Innervisions

Wow, there are so many radio hits on this record - “Living for the City,” “Higher Ground,” “Don’t You Worry Bout a Thing,” and I’m bopping and singing along. The keyboards and bass are great, he has a wonderful voice, and of course the messages in his songs are powerful. I liked the unfamiliar songs too, though maybe not quite as much. But it’s definitely a good record. I’ve got a friend in England who loves Stevie Wonder and sees him whenever he tours - and he’s touring yet again this year, which is amazing.

### Stevie Wonder – Innervisions (1973) The little wonder kid (*pun intended, duh*) already had his turn with the preceding album, [*Talking Book*](http://ivo-habets.nl/91-stevie-wonder-talking-book-1972-8-10/). It’s funny to read back what I wrote about it just over a year ago. Even more striking is that I can pretty much copy the opening paragraph from that review: > Let’s start with the conclusion for once: no sacrilege this time, this is simply good music that, although completely not my thing, I can actually appreciate. I’m wavering between a 7 and an 8; it’s really a 7.5, but let’s round it up kindly for once. Well, you can’t really argue with that. There are differences, though. I think this album is a little more balanced. There are no real low points, but the highlights are also somewhat less high than on *Talking Book*. It’s a perfectly good album to listen to. It remains fascinating why I can stomach Wonder’s music — or at least his music from this period — so well. It navigates between pretty much all the genres I normally dislike. On this album, Wonder even flirts a few times, particularly in the ballads (*Visions* and *All in Love Is Fair*), with the sung-crying that is such a defining feature of modern R&B and also what makes it so [fucking awful](http://ivo-habets.nl/98-lauryn-hill-the-miseducation-of-lauryn-hill-1998-1-10/). Wonder stays just inside the boundaries of the pleasant. I think that has everything to do with precisely the reason why I can appreciate Wonder. He is unmistakably a musical beast, one of the great multi-talents of modern music. He has a feel for music, and therefore almost everything he does simply works. Still, this time I’m rounding down. As I said, the highlights are somewhat less high, with *Higher Ground* standing out for me. Yes, there’s that clattering Hohner Clavinet again. What a unique sound that thing has. You have to use it sparingly, but when you use it well, it’s a weapon. The lower rating also has something to do with the things that go wrong. Opener *Too High* is one of the better songs, but the syrupy backing vocals and squeaky harmonica are not exactly aesthetic highlights. But so be it. Worse is *Living for the City* — again, in itself one of the better songs on the album. It starts incredibly exciting and compelling, with Wonder singing beautifully aggressively. But it goes on for at least three minutes too long. At least three minutes. There simply isn’t enough happening to justify more than seven minutes. In *Golden Lady*, the ridiculously ugly drum recording is back, something I also complained about on *Talking Book*. What the hell is going on there? Remarkably enough, I can actually appreciate the ballad *All in Love Is Fair*, which is about as far outside my comfort zone as you can get. Closer *He’s Misstra Know-It-All* is a more than decent song over a laid-back funky beat. There’s one more track we have to mention, because it may well be the best-known song on the entire album. But not in this — original, obviously — version: *Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing*. If I’m to believe Wikipedia, it may actually be particularly well known in the Netherlands. The 1992 cover by British electronic band Incognito became a huge hit here in particular, and more than thirty years later it still seems to pop up everywhere. This original is quite different, because, somewhat to my surprise, the song is dominated by a Latin feel. All in all, this is once again a perfectly good album that is pleasant to listen to, crispy hi-hat or not. It just doesn’t quite sparkle as much as *Talking Book*, so one point less seems like an appropriate final verdict.

excellent, great Motown with a bit of funk influence. Honestly some of the best stevie wonder I've listened to.

Grew on me for sure, I never sought SW out. Funkier songs I liked a lot, the slow ones are ..slow. Minus one star for "I'm not the kind who make believes." Grammar is important, kids. Speaking of kids, Stevie has been busy. 9 kids, 5 moms. Zoinks!

Wonderful album. Simultaneously beautiful, funky, and a little weird. Standout tracks: "Too High", "Living for the City", "Higher Ground", and "Jesus Children of America".

I liked it. Good funky music.

An amazing album, with so many good songs.

Stevie Wonder doesn't miss. So close to a 5 but since it's not his best imo I'll stick with 4

He definitely put a lot of heart and soul into this. Good put on in the background and just listen to music.

Good steady listen

Stevie Wonder shows off incredible range on this delightful album.

Ever record of his on the list so far deserves its place.

I never gave this album the attention it deserves until now, but wow, solid all the way through. Holds its own in 2026 without a doubt.

Stevie Wonder has one five-star album, but it's not Innervisions. A little bit of cheesiness and 'Jesus Children of America' drop this to 'just' a strong four-star record.

Overall Rating - 3.83/5 (7.67/10). Classic, slick, smooth music. Exactly what I would expect from this era of Stevie Wonder.

Has many classics

A really good album. Stevie sounds like he is having fun, and it’s cool to hear him sound younger. He’s out of his kid phase but not fully into his role as an adult. Really good.

I believe that if you love music in general, you'll definitely enjoy something by Stevie Wonder. This blind soul maestro, known among the masses mostly for the disco hit "I Just Called to Say I Love You," is a truly brilliant melodist, perhaps one of the greatest. It probably helped that his other senses were heightened by his loss of sight. "Innervisions" is considered one of his best works, a powerful blend of ballads and funk rhythms. There are serious songs here that address social issues, and there are lighter ones, but they all share one thing in common: they're simply pleasant to listen to. You realize this music was written by a professional — it's complex, with interesting, rich arrangements, yet it's presented so elegantly that your brain immediately absorbs it and your head automatically starts bobbing to the rhythm. A very good album and a great entry point into the artist's discography.

Некоторое время назад я слушал этот альбом и не помню, что он мне понравился. Сегодня я остался приятно удивлен его звучанием. Очень хорошая пластинка

It's a great album, it's the start of a great album run. Songs like 'Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing' are classics for a reason.

I had listened to this album recently, and recognized it as one of the big three is Stevie's iconic run of albums. I never went back to listen though it back to front and see it as a stand alone album. Oh man, tracks like 'All in Love Is Fair' and 'He's Misstra Know-It-All' took me so off guard, as much as Stevie writhing another banger of a song can take you off guard. I hear concepts in the songs on this album that I love all lumped together in this one album, both as elaborations and creative discoveries. On 'All in Love Is Fair' I hear the emotional dynamic peak just the way I do in 'Evil', and 'Golden Lady' serves as the origin of one my favorite motifs in Stevies songs... Modulating the key. Without that song we would have never gotten 'Summer Soft' quite possibly one of my favorite songs of all time. I had a friend that swore up and down that this album was Stevie's best album, and I might be a little biassed towards 'Songs in The Key of Life' this album has just as much of Stevie's love and soul poured into it as that album does.

Very nice album. I genuinely didn’t realize “Don’t you worry bout a thing” was on this album. A good surprise. 4/5 ⭐️ 233/1089

A truly funky and groovy album with messages that reflect the times when this was rehearsed. Sadly, some things have not changed enough or, currently, for the worst. Stevie was next level during this time. He rarely missed.

Absolutely brilliant, though I did skip the jesus song.

Stevie at the highest level of funk. Love his voice, nothing but praise.

399/1089 I’ve really enjoyed listening to Stevie because of this project, this is album no.4 of his for me and the final one on the project, so let’s see if it holds up to the others. okay my least fave but it was still really good, i think the songs just blended together a bit kore and weren’t as stand out. faves: Too High, Golden Lady 81/100

There’s no such thing as a bad Stevie Wonder album. I mostly care for his funkier songs, but there’s a couple of slower introspective tracks that are great as well.

Such a relief to hear this class of songwriting and musicianship. Littered with some great tracks. Living the City and High Ground are superb.

Good album peppered with some classics.

Lots of classics on this one. A great album. 4.2/5.

Wonderful

This is a really fun album, I didn't think I'd enjoy it nearly as much as I did. It was funky, groovy, and catchy. There's pop, there's R&B, there's even some more subdued songs ("Visions" was my favorite, I loved the guitar). I'm looking forward to any other Stevie Wonder albums this generator provides to me now (especially "Songs in the Key of Life".

Jamie: loved the doo doos on the first song and Stevie Wonder's voice Kevin: big fan of the synths and overall vibes, some of the songs did drag on a bit

Still sounds so good. That N-word skit was wild tho

lit

Muy weno

This is the "sound of the early 70's" to me. Lots of good stuff here, somewhat ruined for relistening by overplay on the radio throughout my life. Convenient that even the album cover is painted in the sepia tones of the past. All good songs, and it must have sounded amazing when it first came out. A good music to nap to. Only Higher Ground retains a smidgen of its punch, though I prefer the RHCP version along with Don't Worry 'Bout a Thing which is still a perfect song.

Känslig är han, mycket ballader. Fint ju. Det blir en fyra. Pallar inte riktigt hitsen längre. Hört dom för mycket, men liksom resten av låtarna på skivan är typ lika bra. Det är sjukt.

Solid 4

It's hard to come out of a Stevie Wonder album feeling underwhelmed. As usual, his melodies and knack for bringing a mix of funk , R&B, and pop together yield a pretty sweet listening experience.

Wow, who am I going to finish first. Bob or Stevie? Sounds a lot like Talking Book but with more of those funky clavinets (which I now know what they sound like). "Living For The City" stood out to me on this album. A groovy social consciousness piece? Sounds a lot like the start of hip hop to me! I'm always looking forward to what Stevie is cooking during this period! Keep giving me more!

entrete, melódico, movido.

Good stevie album

its kinda ok and has some gems

Might be a hot take but I like this album way more than Songs in The Key of Life. This is tighter, the funk is funkier, the ballads are better. This is 4 stars

no termine de escucharlo todo, aun debo terminar de cerrar mi opinion, pero encontre un album muy melodico y armonioso, no tenia muy decodificada la voz de wonder, y debo admitir que tiene una voz envidiable, digna de ser escuchada y admirada.

Perfectly suited a lazy Saturday morning

Easy listening, a few classics I’d heard before. Would listen again for a chill out. 7/10

brilliant alway love the bass sound in each tracks

Iconic Stevie!

Obviously one of the greats right? My wife was telling me there’s a conspiracy theory that says he’s not really blind. That’s such a funny thing to believe. What a world.

I mean, what do you say? One of the most towering achievements in Soul, Funk, and RnB. Incredible album.

Loved the obvious songs but a couple of the other really didn't do it for me...points to the potential but not quite there yet for me...4 stars because the bangers are that good.

A good argument can be made this is Wonder's best record - with some of his best songs ("Higher Ground", "Living For The City"), sophisticated pop ("Visions"), and a thematic message about life in 70s NYC. Terrific.

In a nutshell: seeing more than we ever could imagine I learned two things from this album: 1. I was a melody person as a child. Because of this project, my listening style has evolved. I pay attention to the lyrics and mixing decisions more. 2. Didn't know Stevie played the drums. He's damn good at them! The way Stevie's tone changes throughout From The City is my highlight. It punched me in the gut. The last two verses, it felt like he was singing through gritted teeth. Channeling the protagonist hard. Powerful stuff. Overall: 7/10

"Living For The City" my favorite❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Also liked "Visions", "All In Love Is Fair", "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing"🧡🧡🧡 Amazing amazing amazing thank you

Groovy som faen. Mange høydepunkter. Snuser på femmeren.

Very nice, wasnt the typical stevie that im used to but was a good switch up from ol sir duke. Too high was a really fun track to enter with

Stevie Wonder's landmark 1970s soul record. By this time Wonder had taken near total control - writing, producing, and playing the majority of the instruments himself, including the drum kit and various keyboards. It's a fine album - I prefer the tracks when he leans into the Funk and utilises that distinctive 'Wonder' Clavinet and Moog sound. This is the third of Stevie Wonder's albums that I have reviewed for this list, the other two being "Fulfillingness' First Finale" and "Songs In The Key Of Life", and it's the best of the three, front to back. Four stars. Side one 1 "Too High" (4/5) 2 "Visions" (3/5) 3 "Living for the City" (5/5) 4 "Golden Lady" (4/5) Side two 1 "Higher Ground" (5/5) 2 "Jesus Children of America" (5/5) 3 "All in Love Is Fair" (4/5) 4 "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" (4/5) 5 "He's Misstra Know-It-All" (4/5) Total - 38 Average - 4.2 385/1001 205/385 albums reviewed were new to me.

What a delight from start to finish!

Man it's just good, this is the best Stevie Wonder record.

JL : 4, All in Love Is Fair

Just really nice on the ears. It didn’t transport me like some of the other releases in his hot streak, but I can’t say there was anything I didn’t like. What a voice, what musicianship, what a sense for groove and rhythm. It’s good stuff. Would sound good on a rainy day or a sunny day both. “Living For The City” helped me cope with some truly heinous traffic the morning I listened to this, so thanks.

Certainly some highlights. Second half falls off a bit. Not his best, but worthy of this list.

sorry no review today because getting increasingly busyat work so can't review em like that. very enjoyable music and full of soul

Stevie Wonder paneb mööda väga-väga harva. See plaat on ikka pihta oma 2 suure hitiga ja väiksemate bangeritega. Hea meelega kuulan seda korduvalt, siit tulevad välja kõlad, mida sa lihtsalt teistelt sama ajastu artistidelt ei saa. 3.9/5

I already have this, of course. Like a lot of his albums there are several absolute classics and a lot of ok ones!

crazy to listen to this after growing up listening to thundercat and hearing, retroactively, the influence wonder's music had on him

4.5

This was a wonderful listen. First time hearing this album and most of these songs and completely blown away. I added 5 songs to my favorites folder on Spotify. I noodled 4 vs 5 for a long time - 5s reserved for the best of the best. This could be there. Marking 4 to ensure further listens; will revisit and amend if needed down the road. 4/5.

letztes lied massiver banger - heeees mistra knooow it aaaall

круто

A master at work. Smack in the prime of a legendary run. It's not my favorite of the classic period, but it's still head & shoulders above nearly anything that could be considered a contemporary. My first thought is to go 5. It's absolutely a 4-plus, but I'm going to round down in deference to those other classic period albums that are even greater.

4/7

I enjoyed this album and was pleasantly surprised that 3 of the songs I knew from my high school years.

Good, easy losteninh

I really enjoyed this. There's a lot more to Stevie Wonder than isn't she lovely etc. Easy to listen to (outside of the courtroom interlude).

Great album, one of his best however I am with Jack White in Hi Fidelty I just don’t like his ballads

Living for the City and Higher Ground are so damn good. Strong 4 on those two alone.

Remember this from childhood, so pretty sure my parents had it! Good album - enjoyed every track and a nice change of pace from The Fall and Van Halen before. Might be worth a purchase if I see it knocking about cheap!

не ожидал услышать такое. хороший добрый вайб западного соула. всем рекомендую

3,7 Highlights: Golden Lady, Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing

Life-affirming! It's wild how you could call this like his 4th best effort and not only be justified, but you could also argue that his 4th best record is better than so many artists very best. So I'm not sure how to grade this, on the Stevie Wonder scale? Or on the general music scale? I think that, by the end of this record, I was left with the infectious glow you get when listening to Wonder's music, so I have no choice but to give this a 4/5. He's just so expressive and personal. No one has a mind-to-mouth connection like Stevie Wonder. "Dont You Worry Bout A Thing" and "Higher Ground" are amongst the most warm, invigorating songs. That vocal run at the end of the former track? You could cure disease with it. Meanwhile, the back half of "Living For The City" and "He's Misstra Know It All" have such clear, observant eyes for the societal chasms that separated black america from their fair chances in the 70's. I am once again so glad to go through a Stevie Wonder album and exclaim 'hey I know this song too!' and happily sing along. Stevie Wonder doesnt just lead with his emotions, he embodies the many emotions every human will feel in a lifetime. His talents are a gift unto this world

Between the title and the cyclops-esque cover art, I feel like someone is trolling a little bit here. This record is funky and soulful, but in a way that wouldn’t have been too abrasive for white audiences. I feel like 1973 was peak Funk crossover and I’m sure this album helped that quite a bit. I’d spin this if I had a copy, but I’m not sure I’ll seek one out.

Hermosas letras, corresponden a una época compleja y representan libertad.

Stevie is one of the Goats. Wish I listened to more of his stuff I've tried but it's never really grabbed me fully. This was good. Liked Mr. Know it all song

Really great album, it drips with inspiration. And the production on it is fantastic.

Really liked it, fun funky beats. Some were a like allow but overall really great

Very groovy and funky, can’t wait for more Stevie Wonder

buenos instrumentales, buenos lyrics, buen GROOVE. tiene un par de temas conocidos muy buenos, y otros q me sorprendieron canción fav: Visions

Exceeded my expectations.

High 4.0.

This is such a good album. I've never listened to an entire album by SW before and almost every song is so good. Musically, lyrically, and vocally great. Tempted to give it a 5, but definitely a 4.5. Don't You Worry Bout A Thing is a song I've heard but didn't realize how cool it is until now.

Too High- I like how his voice is distorted thats fun visions- guitar solo how excellent golden lady is fun! gollldennnlaadyyyy I think i had listened to this whole album before at certain points, but there are so many bangers and it was fun to listen to them all at once. Stevie wonder is so great

another great album all in love is fair absolutely legendary. So good overall though not to my taste enough to be given five stars but i really enjoyed

7/10 No escuché casi nada de Stevie Wonder, claramente ya lo conocía pero nunca verdaderamente me pare a escucharlo. Me gustó, estoy seguro de que no es lo mejor de él.

I can't believe this is Stevie Wonder's 16th studio album. I wasn't crazy about it at first but it was grown on me. Golden Lady is a really nice ballad and Living For the City is such a good song. I want to listen to more of Stevie Wonder's earlier work to understand his transition from Little Stevie Wonder to his more mature work here. It is really cool to see how outspoken he is here on police violence and other topics of the time.

Really great album. It's soulful, funky, the instrumentals are great, and Stevie's smooth voice, dang. 8/10

Visions Living For The City Golden Lady Higher Ground Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing He's Mistral Know-It-All

Probably aware of half the songs on this. Higher Ground was my favorite as it's so damn funky. Some hits and a couple of misses. I look forward to hearing more Stevie

whoooo - i rated others poorly - i wld give this 4.5 but cannot

Stevie Wonder hits all the right notes here. It's a great album that shows a transition in his musical style

Es Stevie en verdad un bombazo y tiene canciones míticas

Song Ratings: Too High 5.3/10 There was way too much going on just kind of felt like a bunch of songs thrown together. Visions 7.5/10 The type of song you would ride off into the sunset to. Living For The City 8.6/10 If the song had ended at 4 minutes it would be a 9 still an amazing song though. Golden Lady 8.1/10 Loved the rhythm head was bobbing for sure. Higher Ground 7/10 The beat felt familiar but I cannot put a finger on what it is. Jesus Children Of America 6.3/10 Loved the message, the song not quite as much. All In Love Is Fair 8.3/10 Genuinely had me floating out of my seat. Don’t Worry About A Thing 8.4/10 Timeless banger. Mr. Know It All 7.8/10 One of the strongest chorus’ on the album. Album Rating: 7.8/10 Review: I was very pleasantly surprised by this album. This is a great way to start this journey and I am so excited to discover so much new music. The sounds that Stevie Wonder makes are unmatched. The vocals to instrument combo are second to none. The best song was Living For The City. It had even more potential to be good without the outro that I didn’t love to be honest. The best vocal performance was for sure All In Love Is Fair that song had me levitating out of my seat. Overall a very solid album by one of the greatest to ever do it.

Stevie goated

Excellent. Might be a 5.

Yeah it’s good. Stevie Wonder is excellent.

This album didn't really hit for me at first, but after a couple relistens I think this a great sounding album. What stands out the most is how incredibly funky every track is regardless of energy or tone. The sound is both familiar and fresh which to me is always a sign of a well crafted album. My favorite track was "All in Love Is Fair", and my least favorite was "He's Misstra Know-It-All".

Glad I listened through it.

Nice

Funky, soulful, creative, well-written, well- sung. Yep, it’s Stevie. 4/5

Best Song: Higher Ground It's hard to hate on Stevie Wonder, and I have no plans to do so. This was good. I wouldn't call myself well versed in Stevie as every song on this was a first for me, with the exception of Higher Ground. Overall, it's good. Will I listen to it often? I doubt it but that's not Stevie's fault, more my musical tastes. 4/5.

didn't realize how many songs I know on this album! would def re-listen

Did not expect that. Thoroughly enjoyed.

På min anden liste havde jeg for nyligt Songs in the key of life. Jeg gav den 2 stjerner, stilen er slet ikke mig, og personligt tænker jeg det meget som efterskole-musik. Han er en af de kunstnere, som var lidt fed at elske dengang, det var lidt "intelligent funk", "soul groove", "bro, trust me". Det er nok tydeligt, at han ikke lige falder i min smag. MEN! Wow. Det her album. Det synes jeg faktisk er fedt. 3.9

Stevie er altså en dejlig dreng. Det er bare lækkert og dejligt!

lækkert, funky & godt - men jeg er bare ikke helt så blown away som jeg havde regnet med

He just does not miss. This album is a spiritual experience. Faves: Living For The City, Golden Lady, Higher Ground, All In Love Is Fair, He's Misstra Know-It-All

One of Stevie’s early 70s masterpieces. The centrepiece is ‘Living for the City’, a 7 minute tale of NY eating up kids from the sticks and spitting them out. The rest of the album takes a similar tack, with Stevie’s soulful vocals telling tales of love, caution and partying. And there’s a little track called ‘Higher Ground’ which has one of the funkiest basslines ever and is guaranteed to get your foot tapping. The perfect running time of 44 minutes helps, too!!

Delightful music

Great album.

Première découverte de Stevie, quel artiste, j’ai trouvé certaines musiques un peu lentes mais l’harmonie générale de l’album est très très bonne ! Après plusieurs écoutes ça pourrait être 5

My rating 3.7. Pleasant surprise. New of other Wonder albums but had. It heard this one. Speaks to the same problems occurring in the USA as Marvin Gaye’s masterpiece, What’s Going On.

I’d put Stevie Wonder in the same league as Marvin Gaye as a soul singer, even though they approached music very differently. Marvin often sounded smooth and introspective, while Stevie seemed more interested in pushing things forward, blending soul with funk, jazz, pop, and all sorts of other influences. That’s exactly what makes 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 so interesting. For a soul album, it feels remarkably ambitious and forward-thinking. The songs are full of ideas, but they never feel complicated for the sake of it. No matter how adventurous the arrangements become, Stevie always brings them back to strong melodies and memorable performances. Even the cover reflects that spirit. It’s striking, symbolic, and a little unconventional, much like the music itself. 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 feels like an artist who was already operating beyond the usual boundaries of soul music, and that’s what keeps the album engaging even fifty years later.

I like the bit he gets arrested and gets angry

Absolutely love this album, maybe Stevie's best.

o i’m not sure exactly what i need to be posting, but i listened to this i was crafting & i can 100% say that this is a great album for that. my highlight songs are as followed: living for the city, golden lady & all is fair. living for the city happens to be my favorite due to the emotion you feel in stevie wonders voice that invokes that 70s sound that anyone can recognize. i love how interactive stevie is with his use of the synth as he takes you along the city. overall, this album makes me wanna groove out & walk through the neighborhoods of my own city

Really good album - every song is decent - living for the city a bit naff with the speaking and “city sounds” but otherwise all top draw

Excellent Stevie, part of his magical period when he could do no wrong, a near peak.

Great, classic Stevie Wonder

I enjoyed this album a bit more than I thought it would. My favorite song was he’s misstra know it all. My least favorite surprisingly was too high

Já tinha escutado o álbum, porém escutei novamente devido ao desafio. Entre os 3 que mais gosto do Wonder (Songs in the key em primeiro e Talking Book em segundo) esse ficaria em terceiro. Obviamente não é demérito, já que Stevie Wonder é um dos maiores artistas de todos os tempos.

Saturday, 30 May, 2026 Stevie Wonder begins his epic run. Innervisions has moments of brilliance.

A solid 4

Agréablement surpris par celui-ci même si on a été submergés de Stevie depuis le début. On a vraiment l'impression que chaque instrument est organiquement présent dans notre oreille, de quoi nous donner de la scène une... vision intérieure ? Playlist pick : Too High

Great album! I love Stevie and he is such a unique voice and artist! Truly one of the greats!

oh so that's why they call it Soul i actually only saved 4 songs from this album but it's perfect background listening. singlehandedly got me through a horridly humid morning walk lol

My previous Stevie Wonder album to review was Talking Book, which was his album released before Innervisions. Its evident the amount of professional and musical growth that has occurred between these 2 albums. As the wiki description says, less love ballads and more synth and electronic sounds. The A side is higher energy including the highlight, "Higher Ground". The B side was slower, and while good, was less enjoyable for me.

Hell yeah: Wat onbekendere stevie wonder leuk Wat sipper dan de bekende nummers van m. Dat dus. Maar echt mooi

Only first listened to this album about two months ago in Croatia so the happy association heavily impacts how I feel about the album as a whole. Stevie also always puts me in a swell mood with the exception of one song. In my time as a mailroomer, the security guard during my shifts would play a playlist/radio that rotated the same 10 songs, one of which was "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" causing me to hate it with a passion few songs can contend with. However, other tracks make up for it: "Living for the City" "He's Misstra Know-It-All" "Visions" and "Higher Ground" (in limited quantities).

Amazing stuff here 4+

A good blend of genres and sounds and tempos. Really enjoyed - great album to listen to on a sunny day

Really enjoyed the variety of the tracks on this, such a chill vibe. Love big Stevie!!!

Gorgeous album. Living for the city, Golden lady, higher ground is a great string and it ends super strong as well.

First time listening to a full Stevie Wonder album and I really enjoyed it. Just pure good vibes music

funk soul bro

Like a ripe banana, soft, smooth and funky

Stevie never misses

Enjoyable! Fun vibe

Folksy influence track 2, something almost 60s French Cinema. Living in the City is a great reinvention of classic bluesy narrative songwriting, making it both a classic and deeply new age.

timeless sounds, brilliant production

Verryyyy nice sounding album

Contains "Higher Ground" and "Living for the City", features Wonder's incomparable musicianship and talent. Singular songwriting, funky synth, drum, and harmonica riffs with soulful singing. Talking Book probably edges out this one for best SW album though - "Superstition" will always be the gold standard I compare other SW songs to. His early-career Motown work is dynamite too, so don't sleep on that.

This album flew by in a breeze. It was full of such diverse sounds from jazz to funk to piano ballads, even a little Cuban-esque groove in "Don't You Worry Bout a Thing." The fact that an artist's 16th album is this good is pretty mind blowing. I don't think it's a perfect album, I can take or leave some of the songs, but damn if isn't a great album.

Stevie is always a wonder

What immediately strikes me is how so much of this could be released today and still sound fresh.

Owned Wonder-ful

Every Stevie album is wonderful. Higher Ground is a jam. The album is good, not as standout as some of the others, but his synth work is unreal.

A well crafted record. Higher Ground of course the top of the album. Stevie Wonder is someone I've always wanted to like more than I ve done. I did three retries with this album, to finally getting to that point. The components: 1. Musical composition 2. Lyrics 3. Production With each attempt I tried to focus on each context. That thorough work in this album what made it finally. Focusing on one context only would have made me land on a three, but when all came together, a four is well deserved.

Very groovy and soullike

Note pleasing, too much vocal over trying

Love the vibes!

Stevie is one of those artists who, even if he's not really my type, I can't deny is music is very good. For each song that makes me think "this is starting to get a little bit boring, there are two funky bangers full of life and joy.

figo, non l'ho ascoltato abbastanza bene che stavo studiando. metto 4 stelle per tornare a sentirlo meglio

richtig gut und nice, DONT YOU WORRY BOUT A THIIIIIIING, ich wusste nicht dass dieses lied gar nicht so bekannt ist, naja

oh i just listened to this the other day. might not listen to it tmr bc it’s been so soon. been going through a stevie wonder dive.

7.3 / 10

Nice background music, some familiar tracks

TONTO

Classic 70s Stevie Wonder, his second best album. Plenty of hits and a fun listen with thematical lyrics and a blend of genres.

Really good album. Some great base lines and funky drumming, it’s best when it’s being funky but even the slower songs are pretty good. 4.2

This is getting a four for Higher Ground alone. An absolute tune. The rest of the album is decent. Living For The City being another standout.

Really good. Lots of great songs and only a few I would skip. Higher Ground and Don't You Worry Bout a Thing are the highlights for me.

Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? ✅ Would buy on Vinyl? ✅

This is not just a great soul album. It is one of those records where musical intelligence, emotional force, social awareness, and pure groove all hit the room at once.

Nothing i can say that every 5 review hasn't already so I'll simply justify my 4. Visions is a horrible ballad. To my ears, at least. I hate that fusion keyboard and on the nose social commentary. One turd amongst perfection.

3.5 rounded up because everyone seems to rave about this guy. I didn't think it was amazing, it feels a bit overhyped, I don't know.

Pretty great not much else to say

La verdad es que este álbum esta bastante bien. Lo mas a destacar es su voz y la utilización de instrumentos y las instrumentales

Man there is a lot more to Stevie Wonder than the Isn't She Lovely era. So much funk it's almost angry. It's phunk.

so much soul 7.5/10 Will I add this album to my library? yes

Some absolute heaters on here. We've all heard Higher Ground and Living for the City, but Living for the City has always been a personal favorite. Too High and Golden Lady ripped. Stevie's musical genius is on full display here. 4.5/5 Might take this one for another lap and decide it's a 5.

some supremely funky tracks on Innervisions. those keys -- whew! y'all already know I'm a pass on the ballads, tho they weren't so bad. a lot of these songs could be a minute or so shorter, but the communal feel makes up for it most of the time. "Jesus Children of America" recalls the work Sly Stone was doing on "There's a Riot Goin' On" and it works.

Meu primeiro contato real com uma obra do Stevie Wonder, ótimas impressões.

Banger🔥

Enjoyable simply anything Stevie does is gold , not my favourite album of his but some ultimate gems higher ground been covered he’ll of a lot

An absolute classic for me, I've listened to this countless times in my life!

Classic Stevie, absolutely great stuff.

i was not expecting myself to actually like this album this much. golden lady my fav

Pretty good but I dont think this is steve’s best

yea

Esteban maravilla

Rating: 9/10 Highlight: He’s Misstra-Know-It-All Lowlight: Golden Lady

4 lovely stuff

Love Stevie. Couple of really memorable songs on this album

Really good, but only taking a star off because he has other albums I like better

imperative that i listened to this

Pure 70s R&B. Very groovy, fun synthy riffs, definitely a late night album or a dinner playlist addition. Standout tracks: Too High, Golden Lady, Higher Ground (duh), Dont you worry 'bout a thing.

A drawback of growing up in the '80s is thinking of Stevie Wonder as only the "I Just Called to Say I Love You" guy. Eventually I got wise, though, and this is great. "Living for the City," "Higher Ground"—somewhere out there is a person who prefers the RHCP's version, may God have mercy on their soul—"He's Misstra Know-It-All" are bangers, and there's plenty more good stuff on here. Slower moments like "All in Love is Fair" and "Jesus Children of America" don't do much for me, but the rest makes up for it.

I love some good jazz music

Quizás no es mi género musical favorito, ni algo que escucharía habitualmente, pero objetivamente es un buen álbum. Es disfrutable, con canciones entretenidas y Stevie Wonder tiene una voz maravillosa. Me quedo con algunas canciones (particularmente Living for the City que me parece la mejor).

Kaunas

I like Stevie unique sound. Sounds almost unresolved. You don’t expecting him to go there but he does it anyway! Bonus points for the Chili’s cover 😉

V.good album. Dont think theres a bad song. Even the Spanish one. Needs a 2nd listwn to be fully appreciated i thi k. Golden Lady is great. One of the top three songs ever written about apples. Gets an extra half point as a fellow blindmun.

Je comprends pourquoi il fait parti du top mais je ne suis pas sensible à sa proposition.

The hits are unimpeachable, but I've heard them so many times ... and the non-hits were nothing special. 4 stars because the highs are so high.

classic

Not as good as Talking Book but still solid. 4/5

Un álbum con una armonía excepcional en donde cada canción tiene una magia especial, tanto que dan ganas de bailar o cantar. Un álbum que roza la perfección. Gracias a la tremenda calidad del artista.

The floor for Stevie Wonder albums is so damn high. What an incredible musician.

Not my favorite by Stevie, but still, he's a musical genius. "Living For The City" and "Higher Ground" are exceptional tunes. I find much of this a bit too polished, but it's a good move from Little Stevie's earlier "Oops! All love songs!" albums to a more experimental Steven. He's a good singer, with good tones and choices. I like it best when he's adding a little gravel to it. The too-slick version put me off. Musically, it's pretty amazing because he's playing 90% of what you're hearing. I don't love the occasional keyboard bass lines instead of true bass. But it's not too too often. I feel like it's a 3-star album and I don't know that I'll come back and listen again. But for how influential he is and this shows his growth from pop romance balladeer... I'm going with a 4.

This album was very good. I enjoyed the diversity throughout the album which isn’t as common in most albums.

OK(6/7)

https://youtu.be/_n9G-S0k7-E?si=bccF_91x9liO9hSK

Wth. Not my style

Can see why people like him so much.

Pretty cool

3.8/5

ANOTHA ONE We already stated Stevie has won the game. One of the strongest musicians of all time. Sir Duke was his 18TH Album and it was the best. lets see how this number 16 does? Living for the City (YOOOOOWHATTHEFUCKKKTHISROCKSBUT HOLY SHIT 1973?!) Good shit Stevie, beautiful, awesome, wonderful. not as good as Sir Duke but still such a fantastic artist

Vond de vibe echt ziek leuk! 9/10 wel

No. 152 It's really good, I honestly wasn't expecting such a good album.

Eu amei. Meu primeiro Stevie! Higher Ground é incrível. Amo Don't you worry about a thing. Só coisa boa na verdade: um vozeirão, baixos doidos.

You can just feel this was made by someone who made a lot of good music already. It has it all; hits, sad songs, deep cuts, ... I liked it.

Está muy bueno, la verdad no me esperaba tan buen album

Personal favourites were Visions & Living for the city. Higher Ground is a song I've heard a lot but I didn't know it was from this album, so it was nice to hear it in the context of this album. I'd give it a 4/5.

3rd Stevie album from the generator and it's another good one. It's so damn funky. For Higher Ground alone I'm giving it a 4/5

Initially, I wasn’t feeling too good about this album until Living For The City hit, and things were off from there. I’ve only listened to Songs in the Key of Life, but this album made even more excited to hear more of Stevie’s albums.

Great from too top to bottom.

Stevie is one of my favourite artists to ever walk the Earth. However, this album is not my favourite, but for Higher Ground alone it should be loved. That song is insane. If it didn't have that one, it would probably be a 3, but that song elevates this whole record.

What’s Stevie wondering about

Stevie “Really Good Musician” Wonder Groovyyyy

I think I might love the 70's. Stevie's certainly trying to convince me. From the absolute get-go, this is utterly infectious. The 'Too High' groove is wild and I'm sure it must be sampled all over the hip-hop world. 'Living For The City' is kinda weird in ways I didn't expect from Stevie. 'All Is Fair In Love' is an impressive ballad but I'm a bigger fan of the man's more upbeat work. One of the longer albums I've listened to this week (45 minutes or so) but it's a gem. Not perfect but you'll remain impressed by Stevie Wonder. Supremely enjoyable.

Just a groovy, well-paced, written, and produced album with a few absolute hits. Close to a 5 tbh.

неожиданно легкий, приятный альбом. 7\10

Crisp, smooth and cool damn stevie you cooked with this one

I wanna listen to this whilst cooking. It was sick

:D Funkie

Smooth, catchy soul; loaded with classics.

Very very

4.3

Stevie Wonder is absolutely one of the best musicians ever. I swear every album has great music, lyrics that make you feel and just a vibe that carries through the album. This one is no exception to his usual high bar. Higher Ground, Don't you worry bout a thing! These are great songs. I love Stevie Wonder. Even the deep cuts are worth listening to. Great album.

really nice chill album, beautiful lyrics with smooth instrumentals. i recommend this to anymone that wants to bring their stress levels down especially after a long day

Very fun and felt easy to connect with

Моїй мамі могло б зайти. Дещо схоже, як на мене, на творчість Стінга. А ні. то тільки пісня «Visions». Спокійний, затишний. На чільові вечори.

Love me some 70s Stevie Wonder. Can't help but sway with the music.

love the RHCP cover

As a Stevie agnostic, this is my favorite album of his and it’s not even close. Really great stuff. Not sure it will ever be an all-time favorite, but it may continue to rise in my estimation. 4/5

Brilliant album One of my favorite albums of the classic period I love Stevie

This is album is incredible and Stevie definitely knows how to write a song. The instrumentals are on point. They have you grooving and vibing on some songs and in deep though on others. Stevie's singing is great as well and will have you feeling a lot of emotions. This album is fire.

Great album from start to finish Standout songs: Too High Living for the City Jesus children of America

Very chill album. Nice beats and smooth piano. Stevie Wonder's voice is one of a kind.

I’ll always have love for Stevie Wonder. He was the first Motown artist I had ever heard as child of the 2000’s.

I never really got into Stevie Wonder’s music. I knew the big hits, of course, because who doesn’t? But, the music never fully clicked with me. Innervisions starts off in jazz territory, with “Too High” hurting my head with its use of dissonant chords and weird vocal harmonies. It'd be a nightmare to listen to this song when you're too high. I’m not yet convinced. It took until song number three for me to get it. As soon as that iconic synth piano sound of “Living for the City” came on, my mind was changed. The central verse keyboard riff, with the driving bass line and Stevie’s AMAZING vocal performance is enough to sell me on this album and his entire back catalogue. But there’s so much more to the song. There's the shift from the minor chords to the majors of the chorus, before the TONTO orchestra takes off with some wild instrumentals. It's the best song on the album by a long shot and I absolutely love it. It's also the start of a pretty amazing three song run. “Golden Lady” is a fantastic song that’s simpler than the previous one, but catchy as hell. Towards the end of the song there's a ridiculous number of key changes. I wonder how high he got after the song faded out. Was he still keying up until he reached chipmunk levels? The third song in this unreal stretch in the middle of the album is “Higher Ground”, a tune so soaked in stank, it's hard to listen to without gurning. This is Stevie Wonder at his best. “Don't You Worry ‘Bout A Thing” is the other standout track, with an unexpected blend of soul with latin tango vibes. While there are a few songs on the album that I didn't gel with, the quality of the songs that I loved here MORE than make up for it. The fact that Stevie played nearly every instrument really shows what a crazily skilled musician that he is. Consider this the album where I finally got into Stevie Wonder’s music.

i haven’t really listened to a lot of Stevie Wonder but obviously know songs like superstition so i just assumed this would be a really good album however I felt pretty neutral about it overall. innervisions was pretty cohesive and i think a lot of that comes from the fact he produced and performed most of the album himself, there was way more synth than i was expecting but it worked really (surprisingly?) well within the soul/funk soundscape. despite my feelings, it is technically interesting in terms of pitch and i DO really like the use of extended chords (which is lacking in much modern music) it creates a far more interesting texture, also the syncopation and layering? amazing, it’s genuinely crazy to think he is a self taught musician. technically this was a great album with loads of lyrical and musical depth, sound wasn’t really for me but i feel like it would be a sin to give it anything less than a 4 regardless of my personal taste.

2/12 Pretty good

this is good! i hadn’t heard stevie’s voice as a young guy and damn the guy can sing and write excellent songs. very enjoyable and a nicely cohesive set of songs too. fave tracks: living for the city, golden lady, he’s misstra know it all

Quite good, but not as impressive as Songs in the Key of Life Fav track: He's Misstra Know-It-All

so good

This isn’t an album that stands out as amazing to me, but it had a couple bangers and was an overall fun listen.

I understand this is often considered one of the best 100 albums of all time, but I'm left feeling that this is a solid album where other than Don't You Worry Bout A Thing, the ceiling is relatively low. It hums around a 4 star and maybe touches a 5 during parts of that one song.

Three songs in—definitely funky. Not my favorite sound but I’m growing fonder of it. I can already tell how crucial this was as Stevie’s first album and also as a political statement, he has a beautiful voice. All in love is fair - holy shit Don’t you worry - Tory kelly kinda tore him up on her version

Wasn’t as mind blowing as my expectations led me to believe it would be but it was still super solid.

A dose of Stevie is always enjoyable!

Don't you worry about a thing

Liked a lot. Some songs more than others.

Well good I thought. Best songs are Visions, Living for the City and Higher Ground, but there wasn't a bad song on the thing! Good start

Loved the funky rhythms. I found the lyrics of several of the songs to be thought-provoking. Sad to realize so many of the difficult themes regarding race and religion remain relevant to our times today (even 50 years after they were written). Faves: Living for the City Jesus Children of America Higher Ground I would buy this album.

Some absolutely classic Stevie tracks in here. The sound is very dated now, but such a brilliant musician and singer.

When an instrument hits the nasty notes, I get SO invested in it.

Love it... but not as good as Songs in the Key of Life. Second day in a row that I've gotten an artist's second-best album. :-)

Stevie Wonder is a real smooth artist. I love his funky soul, especially the uptempo songs. You can tell he is enjoying playing and performing. I sometimes struggle a little with his slow songs, like Visions. I feel like he tries a little too much there. With some more time with the record I might upgrade it to a 5*. For now it’s a strong 4*. Favourite songs: Higher Ground, Living For The City, He’s Misstra Know It All, Don’t You Worry ‘bout a Thing.

As the follow up to Talking Book, this album is both stronger and weaker in places than its predecessor. Don’t get me wrong, this album 💿 is great, you won’t find a lot of early 70s R&B as well written, performed and produced as this record. This is a solid 4 with its eye on 5 among albums in general, but among Wonder’s other offerings during this, his “golden era” which culminates in the masterwork Songs in the Key of Life, this is most accurately a 3.5, but I’ll round it up to 4 since I love Stevie.

Stevie Wonder has some of the best vocal runs. He really just has one of the best voices in music. While this style of music is not really my favorite, this is definitely the right way to do it. As a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan, it's always good to listen to the original Higher Ground. None of these songs are filler.

I can see why people like this album so much 👉😎👉

Fantastic! I listened to this one in my high school classroom today, and while there's usually arguments over who picks the songs for the day, this one played in its entirety without any skips or complaints. It transcends generations. If I had to choose a favorite song, I'd go with "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing", but "Living For The City" had the whole class dancing.

Another one on the list that I’m not big on Stevie Wonder …I listen to the album and I can say now that I’m more accepting that before. Enjoyed some of the popular songs .

Na

Another one I'll need to listen to again, loved the sound and his voice but did not pay attention all the way through

Stevie Wonder is a musical genius, that's not up for debate. There are plenty of cool grooves and jazzy beats, a classic for any Motown lover. With that said, I'm not a massive fan and I didn't love this album entirely. There are some superb tracks on here, namely "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" and "Higher Ground" which are well known. Just can't see me going back to this.

Really groovy, funky, beatastic. Higher Ground is obviously the song that makes the album known, but the rest of the songs tie in pretty well with each other. It’s possible Stevie had the best 4 album run of the 70s, and this album really sets the tone for it.

I’m pleasantly surprised. This album is genuinely one of the better albums I’ve listened to.

Excellent funk and soul album. Stevie Wonder is an amazing singer. And he’s the whole package too — writing great songs and performing with a stellar band. “Living for the City” is an incredible track. Great funk song with a cinematic sweep. (It’s even got a skit in the middle where he gets arrested within minutes of arriving in New York City. It’s the sort of thing that’s become commonplace on a lot of rap albums. It deepens the social commentary of the song while also adding a bit of dark comedy.) And ooh “Higher Ground” is a jam too! Great song. I knew some of these songs already but this was my first time listening to the album straight through. It’s fantastic and I could see myself putting it classic territory with repeated listens. 4.5

Beautiful album. Stevie Wonder is a genius in my opinion and I don't feel alone in that sentiment. He has such a great feel for melody, harmony, arrangement, groove.. the list goes on, and it's all showcased here. "Higher Ground" and "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" would be "best songs" for most other songwriters, but for Stevie Wonder they might not even be in his top 5.. which is wild. (I will say personally that "Higher Ground" is one of my favorites of his). I also loved "Living For The City". Funny enough I just got new speakers and was listening to this album while I was getting them figured out and that middle section where he has the SFX and little story being told really caught me off guard, and it sounded VERY real. Nice blend of this being recorded really well, and hearing it on speakers that are a big upgrade from my previous ones. It's a high 4/5, but just short of being high enough to round up to a 5.

One of the most musically mature albums I've ever heard. A great album to just put in and enjoy, simple and effective with a lot of complexity lurking under the surface. Not Wonder's best and has a notably stronger A side, but a very good album overall. Top tracks: Too High, Living For The City, Higher Ground

Good album, but didn't quite win me over

A solid album but lacking the big hits outside Higher Ground.

Heard of him. Favorites: Visions, Golden Lady, Don’t You Worry About A Thing Straight vibes, a must listen

Stevie Wonder is one of my go to's for feel good music. I usually listen to "Songs in the Key of Life" or just some of his hits, and hadn't heard this one before. Not quite as upbeat, but I still enjoyed it and there were some truly funky baselines on some of these tracks.

This voice is otherworldly. One of these songs are top 500 songs of all time for me. If I liked the rest of the songs more I would listen to this album all the time, but sadly it's just an occasional look in awe like when I bike to Niagara Falls, no need to spend all my time there. Too many albums here are me looking at musical genius and wishing I liked it more.

so soothing I think I was daydreaming throughout it

Love Stevie…

I was already familiar with Stevie Wonder and some of the tracks from this album. It's a very good album. I would listen again for sure.

OK

#1 & #2 were great but started to feel a bit repetitive. #3 was such a bright contrast to the whomps and bomp of the first 2. Plus, I love a story telling song. Dark ending. #4 Bouncing between the bouncy happy song and the lower register songs really keep the momentum going. Damn, I was surprised the end came so soon.

FUNKY ASF. Tell me, holy. Holy roller His voice is so powerful and honestly made me tear me up in all in love is far.

Really likeddddd. Upbeat

Lush and warm production (if a little panny, but it's 1973). Stevie's voice is excellent, particularly on All In Love Is Fair. Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing is a huge standout for me.

This is a classic Stevie Wonder album. Lots of classics on this one that I've heard before, but I've never listened to the whole album in its entirety. It's really a well put together and well rounded album with everything from ballads to funky songs that you want to dance to. Even more impressive is the fact that the album is pretty much a Stevie Wonder solo production - not only does he play most all of the instruments on the album, but he wrote all the songs and produced all the tracks.

Stevie always hits. Favourite Track(s): Living for the City, Jesus Children of America Least Favourite Track(s): Golden Lady

Classic Stevie