound dated to me. If you are familiar with Stevie Wonder at all, you'll recognize \"I Wish\", \"Sir Duke\" and \"Isn't She Lovely\". While those are hits, there aren't any bad songs. Wonder is just that talented. Little wonder (no pun intended) it is considered his best. It's pretty much a perfect record.
I'd venture there are very few 5 star double albums, this is a very solid 4, the best bits for a single album would make an amazing piece of work
The range on this album is obscene. From tracks that are really just poetry with an ironic backing (village ghetto land, black man), straight funk songs, jazz fusion, r&b, Spanish language, it’s great. There’s even what sounds like synths in here, though they just be super processed keys or guitars. In any case, the variety is really high here. This being a double album is not necessarily the best thing, though. The content is mostly really great but it has a run time that feels just too long, especially given how many songs devolve in to jams by the end. I’m not saying jams are a bad thing, especially the ones on here, but they do seem like filler at a certain point and a double album really shouldn’t have too much filler. I think the second disc isn’t nearly as good as the first just from quality. Other than “As” and “isn’t she lovely” it’s like a whole album of b sides. This is a pretty big work but I think the length and the amount of non hits sort of diminishes it. The best tracks on here would make a 5 star album easily but there’s just too much.
Wild Wild West and Gansta's Paradise on the same album? Sign me up.
So good. Never listened in full before, but I was surprised at how many songs I already knew. I went to the record store and bought it after I finished. Maybe a tad too long for what I like in a record, but it is legendary nevertheless.