Reviews (page 11 of 13)
1 день. Не могу сказать, что это мой стиль, но мама всегда любила что-то около-джазовое. Меня удивила Don't you worry about a thing. В целом альбом достаточно разнообразный, где-то лиричный джаз, где-то вкрапления рока. Любимые композиции: Golden Lady; Don't you worry about a thing
Me gusta y tiene dos o tres canciones que conocía antes y me gustaban mucho, pero siento que los early Stevie Wonder albums no terminan de conectar conmigo. Está bien y se pasa un buen rato, pero no mucho más.
3.5
Like it but not my favorite good for backround activity
I liked Living For the City, Higher Ground and Jesus Children of America. The slower songs are pleasant, but don’t pack as much of a punch. The funkier songs are the ones I enjoy.
Higher ground was the outstanding song for me on this. The rest didn’t sort of blended into the background.
2 or 3 bangers
3.5
Track 1. (too high) loved the synth and drums, totally has that 70s flare to it that encapsulates that era well. But I felt like it was slightly underwhelming, and I felt like maybe the song was too long. It feels very playful and experimental, but the lyrics weren’t amazing. 5.7/10 Track 2. (Visions) This song felt much different to the previous track; it felt more intimate, and his voice truly shone through, paired with the acoustic guitar. The lyrics were much better than the first track. also a long song (maybe I’m just used to nowadays how artists make 2-3 minute songs😪) but I actually enjoyed the length of it and liked the guitar solos. 7/10 Track 3. (living for the city) Love how tracks 2 and 3 blend. another longgg song but who cared when it’d 7 minutes of Stevie Wonder singing his heart out lol. actually love the vibe of this song, more poppy and upbeat than the previous two. Not many notes for this one. loved the verse-“her brothers smart, he’s got more sense than many-his patience’s long, but soon he won’t have any-to find a job is like a haystack needle-cause where he live they don’t use coloured people.” 7.6/1 Track 4: (golden lady) I actually really loved this song, it's just a song I'd find hard to fault. The rhythm and melody are really catchy, and it's totally a song I'll be adding to my playlist. 8/10 Track 5. (higher ground) soooo 70s. "powers, keep on lying-while your people keep on dying" yup, sadly still true to this day. liked the vibe of this song, for me it wasn't a total stand-out. 7/10 Track 6. (Jesus Children Of America) I mean its good, but not the best from this album; his vocals really make this song. a bit repetitive lol. 6.2/10 Track 7. (All in love is fair) Finally, some piano, I think Stevie really shines in his slower songs like this one. Such a good love song, this actually gave me goosebumps!! What an absolute generational talent. Probably one of my favourite songs on this album, even his discography tbh. 8.7/10 Track 8. (Don't you worry 'bout a thing) Latino kinggg. Chiller Song, I actually really liked it. nothing crazy, didn't stand out per say but it was good. 6.8/10 Track 9. (He's misstra know-it-all) I actually really liked this song, again, I prefer the slower songs; the lyrics were a real standout for this song. 7/10 Overall rating: 7.1/10
3,5
Day 1 Innervisions: Too High -> Exciting Vocal Pedal Harmonies (Especially on the lyrics too high maybe transcribe???) Really nice chorussy effect on vocals plus big verb really interesting Two harmonica solos at once counterpoint, one in each ear whooaaa plus ear tickling extended overblowing Interesting production lovely compressed and enveloped rhythm section super clean electronic sound 7/10 Visions -> more dynamic and acoustic with double bass? and balladic singing twinkling swarms of trills and rolls in panned guitars and vibesque keyboards. 5/10 Living for the city -> Really cool vocal line with a zesty synth that contrasts the more static pedal point verses sections Upbeat disco vibes Weird oscillator riser ASMR Hand claps WOAH Awesome spoken word dramaturgical sample section thats cool Mercy mercy mercy sorta line Choral bit 6/10 Golden Lady -> Acoustic piano intro which drops into a lush groove Triadic Decending montuno colours dripping Kinda Jobim Really lush compared to other songs with synth runs that arppegiate into loose threads, pads notey bassline 5/10 Higher ground -> Busy textural Clavichordal bliss Afforded relief briefly in the prechorus Awesome synth counterline 7/10 Jesus Children of America -> 3rd chord in the chorus is cool Backup vocals before the actual vocals More juicy clavinet 4/10 All in love is fair -> Piano Ballady Cool synth sounds and runs Emotional 🙁 Wide vib 5/10 Don’t you worry about a thing -> Montuno, spoken word Mighty Latin percussion groove Amazing anticipated descending triads harmonies 8/10 He’s Misstra Know it all -> Bar added at the end of sections, builds anticipation Pretty chords Low high backing vocals Vocal improv at the end cool 4/10 Summary: Lots of different textures from the dramatic soundscapes of Living for the City to the lush threads of golden lady. It’s a bit samey for my taste, including often similar builds. 5/10
Gegen Ende mochte ich das Album mehr. Vorallem „He’s Misstra Know-It-All”. War glaub mein favourite Track aber ich finde andere Alben besser.
funkyyyyy!!$$$ vond laatste 2 nummers het leuskte
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing
Hørt før. Stevie er en levende legende, men jeg sliter med å ELSKE dette albumet. Starter treigt, men har en veldig solid midtseksjon. Top 3: Living For The City, Golden Lady, Higher Ground
Different sound from a lot of music that I normally listen to but I really did like it. Helped my focus when studying
Great
stellar exercise in nominative determinism. usain bolt goes fast as fuck, stevie wonder makes music that gives me a sense of wonder. end of review wax sealed send skeet
5/10
Favorite Track: Higher Ground
Good
Pretty good
7/10
good album to listen through, but not a put songs on playlist type album i feel, over all nice tho
I always think I like Stevie more than I actually do...
Overall an okay album to me, this might be contravershal but it didnt really grab me. The rythms seemed not intresting to me and the lyrics of some songs really put me off. The sound of having jesus being preached to me isnt the most exciting prospect to me. I do think its good music and overall i think it objectivly quality yet i cant shake the fact i feel like normal suburban parents in phenix neigbhourhoods listen to this and think its the spiciest hottest thing out there.
7/10
I was legitimately surprised by Stevie Wonder's voice in most of these. I'm no Stevie Wonder buff by any means, but he seems to have much more range than I had thought. Also his lyrics touching on the experiences of being blind but still living a beautiful and fulfilling life were quite uplifting (as a emo rock enjoyer myself, different from my normal lyrics lol). 3/5
I am aware this is on Apple's top 100 albums, which means nothing but something at the same time. Too High is good but Living For the City is exceptional. I probably have listened to it 15 times in the past 24 hours. Cohesively the album works, not a massive fan, but happy I found what I think will end up being one of my favorite songs of all time.
So generally enjoyed this, a few bangers on here. But overall just not nearly as memorable as Songs in the Key of Life. 3.5 stars
enjoyed but probably wont listen again
3/5
Stevie Wonder's albums from his "classic period" (in the early 70s) are weird affairs. On one hand, they contain a number of innovative and untouchably great pop/rock/R&B/funk tracks - in this category *Innervisions* boasts "Living For The City", "Higher Ground" and "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing", all of which are brilliantly composed and performed. However, the remaing tracks are either jammy workouts (e.g. "Too High", "Jesus Children Of America" on this record), loose numbers that are aiming more for mood than hooks ("Visions") or middling pop tracks ("Golden Lady"). Wonder might have been trying to expand the frontiers of pop and R&B but the less-hooky numbers seem underdeveloped.
6/10 I just don't like a jazzy ballad
Never intentionally listened to Stevie Wonder before so stoked for this. Is it called Innervisions because he's blind? That's pretty good. I've definitely heard Too High before. So playful, great track, tones are perfect (little phasers on everything, incl vocals) Wasn't expecting this shift into track 2. I'm less into this tonally, though the guitars parts are nice. Lots of vision metaphors here - this song doesn't seem to go anyway, makes me feel like I'm stuck which could very well be the point. OK HERE WE GO I def have heard Living For The City before too. These verses are so so good. I'm a sucker for a mid-track skit too haha Golden Lady is sick too - those key changes going up and up during the fade out Higher Ground - is this a Chili Peppers cover? If you don't love a clavinet through a wah pedal this song ain't for you. Never really noticed the bass hammer on/pull offs before, so sick. Took me a sec to realize it's a bass synth actually Also kinda stopped actively listening/writing notes as I got doing some work, but got pulled back in by the closing track chorus hook. Good album with some absolute classic songs/sounds!!
Energetic album.
I liked most of it, but it's just not my thing. That said, couple of great tracks on here, though I do prefer the RHCP version of "Higher Ground".
Too high is giving charlie and the chocolate factory vibes
This is one of those albums that I know is good, I can hear it is good, and yet it’s just not doing much for me, well at least for the first half. Of course, Higher Ground is great, as is the closer, He’s Misstra Know-It-All, and I seem to know Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing. The 2nd half is definitely better than the first half.
Starts off with a strong funk groove for a Monday morning. "Living for the City" and "Higher Ground" are classics I can still sing along with. But the whole album feels like it's telling stories. Could easily be a movie. -D
A good variety of music on this album from Stevie, including three singles which were popular at the time. This one was not quite as good as “songs in rhe Key of Life”, which we heard earlier, but still a solid 3.5 stars.
I think I've been converted to a Wonderkin (as I assume Stevie's fans are called). 'Living for the City' was a USC acapella staple, but the non-acapella* version is better (imagine that!). Slur count = 1 though. 'Higher Ground' (well, a cover of it, which I also like) is in Center Stage, one of my most favorite movies, so I have liked the song ever since. It is a bop. This album isn't quite a 4 though. Highlights: 'Higher Ground', 'Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing' *Wik(t)i(onary) is strangely insistent that a one-word version of this is a mistake, which is unlike their usual descriptive approach to language change! (sad!)
De la buena. Me gustó para trabajar, pero como siempre una escucha y chau. Nota: 3.0
Both good and engaging but not going to be my choice
Ight
Ok
Pretty good.
3.3 2x catch up 10/27 decent enough
Pretty good, but not really my thing
Går ju inte att dras med i glädjen i denna musik, men är tyvärr begränsat i hur intressant det är. Toppenutfört dock i sång o spelande!
Stevie W är cool.
Starts funky, goes melodic, then soulful. Stevie is awesome. I enjoy his full albums. I don't think I like this as much as Talking Book, but it's still great.
It was alright actually
Currently listening Too High is so funky Visions is slow in a way I really like, very acoustic too Living for the City - Loveeee the synth ill always be a synth enjoyed, and the bass is so like twangy, the middle bit reminded me of church and then a guy gets arrested?? Golden Lady - lovely, outro is great, love when the vocals get gradually higher, like emotions get more intense Higher Ground - reminds me of the soundtrack of hill climb racing, though I guess that was probs inspired by this and not the other way around Jesus Children of America - love a good song that considers the real reasons why Christians do what they do! kinda conflicted here All in Love is Fair - It's alright, kinda zoned out reading something on tumblr so I wasn't locked in fully Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing - The kinda song that makes you want to learn to salsa with your beloved at 7pm on a Sunday, and also makes you reflect on the fact its been 52 years (ouch) since this album dropped and politically things really haven't shifted too much in a positive direction..oof It's so upbeat though!!! I am indeed, not worrying about a thing He's Misstra Know-It-All (Richard Nixon diss track), even if it isn't about him, I love a song demeaning a man <3 and this one is subtle in It ( and I really like the drums yummy album
Some wonderful classics and a few newbies. He’s Mistake know it all has been saved.
Really hammers home how much of a Stevie Wonder rip-off Jamiroquai is. It was okay, but nothing stood out to make me want to listen to this a second time. Three stars for pleasant background sounds.
alls fair in love and he’s misstra know it all and don’t you worry bout a thing are so good but didn’t love/listen hard to the rest
It's a good album but it's not going to be in my rotation. Mistra Know It All is my probably my favorite and Higher Ground is a classic.
Stevie Wonder - a name I’m familiar with but outside the hits haven’t explored too much. This album was an enjoyable listen and I appreciated reading about its significance, but it’s not necessarily music style I would seek out or see myself listening to again from start to finish.
nice
yeah...
This pretty great. I much prefer the upbeat stuff to the ballads and living for the city is just awesome. The tunes are great, Stevie's voice is smooth, but has an edge when he wants it. The sounds are great too. I would have preferred more of the bigger riffs Stevie does so well. Good stuff though, and the production is lovely.
Good, not his best
Good vibes in the morning with this album
Bom o disco, porém esperava um pouco mais...
Llegamos al viernes, antesala de mi cumpleaños de hecho, con el Esteban Maravilla, otro de esos artistas de los que nunca escuché discos, mas si canciones sueltas. Arranca sutilmente funkie y se mantiene, con momentos más arriba como con "Higher Ground" o "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing". Gracias y hasta el lunes.
It was nice to listen to. Not something I would consider listening to everyday. But it was good music. GOOD music to listen to
Starts getting interesting with Living For The City. The funky groove of Higher Ground really hits in the middle of this album. Don’t Worry About A Thing is kinda fun. I enjoyed this as a break from the alt/punk/post-punk rock the generator gave me this week. However, I don’t think this is an album I’ll be returning to. There’s this smooth lounge sound to Stevie’s music that I’m not a fan off. 3/5.
Fine *shrug* but I can sure see what Joe Dart and Michael League are talking about when they say they learned bass listening to Wonder's left hand. That thing is possessed.
Took a couple of songs to get into it but higher ground is a banger
was at its best in the funkier parts
01/10/2025 The album didn't really do anything for me, I ended up finding it quite boring. Spotify listeners: 18.8 million
These songs are so funky and silly that it’s hard not to be won over by their charm. There’s some songs that vibe with me cause they are alittle too religious for me, and there were a few that were slow that I didn’t like. But man, the songs that are good go so hard. Obviously this goes without saying but “higher ground” is easily one of the greatest songs of all time. So that song does alot of heavy lifting but I also really liked “too high”. I do wish the album was alittle sillier and had a sense of humor but that’s just me.
Por momentos me ha recordado al royito de tyler the creator en Igor y en estos ultimos años. Como que me ha molado pero no ha terminado de. Cada cancion de su padre y de su madre pero eso es bueno. Creo que otro dia y otro mood lo habria apreciado mas
good shit, imagine if it was a japanese woman speaking softly instead tho
Ja wiem, że to geniusz, ale ta płyta niezbyt do mnie trafia. Tak, melodię są piękne, głos ma niesamowity, ale po prostu to nade mną przelatuje. Mogę pokiwać głową i potupać nóżką, ale niewiele zostanie, gdy ostatni dźwięk już przebrzmi. 6.5/10 równane w dół.
I wanted to give it 4, but it just doesn't grab me like I hoped it would.
Stevie Wonder is great. Although this album is considered one of the greatest, it’s not one of my favorites.
Possibly unfair on Stevie to draw this one after Songs In The Key... in spite of being released first and representing an earlier stage in his development. This is still a really good album, albeit in a genre I generally don't turn to. When it's strong, it's excellent (Higher Ground, Golden Lady, Misstra Know-It-All) but a bit too much of it fades away for me and is just objectively cool without leaving much impact on me personally. I have enjoyed listening to this sporadically over the past few days and will happily listen again, but probably won't go and pick it out anytime soon.
Álbum bem interessante. Bastante Groove. Celest Phoenixcall.
There is absolutely no reason why I should dislike Stevie Wonder, and I don't. But this album, and the only other Stevie albums I've heard before (FFF) were underwhelming, for lack of a better term. The guy can play, sing, but I struggle to connect with the music on a personal level. Nobody's fault. This feels like nice, inoffensive music that will never be more than a momentary blip on my radar.
I love so much of Stevie Wonder's music and I know this is regarded as an iconic album - but this album just didn't do it for me. Higher Ground and Living for the City blow me away every time I hear them, and I really enjoyed Golden Lady which I didn't know before. But I found the rest of the album incredibly uneven, and some of it just isn't to my taste. I found the lyricism lacking in many of the songs, as well as the quality of his vocals. And many of the songs just felt corny to me - occasionally even showtune-y. Overall just not my cup of tea.
A few good hits on this album.
An album of funky, catch songs that captured the mood of the early 70's lyrically. Great songwriting for the genre.
Funkahtavaa Wonderia. Dont you worry about a thing muunmuassa levyllä.
Kind of neutral on the album. Pretty jazzed on the story though!
Not bad my dude
Pretty enjoyable.
It’s good but I don’t care for it
Smooth, easy listening. Interested to hear more of Stevie’s discography after that initial intro.
This is #day396 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… "they only change to brown when autumn comes around," a fitting line for early September days. I was skeptical when another Stevie Wonder album popped up (the first one I got way back on #day22 only earned a 2 from me). And I know there are two more records of his ahead. As before, soul singing just doesn't work for me. This time, however, I kind of enjoyed the music itself, especially the funky synthesizer work. I'll give it a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day397.
Stevie Wonder is clearly talented, but for some reason I find myself not liking a lot of his songs. The hits are good, but the b sides arent my favorite. Overall- probably 2.5-3 range
I’ve seen other reviews along the lines of “I want to love this but it just doesn’t quite land with me” I agree with them.
Stevie Wonder, US-amerikanischer Sänger, Songwriter und Multiinstrumentalist, veröffentlichte 1973 mit Innervisions sein sechzehntes Studioalbum. Aufgenommen wurde es unter anderem in den Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles und den Media Sound Studios in New York. Das Album verbindet Soul, Funk, R&B und Jazz zu einem dichten Klangbild, das stark von Wonders Einsatz des TONTO-Synthesizers geprägt ist. Viele Instrumente spielte er selbst ein, wodurch die Stücke einen sehr persönlichen Charakter erhalten. Zu den bekanntesten Songs zählen „Living for the City“, eine eindringliche Auseinandersetzung mit Rassismus, „Higher Ground“, ein funkiger Klassiker mit spirituellem Kern, sowie „Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing“, das mit lateinamerikanischem Einschlag Leichtigkeit vermittelt. Balladen wie „Golden Lady“ oder „All in Love Is Fair“ zeigen Wonders Gespür für romantische und introspektive Themen. Innervisions gilt als künstlerischer Höhepunkt seiner Karriere: gesellschaftskritisch, musikalisch innovativ und zugleich eingängig. Ein Album, das bis heute Strahlkraft besitzt.
This album was difficult. I've already heard Songs in the Key of Life, which imo was a much better album, but I guess this was the album that allowed Stevie to transition into "Stevie Wonder". So it's interesting to hear Innervisions after Key of Life because IMO it's not as good......BUT once again, most of the albums on here are about context. This album was so revolutionary because 1) the TONTO synthesizer allowed Stevie to just mess around and do all kinds of weird stuff, and thankfully he was able to put that weird stuff into an album. Use of the synthesizer revolutionized pop music. 2) He basically did everything on the record himself. Played all the instruments with the exception of a couple guitar parts. 3) Right after the album dropped he survived a major car accident where he basically took a tree log to the face. Kind of a divine inspiration moment. I will say the music is incredibly well composed and is very complex. Seems like he had trouble just stopping and not adding another layer. Higher Ground is THE song on the album, and while some other songs do have a strong overall message, he's not very direct with it which is disappointing. This was a tough album to get through for me. I'm not a fan of R&B or soul, but there is no denying Stevie Wonder is absolutely a legendary talent.
Highlight Song/s: Visions, Golden Lady This one right here is my second Stevie Wonder album. I found this a lot better than Songs in the Key of Life. I'm honestly not sure what he did here that he didn't do on 'Key of Life. Some of the songs here are some solid melancholy tracks.
6/10
He has a lovely voice. I really liked some if the musical choices, but overall this isn't the kind of music I tend to put on.
First Stevie Wonder album! Ever, mind you! I’m grateful to have the opportunity to hear this. It’s been a good while since the last “big” album hit my project and I guess the time has now come. Yeah, it ain’t bad. Very polished with some pretty good tunes, yet something about it failed go the full mile for me. I’ll chalk it up to this music generally being outside my sphere of interest. When taken within it's genre I'm sure this album is a well-respected classic “Too High” is pretty cool. I like the subtle, funk sound which underscores the album. “Visions” is pretty good. Very midsummery, which is one of the better moods a song can embody. The acoustic guitar is pretty great, and I like the ambience which hangs in the background. “Golden Lady” is a strong contender for the best song on the album. A rich tune. I dig the percussion, and the synths in the background are quite nice, too. “Jesus Children of America” features some very good songwriting. I like the wobbly, funky sound in the background as well as how Wonder’s vocals work around it. The way his voice deepens throughout the song is the real star of the show, however. “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” is an interesting pivot towards a Latin American sound. Big fan of the cowbell – one of the greatest instruments of all time. It’s paired nicely with the piano, and I enjoy the break in the song down the middle, even if where it leads lost my interest. Checking the book. One of Wonder’s most ambitious albums. Political. That’s all she wrote. Moving over to Wikipedia reveals that this album was a pivot from Wonder’s usual sound. “... hugely influential on the future sound of commercial soul and black music”. Strong commercial performance. Universally acclaimed. Yeah, this is a slam dunk from the curators. Solid pick.
Einigermasse wonderfull und goodie Es 3.5i Eich welle 4 herdöpfel geh aber denn gmerkt es soo geil isch doch nöd dasi wiedermal dri wür ga. Also nur 3 erdöpfel
nice, but just not catching me
Not my scene
Enjoyed listening to this, though I don't see myself ever reaching for it again.
It alright. It not key of life or even talking book, but it alright. Highlights: “living for the city,” “Don’t you worry bout a thing,” and “he’s misstra know-it-all”
If you take “Higher Ground” off this album, it sounds like any generic lounge band, not one of Apple’s “Top 100” albums. That’s a big stretch, in my opinion. It sounds like a hipster’s opinion which you kinda “have to” think or other hipsters will think you’re an idiot. It’s not your fault. Track 2 is one of Stevie’s most boring songs and several others are nothing to write home about. “Golden Lady” and the closing track are okay and of course the vocals are excellent, bringing it up to a 3/5, but musically, I found this a little underwhelming. Stevie Wonder has far better music than this.
Decent album l, only a few songs that I really enjoyed.
chillig zum lose aber nur eis het so voll usegstoche
- I'm actually loving this so much, genuinely - It is so calming and I'm really enjoying it surprisingly - The songs are slightly too long but they are all still good I like this album a bit but it is not really for me. I know many people know it, however, that doesn't change the fact I still don't think it is super amazing. It was an alright listen but overall not completely my type of music.
6/10 funky and pleasant. 8-5-2025
a lot of funky sounds nothing melodic
Good tunes
Fantastic album ! A classic .
I know people revere Stevie, but it's honestly just never grabbed me. There are a few obvious bangers, but most of it is pretty mid.
Bastante graciosete
Jazzy. Moments where I'm too white to be here ngl but a good album nonetheless.
так внимательно слушала всю пятницу что в субботу не вспомнила даже Сти Уандер ли это был. но норм, без излишнего фанка, не достало (но и продолжать не захотелось)
Pretty good
Quite a mid Stevie Wonder album, not sure why it needed to be on the list. There’s some bangers on here for sure, but as an album it’s quite lacking compared to Talking Book or Songs In The Key Of Life. Higher Ground is still a great track though (when not being murdered by the red hot chilli peppers).
Stevie Wonder is something I will never get fully
Soul is not something I ever seek out so I'll probably never rate it highly, but this was good for what it is. Higher Ground still slaps. I'm sure when he wrote that song he hoped that in 50 years people would still think it "slaps." Mission accomplished, Stevie. 3.2
Good background music.
I thought I'd enjoy this more than I did, it was nice enough
Far from his best imo
not bad, nice
I do like the sound, but the album just couldn't hold my attention. If the songs were a little more catchy I would have given it 4 stars.
Pretty good. Higher Ground is very groovy. I feel like to me, Stevie Wonder's hits are really, really good, but a lot of the other songs on his albums just don't do much for me. So the average is pulled down a bit by the deep cuts. I respect how varied his songs are while still having a signature style, and they never sound bad - just not my cup of tea (with a few exceptional tracks)
ist nett zum arbeiten
I juts don’t love Stevie’s music, even though he’s obviously brilliant, juts not for me.
Funk & Soul. Stevie has a great voice, but the production is noticeably great as well. Not been my jam outside of the hits ole Stevie... I enjoyed it. Higher Ground added to playlist
Great album, though I just heard Songs in The Key of Life and it pales in comparison. Fav. Track: Living for the City, Higher Ground
Some parts funky, some soul I guess. Not quite sure how to describe it. It was alright, nothing I'd see out again. Near to hear original (?) / different version of higher ground
Some songs I know, but overall rather bland.
Overall, there was two highly stand-out songs: Visions and All in Love is Fair. The remaining album was smooth sailing of Wonder's runs and vibey music. It doesn't necessarily impress but also doesn't have any faults about it, other than having more standout songs. This will receive a 3.5/5 but will be bumped to 3.
alright to be fair
Being in the shadow of 'Songs in the key of life' must be hard for any album. Solid Stevie.
I liked it more than other Stevie Wonder albums I've heard in this project (I was actually able to finish this album), but still not something I'd seek out to listen to.
Not my thing
Soul, 1973 -> 3
A música de Stevie Wonder produz em mim irritação, especialmente as opções estéticas dos vocais forçados, que neste disco nem soam tanto assim, e backing vocal "intrometidos", que estão sempre em duelo com a voz principal, além da sonoridade característica dos teclados (Higher Ground, Living For The City, Jesus Children of America). Este disco tem bons momentos instrumentais (arranjos) e as baladas são meio enjoativas. Uma boa coletânea basta para cobrir a obra de Stevie Wonder.
3.77
Amazing musicianship and suberb vocal performances. Also quite marvellous that almost all instruments were played by Mr. Wonder. Still it might have been beneficial to have other musicians involved. Despite all the appreciation, in a personal level I don't feel strongly about the album and it doesn't reach even near to my top records list ("only" 3 star for me). But maybe someday this album will grow into me.
Classic Stevie, what's not to like.
Higher ground is an awesome song, the rest of the album was not as interesting or memorable. 6/10
“I’m too high, I hope I never come down” yeah me too Stevie
This is great; funk keyboard
3.3
Stevie Wonder is an artist that I can understand why he's so liked, see the brilliance of his music, but also realize it's just not my jam.
Some really fun songs! Really liked some and didn’t enjoy a few Favourites: living for the city, higher ground, don’t worry ‘bout a thing
I could have sworn we had a Stevie Wonder album earlier but I just looked at the list and we apparently did not. I was not familiar with this album and the only track title I recognize is "Higher Ground."
Expected to like it more but well. Ever thought about that Stevie Wonder does not know how any of hils albums look?
Was a disappointing. I thought I'd like it a lot more but it was just kinda average.
its 'arlight
I try but just can't like even though he is so talented
Smoooth
3 out of 5. This one's a good time, Higher Ground and Too High being standouts.
Godt album. Stevie wonder skrev og producerede det hele selv som 23 årig og brugte ny syntheziser teknologi (T.O.N.T.O) som giver det en speciel lyd. Teksterne er blevet mere sådan socio commentary og politisk. Det er en del af en triologi med talking book, innervisions og songs in the key of life.
I know this is heresy and that he's an outstanding musician but I didn't really like it. Much of it seemed slow and meandering to me. Saved, just, by the magnificent singles Living For The City and Misstra Know It All.
Lots of fun, but didn’t rise above that for me. FS: Higher Ground.
Meh. I think for me this was a case of too much funk but without having other qualities to elevate it, prefer when it can throw in some other aspects e.g comedic elements, rock, R&B. No faulting the musicianship but I did find it a touch repetitive. Just not ever going to be a main genre for me (I think). I’m sure Stevie will be gutted to hear that.
Good album from Stevie. I might have rated it higher, but listened to this and Marvin Gaye, and Al Green within just a few days, and I’m wanting a new genre.
Listenable but not my vibe. Best track = Living For The City
He is a talent for sure. It's a bit too much funk for my personal taste and sadly I just don't connect with most of the music. Dune great songs in there but not my bag.
It's a very listenable funky pop album and a testament to it's quality that I really enjoyed listening despite it not being my genre of choice. I much prefer the upbeat funkier tracks to the slower romantic stuff. It's an undeniable classic and the only thing excluding this from my collection is personal taste.
More subdued than I expected from Stevie here. It's still good just slow. Not enough funky peices here for my tastes. But it's still a good time. Worth thr listen for sure. Just alot of slow songs
This is just nightmare fuel to me. I just remember all the sleepless nights, all the practicing and just overall asking why this was so hard to play for me. Yeah, music school sucks. Sadly, Stevie Wonder equals trauma to me. It doesn't help that I, also, met over the year some people who admired him and ended up being assholes. This is actually really good music. Too bad it's so tainted with bad memories.
Not my favorite stevie but it's all good
He can see.
Levyn viimeinen biisi ja higher ground aivan erinomaisia kappaleita. Muitakin hyviä hetkiä levylle mahtuu, mutta myös heikkoja hetkiä.
2.7
First album from Stevie Wonder that I've listened from start to finish. Liked it.
Another one that's perfectly okay.
Enjoyed back half of the album more, was biking on WSH, sunny day music. Stevie is a legend. Golden lady was a favorite
good album, discovered a great song
Song 1 +2: Absolut nicht meine Art Musik. Keine Ecken oder Kanten. Living for the City ist sehr cool. He's Misstra Know-It-All ist auch Top. Hatte echt Angst, dass ich mich durchqäulen müsste aber schlussendlich hat es mir gefallen und konnte auch einiges davon mitnehmen. Das ist genau was ich mir erwarte von dieser Musikreise. Neues finden, das ich zuvor ignoriert habe.
a lot of iconic songs but not really my fav
Amazing voice, good soul/jazz arrangements, but didn't really connect with the songs outside the standouts. Should probably be a 4, might just be in a bad mood today. Standouts: Too High, Living For the City, Higher Ground
Not consistent. Has some highs and lows. Album is okay.
Pretty chill vibes.
Decently funky but the songs are so long. Only wanted to give a second listen to Higher Ground and Living for the City.
Some hits, some misses
Waar de balans tussen funk en smooth fusion voor mij niet altijd ideaal is op 'Songs in the Key of Life' weet Stevie die wel echt goed te vinden op 'Innervisions'. Het swingt, het funkt, maar het is ook bij vlagen erg progressief, als een voorbode op de late 70s en 80s. Dit is in mijn ogen zijn meest constante werk muzikaal gezien, en heeft ook - zoals Stevie Wonder dat vaak als geen ander kan combineren - naast replay value een sociale boodschap. 7,5/10 Highlights: Living For The City Higher Ground Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing
Listens: 2.5 Stand out tracks: Living for the City, Higher Ground Chef's Kiss. 3.5
Liked Higher ground and maybe too high. The rest were ok.
Holy shit the bass was insane on the first track
it was alright, I did not like the first track though
Gemütliche Wonder-Klänge für einen angenehmen Kaminabend. Songs sind sauber interpretiert und verbinden annehmen Groove mit ordentlichen Kländen. Es gipfelt im Hit „Don‘t You Worry Bout A Thing“. Insgesamt fehlt dem Album aber etwas Pep.
Grove album but underwhelming. It was a true peace of RnB
A decent album no doubt. Higher ground is the obvious highlight.
Some good songs, not my favorite.
This is the album with higher ground on it. The more instrumental jams are good, definitely a product of its time.
Never really listened to much Stevie Wonder outside of the classics but I really enjoyed this! Not every song really stood out to me but I will definitely go back to a few.
While I certainly have heard about Stevie Wonder I have never listened to him before this. I like the funk sound throughout and the whole album had a lot of nice songs. The genre itself lowers the score for me though. Its not really something I see myself listen to on its own another day.
Just like his other albums on this list, I love the up tempo, funky numbers. The slow, soulful ones leave me cold for some reason. I want to like them. I mean, it's Stevie Wonder! But I just don't, so whole albums of his just become a bit of a slog.
made me sleepy
This album has Living for the City and Higher Ground which are classics. I liked it fine.
The highs are so insanely high. The mids are pretty mid though. 3/5
Thought I had never actually listened to Stevie Wonder but then immediately recognized Higher Ground.
Stevie Wonder from '73.
Beetje cheesy
There's a big chunk of these albums that just kind of wash over me, not leaving much of an impact. This is one of those. There were a couple of moments that stood out, like Higher Ground. Maybe I just like funky Wonder the best (I love Superstition and Pastime Paradise). I liked most of it, but it didn't keep me engaged.
This will be my second Stevie Wonder album to review, after Fulfillingness’ First Finale, which I gave three stars to. Unlike FFF, I see that this album has one song that I know already: “Higher Ground.” I tend to enjoy Stevie Wonder’s music, so hopefully Innervisions will inspire me to add a copy to my collection. Well, like FFF, I thought Innervisions was pretty good. There were two songs that really wowed me, one song that I thought was really good, and the rest of the album was just fine. “Living for the City” was hands down the best song on the album. I loved the epic storytelling of the lyrics, and since I just finished reading The Warmth of Other Suns (about the 2nd Great Migration), this song really resonated with me. The scene in the middle of the song was great, and only added to the tragedy of the song’s story. The Fender Rhodes playing was fantastic, as was the synthesizer. Stevie’s vocals were fantastic too, and the pacing of his delivery really punctuated the funky beat. “Higher Ground” was my second favorite song on the album, by a very slim margin. The first version of “Higher Ground” I ever heard was the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ version, but hot damn, it’s really nice to hear Stevie sing it, because you can actually hear the lyrics clearly (and they’re incredibly powerful lyrics). I love the main clavinet hook, and the synthesized bass is fantastic too. “Higher Ground” has such a funky sound that I really love, and it stands out from the rest of the funk sounds of the album. I thought “He’s Misstra Know-It-All” was really good too. I loved the softness of the piano, and the rhythm of the vocals on the verse. But on the chorus later on in the song, I really love the intensity Stevie sings with. I love it when Stevie sings in a higher register, and he knocks it out of the park on this song. As for the rest of the album, it was sounded really good, but it was a touch boring. I don’t think the other songs on this album really showcased Stevie’s abilities at creating great hooks and riffs, and that’s a shame. I don’t know that I’d come back to this album, but I’m still excited for the other two Stevie Wonder albums I have left to review.
I really wanted to like this more, and it was good, but a little too mellow and not funky enough for me to be as great as everyone else seems to think. A solid album though, and I have hopes that there are more Stevie Wonder albums on this list that I like more.
da fehlt nur einer der "großen" Hits
Some of it was pretty boring but overall just ok.
OK - hangs it hat on two cracking songs.
3.5
Yeah fine, not his best.
Pretty chill
Not much of a vision but not a nightmare
I was sleeping on Steve’s music and enjoyed the diversity of tracks. I also feel like I have a true Gen Z attention span and did genuinely get “bored” of some the repetitiveness but also appreciate that it almost sometimes felt like some sort of early version of house(?). Rate : 7.2
FINALLY some color. i enjoyed this album, but there aren’t any particular songs that stuck with me. this did make me want to look more into stevie wonder though.
This is the first album I’ve heard through this journey that I liked. It was good songs and I didn’t immediately want to move on to the next song. Good stuff
3.5
Alright
the melodies and textures on this record are really interesting. the lyrics are sincere and insightful, albeit a bit preachy at times, which is a tendency for some political writing. compared to the lyrics on marvin gaye's "what's going on" record (which is comparable in the sense that it was released only two years prior), a lot of the words here didn't land as effortlessly to me. that being said, the song arrangements are spot on and wonderful to listen to.
Not my favourite album of his. But it's stll Stevie Wonder so it's great.
Too High has jazz elements in instruments, but chaotic vocals. Visions is comparably calmer and more acoustically structured. Living For The City, nice tempo, structure and storytelling, drums and synths? Interesting interlude (real??). Golden Lady, piano bass drums, repetitive topline, how much can we modulate?. Higher Ground has funky sound, grooving bass. Jesus Children of America, funky synth, simple drums, background vocals. All In Love Is Fair, moody piano and simple drum chops, Don't You Worry Bout A Thing, latin beat with piano and drum. He's Misstra Know It All, chill piano, nice beat added in.
Not my fave Stevie album, but love Stevie. And "Don't you worry 'bout a thing" is one of my favorites.
I really liked a lot of the funkier songs but the slower ones didn’t resonate for me. I got 4 liked songs off the album!
Good listen. 2 great songs.
Lots of soul in the record. Higher ground is a banger. Living For The City was great as well
The weakest of his string of 4 great albums from Talking Book to Songs in the Key of Life. Some great tracks, but a little too earnest in dealing with serious issues for my taste. He plays almost every instrument here, so kudos to him for that. A 3.5 rounded down to 3.
Not really a big fan of the genre but I liked a few songs
Good on the surface. Nothing really wrong with it at all, excellent production, but it's not as accessible as I'd like it to be to keep in regular rotation. Favorite tracks: "Too High", "Golden Lady", "All In Love Is Fair", "Jesus Children of America"
Nice
It's pretty nice-sounding. Gives a sort of spiritual feeling, one I typically don't feel.
Higher ground and for once in my life are superior songs, but the album as a whole is not one of my favorites. A little too jazzy for my liking.
Decent album. Not as great as some of his others, but two solids hits. Worth a listen.
This was pretty good. Stevie wonder is a great performer and didn’t disappoint.
Groooooovvvvvyyyyyyyy
Love a bit of Stevie
Funny
Can’t really give it less than a 3, and while I appreciate the music, it just isn’t for me.
I've come to realize that I'm not all that much of a Stevie Wonder fan, despite wanting to be, and while that's kind of disappointing, I *do* appreciate that this project helped me realize this. There's certainly nothing wrong with this album, and despite that this came in the middle of his rapid-fire album releases, it's got a nice and somewhat distinctive groove to it (and I had no idea that he got in a serious car accident just after it got released, nor that this experience made him even more spiritual). But I'm not sure if it's simply from already listening to three other Stevie Wonder albums in this collection already, or the heavy (and impressively early) synthesizer layer, or just something...missing...from his almost-funk sound, or something that just makes the album kind of bland to me. My favorites were probably the classic "Higher ground" (I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I kind of prefer the Red Hot Chili Peppers' cover version to the original), and the surprisingly stark "Living for the city". I also enjoyed the opening to "Don't you worry 'bout a thing", and I can totally see how Barbra Streisand made "All in love is fair" into her standard (although I'm not a big fan of either version).
Enjoyable enough lacked a real good single though
7/1-
A strong album that got both a lot of airplay and critical acclaim. I could listen to this one again, it brings back memories.
Enjoyed it, but it just doesn't connect nearly as strongly with me as Songs in the Key of Life.
Very well-produced and well-performed, but it feels like more than half the album is ballads. Just makes the whole thing feel like a downer, despite there being a couple great, high-energy songs.
This is a good album, but falls short for me of Stevie Wonder's absolute classics on this list of Songs in the Key of Life and Talking Book. This is a high 3, nearly pushing to 4
Ganska skön.
not really my vibe with the voice, like dont you worry bout a thing
It’s pretty ok for what it is. I got tired of it after awhile, but overall it’s solid.
3- Stars (7/15)
Decent, but as background or so.
grandpappy of funk
Better than I expected, and although it's not really in my lane, I've added to my list of albums to revisit.
I enjoyed it more than the prior Stevie Wonder albums. I'm not sure if that is saying a lot or a little. It's a very approachable album that has the right mix of Stevie's juice for it to work. I wouldn't consider myself a big Stevie Wonder fan but after some representation on this list I can see how he is a huge cultural icon. He is a solid songwriter and does a lot of the right things to keep a solid fan base satisfied. 2.70 stars
It's interesting how my opinion changes on multiple listens and sad I don't have the time to do this for many albums at this stage in my project. I didn't like this on first listen, as I felt it was a let down after the previous Stevie Wonder album, but after I let go of that on my second listen I found it okay. Rating: 3
Nice is the word that I think of when listening to Stevie Wonder. His upbeat stuff is nice and jaunty, his slower stuff is nice and soulful ... but nice is just that. Nice. Not amazing. Not brilliant. Not great, or even good -just, nice.
3.8
If this album was a mountain then 'Higher Ground' would be aptly named as it would be the summit. Such a groovy tune! 'Visions' and 'Living in The City' would be half way up, good tunes held back by some bad lyrics. Everything else sits at the base, just not my thing. He's a great musician, there's a lot of good music and he probably plays most of it but I don't like many of his songs, most of the lyrics are terrible! I love 'Higher Ground' though, and the Chilli Peppers version too, so that adds an extra star.
#386. This album hits in spots, but it doesn't maintain it through the whole album. Definitely a few skippable tracks. 3/5: decent
A young Stevie sound. Most of the songs I haven't heard or I have forgotten them. Thankfully, one of my favorite tune from him (Higher Ground) was included in this album. Overall, not bad listening.
Stevie’s got his funk back! A vast improvement on the previous offering of his.
This album is better than the last one we reviewed but I still struggled with it Again, funky songs good, everything else, poor!
While it’s wall to wall hits, I can only now compare his albums to Songs in the Key of Life, and while this is good isn’t as good good as that, it’s just not funky enough. And as this is the 4th Wonder album we’ve now had, I can’t be arsed to write anything more. Message ends.
Steve's clawed his way back after that last offering. More funk thank god and less creeping about in people's dreams. Love a bit of mistra know it all.
Started out ok. First few songs had some decent music, but not really anything great. Then it really started to pick up. Higher Ground was fun, Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing was solid. He's Misstra Know-It-All was a great way to end it. But the high point was All In Love Is Fair. Incredible piano music along with Stevie's incredible voice. Best song: All In Love Is Fair
stevie wonder ist stevie wonder.
godin buen jazz
Me gustó pero no lo escucharía de nuevo, higher ground y living for the city es lo mejorcito
still midway
Too high - DECENT Visions - ROUGH Living for the city - LIKE THAT Golden Lady - DECENT Higher Ground - STAMP Jesus Children of American - weird but DECENT All Love is Fair - ROUGH Don’t you worry bout a thing - ROUGH He’s misstra know it all - ROUGH
Eh, except for Higher Ground
Would rate 2.5 stars, higher ground was great and the rest was outrageously mid (misstra know it all was mid+)
Stevie Wonder is so hard for me to rate. Every album has at least one or two top-tier all-time faves (like Higher Ground). But to get to them you have to nap through some real challenges. Incredible magical talent that often uses those talents in boring ways.
A very good album, high threes.
nice
Listened Before? N Another good one from SW. I enjoyed it, but not as much as some of his others. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Higher Ground
TRACK BY TRACK 1. Too High - I have never listened to Stevie Wonder before. Jazz is outside of my comfort zone. This is my first time actively putting on his music. Of course, I knew his name and of his legendary status. Immediate thoughts: not the voice I was expecting. I dig the descending 'doodoodoo's. Bit repetitive for me but I would put it on as background music. 2. Visions - I wish the song ended at 4:12 when he says "an ending...". I like the song. I'm still not a jazz fanatic. 3. Living For The City - Nice transition from the previous song... 1 minute in: okay maybe I'm grooving... The political skit halfway through is unexpected. Sounds like an end-of-album type of track. 4. Golden Lady - Catchy. Is that a key change at the end? I like it. Might be my favorite so far. 5. Higher Ground - 6. Jesus Children Of America - 7. All In Love Is Fair - I realized I stopped paying attention towards the end of this song so I'll be revisiting the last three songs on this record. Sorry. I was playing Roblox. 8. Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing - Wow, sounds like a drastic change. I dig it. This is definitely more my style. Loses my attention as the song goes on, though. 9. He's Misstra Know-It-All - This sounds like it would be a well known song. Update: Wikipedia confirms it was released as a single. Tee-hee. REVISIT 5. Higher Ground - So, this was the lead single. Let me listen and actually pay attention this time. Update: I don't really dig it that much. Would groove to it as background music. 6. Jesus Children Of America - This is forgettable too. I stopped paying attention again. 7. All In Love Is Fair - I like this one more than the last two. Glad I revisited. FINAL THOUGHTS I would have never listened to this had it not been for this challenge. I don't know if I'll keep doing track by tracks every single day as it's quite time consuming. But I'm excited to hear more music and educate myself on classic and popular albums. 7/10 - Enjoyable listening experience
Haven't listened to this album all the way through before. I know Higher ground and Dont you Worry bout a thing and they are jams. overall 3.5 stars for me
I liked he's misstra know it all
not my favourite stevie album but still one of his best imo. too high and golden lady are my favourites
Blind album, know the artist. Stevie always sounds great, but this album fell more flat than I thought. Higher ground is a great track though!
Again, need to listen to it more to really appreciate. 6/10
this was okay. I mean he’s such an icon and there were classics on here but it didn’t make me want to get up and dance, you know?
For me, personally, this album was good but nothing that really grabbed me at all. I think it's definitely one of those "for fans of the genre" things, because I can't get excited about it, personally, but I could see how R&B fans or whatever would return to it and really love it. I did recognize a few songs, and It's great to hear the full context, but it's not an album I see myself revisiting - though it is obviously not a bad album at all.
frekar gott, er ekki mikið fyrir undrið. mjög góð lög inn á milli og svo flatneskju rogb þar á milli. 3,5.
Stevie is undeniably very talented and this was fine to listen to. But it’s just not really for me
Amazing album
I didn't get a whole lot out of this one - most of it just didn't click with me, including the only song I recognized, "Higher Ground." But I did like "Living for the City," and it picks up a bit near the end with "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" and "He's Misstra Know-It-All."
I really liked the style of this. As someone who likes music, I don’t know why I’ve never really listened to Stevie Wonder before. For most the album, I was pleasantly entertained by the songs, until ‘Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing’, which felt so fresh and unique, despite being around 50 years old. And then I had to listen to the entire album again with a different perspective and loved it.
I appreciate this album. A couple of great songs. Not a go to for me though.
I think I've heard this album before. Two great songs, the rest are pretty so-so.
Stevie Wonder is good, but most of this album didn't really resonate with me.
Aight
Much more enjoyable than anticipated.
Det är Stevie. Det är funky och groovy. Det är föredömligt långt 44 min men det blir ändå lite för mycket funk för mig. En låt i taget funkar. Ett helt album lite för mycket funk. Det finns riktiga guldkorn. Som t ex Living For The City, Higher Ground och Dont You Worry Bout A Thing.
Jag hade hoppats på att jag skulle gilla Stewie, det känns nämligen lite creddigt. Men det här är ju inte första skivan. Det är absolut inte dåligt. Men trodde att han var en "bättre" låtskrivare. Men jag är nog lite besviken. Skivan har typ inga hits känns det som. Higher ground är väl närmast. Funkigt och kul, men inte svinbra.
Hann bara med en genomlyssning, vilket säkert inte gjorde den rättvisa med tanke på hur mycket Songs in the key of life växte på mig efter flera lyssningar. Stevie är ju så otroligt begåvad, så allt han gör blir ju som sämst hyfsat bra. Tycker inte denna når samma nivåer som ”Songs” utan är mer i stil med ”Fulfillingness” (den första skivan vi lyssnade på av honom), kanske t om något bättre. Stark trea.
Erittäin menevä! Pidin! Toki hyvin puhdistettua, ei silti kliinistä vaan tekeminen kuuluu. Karseita sanoja mutta tässä pitävät paikkaansa.
Eka biisi on hirveä ja hieno, mutta se ei vastaa levyn yleisilmettä: kaiken kaikkiaan biisinteko on minimalistista ja hillittyä. Jazz on selkeimmin läsnä tekstuurissa ja väleissä, mikä sopii minulle. Sen sijaan parhaimmillaan artisti on sillon, kun hän uskaltaa rokata, kuten jossain nimeltään Jesus Children of America. 3+
Don't you worry about a thing and higher grounds
Just OK, I enjoyed Living for the City and Higher Ground. But it's not something I go back to.
the hits are super upbeat and rightly very recognisable, the filler tracks are so slow, couldn't get on with them
Had songs in the key of life this past week, this album is not as good compared to that one for sure. Well made and everything, this one just didn't stick as much. Will I listen to again: 30%
Surprisingly modern sounding. A few tracks off this could've been recorded a few years ago. Nice album. Got some of the hits too, and some deep cuts that were worth a listen.
Love Stevie Wonder’s voice! Not my favorite of his albums but enjoyable.