Innervisions

Not great

meh not great

Eh

chill mais pas mon genre. soul/funk/jazz.

I just can’t get into this genre of music. It just doesn’t appeal to me.

eh it was just ok. a bit funky in a not-good way

As a person who listens to a lot of music, but doesn‘t dive deeper into rhe whole music-process, the Album sounded idk „trippy“. Nevertheless „All in live is fair“ is the only song that hit my taste :(

Nunca entendí la idolatría a este señor. Que sí, que tiene un conocimiento enorme de la música y la ejecución. Pero su voz es insoportable y sus letras no dan para mucho. Volveremos a escuchar este disco, realmente no distingo uno de otro. Definitivamente no soporto su voz y la instrumentación que usa, además de esos pasajes que parecen la cortinilla de unos dibujos animados o los Fraggle. Además se gusta mucho cantando y abusa del vibrato. Me pone nervioso el tío.

Encensé par la critique, cité en exemple pour son audace et son génie, "Innervisions" de Stevie Wonder est le type même d'albums que l'on nous somme de vénérer, une œuvre dont le statut d’icône interdit toute critique. Pourtant, et après une écoute attentive, il se rapproche plus d'une expérience profondément décevante, voire pénible, que du chef-d'œuvre annoncé car "Innervisions" se révèle être un album prétentieux, hermétique et, pour le dire simplement, terriblement chiant. Le principal défaut de l’album, celui qui saute aux oreilles dès les premières notes de "Too High", est son orientation résolument et agressivement funky. Le funk, lorsqu’il est bien dosé, peut être une source d’énergie et de joie. Ici, il est une chape de plomb. Les rythmes sont si insistants, les lignes de basse si omniprésentes et répétitives qu’elles en deviennent aliénantes. Des morceaux comme "Higher Ground" en sont l’exemple parfait. La célèbre ligne de clavinet, martelée à l’infini, finit par créer une sensation d’oppression plus que de libération. On a l’impression que la technique et le groove priment sur toute forme de mélodie ou d’émotion. C’est une démonstration de force, une performance technique, mais où est la chanson ? Car cette surcharge rythmique, ce "trop-plein" de funk, rend l’écoute fatigante et empêche toute connexion réelle avec la musique. Le second écueil majeur est son caractère faussement avant-gardiste. "Innervisions" est célèbre pour son utilisation massive des synthétiseurs, notamment le ARP 2600. Si l’intention était de sonner futuriste, le résultat, cinquante ans plus tard, est tout autre. Les sonorités synthétiques qui parsèment l’album sonnent aujourd’hui datées, froides et souvent criardes. Elles créent une distance, un voile artificiel qui recouvre la chaleur potentielle des compositions. Le morceau "Visions" est emblématique de ce problème. Sous ses airs de ballade acoustique introspective, la production l’enrobe de textures sonores étranges, de nappes synthétiques qui semblent n’avoir aucun autre but que de clamer : "Regardez comme je suis expérimental". Le résultat est un titre qui erre sans but, une rêverie soporifique qui ne mène nulle part, si ce n’est à l’ennui. Cette volonté d’expérimenter à tout prix transforme l’album en un catalogue de sons étranges plutôt qu’en une collection de chansons mémorables. Vient ensuite le propos. Stevie Wonder se fait ici le porte-voix d’une conscience sociale et politique. Si l’intention est louable, la mise en œuvre est souvent lourde et moralisatrice. "Living for the City" est une fresque sociale puissante, certes, mais sa narration presque théâtrale et son ambiance sonore anxiogène la rendent difficile à intégrer dans une écoute de plaisir. On a plus l’impression d’écouter un reportage sonore dramatisé qu’une pièce musicale. De même, "He's Misstra Know-It-All", avec sa critique à peine voilée de Nixon, ou "Jesus Children of America" tombent dans une sorte de prêche qui, combiné à la complexité de la musique, alourdit considérablement l’ensemble. La musique devrait transporter, pas sermonner. Ici, on se sent constamment pris à partie, comme si l’artiste nous faisait la leçon, ce qui renforce ce sentiment d’une œuvre indigeste. Finalement, ce qui manque cruellement à "Innervisions", ce sont des moments de grâce simples et évidents. L’album est si obsédé par sa propre complexité, par ses structures labyrinthiques et ses arrangements chargés, qu’il en oublie l’essentiel : l’auditeur. Où sont les refrains accrocheurs, les mélodies pures qui ont fait la gloire de tant d’autres artistes de la Motown, y compris Stevie Wonder lui-même à d’autres périodes ? Même une ballade comme "Golden Lady" se perd dans des développements harmoniques complexes qui empêchent l’émotion de s’installer durablement. L’album manque de cohésion, sautant d’un funk brutal à une méditation new-age, d’une diatribe politique à une jam session instrumentale sans jamais trouver un véritable équilibre. En conclusion, "Innervisions" est peut-être un album important pour les musicologues et les passionnés de technique instrumentale. Pour l’auditeur cherchant simplement une connexion, une émotion ou un plaisir musical, c’est une impasse. Son caractère trop funky le rend répétitif et agressif, tandis que ses ambitions expérimentales le rendent froid et daté. Le propos, trop didactique, finit de l’achever. Loin d’être une vision intérieure, l’album sonne comme une démonstration de savoir-faire égocentrique qui a oublié sa fonction première : communiquer. Au final, ce sera un petit 2 sur 5 pour une expérience musicale prétentieuse et indigeste.

Rubbish, instruments were all over the place and random. Was a bit boring.

Jazz. Kinda trash. 2/5

I liked fulfillingness so much better! This one just pasted me by.

🎹

I don't get it

marihuana and this album. no es mi rollo

It’s got Living for the City, which is the only good Stevie Wonder song, so it’s his best album.

Funk. Nie dla mnie

Well this was a real let down, I was super looking forward to this but it left me totally empty. Shame.

This isn't doing much for me. I'm finding it kind of boring, even if I can recognise and admire the talent.

Funky jammy vibe. Janice really liked it.

I still just can't get excited about Stevie Wonder. The funk brings amazing energy, I recognize the subtlty and complexity of the song-writing, there are some nice melodies and there's a lot of talent on display, but it always leaves me flat. It's fine, nice to have on, but really just does nothing for me and cannot understand the hype.

Appreciate the craft, but goes on too long, sounds very samey and ultimately gets a bit repetitive and boring.

Disappointing. The UK singles, Misstra Know it all, Higher Ground, Living for the City, are great. The rest? boring pap.

Just a little too much on the funk-y side for me

unexciting at best

Not for me.

All Stevie Wonder albums sound the same, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's boring.

I dunno. Stevie never did it for me. I get why this is so good, but just don't love it myself.

Higher ground is great but the rest is a bit of a shrug from me. Poor rhyming all the way through

4/10

Coffee house cool funky?

Sounds ok, it's Stevie Wonder, but it doesn't do it for me. Not bad, just meh.

My favorite part of any of Steven's albums are when they're over and I can return to my life

Good with coffee on a Sunday morning. Can’t imagine any other time I’d listen to it though.

achei meio meh

3eme album de SW proposé par le site. Un tube: higher ground. Sinon constat similaire aux 2 autres : album inégal (morceaux funky plutôt sympas, et morceaux calmes moins intéressants). =>2/5

A nice, boring album. Comparatively short compared to the last album on this list.. maybe he needs a good hour to warm into things. Hopefully the next one is a 5 hour banger.

Disappointed at just how boring this felt… First one I even began to enjoy was Living For the City, and then the instruments just waved from left to right headphone constantly and had to skip it in the end because it was just horrible. Maybe better on a single speaker but hate the production on it for that reason. Didn't mind Higher Ground. But wasn’t blown away by anything on here to be honest. All Is Fair In Love was okay aswell… but just okay. Overall, abit of a let down considering the last album he had on this list. Built a rod for his own back, our Stevie.

Stevie Wonder what I'm missing here hehe Just didn't find anything to hold onto here.

In the song " All in love is fair" there is a piano rhytm ( or is it called chord? ) that to me sounded quite similar to a piano rhytm in Queen's famous song Bohemian Rhapsody. It comes in the very start "All in love is fair" and right before "Mama, just killed a man" in Bohemian Rhapsody That was a little funny. "He is misstra know-it-all" is a quite good song Besides that it's not an album for me

Nawet to lubie, ale jednak wielokrotnie mocno pretensjonalne.

Respect for his historicity

Higher Ground and some other tunes.

2 out of 5.

Not my jam, but not bad. There are parts of too high and golden lady which I quite liked, it's just not an album I would listen to intentionally. It had a nice energy to it, and his voice in jesus children of america was quite nice. but yeah, it's nice music just not for me. 2/5 stars.

Didn’t do it for me

Stevie Wonder presents a wonderland of funk, soul, and pop, though none of it is really for me. Stevie Wonder's funk is not George Clinton's funk. Stevie operates at a lower heart rate. That's not to say that it isn't objectively good (his vocals and the instrumentation are all on-point) but it comes off as a little corny and boring to me. I was pretty tuned out until "Golden Lady" brought me back in. "Higher Ground" is an objectively good song, but it has been ruined for me by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. "Jesus Children of America" was also enjoyable. "All in Love is Fair" onward was like chugging Nyquil. "He's Misstra Know-It-All" is the best track on the album. I get that Stevie's claim to fame is being really smooth, but it's 11:45am and I am ready to take a nap because of this album. Nothing negative to say about the performances, but it just couldn't keep my attention.

Didn't really do anything for me unlike the other soul/R&B bands I have heard so far.

No me gustó para nadita, Stevie Wonder y la mayoría de la música de los 70s no es para mi.

I feel bad for not liking Stevie Wonder’s music. I liked the second song, sorta! He seems nice. Sorry, Stevie. xo

This was ok. there were moments I found myself get into it and then others where it blended into the background. Higher Ground, Living for the City are highlights but wouldn't go out of my way to listen again. Would give 2.5 stars if I could.

I feel like if I had listened to this in the years shortly after it came out, I would have given it 4 or 5 stars, but it hasn't aged well. I'm sure there are people that don't want to admit that. They may have ranted and raved about this album, and now... Well, it's not bad, but music didn't keep going down this path. For that matter, Stevie didn't either. And some of it's the production. As I've said on another of Stevie's album reviews, there are places where there's a synthesizer where nowadays, a guitar would have probably been used. To some extent, if the tune is good and played well, you might think that's all that matters, but if you use a kazoo or pan flute where a piano would work, I'm probably going to pick the piano every time, and the song will be better for it.

Didn’t particular take much from or entirely enjoy this able. Two songs I did quite enjoy and are ones I would go back to again however as I whole I don’t think I would return to listen to this album again.

This album was a lot better than his previous appearance in the list. Some recognizable songs but I wouldn't consider myself a fan. I do think he's a decent songwriter, he made some good choices adding the synth and leaning more on funk and groove, but he always feels formulaic to me. There's something corny or a bit too simple for me to really love his inner visions. "Living for the City" and "Higher Ground" were the strongest. I'll give him 2.25.

A little more funk from the wonder boy here playing around with the synth. "Higher Ground" I knew and was too track. Was Stevie on the can while singing the 2nd half of "Life in the City?" I liked this album better than the others by Wonder on the list but please, no more...2.1.

Stevie has some spectacular songs, and then some stuff that seems really good and does not appeal to me. This album is an example. Worthy of this list, despite my mixed response to the artist.

This confirms one thing for me: I do not ever want to listen to a Stevie Wonder album again. Some tracks seem like they might be okay ... but then become just the same wishy-washy nonsense. The only track that delivers full grooviness is Higher Ground - so, an extra star for that. So smooth it slips right through, never really catching my attention.

A consistent but unremarkable listen for me

Boring. Intriguingly dissonant at the start, then moderately funky, then tapers off into sleepy ballads and ditties.

Ei kuulkaas toiminut itselle tämä sitten ollenkaan. Jostain syystä silti toinen tähti.

was not into it.

It’s better then I expected but still not a Stevie fan

Not his best album

thank you for higher ground, which made my chili peppers gain a lot of popularity mr stevie! but this is already his FOURTH album on this list, he's not that amazing of a musician. definitely a good one but overrated imo. probably a 3 but bumping it down out of protest. also i kind of went with the consensus on all the other ratings, i feel dirty for it. my complaints about his singing remain true throughout the whole discography, its so over the top..

Definitely glad I'm listening to this with my headphones, because I would definitely miss the layered stereo sound without them. The instrumentation is amazing, and probably way ahead of it's time. It's a little too much for me though, a little too many sounds, and wubwub synth is a bit overdone. Wasn't digging the first two songs, then Living for the City came on, and found myself starting to enjoy it, until the skit in the middle pulled me right back out. Golden Lady was a little repetitive. Higher Ground is definitely a step up from the rest of the album so far. Followed by what I think is the low point of the album in Jesus Children of America. Though All in Love is Fair is also a bit on the bland side. Another skit, this time to start Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing, which I think would be much stronger without it. My favourite part of this song was definitely the bridge. This song would have also been stronger, if it were about a minute shorter, and removed some of the repetition from the end. Final track, and comes with a much different sound. Gone is the heavy synth, and replaced with what sounds a fairly standard piano, and drum machines. I wonder if I'm missing a reference with the Misstra vs Mister. I was about to write the song off entirely, then about 3 minutes in we get some hard hitting vocals, and it pulled me in to the finale. It should have ended a minute earlier, and not just did that slow fade out, though. I understand the influence this album has had, but I wonder if it was chosen based on the strength of Higher Ground which stands out against the rest of the album as the strongest song, and definitely the one we've all heard the most.

Overall vibe of the album, "It's cool, but it's nothing special" There's nothing that really stood out for me. It's funky, it's soulful, but I don't find it, "fun"? I can't really describe it, but I honestly just thought most songs were boring. Until we got about 3:00 minutes into "He's Misstra Know-It-All" and Stevie hits you with this ground shaking voice "tremor", I'll call it. That was cool af. I don't hate the album, I just don't like the album. 2/5

I found this a rather dull album. One or two standout tracks though - Don't You Worry... being one of them.

I really want to like this, but it sounds so dated.

Eeeeehhhh

Slow start to the album but finished strong. I only added one new song to my mega playlist

This album was OK. I thought the songs with the "skits" would have been better without the "skits." Also, the jibberish Spanish was weird.

As if I haven't heard enough funk already, being apart of the school's band council!

Cool, funky, but songs got boring and repetitive quickly.

nice, but to much la la la la la~~~

There is that one fairly funky Stevie Wonder album on the list, which I enjoyed. There is also this, which is Stevie Wonder as I originally got to know him - the somewhat schmalzy adult contemporary singer of ballads and writer of songs that don't quite want to make you dance, and all sound vaguely similar and familiar. I have much more time for funky Stevie than I do for schmalzy Stevie.

A couple songs I like okay...the rest is just meh.

nao curto disto

Stevie has a nice voice but the songs are kind of uninteresting

Quite dull this one - I definitely won’t listen to it again

Groovy and short and sweet. I liked some songs more than others.

Nothing wrong with it, but not for me. Couple good ones.

I really wasn’t a fan of this album. It was a little dry for me, which I was mildly surprised by seeing I like a lot of Stevie’s songs.

I like the guitar in Visions. Only on song 2, but not feeling much towards this album yet. First decent song on this album was High Ground. A very meh album to me.

Similar level of tone to me like CCR, but not popping out for me. Felt a little flat but an influential albums don't need to be so popping out. Some nice consistent beats to it.

Didn't like this one as much as Songs In The Key Of Life, really only enjoyed the singles - Living for the City & Higher Ground

The first half is super boring, the second half is ok

Not for me

Underwhelming and very forgettable

This finally cements that I just don’t care for Stevie Wonder. I love funk, soul and jazz but I just don’t understand the appeal of Stevie. There are moments of funkiness I enjoy (“Too high” is a standout here), but in general it’s a bore. With Stevies annoying wailing as a cherry on top.

There were a few decent songs in here, but over all not really my thing. I could've done with less singing. 2.5/5

Stevie Wonder is awesome but I just cant get into his music. I enjoy his hits but for me his albums as a peice are a miss. Favourite song: Nothing stood out Least favourite: Visions, really dull song. Album artwork: OK

I'm sure this is amazing but it's not for me

Good little album to bop to, nothing jumps out at me

ok

Not for me

Did not like this at all

Mäßig interessanter progressive Soul.

I didn't love it! 😫 Please don't kick me out.

naja??

Stevie is an inspiration and one of the greatest musicians to ever live. Still, this album is not my cup of tea.

I didn't mind most of the songs on this album. I wasn't a fan of the synth in Living for the city, but the rest was ok. Good to hear it as a full album, but probably won't relisten - I'm just not very funky! Fave track: Don't you worry about a thing

Expected more of stevie

It's not bad. Innervisions and Living For The City were an absolute vibe. I guess other people didn't feel it as much since not so many plays. In comparison, the highest played one, Higher Ground, was definitely upbeat/quick, but kinda meh in comparison to Innervisions and Living For The City for me. Overall a good album, just wasn't that exciting to listen to. Maybe its baseline is even 3, but my standards probably just went up honestly. Maybe Tigermilk should be a 0, then Dusty could be 2, Arrival could be a 1, and this could be a 2 right along Dusty. Could be.

It's strange - I deeply respect Stevie Wonder as a musician, but at the same time I cannot get into his music. Like, at all. It's not that this album is bad objectively. But sadly, the music does nothing for me. 2/5

jgf

Mehhh

Some nice songs wrapped up in between pretty ordinary tracks. Ultimately, I can't say I got along with this particular album's sound.

It had a really calming vibe but tbh I wouldn't listen to it again it wasn't really my cup of tea

meeeeeh. there's so much going on here that I don't know what the hell is going on.

Pure funk, no overlap with jazz or soul, just funk. The first song and higher ground are basically rock riffs but played on funk bass, enjoyed both. The genre and album as a whole isn't really my thing and I was tiring of it by the time it ended.

Nojaa

No

Solid album, just couldn't get into more than a handful of songs. 2.5/5

It's not bad music, and I can see why he's popular, but I wouldn't actively listen to this.

Meh. I'm beginning to think I'm not a SW fan.

Pretty meh the whole way through. Too one-note and simplistic.

Some good famous tracks, but the rest really wasn't up to much.

I’m had to wait until track 5 (Higher Ground) before I started to enjoy this, then found the rest of the album absolutely fine! Not my thing, but quite a pleasant Sunday morning listen.

It's genuinely just not my thing, sorry. Felt a lot like listening to elevator music. The whole album just went by.

Golden Lady is not too bad. I think I liked some other song too but I can't remember which one

Not for me

Creative for sure. Too smooth for my taste though.

meh

Pretty lame Only one good song (higher ground) and I've heard many better covers of that

Meh. Not as good as yesterday's

It's a no from me dawg

I’m going to use this review to ask all you lame dorks who say, “Not my cup of tea” shit the fuck up! Such a lame review, if you do this, please stop. If you plan to keep doing this, maybe don’t instead. This album was fine 2.5 stars I guess

I do love his voice, but the music itself is a bit boring for me. Also, Red Hot Chili Peppers' version of higher ground is way better in my opinion.

At first I was excited, then realized how boring this was. Until the final act, then I was dancing in my seat and singing along.

Cover art: like the painting. However the album is only ok. Start is a bit wishy washy jazz. Couple of good tunes.

A bit boring

Half gedraaid en helemaal genegeerd!

Iets teveel Stevie deze week

Thought it would have a harder edge. Not uninteresting but couldn’t stay focused.

Vond ik niet direct mijn ding

2, I see the appeal

J'aurais voulu aimer plus cet album. La pochette est cool et Higher Ground est une bonne chanson qui groove pas mal. Je sais qu'on dit que les textes de l'album sont la force de cet album, mais la musique ne me parle pas. L'harmonica joué par un clavier est vraiment désagréable. La production est quand même bonne par contre, mais je crois qu'il y a d'autres albums de Stevie Wonder que j'aime plus dans leur ensemble. Je vais par contre probablement me risquer à le réécouter voir si je capte autre chose. Pièces préférées: Higher Ground, Living For The City, Too High, Jesus Children Of America

Pretty good slice of Motown.

Too slow

A little boring, honestly. Highlights: Visions, Higher Ground.

Not quite my tempo

Surprisingly poor and mundane.

Another OK Stevie Wonder album. I really like Stevie's singles, but the album is a ton of filler. His Greatest Hits comp is really great though. 2/5

couldn't get into it

Apparently it's a pretty funky week. But in the surprise of the week, Thundercat's funk blows Little Stevie out of the water. "Higher Ground" is amazing, and "Living For the City" and "Golden Lady" (Betty White?) are pretty good too, and I was pleasantly surprised that "Too High" was actually about getting high. But the rest was just way too boring.

Boring

No no no I don't like this type of music at all god damn it

boring

Good album.

really thought I would like this the most, just go very bored and nothing stuck with me at all

Just don't like stevie wonder, tried to listen all the way through but there is something I just don't like.

I dont like it

Jedinica iz principa. // Bila bi dvica jer me iritira njegov glas i jedino ok je bas ali je i to previše wah wah u prosjeku.

number of songs on album: 9 songs i liked: 2; visions and all in love is fair i added them to my liked songs playlist, ill listen to them more to see if they grow on me. but the album is not really a genre i typically enjoy. i can see why people enjoy it though, just not for me personally. 1.5/5

2.5/10. This isnt my style of music but it is clear that Stevie is very good. Very good groove. Very good feel. Good production.

Stevie zum zweiten wieder tolles cover, das ging schnell, aber nichts hängengeblieben...c

Boring.

My knowledge of Stevie Wonder has always been when there's like a big musical tribute or massive super band jam on a late nigtht show or awards broadcast and they introduce everyone and then, finally, they announce Stevie Wonder and everyone goes crazy and all the musicians are bowing and grateful...and then he really doesn't bring anything special to the mix. I'll admit that there's good instrumentation here and it's the grittiest I've ever heard Stevie's voice go but I just can't get into it. I'm sure this is my own fault but, whatever the reason, I just don't enjoy Stevie's music. Sorry man.

mostly a funk overload. this isn't my thing and as I felt a sense irritation I couldn't wait for it to be over. one star is extremely generous

Stevie is great. Not my fav album tho

Nope

che strazio

I wish he was born mute instead.

ok, so this may be controversial but this album gave me hives. i actually feel sick listening to this, he has such a gross gross voice, i can’t finish this. it gives me heebie jeebies. and now the song about jesus loving children? this guy is a freak, i just know it, i hate this whole album. yuck.

1. high - 1 2. vizionz - 1.5 3. city - 1.5 4. lady - 1 5. ground - 1.5 6. america - 1 7. love - 2 8. thing - 1 9. knouu - 1

Meh

Ein rotes Tuch für mich, aber die Platte war nicht so schlimm wie erwartet.

Nicht meine Richtung

To funky.

Deff no. I’m tired of all this 70’s crap. This system just won’t switch. I’m about to be done with it.

No

Naja.

Couldn't ever take to his voice or music Automatic 1

Sorry, this is not ranking high for me. Boring to my untrained musical ear!

I just don’t like Stevie Wonder’s music. Not sure if it’s the harmonica, the jazz undertones, the voice, the electric organ, the “on hold music” vibes, the constant minor chords or all of the above.

Just not good, didnt finish

Whilst I respect his general talent and appreciate how special Stevie Wonder is, I thought this was pretty awful. Best song - golden lady

Didn't connect with this album at all. I can appreciate the political undercurrents and overtones but honestly it just didn't really resonate with me. The chorus of Too High walked so Jacob Collier (and Bill Wurtz) could run I get what Living For The City was trying to do but I don't think it stuck the landing Jesus Children of America was a flop Golden Lady and Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing were pretty good, and I wanted to like All In Love Is Fair but just couldn't I think my first 1* album of the project? And I thought I'd like it as I really like the best of Stevie. Slightly sad but there are many many more

Nope! Didn't do it for me at all 1

Living for the City, Higher Ground, & Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing are up there with the best of Stevie Wonder. I also really like All in Love is Fair. Didn't even remember that was a Stevie Wonder song; it always sounded like a hit from a Broadway musical to me. I could listen to any of this music on the radio & enjoy it all, but it's not my favorite genre.

Honestly kind of bored by it. It had elements that I’m sure shaped a lot of music but it felt boy-bandy and repetitive. I felt like I was supposed to focus on the lyrics then and those weren’t about anything interesting. The last song on the album had some different, interesting things going on though.

Songs in the key of snooze.

Boring