Talking Book

Frankly, there was nothing that stood out for me.

Definitely know Stevie Wonder’s singles but not much beyond that. The first song is so bad, has 1972 cheese stink all over it, thankfully the funk comes in after and is much more fun. These lyrics…are very hokey. Like You and I is so saccharine, it really feels like it could have been a Sonny and Cher joint. Really it’s an album with two sides, on one is the embarrassingly sweet lyrics paired with undeniably incredible synth and instrumental work. There’s a reason Superstition is the song everyone knows off of this, because it isn’t a love song. There are a couple other highlights, I actually really like Blame it on the Sun, which is also not a love song. I think that’s the key. I know I like later Stevie more so I’m looking forward to these. He’s only 22 on this album! 2/5

Meh

5/10 Some great tracks. Sadly, the rest of it gave me diabetes. Highlights: Superstition Maybe your baby

I am not a Stevie Wonder guy. This would have been a 1 star if it weren't for Superstision and You are the sunshine of my life.

I didn't like it! This album gave me a headache! Except for Superstition, that one slaps. 10/10

Wasn't a huge fan of this unfortunately.

Pretty good for the kind of music it is, but I don't really gel with a lot of the more sickly ballad adjacent stuff. Other genres do that sort of emotion much better for me. Some good funk/soul on here, like Superstition. Might have to listen to more of the back-catalogue if it's like that.

Just totally fine. Nothing I'll choose to listen to again, but something that was pleasant while it was on

Superstition, which was huge when it dropped (ha-ha) in 1972, carries the album. It’s still good, the rest of the album, meh. (1.9*s)

A few good songs.

It was just ok. Other than superstition the rest was average

Some good ones

Liked the first song but not really anything else

The bangers are bangers (albeit there are few) and the non-bangers are....well, they're not bangers. Generally, the song writing was there. I think the production value for a lot of them, however, left something to be desired.

It was okay. "Superstition" is fun and well known, some of the simpler songs like "You and I" are good, but the rest are a little too... casual and flashy to be interesting for me.

Not really my style. At times the lyrics seemed saccharine and the melodies seemed meandering.

Love Stevie Wonder, but this isn't a patch on Songs in the Key of Life or Innervisions. Far too many songs that could be described as filler. Sure, there's some moments of genius, but out of 10 tracks, 3 are essential and the rest are largely forgettable.

I really thought I would enjoy this one more... maybe my head is not in the right place to enjoy love songs right now, sorry Stevie. Musicality on point, just not my vibe

Not my thing really

I really don't like Stevie Wonder :)

Yeah, man, I just don't like SW.

Another Stevie Wonder album that is filled with a few known songs I like and the rest is just boring. Meh.

no mitä tässä nyt sanoisi kuumepäisenä hörhöäisenä, kidutuskuuntelua. mahdotonta nauttia, ja tähän mennessä kuulemistani wonder albumeista selvästi huonoin ei biiseissä paitsi poppi hiteissä ä huoh hurjaaa ainesta, jatkuvaa toistoa paijataan jollekkin epäkiinnostavalle melodialle . olen kylmä. superstition

Not bad just not great. A few really good songs but mostly kind of boring melodies with generic lyrics.

Some of the songs I really vibed with, but most of Stevie Wonder's output remains horrendously boring fodder.

Some classic songs on here. Some good B sides. Not my kind of music though, but I can understand why some like it.

2/5 Eh

Almost every song is one idea repeated ad nauseum. Sure, that’s a fine thing in jazz when variations are layered through the performance but here it’s simple repetition with vocal gymnastics as the center of attention. It’s tiresome. Lyrically it’s moribund. “Superstition” is of course a hoot, and other tracks occasionally pop with funk, but nonsense like “You’ve Got It Bad Girl” and “Maybe Your Baby” are juvenile.

Well, this is awkward. I mean, Stevie Wonder! Superstition! This is gonna be great, right? No, it was not great. In fact, besides for Superstition, it was not very good. It was clunky, disjointed, and very overproduced with 70s technology. There was so much background noise in the first track that it was actually distracting. It gives me no pleasure to give this a poor score, and Superstition is an all-time great song, but as an album? This ain't it.

I didn't really like most of the songs on this album but Superstition is an absolute jam.

Superstition is a banger, but the rest can be skipped.

Honestly, this all just blended together, with the only song standing out being Superstition. If the whole album had songs as dynamic, intricate, creative, and funky as Superstition, I’d be apt to re-listen. As it stands, it’s a pass. Marks for quality production and musicianship.

The songs are either mediocre or bad. Maybe your baby and big brother are atrocious 2/5

Eclectisch en vooruitstrevend voor zijn tijd, maar niet voor mij

Ok

Well, it has Superstition… that’s about it. I’ve been through a Stevie Wonder stage and eventually realised he isn’t as good as people say he is. Even his hits are ordinary. By the way - worst concert I’ve ever been to. Meh!

Eh, not my thing. Only two songs were really good, Superstition and I Believe, but even I Believe had a super weird breakdown at the end. Too much hi-hat overall.

Ehh. Not much there. All kinda sounded the same

It's fine music, just not my thing.

Superstitious is a banger. The rest of the album is classic 70s restaurant music - won't offend anyone, but you won't remember it either

It didn't really grab my attention at all to be honest. It was fine but nothing was really memorable to me even superstitious didn't grab me the way it usually was. Not sure if I was too distracted or it's just not my style. 2/5

Only 1 song that I really liked. Superstition. All the others were fine but not noteworthy.

Again just only really liked Superstition :/

2/5 not my jam.

Day 4 of 1001 Albums You Need to Hear Before You Die: Talking Book - Stevie Wonder Honestly I wasn't feeling it. Some great songs but just wasn't my overall vibe. Feels very relaxing but just a little repetitive and sweet. It's a bit commercial for me, rather than feeling like it comes straight from his soul. Favourite Songs - Tuesday Heartbreak, Superstition

ok

Kinda slow. Some interesting songs, more made me want to skip

Everything came together for the great “Superstition,” but the rest of the album sounded like a jumbled mess to me. So much going on musically, but the instruments weren’t working together in my mind. For instance, “Maybe Your Baby” drove me nuts for the fact the drums were not driving it along and there were so many instruments soloing at the same time. It could have been so much better! The rest didn’t drive me nuts because I didn’t hear the great potential; it was simply an unpleasant experience.

Not for me

This album was ok but a bit slow for me.

Meglio di quel che ricordassi

Very jazzy, cleansed my soul. Wasn't a huge fan though.

One song album, that one song is a 10/10 banger. The rest of the album didn’t do it for me

Even know Stevie Wonder is an icon and has some great songs under his belt, the album didn't really do it for me.

Starts off good but then gets eh

Superstition is a jam, the rest isn't good. That's it, that's the review.

Superstition is a five-star track, but apart from that and the fine final track it's mid-tempo pop-funk or syrupy ballads. Thin pickings.

As with the other 2 Stevie Wonder albums: the ballads are dreadful and the funky upbeat stuff is phenomenal. I will say the last track, a ballad, started to grow on me by the end. 2.5/5

God dayummmm that was pretty underwhelming. Big Stevie W ya reckon... Other than the obvious I felt it was pretty boring. 2.5 rounded down. Fave track - Superstition

Mid. I forgot I was listening to it.

I trudged through this purely out of respect for Stevie Wonder... Was it all misplaced?

Superstition is amazing but can't carry the rest of the album which all a bit meh. 2.5/5

The first song is good. The last song is good. Superstition is very good. The rest of the album is dead boring.

I know a lot of people enjoy his music, but it’s just not for me

Quite how the classic that is Superstition can be on the same album as You are the Sunshine of my Life is beyond me. There is a reason why only one track is well known - I literally couldn’t finish half of the songs on the album. Disappointing.

superstition

At first I was super excited for this, but after the first song, it fell off the rails for me.

While Wonder is an extremely talented vocalist & musician, I couldn’t help but find this album to be very boring. The two songs I recognized have been ruined by years in retail. This one wasn’t for me.

Talking Book is basically Superstition and not a lot of good around it. He has better work and it's painfully clear. 2.

Really disappointing, this. Superstition is a classic, most of the rest is very basic saccharine stuff, not particularly interesting lyrics over the top of mostly lift music. Stevie is much more interesting when he gets the proper slap bass going, a bit of sass and rhythm, rather than crooning. 2/5.

Schmaltz. Also, Superstition.

This is more like the stevie wonder i had in my mind. Technical proficiency wasted on shite balads.

This is a melodic and almost artificially smooth soul/funk album. It feels like they tried to constrain Stevie Wonder and the only time he could get out was for 'Superstition' and 'Big Brother'. The overuse of keyboards and synths is definitely not my thing though.

Jesus, I already had his 16th and 17th studio albums and now I'm getting his 15th? Someone working on 1001 had a real hard on for Stevie Wonder. Yeah yeah, he was a big deal and forever changed soul music but come on. Most of these songs put me to sleep. "Superstition" is a super hit for a reason. "Big Brother" was pretty good. But they don't make up for the rest of the album.

Fade outs. :/ Good songs but won't be coming back to this album

Eh, well, it was overall an ok record. It's very chill but really not my vibe at all. The best were the two singles that were released. I get that he's basically a musical genius but I just didn't enjoy it. Best: Superstition Worst: You've Got It Bad Girl

Het is op zich prima vertoeven in Stevie's gezelschap, maar uiteindelijk ben je er ook snel wel weer klaar mee.

Superstition is een geweldig nummer, maar de rest viel me enorm tegen. Wat een zoete slappe hap.

Ik had iets pittigers, swingenders verwacht van Stevie.

Never liked Stevie Wonder, and I can’t really explain why. I feel almost guilty admitting that, but it’s true.

over produced to the nuts

I enjoyed listening to this album there were many songs I had not heard from Stevie wonder. Of course, You are My Sunshine and superstition are classics. And took me on a trip down memory lane. It's been a while since I've heard them. Overall to me it's an okay album I like three out of the 10 songs so about 30%. Not enough to make me purchase the album although I would have purchased singles. I found that sometimes it was hard to know if you had started a new song because so many of them sound alike. I will say that I was delighted to find the song You and I because it's a lovely song and I was not familiar with it.

i will never causally listen to this

aight

It’s okay, but not really what I’m looking for

Amongst the sound of the rare jazz flute and a thoroughly disappointing album a wild superstition appears to mildly save the day. Boring as fool this album, except for superstition which is an all time monster.

Klassikko. Tylsähkö tosin

Superstition one of the best songs ever. You are the sunshine of my life, pretty good. The rest of the album is dross

Not the best Stevie wonder album. Overall mostly forgettable....thought I would like it more. 2/5

not great.

not for me

Meh meh meh meh. Highs are great, rest is watevs

meinlaus, ekki alveg ég

This was a real step down from the last Stevie Wonder album about a week ago. Too much really soft wishy washy stuff. A couple of barely ok songs, but I'll never listen to it again. 2/5.

I didn’t like it too much honestly. Probably 4/10 maybe?

This one was a major disappointment. Almost all of the songs are really sappy and boring. The album feels completely uninspired and pretty much devoid of personality. The only standout is Superstition which is a good track, even though it feels really dated by now. I Believe also had at least a little personality with its funky guitar tracks. But definitely not enough to lift this album out of tedious mediocrity. Sorry Stevie, I like your voice, but that's not enough when your songs are this boring.

the album felt like the same song played 10 times, but it was a decent song so 2.5/5

Superstition obviously brilliant, but the rest aren’t really my scene.

Didn't like it as much as expected

OK

Other than Superstition, I didn't connect with any of these songs. Definitely classic but not my speed.

Love superstition, wish there was more of that funk groove on this album.

Really disappointing. The singles were the only good tracks

Не особо люблю такое

Substition great tho

Very superstitious

Good album but not my taste

Ok

"This sounds like when you just sing to yourself trying to get something annoying done 'I'm trying to make a sandwich and I don't have any clean knives'"

idk maybe your baby DID MAKE OTHER PLANS, STEVIE.

Objectively good music, but not my cup of tea. "Blame it on the sun" was probably my favorite.

altough superstition will forever be a hit, i find the album as a whole kind of boring

En bra låt

1. life - 2 2. baby - 1 3. you - 1 4. tuezday - 1 5. bad - 1 6. zuperztition - 2 7. big - 0 8. zun - 1 9. pure - 2 10. believe - 1

Holy mind-numbing repetition, Batman! That second track nearly broke me. I'm surprised how much I didn't enjoy this album given Stevie's legendary reputation. If I'm being honest with myself, when I wasn't feeling bored with this, I was actively annoyed by it. Which has me thinking... Maybe people really do like this. Or maybe the reputation of the artist's name makes them think they do. It certainly made me expect something better than what I got. Question: If the name on the cover was "Joe Smith", would you still like it as much?

I don’t really want to negate the two hits on this but the rest was utterly unenjoyable. those hits weren’t enough to anchor this album though. So i guess im going to do just that.

I did not enjoy this whatsoever

Quite slow and boring. Superstition is the only track I enjoyed, obviously quite a famous track already..

Jedinica iz principa. // Bila bi dvica jer nemam ništa dobro reći o ovom albumu ali nije ni najgora stvar ikad.

bored out of my mind with this one

funk romantico raro, muy lento, meh

Soul and funk does very little for me.

nah

Pass.

I keep trying to like Stevie, but apart from sir Duke and Superstitious I just can't seem to care.

Superstition is the only good track.

Pew La Ma

i wet my pants

I tried, but this is far from music I like.

Stevie? War immer da, aber nie relevant für mich, kann ihn gar nicht fassen einordnen auch jetzt nicht beim anhören, tolles Cover. Ok "Superstition" c

Innervisions is good, this sounds like Muzak

I feel like I must be missing something super obvious because everyone except for me thinks this is the bee's knees. For me, the album was simply awful.

I think I get the appeal but it didn't keep my attention

Not for me at all, none of the tracks hooked me.

Nein, Stevie Wonder mochte ich noch nie.

Nope

who cares

I've got the same issue with Talking Book as I do with most of this kind of music: it pretty much only has one gear, which is 'sugary crooning'. In fact you can scan down the tracklist and get a nearly complete idea of where the album is going to go - you could probably even guess at a couple of the verses on each track and only end up being off by one or two words. That's whatever: it's a Stevie Wonder album after all, noone is looking for Keats. But it leaves me with a feeling that a lot of the smiling romance of this album and others like it is insincere and commercial & I resent having to spend any energy digesting it. Superstition rocks, though.

El disco más aburrido que e escuchado me dio mucho sueño y me dormí

It sounds like the house band on a 90s talk show got stuck in a loop with the cheesiest bits of soul and funk. Slick, lifeless, and smug. If we’re talking early 70’s soul I’d rather listen to Lee Moses or Alice Clark.

My high hopes were dashed by this….

So bad

non sento niente

Apart from Superstition, I found these songs intolerable, the honky-tonk synths grating unbelievably badly, and on top of this, all the songs were much too long. Hated this.

I skipped around and didn’t listen to all of it but ofc superstitious is a classic

Except for Superstition, this album is forgettable.

This is the ninth album I’m rating. I don’t think I’ve listened to a Stevie Wonder song before and I’ve never heard of this album. However, I have heard great things about him and I am excited to listen to it. You Are the Sunshine of my Life - Not Adding to my Playlist. I’ve heard a Stevie Wonder song before. Maybe Your Baby - Not Adding to my Playlist. Not a fan of those vocals. You and I (We Can Conquer the World) - Not Adding to my Playlist. This is pretty boring. Not bad, just boring. Tuesday Heartbreak - Adding to my Playlist. It sound nice and funky. You’ve Got It Bad Girl - Not Adding to my Playlist. Kinda long and kinda annoying. Way too repetitive. This could be cut like 3 minutes shorter. Superstition - Adding to my Playlist. How did I forget I listened to this? A classic. Big Brother - Adding to my Playlist. Cool harmonica. Vocals are cool. Blame it on the Sun - Not Adding to my Playlist. No harmonica. Lookin’ for Another Pure Love - Adding to my Playlist. A bit boring but that’s fine. However, this could be cut a couple minutes shorter it is a bit too repetitive. I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever) - Adding to my Playlist. This song is the same as Lookin’ for Another Pure Love in my mind. All in all I liked 5/10 songs. This was pretty boring and disappointing but not bad. I think this was a decent album.

sucked.

Not for me. 1/5

I tried and I can't. Maybe because it's a slow week at work and I need something more upbeat to listen to without repetitive lyrics.

Honestly, I absolutely hate it. This os hell for me

Not his best

No

Never was a big fan. Not sure it has aged all that well. Two decent song not much else.

Unexpectably bad. Only knew superstition which is a classic but the rest felt messy and boring...Quite boring, except for superstition.

Meh, one great song

Holy fuck the whiplash I got from track one to track two. Idk… I liked big brother for the message, but the rest of the album was alright (aside from the first song, that one was probably my favorite off of this album, but also real talk? I’ve heard better versions, but I couldn’t have heard those without him? (Thanks Stevie) The weird flip from track one to two really threw off the vibe though, and the rest of the album just kinda dug it in (Tuesday heartbreak was kinda ick for me, and then it felt like “you got it bad girl” just had unfaithful undertones with the rest of the songs? Like that’s what some orbit boi would try to pull on someone or something Idk, I don’t think I was in a good head space for this one today, I know he’s got better songs from other albums though, “I just called to say I loved you” is a childhood favorite of mine …yeah

Starting to see that I'm really not a Wonder fan. One song gets this on the list? Am I missing something profound about this album? Glad it was shorter than Key of life...

Surprisingly terrible. I thought I loved Stevie Wonder. I do not. The first album I couldn’t make all the way through.

This was pretty shit. Some songs are far too long - Maybe Your Baby drags on. Not even 'Superstition' or 'You Are The Sunshine Of My Life' can save it from 1 star. I'm not actually sure whether I even like these songs. Raquel was not happy with me playing this in the morning. She preferred the noise of the neighbours building their new bathroom. "So much peace now" - Raquel, after the album finished.

Crap

ehhhh not my style

Seichter Soul

no my vibe to much pop vocals for me

Not for me

I tried, but I've never found Stevie Wonder's music interesting. This is seen as a classic by many, I struggled to stay awake, not even exaggerating. Won't be listening to it again, I'm afraid.

Funky Superstition and the 9 boring ballads

Ehhhh

You and I

30/100 look.... im sorry, but i fucking hated this hahahaha superstition is great song NO ONE IS DENYING THAT. but bc that song is so good it just made the other songs that much worse. like literally hard for me to listen to, like theres nothing that is enjoyable to me about them. some have good elements but its so bad in coordination with the other elements of the song. its like church music and not in a good way. u know the feeling when u been at a concert u dont rly like that much and ur tired standing there and u feel like ur gonna pass out but u cant leave cus u wanna hear that one song, thats how this album feels to me. ok mort buzz burke has begged me to relisten to the last track and enlightened me that he played every instrument and u know what this song actually aint bad either. you are the sunshine is a bad song maybe your baby is groovy hate you and i tuesday heartbreak bad i like 3 songs so 3/10

Didn't like it.

The guys talented but his music aint for me

Alltså. Vi behöver prata om det här. Det här var NYHETER för mig. Eller åtminstone helt nya frågor. 
Som: Är Stevie Wonder, i själva fallet, Eilert Pilarm? Med det menar jag en artist som världen liksom kollektivt gått ihop för att hylla, trots att man egentligen tycker lite synd om honom, för att han (i Eilerts fall) är lite efterbliven, eller för att han (i Stevies fall) är lite blind och lite efterbliven. Jag hade ingen aning om att det förhöll sig så, faktiskt, men så måste det vara? Det finns ingen publik i VÄRLDEN som kan gå på en Stevie Wonder-konsert och göra annat än att klappa halventusiastiskt och le medlidande och tänka att jaja, det är ju synd om honom så vi får stå ut. För den här skivan var i själva verket FULLSTÄNDIGT obegriplig och fullständigt olyssningsbar. Öronhatande skräp. Men jaja, han ser ju inte vilka tangenter han trycker på och tror säkert att det låter bra. Så vi får stå ut.

ну я конечно понимаю да, что чел заслуженный певец, музыкант, с кол-вом гремми как у дурака фантиков, общественный деятель ещё и слепой до кучи, да чел он классный, но если конкретно альбом оценивать, то это не моё ниразу - скучно, уныло

couldn't finish it....not my thing

really, really not my thing.

Stevie Wonder may be iconic and classic but it is 100% not my jam.

Not for me. Skipped most song.

This album allows us to listen to a well-crafted pop, has a 70's taste to it, adds spices like sounds from Hohner clavinet, and other embelishments Stevie Wonder uses to build his garden of sounds. This album has him finally free from Motown's reigns, and his keyboard commands the music from a vantage point.

OK