Talking Book

Not quite my thing but will probably grow on me. It did by the end

Superstition alone makes me want to give this a 4*, but I will say the other songs (while also good) aren't really anything amazing in comparison. Production is top tier though regardless.

There is one really big hit, and other than that, not much else on this disappointing album. Favorite Track: "Superstition".

So bad

Stevie is good. I like Stevie, but not all the damn time.

Superstition is great

Honestly Superstition alone might make this five stars, but fortunately the rest of the album is also a bop.

a mix of funk & ballads (and some funky ballads), Stevie never disappoints. "Superstition" has one of the best arrangements of all-time.

Musically very intricate and amazing. Not his best but still amazing

Far too saccharine for my tastes, but everyone agrees that Superstition is an absolute bop

This album came out in 1972 (and so did I!) and I can appreciate it for what it is, but not quite my cup of tea. Many of the songs are a bit on the schlocky side (sorry, Stevie). But no denying this dude is a force of nature.

I want to be able to say otherwise, but can’t lie. Besides Superstition and maybe one or two other songs, this album just isn’t really for me. I can’t find the right word, but it just gives a bit of corny campfire sing-a-long to me.

Man I love Stevie Wonder. Most of the songs are instantly catchy and so funky. However, I just wish some songs would be a bit faster: I'm a bigger fan of uptempo Stevie than ballad Stevie. Favourite tracks: Maybe Your Baby, Superstition, I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)

I knew some of the songs a but most I had not heard before, definitely a nice chill listen and the auto-recommends after were great as well (listened on Spotify).

Decent. We enjoyed.

3.8 - Expected more to be honest. I think superstitious is just such a heavy hitter that I forgot about the rest of the album

Excellent Stevie album. Hard to dislike. I'm not so much into the slower ballady numbers, but its not like they're bad. Fave Tracks: Maybe Your Baby, Tuesday Heartbreak, Superstition, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever) 4/5

Talvez o mais fraco dos meus discos prediletos dele, talvez pq o disco foi muito feito pra ter hits de radio. De qualquer forma, Stevie Wonder do sintetizador é o melhor Stevie Wonder

Can never go wrong with a little Stevie in your life.

Superstition is fantastic. The rest was decent.

Released in 1972, Talking Book marked a pivotal moment in Stevie Wonder's career and in the broader landscape of American music and culture. As one of the first albums where Wonder gained full artistic control, it showcased his innovative fusion of soul, funk, and electronic sounds—particularly through his use of the synthesizer—which helped reshape the sound of R&B and laid groundwork for future genres. Socially and historically, the album reflected a new era of Black artistic autonomy and expression during a post-Civil Rights America, highlighting themes of love, self-reflection, and resilience. Hits like “Superstition” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” not only topped charts but also crossed racial boundaries, uniting diverse audiences and solidifying Wonder's influence as both a musical and cultural icon. (Source: ChatGPT)

Tsilli klassikko

Some of my favorite songs are on this album. You are the sunshine. I believe. You and I

Such a great album - from such a great artist. Soulful, funky but inspiring.

ok i fw this. i like "maybe your baby" a lot it sounds so devious and funky in the best way. i also really like "tuesday heartbreak." I love the way each song sounds different and the music he uses is very unique. his voice is also soooooo nice. "looking for another pure love" stuck out to me its honestly just beautiful. I'm looking for another pure love too stevie. i keep coming back after most songs to document how they stood out to me. I wasn't expecting to appreciate this album as much as I do but its quite nice with a great variety of different sounding songs that cohesivley go together to show stevies true talent. Beautiful.

Talking Book! Favorite tracks: Maybe Your Baby, Tuesday Heartbreak, Superstition, Big Brother. The rest are okay, some are skips for me, but really the album has a great energy about it and it's hard to deny its rightful spot on the list. Very strong album.

First 20 seconds were different, but when the lyrics began I automatically dug the song - added to my liked songs!

Everything that ever needs to be said about this album, and about Stevie in the 70s, has already been said.

Stevie being Stevie. Amazing

Amazing voice Vibes - relaxing, contemplating Fav song - You've Got It Bad Girl 4/5

not for me tbh

I grew with a dislike of Stevie in elementary school because of songs like You Are the Sunshine of my Loathing and My Cherie Amor. As I got older, I found my love for Stevie, and realized I just didn’t like this album of Stevie’s. Decades later: no change. Superstition is a stellar classic and drives this entire album. Maybe You Baby is an interesting song that builds but never quite finds completion, like a freshman year make out session. Big Brother is a tolerable listen though you can move the cursor anywhere in the song and it doesn’t change the sound. I Believe, for me, is the only slow song that resonates, I think partially because it pulls in some gospel roots and Stevie takes us to his Love Church. For me, this album comes down to one great song and a stack full of either background or passable tracks. Sorry Stevie. I still love you. 😘

Random thoughts: * I do not like Stevie Wonder ballads. "You and I" was a drag after both "Sunshine" and "Maybe Your Baby". * I'm down with anything that has even the slightest funk or bit of uptempo. "I Believe" starts off and feels like it might be complete sap but that outro is great and has an uplifting and upbeat section to end the song. * I really got lost in the best way on "Maybe Your Baby". Just a groove that kind of enveloped me. * "Superstition" might be one of the funkiest songs of all time. So good on so many levels. * Stevie is a musical and vocal genius. Just drop the sappy ballads.

A marvel of multitracking, this album is more admirable than awesome. It must take an amazing amount of forethought to be able construct a completed song with yourself on nearly every instrument. Wonder also pushes the boundaries of pop and R&B music by using (what were at the time) cutting-edge synthesizers in place of conventional instruments, charting a course that would be followed by successors such as Prince and The Gap Band. "Superstition" stomps, obviously. The tight songwriting of "You Are the Sunshine" keeps it from being too lightweight. "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever" is a minor classic. "Tuesday Heartbreak" is solid but not stellar. "Big Brother" gets a big lift from its interesting arrangement. Some of these songs are loosely structured (e.g. "You Got It Bad Girl") or overly complex (e.g. "Blame It On The Sun") which blunts their impact. "Maybe Your Baby" is a long mostly two-chord jam that sounds like it was more fun to make than to listen to. "You and I (We Can Conquer the World)" honestly would have been better as a straight piano ballad without the sci-fi synthesizer embellishments.

Just 22 years old, and already releasing his 15th studio album. What a dang legend. Most critics and listeners peg this record as the start of Stevie Wonder's peak songwriting period, and I can't really argue. The music is warm, well-arranged, catchy, and soulful. There are some points where the music seems to lose its way compositionally, leading to lengthy outros that decay slightly in quality the longer they go on. Maybe Your Baby and You've Got It Bad Girl are the two suspect tracks on this record, and others appear on Wonder's later records – even his magnum opuses, Innervisions and Songs In The Key Of Life. But in these cases, the lead and backing vocals are strong enough that you can almost ignore the track runtime. (Almost.) I never knew Superstition transitioned into another track! And I kind of like it better this way. The foreboding, snaking, playful trumpet lines just beg for you to stay tuned for the next track (which, unfortunately, is the much less engaging Big Brother – but my point still stands). Superstition is such a fantastic song that it's made its way into several of my "top-tier track" playlists. It's very nearly a perfect Wonder song, I think, along with Sir Duke and I Wish from the aforementioned SITKOL album. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life is another highlight. It's the perfect kind of mellow opener that intrigues rather than excites, but it has an equally strong effect as starting with a bang. The keyboards are just lovely in this song. Same goes for the funky guitar-like keys in Maybe Your Baby and the emotional acoustic piano in I Believe. 4/5 Key tracks: You Are The Sunshine Of My Life, Superstition, I Believe

Wonderful- Stevie Wonder at his very best.

Big fan of Stevie, the run of Superstition into the next two ballads was incredible. Sometimes I wish he’d just let the band ride out the groove a little more, though.

Pretty cool. Beginning of a strange trend where I listen to an album I've never heard 90% of, but randomly in the middle a song that I've heard a million times starts playing. It's jarring and takes me out of the experience. Other than that I love a lot of the melodies, but a few songs find a motif and just stay on it for a very long time with little change. It sounds nice, but I'm add and need change more frequently. Also song #3 i think it is was recorded with very different acoustics. It feels more like a bonus track, but its just in the early parts of the album. Pretty ballad, but still odd. I like the songs on this project but it doesn't sound very cohesive to me, which my preferred albums have more of.

Very much enjoyed this album. Not feeling a strong variety but excellent execution on a few concepts. I particulary liked Maybe Your Baby, since I hadn't heard it before, it was like hearing Superstition again for the first time.

4.25/5 liked the funky vibes of this album.

I thoroughly enjoyed my listen. It was perfectly chill and exciting, I loved how full of love this album felt. I really liked getting to hear his little deep vocal/raspy thing he did on some songs -- I am not super familiar with Stevie and I'm wondering if this was a staple of his! I would listen again, no doubt.

When The Truths Of Love Are Planted Firm, They Won't Be Hard To Find 1001 Albums Generator 5 (04/09/2025) Talking Book is the fifteenth (!) album by world renowned singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Stevie Wonder, and the second of his five consecutive "classic" albums. You don't need me to introduce Stevie Wonder. If you know only one thing about him, it's his smash hit Superstition, the first song on side B of this LP, with its quick tempo, catchy-as-hell chorus, and ferociously funky horn stabs. If you know two things about him, it's that he has been blind from a very young age (even the title of this album is another term for an audiobook, a method by which the blind could read), If you are lucky enough to know a third thing about him, it is the fact that this blindness is a condition that does not prohibit Wonder's ability to beautifully describe things that we see and experience every day. Talking Book is an album that I had heard once before, but didn't remember much about. I have always been more of a Songs In The Key Of Life guy. While my favorites on that album are more soul than funk, my favorites here are largely the funkier tunes. Songs like Maybe Your Baby, Tuesday Heartbreak, and smash hit Superstition represent three distinct flavors of funk, but all of them will get you moving in different ways. Maybe Your Baby is like a sleeper agent activation if the agent being activated was the transfiguration of my face into a stank face. I'm sitting at my cubicle stankin' it up right now, looking absolutely insane if anyone walks in, but I don't care. Meanwhile, Superstition is quick and energetic, with some really interesting syncopated rhythms, especially in the interplay between the multiple synths and the horns, that will get you dancing in no time. Don't get me wrong, there is some fantastic soul music here too. Opener You Are The Sunshine Of My Life features sweet lyrics and a fascinating chord progression in the verse. I love the way he modulates halfway through from Cmaj to Amaj before smoothly transitioning back to C for the chorus. Masterfully written. The Moog-led You've Got It Bad Girl is the closest this album gets to the jazz fusion sounds that Stevie would play with in later albums. The way the lyrics switch from "You've got it bad, girl" to "You'll have it good, girl" in the outro is so simple, but so clever. The closing I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) - great title by the way - builds up at just the right speed, starting very chill with just Stevie's voice and his synth before building into the gospel-inspired repeated chorus and finally ending on some funky shit. The only songs that I don't love are the slow, plodding You And I and the overly smooth Lookin' For Another Pure Love. The former is a boring ballad that excels at going nowhere slowly, and the latter, while featuring interesting guitar work from the late, great Jeff Beck, contains the least memorable Stevie Wonder chorus I've ever heard (side note: "Do it, Jeff" is the original "21, can you do something for me" and I will not accept any disagreement on this point). It's not Wonder's best work, but it's a damn fine album. Nearly every song has something that will catch your ears and move your body. Fantastic 4.5/5, which I want to give a 5 so badly, but I happen to know that another Stevie Wonder album will capture that title later :) Favs: Maybe Your Baby Superstition I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) Least Fav: You And I

I struggled with whether this merited four or five stars. Stevie Wonder is a musical genius, but I don't have all of his albums. I did listen to the first episode of the NYT podcast series "The Wonder of Stevie," which I found to be a bit overblown and performative. Not Stevie's fault, however. And sometimes it's hard to forget his middling early 80s output (looking at you, "I Just Called to Say I Love You"). Having said that, this album is a pleasure. Lots of stylistic variety among the songs and, while this is an album of its time, Stevie succeeds in transcending the cliches of the early to mid-70s. And how many songs, really, are better than "Superstition," which I could easily listen to on repeat for hours at full blast on my headphones? If that song were the total of Stevie's legacy, the mark he left would still be impressive.

Thought I would enjoy this more than I did. Not as many hits and felt a little forced at some points. Still- not a bad a albun

This is an actual classic album. Stevie Wonder in his imperial period. It is hard to over-praise this record.

This is really good. I love a lot of the songs, but some are annoying (looking at you Maybe Your Baby). Not quite good enough for the 5-star, but great nonetheless.

And Stevie knows that nobody's gonna bring me down 'Cause me and Stevie, see, we're gonna be sailing on the funky funky sound 4/5

Yeah I mean what is there to say about fucking talking book. Feel like Songs in the Key of Life is his real masterpiece, at times the pacing on this thing ia admittedly a bit clunky to me. But idk Im just not really the biggest "Stevie Wonder ballads" person lol so bias...

I love stevie this may not be his best album but it has some fantastic hits

I knew it was going to be a good day when I was assigned this album. Perfect for the sunshine out today. Groovy, electric, soulful. Getting me right from the first track “You Are The Sunshine of My Life”. What a surprise to get to the middle of the album and recognize “Superstition”. Amazing funky track. Been enjoying the album in its entirety along the way. The ending track resonates with me a lot. His voice is undeniable. Also reading that this album involved a lot of artistic freedom makes me respect the production even more. Definitely an album I’ll keep coming back to.

Really can't go wrong with some Stevie, not quite at the peak of Innervisions or Songs...but still full of funky soulful tunes.

This will be my third Stevie Wonder album to review, after Innervisions and Fulfillingness’ First Finale. I was a bit underwhelmed by both of those albums, and gave each of them three stars. I can name a lot of Stevie Wonder songs that I really like, but so far, none of his albums have really landed with me. I'm hoping Talking Book will be the one that finally breaks through to me! This is easily the best Stevie Wonder album I’ve encountered so far. Let’s start with the good. “Superstition” should be in running for best song of the seventies. Everything about “Superstition” is perfection. Stevie’s vocals perfectly match the tone of the lyrics, the drums in the introduction are iconic, the main guitar riff oozes the funkiest beat I’ve ever heard in my life, and the horns add a perfect level of extra funkiness. I love the way the song just gets better and better as it goes along. “Superstition” segues perfectly into “Big Brother,” one of the best pieces of social and political commentary that I’ve heard from Stevie Wonder. On the heels of a second Donald Trump term, this song feels even more relevant, especially as a criticism of the Democratic Party. The rest of the second side of the album is great, as each song beautifully connects into the next. As much as I loved the second side of the album, I wasn’t a big fan of the first side. Musically, the first side is great, with plenty of funk-inspired synthesizers and great vocals from Stevie Wonder. But the songwriting on the love songs feels overly saccharine and cheesy to me. Even though the second side of the album has some love songs, I felt like the songwriting on something like “Blame It on the Sun” was much stronger. Still, this is a really good album, and it makes me excited for when I’ll finally get to review Songs in the Key of Life.

Nice album, nice music, but did not get hooked on it

Damn, the voice on Stevie. Smooth, heavy; like pouring syrup on soul. There’s a lot of space on this record - nothing’s rushed. It’s not wall-to-wall gold, but when it hits, it hits. A few songs grab you fast, but some kind of sneak past if you're not tuned in. Still, it's got that warm ‘70s production that makes it all feel intentional. Not the most consistent ride, but when it lands, it’s soulful as hell. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - Superstition - I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)

Seems to always be good. Will I listen to again: 70%

The hits are great, you and I is a pretty solid ballad, some of the other songs get a little bit too repetitive for me. I’ll come back to the major songs often on, probably not the album is a hole. Maybe it’s because it’s an older album, Does not quite grab me as much as the others. But still worth a listen.

After Innervisions, I was expecting a similar quality album, I was wrong. The album isn't bad, but the quality just isn't there on most of the songs. There are a lot of simple, filler, songs on here. Stevie's vocals are still great on every track, but it's not enough for me to enjoy the songs if the music and melodies are simple, repetitive and unimaginative. Superstition stands out massively. You would think that the rest of the album is made in a similar style at least, they don't all have to be hits, but no. The rest of the album is just simple, filler, love songs. If they included one or two of these then it would be fine in my opinion, to take a break with a simple, yet emotional song, but not the whole album. I kept catching myself expecting something to happen in the empty parts of songs, a guitar/piano riff, bass/drum fill, anything, and they would fit in great, but that is just not what the album is about. Again, not a bad album, but I was expecting more, everything I loved on Innervisions, the great musicianship, a wide range of instruments, tasteful and complex melodies, interesting rhythm sections and great production which fits everything in, just isn't found here.

I love his voice, I love his funk, but was a little disappointed with the other songs… is that ok to say? Favorite song was maybe your baby, hadn’t heard that one and it was fantastic.

Superstition is such a banger, felt out of place on this album

Oh yeah. You already know I know. It’s a classic. Good one.

Pretty good. The seemingly filler tracks were boring and repetitive. However there were some solid ones.

This was a pretty good album and the well-known songs get stuck in your head easily. The other songs aren't bad either, but overall, this isn't my style of music.

Pretty forgettable. I could see this being good if you are in the mood, but if the mood mismatches it is kind of blah. Superstition is and forever will be a classic.

Oh, the Stevie goodness. Forgot how much I like this one.

It was very superstitious...kidding! Great album you could hear a young and lovestruck Stevie pretty well on there.

It's fine, but it's no Innervisions. Other than "Superstition" none of the songs do much for me. They're not bad, but I listened to this twice and that's the only one that's sticking with me.

Not my favourite of his classic run. It's all a bit slow and the songs aren't as good as Fullfillingness or Music of my Mind. Obviously, Superstition more than makes up for it.

estuvo bueno pero no se me hizo lo mejor del mundo superstition sigue siendo la más destacable

That was a really great song to start with "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" was awesome and catchy but the rest of the album was a bit boring like it was pretty good but I found it a bit repetitive on some songs like "You've Got It Bad Girl" so kinda disappointed not my favorite album from him.

STEPHANE MERVEILLE oh fonky chonky Superstition all time banger 4, sick album

Despite some songs having very cheesy lyrics, the music would still be interesting (4)

Very soulful, and nicely-produced.

Good infusion of different genres while integrating a story throughout each song to create the "Talking Book". I would lean more towards a 3.75 overall.

The album cover had me expecting a different vibe. Stevie is incredibly talented, and really enjoyed this album. Funky, groovy, and def worthy of being on this 1001 album list. Enjoyed the classic hits from this album still being played at almost every good corner bar, at least on Bourbon Street.

Incredibly diverse and well put together album. 5.0/5.0: Iconic

another great album by stevie made even more impressive by fact that he played the majority of the musical parts. the songwriting is solid but the ballads do detract from the funky vibe brought by the use of the moog bass. still an incredibly well crafted album

Så velproduceret og afbalanceret og flere af hans bedste sange. Endnu en 5/5 banger fra Stevies vanvittige 1972-1976 run

Kæft der er noget beskidt funk her! Der er også nogen ballader som ikke gør så meget for mig, så det er lidt ujævnt, men det gode er VIRKELIG godt.

This album was shorter and easier to listen to than "Songs In the Key Of Life", but I also find the ballads a bit boring. Superstition must be Stevies best song ever! What an absolute banger!

Ahh good ol Stevie! This has my favorite Stevie song in Superstition! And it was a good album pretty similar but not terrible!

Fantastic album that's just really not my speed. Superstition is a classic that feels slightly out of place on the album. Couple other tracks I'm enjoying, You Got It Bad Girl and Lookin For Another Pure Love, but overall, just not my speed. Some songs just feel a tad long.

Some great songs on this album

LEGAL

Can’t go wrong with some Stevie

This was really great. Glad I listened to it. A couple songs I'll defintely be playing again. Not sure if I'd do the whole things from start to finish to often however.

Wow. Such depth, i can see how it was so influential on later people (tyler). Want to relisten immediately. The love songs are not nauseating (confident?)

Stevie and I have had a bit of a complicated relationship over the years. Whenever I listen to his stuff I'm absolutely blown away by the musicianship and the level of craft on display. The compositions, the arrangements, the playing, the singing, the chops of everyone involved are obviously 10/10 all around. And yet, I always find that, even on his peak-era albums, there are always at least a couple of songs that just don't really grab me. But the highlights here (most obviously Superstition, I Believe, and Sunshine, but to a slightly lesser degree also Maybe Your Baby) are so beyond reproach that I cannot possibly rate this any lower than a very strong 3.5

- 5 just for "Superstition" ..... but shit, "Maybe Your Baby" and "Big Brother" are right up there as well. -

Listening to Songs in the Key of Life before this album was both a blessing and a curse, because while it meant I understood his style before listening and had a decent idea of what to expect. On the other hand, I was pretty sure my expectations would be disappointed. However, this is not what happened. While these songs are certainly not in the key of life, this was a fantastic album that would be the highlight of any other artist’s career. Favorite Track: Superstition

My favourite Stevie Wonder record!!! This album deserves 5 stars only for having Superstition on it. That song is such a bop! But all the songs are incredible, and Stevie just has an amazing, smooth and soulful voice overall. The instrumentation is great as well!

It’s a good album. I wish I had spent more time paying closer attention to it but what I heard was really good. I’ll have to go back to it again and listen closer.

Moments of brilliance

you and i is a great love song. superstition still rocks.

Seen as the start of Stevie's artistic renaissance.

non sento niente

Jazzy, funky, upbeat. Pretty fun listen.

Apart from obvious big hits, it's not too interesting. Shame.

you are the sunshine of life- 7 maybe your baby- the bass is crazy. 6 you and i- 6 tuesday heartbreak- 7 youve got it bad girl- 5 superstition- 7 big brother- 5 blame it on the sun- 5 lookin for another pure love- 5 i believe- 5

The funk tracks singularly lift the rest of the filler out of the muck. Rating: 3.5

Superstition has to be one of the greatest songs ever.

Great funky album. The melodies and chord progressions here are wild, they just go places. Not much else to say other than it's awesome. Key tracks: You Are the Sunshine of My Life Superstition Blame It on the Sun I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)

Not really into it... Wait, Superstition is on this! Big Brother is alright... & now back to not caring about this. Although it has a slow start, I Believe does end things with a solid jam at least.

Superstition is one of my all time favourite songs, hence the extra star. The rest of the LP doesn’t really do it for me.

A very very high 4. Stevie Wonder probably has the smoothest sounding voice I’ve ever heard

Very nice album, I’ve never really cared much for these sorts of genres but this has helped shift my perception of this style

Amazing. Listened to it twice in a row. So many tracks have that instantly familiar feel - you’d think they were singles, only they weren’t. Standout tracks: Maybe Your Baby, I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever).

On kyllä hyvä, asennetta vaikka on smooth, ei siis ole letkeä vaikka vois olla.

Olisipa levyllä enemmän funkkia (rokkaaminen tuo artistin pehmeään soundiin juuri sopivaa säröä), mutta en valita kaikista balladeistakaan. Esimerkiksi avausbiisin juusto alkoi tuntua kermalta toisella kuuntelukerralla. Listan guilty pelasure -palkinto kuuluu Stevielle.

Very solid, very soothing.

Stevie wonder man, not as good as inner visions for me by quit a bit

It was going to be a 4.5 out of 5 but Frank Sinatra just had to make his own rendition of the very first track. 4/5

Stevie knows how to play the harmonica, and in a tastefull way. Superstition, Maybe Your Baby(at least the first half, the second drags a bit), You are the Sunshine of My Life and I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever) are my highlights. Stevie had a great emancipation album, but its not a perfect one

Talking Book by Stevie Wonder. while it’s undeniably a brilliant record, I’ve got to say it’s hard not to compare it to the sheer genius of Songs in the Key of Life. In my perspective, Talking Book stands tall on its own with plenty of highs, but when you put it alongside its successor, it feels like Stevie Wonder just got even better, almost overshadowing this earlier work. There’s a real magic to Talking Book that shows off Stevie’s incredible talent. The production is slick, with a warmth that wraps around each track. Songs like “Superstition” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” still hold their own, boasting infectious grooves, tight rhythms, and a blend of funk and soul that feels timeless. The instrumental work is superb. those clavinet riffs, crisp drum beats, and vibrant horns all come together to create an irresistibly funky, yet soulful soundscape. Stevie’s vocals are top notch, full of passion and nuance that instantly draw you in. His delivery is smooth yet powerful, with a playful touch that adds personality to every line. There’s a youthful exuberance to his performance that really shines through, making you appreciate the raw energy and talent that were evident even in this earlier stage of his career. That said, while Talking Book is fantastic, it doesn’t quite reach the near-mythical status of Songs in the Key of Life. As much as I love the album, some of the tracks can feel a bit repetitive or safe compared to the bold, expansive statements made on Songs in the Key of Life. It’s like Stevie was still finding his feet in some areas, and though the record is brilliant, it lacks the adventurous, genre-spanning quality that would later define his work. Another minor gripe is that the cohesion isn’t as tight as it could be. There are moments where the vibe shifts a little too abruptly, which can take you out of the groove. It’s a solid album, no doubt, but when you listen to it back-to-back with Songs in the Key of Life, you can’t help but think that the latter just takes everything to a whole new level of brilliance. Talking Book is a cracking record filled with infectious energy, superb musicianship, and Stevie Wonder’s unmistakable charm. It’s an album that still makes you move and groove, with enough timeless hits to keep it in the pantheon of great soul and funk records. However, its legacy is a bit complicated by the fact that Songs in the Key of Life is so unbelievably good that it tends to overshadow much of Stevie’s earlier work. For me, while Talking Book certainly deserves respect and love for its innovation and quality, it feels like a stepping stone that paved the way for the colossal achievements of his later career. All things considered, it earns a solid 4.1/5 stars. a brilliant record in its own right, even if it can’t quite hold a candle to the sheer genius of what came after.

VERY GOOD I ENJOY!!!

It had 'Superstition' on it.

8/10 Hard to beat Songs in the Key of Life and Innervisions but this album alone is pretty fucking good. Do you guys think he’s blind or nah

Damn, I’ve listened to this one be4

4* 87%

good stuff, but no perse my taste

Stevie is always a good listen

Didn't love this as much as I hoped it would. Grooved much more to the upbeat songs than the ballads

This starts off bad for me, there's an overdose of funk for the first few songs. But then it flips into kinda naff lounge music? 'Superstition' is obviously a classic, although again, too funky? There's only so much funk I can take. Overall not one I'll listen to again.

I love me some Stevie. He is one of my fave vocalists, and this album doesn’t disappoint on that front.

Contains 'Superstition'. What more do you want?

Good shit, very chill

Personal Thoughts Right now I think it's time England split from America, and rejoined the EU. Why would we be allies to a country who is friends with dictator Putin, has thrown the Ukraine under the bus, has taken away their own people's rights. Trump is a bully, a greedy rich white man who cares nothing for his people or any one else's. America you have made a grave mistake and unfortunately everyone has to pay for it. The album, I have never been a Stevie wonder fan and this has not changed. I get why people are but it just doesn't float my boat

There’s no doubt that Stevie Wonder has done some magical and amazing things for music. “Superstition” is a classic. Sadly the rest of the album was not as magical. I was very disappointed, I thought it would be a great listen. 3 I’m afraid.

👍

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.

Bang

I enjoyed the two popular songs and the other ones were nice but kind of boring. High 3.

def a few good songs, indifferent to most of it tho. High 3

7/10 - Stevie Wonder does not disappoint. Superstition is obviously a great song but I also really liked I believe. Overall great music.

Few really great songs, good amount of filler. Seems like that’s kinda how most Stevie albums are - really good, not quite great

You know you've broken thru when the first two lead vocals you hear are not the main guy’s: Jim Gilstrap and Lani Groves speak this masterpiece into existence, and from there 'perfection is perfected,' as Snoop'd put it. Not only does Stevie give us flawlessly produced tracks - songs that have no choice but to occupy our collective unconscious - but he has us thinking about the weirdness of language too, like who the 'it' is in this line: 'Will it say the love you feel for me, will it say?' One of his requests: 'Catch your baby, catch up with my dreams.' We're still 'catching up' w/ Stevie's visions, inner or outer; his genius isn't a superstition, but a mere fact of life. And if his complex melodies 'keep me in a daydream,' there I'll gladly stay.

Really enjoyed this.

Smooth R'n'B album with a lot of famous tracks. A classic.

I love Superstition and I Believe, but the rest sounds like easy listening lounge music, which is not my thing.

This was a lot of fun and quite different than I expected. 3.5/5

Really good with a few classic songs.

Great

ik denk dat je de hemel in mag het moment dat je superstition op een album zet

Stevie😍

Lovely, nice to hear other songs of his.

Enjoyed this one throughout, great songs, another 5 star review.

Super funky. Superstition alone is worth 4 stars, makes you want to start strutting around. Love it.

While this album’s predecessor Music of My Mind is a classic record and Stevie’s best up to that point in his career, I think Stevie levels up exponentially further on Talking Book. Truly the stuff of musical legend, its a trend that wouldn’t let up until the end of the decade. From the moment it starts, Talking Book greets us with a warm and enveloping futuristic r&b flavor. You Are the Sunshine of My Life is one of Stevie’s most touching and most lively love songs. Great chords, great chorus. A real mission statement for a guy trying to tackle the world with nothing but a musical genius’s IQ and sincerity without a punchline. To counter the sunshine, track 2 Maybe Your Baby sheds light on the more dour days of relationships (“In the morning when I’ve got a heartache, I can’t call up the doctor for help. Cause the only person that could ever do me any good is steppin out with my best friend”). It also happens to be one of the funkiest damn tracks Stevie ever put to tape. You And I is another impressive and extraterrestrial sounding ballad that reaches a passionate climax. A testament to the earnestness and purity behind Stevie’s writing and performances at their very best. Blame It On The Sun is another underrated ballad-ish piece from Stevie’s classic era. Speaking of underrated, Big Brother is one of the most scathing and overlooked politically charged soul songs ever. Talking Book wouldn’t be complete without it. Superstition, his signature track to many, starts with a stomping Stevie drum groove that gives way to a 5-layer clavinet cocoon. Instantly recognizable, innately catchy, and features a horn arrangement that absolutely burns. I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) is nothing short of a masterpiece as well a triumphant and majestic closing to the journey in search of love Stevie finds himself on over the course of Talking Book. We are greeted by a wave of instrumentation that feels like an ominous sky which you can’t figure out if the sun is setting or rising. We’re awoken to a particularly catching drone not directly in the middle of the mix. This song is loaded with brilliant sounds and beautifully crafted instrumental work, but for me, it is this synthy drone that tells the most story by saying the least. It’s a deep, chest-filling and sordid sound coming from what I believe to be the TONTO. It guides us through Stevie’s sorrowful uncertainty during the entire verse, but by the time the chorus arrives, that drone rapidly switches gears and starts gleefully floating around the mix like a speck of fairy dust or an orb caught on a paranormal investigator’s night watch camera reel. Listen closely for that your next time around. So much feel and storytelling expressed with one sound. Stevleland’s approach to this sonic experience is akin to a frequency a film director might choose to include which subliminally nauseates the audience during a particularly unsettling scene of cinema. I Believe just might be Stevie’s Irréversible in terms of sonic text painting. Stevie’s 70’s catalog will change your life for the better. And this is only the beginning. 5 stars, 9.5/10

Wonderful

Okay, delightful moment of life - I just had Innervisions 3 albums ago. I have a friend also using the generator, and they ALSO got that album and then this one a few albums later - completely separate accounts. Stevie is brilliant, life is funny, and I love this album.

Amazing album! Stevie wonder is that guy

Fun and jazzy

Not my normal music taste, but absolutely an amazing album.

This album was like sunshine in your ears from the opening track. Superstition is superb. Also liked Blame it on the sunshine and I believe.

Really pleased thar Stevie Wonder has come up, have been listening to a lot of his music recently. There's a lot to like about this album. To begin with it has Superstition on it - the greatest ever motown single? It has some great funk, maybe your baby, with sublime guitar playing from Jeff Beck. An album that needs to be listened to more than once. 5 stars all the way.

God is love, love is blind, Stevie Wonder is blind, therefore Stevie Wonder is God? As far as music goes, he is.

If someone told me to close my eyes and imagine what a Stevie Wonder album sounded like, never having listened before, I probably would have come up with this actually.

The Stevie Wonder songs I'm most familiar with are so mainstream compared with the weird variety that you get on a full album of his (based on the two that have come up on this list so far). The more experimental stuff isn't really up my alley to be honest, but I respect the range this guy has. Superstition is one of the greatest songs ever written in my opinion. If you can hear that bass line (which I always assumed was played on a bass guitar but I just found out was actually improvised by Stevie on a clavinet) without wanting to move some part of your body you're dead inside. When the sax and trumpets come in it's so sick. Tempted to rate this a 4 just for that track, but the rest of it was kind of meh to me

pretty good

I'm sure this album deserves better than a 2 objectively speaking, but this just didn't do much for me personally. I respect the vocal talent here, but this is not my jam. 2.3

2.8 not for fucking me man

Prime Stevie! 5 stars.

One of my favorite albums. This is my brother's favorite too. You've got it bad girl is a true gem.

A heap of brilliant stuff here, bogged slightly down overall by just a few more forgettable tracks. Even then, just a sunny, very enjoyable, and often poignant experience. Favorite tracks: You Are The Sunshine of My Life, You've Got It Bad Girl, Superstition, Blame It On The Sun, I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)

at the risk of echoing the prevailing sentiment: superstition is an all time banger and everything else here is absolutely fine

Beautiful, spiritual.

I love a bit of Stevie Wonder. Actually, that's a lie. I love a LOT of Stevie Wonder. The lad is a bona fide genius. I will stay clear of I Just Called To Say I Love You until the sun goes cold, but that's another story. This one features the mighty Superstition, which they should use as a pulse test in hospitals, cos if you're not shaking to this one, then I have bad news for your next of kin. The rest of the album is stamped with the touch of class that elevates it above not only so many of his peers, but so many others who are frankly also-rans in comparison. Loving Tuesday Heartbreak, You've Got It Bad Girl, Blame It On The Sun in particular. Ah go on, give it a listen.

The sort of basic music you'd expect to hear playing in a hotel lobby. There's nothing wrong with that, it's inoffensive and hard to dislike, but I can't help but feel like this album would make for such a boring concert. Superstition is pretty awesome though.

twas fineeee 3/5

There's a bit of 'oomph' I'm missing from the other Stevie Wonder album on this list. It has its charms, and Superstition is an amazingly funky and groovy track. But other than that, it does tend to blend together.

Stevie is insanely productive but on this record, the really fun and hitting hits are to sparsely present. Worse is that the in-between songs are really sacharine lovesongs with little that makes them stand out. Put Superstition somewhere on a playlist with songs in the key of life for the best experience.

It's Stevie Wonder. Of course it's amazing.

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

Ohne Superstition wären es zwei Sterne

Ебейший

Listenable.

Love this album.

The great Stevie Wonder with TWO major hits on this album. I enjoyed rocking out to "Superstition", but the other tracks were not nearly up to par with it and "You are the Sunshine.". Still solid album, fun songs, great memories - just get rid of those super repetitive tracks where the girls just repeat what you say over and over.

love it

I absolutely love this album, if you want to know Stevie Wonder as a musician, this is a good start. The funky soul to the cool ballads. Every song is good.

Gear: Moondrop Variations Artwork: 🌍🏜️🪴 Production (Reissue): 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🎼👌🎤😎📝🙄 Rating: 😬😬(😬)/5

Love that bass sound

Обыкновенные негритянские песнопения

Favourite songs: Superstition, Maybe Your Baby, I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever), Big Brother, Tuesday Heartbreak Least favourite songs: You And I 3/5

Niceeee. I love the synth and grooviness. Stevie never misses.

This album didn't do much for me. It's Stevie Wonder, so it's pretty good overall, but, to me, the only standout songs are "Superstition" (which would certainly make a list of 1001 SONGS you must hear) and "I Believe" The second half of the album felt stronger than the first and probably pushed Talking Book into 3-star territory for me. It's not bad by any means, but just not memorable aside from one of the greatest songs of all time.

Some bangers like Superstition, mixed some treacly lyrics and syrupy vocals.

Mixed bag - some great, some a bit schmaltzy. 3.8 ☆

3/5, Bella vibe. You got it bad girl la migliore, seguita da big brother

Another good Stevie Wonder album. Don’t remember much, but the vibe was good.

A pleasant set of tunes. 'Superstition' a classic (which I tire of). 'You Are The Sunshine Of My Life' another classic (though ruined by 'Rhodes abuse'). 'Maybe Your Baby' drags on 3 minutes too long, 'You and I' is sweet and 'Blame It On The Sun' is a gem. The production is horrible. Has the boy Wonder just discovered stereo? He keeps oscilating the Rhodes piano between left and right channels like a kid. It's the equivalent of a strobe on the ear'oles and is unlistenable on headphones. 'You Got It Bad Girl', 'Lookin For A Pure Love' and unfortunately 'You Are The Sunshine' are all ruined by this fiddling. And then he goes and plays the mouth organ on Big Brother. An affront. I used to quite like Stevie Worder. Until he wrote two of the worst songs in the history of popular music, 'Happy Birthday' and 'I Just Called To Say I Love You', banal dross, the latter which could have been written by a 2 year old, and the only song that actually makes me angry when it comes on the radio. Did he suddenly lose his talent in 1980 or did he just become lazy ? But I'm reviewing this album. 4 stars for the toons. But loses a star for pissing around with the channels and use of the mouth organ. And another because I can never forgive him for IJCTSILY.

Not my style of music, can still appreciate the musical talent though

This is the first album to give me what I wanted to get out of this experience: I knew the big hitters off this album, but had never listened to a Stevie Wonder album. Listening to this record was a real treat; a real mix of soulful ballads and the sort of funky upbeat numbers I know him for. The bass lines on this album in particular were outstanding, and made me want to sit down and learn to play them all. It did sag slightly in the middle with the two songs that bookended the incredible Superstition, but otherwise this was a great listen and one I’ll likely return to.

Really slow and repetitive

I had no idea Stewie Wonder sounded like this. pretty smooth

So excited to dig into this. I am a huge Stevie fan and somehow have heard every 70's release EXCEPT this one... so here we go! 1. I've heard Sunshine ofc, but forgot how much I love it. Saved 2. Holy shit how have I not heard this?? Incredible heavy groove love it. 3. Beautiful 4. really cool, reminds me of Bridges - come back to this i just finished writing the rest of my notes and they didnt save:( really sad learning moment for this site, but i will push forth. Tldr i thought tracks 5 7 and 8 were just nice and the rest was outstanding. i like how Heron and Jackson collaborated to give us a good combo of synth-busy grooves and attention-grabbing lyrics, but appreciare even more now that stevie would do all of it soo well on his own. superstition was awesome to hear in context of this album instead of musiquarium which Ive been used to since i was a babie. the last two tracks were a perfect way to end the album and made me want to hit play on track one again immediately which is rare-ish. I wiuld probably rate it 9/10 but i cant figure out how to do a half star so im rounding up to 5/5 cus its well deserved.

Interesting harmonic (and harmonies!) stuff from the start, super strong turnarounds. Lots of soul, but I do wish the clean production was a bit grittier/warmer because it can get pretty heavy here and there. Rhythm section (all Stevie?) is superb. Wish there was more cohesion and a more consistent feeling to the album because it meanders a bit much for me. Favourite tracks: Maybe Your Baby, You've Got It Bad Girl, Superstition (why not lel), Blame it on the Sun

Yeah that not too bad

Stevie Wonder's run from 1972-76 is the stuff of legends. five classic soul albums in as many years! thank you to Motown for giving him the artistic freedom to create some of the greatest music of time! Songs in the Key of Life has achieved the highest status of these five, but since I don't always have an hour and a half to listen to an album, I find myself more drawn to some of the single-LP releases, especially Talking Book (and Innervisions, but that's a story for a different review). Wonder writes songs that just leave you in awe of the sheer power of songs as an art form. he might just be my favorite writer of love songs of all time. lovesick cuts like "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", "You and I" or "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" capture the absolute rush of what it's like to be so deeply in love with someone through some hair-raising chord progressions and modulations, as well as (of course) Wonder's tremendous voice. others, such as "Maybe Your Baby", "Superstition" and "Big Brother" are more about the groove. Wonder's skills as a multi-instrumentalist are well-known, but his drumming in particular is something that needs to be talked about more often! no matter what kind of music you like, I think the appeal of Wonder's work, especially from this era is undeniable. decent 9/10.

It's fine, but it's not a great album overall. Superstition is super, but lots of fluff

Listening to this on a windy staircase out loud, it is such lay low vibe however has so much oompf. A lovers album for sure.

You can hear so many modern day musical influences in his impeccable music.

Groovy

Good music, but not for me. Vocal-based music is just not that fun for me. I enjoyed the funky parts with more complex instrumentals a lot more than the relaxing soul ones, but unfortunately, they're not the majority. There's no denying that Stevie Wonder is a great vocalist, but I mainly enjoy music for the instruments, and there's nothing special about them on most tracks here. 7/10

Really good shit

Love it - one of my favourite albums!

Ahhhh this is such a breath of fresh air. I think that can be said for all the Stevie wonder classics during this time period. Even the downtrodden songs on here are still somehow so joyous. Everything is sung with a pure heart. I do think Songs In The Key Of Life kinda sets the bar even impossibly higher and somehow this album doesn’t quite live up to that same bar. But this is still such a pleasant, refreshing, affirming listen. My highlights are the obvious ones, “Superstition” reminds me of watching I-Robot as a kid. And the opener “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” is an elite-tier love song. Soft 4/5 stars

The banger to ballad ratio is maybe better on a couple of his other 70s albums, but still a classic.

I like and certainly enjoy Stevie wonder , he has some great classics specially in songs in key of life. Over the course of an album , I found it underwhelming . Superstition and sunshine of my life are great , Tuesday heartbreak and blame is on the sun are intriguing in their own ways but it’s missing that wow factor for me. I imagine watching Stevie live must be one of the most memorable performances

One of the benefits of this exercise is that I’m reminded of great artists like Wonder. And this is a very good album by a legend. The 2 hits alone make this a good album. And what was going to come after was a Wonder.

好纯的funk

My kid's reaction to hearing "Superstition" for the first time - amazing.

Iconic

Some bangers

Soul is not necessarily my thing but Stevie Wonder is a good artist for those who want to give it a try

Great album

LOVED Maybe Your Baby

A good combination of familiar singles and deep cuts.

This is the kind of album you put on in the late afternoon in the Springtime, when it's still bright out, everyone is outside, but before you have to start making dinner. Funky, groovy, easy listening. Not a song on here will bring down the vibes. Low key stand out "I Believe."

Soulful soul music by soulful man with alot of soul.

Pretty good.

Can’t go wrong with a bit of Stevie. Not as consistently good as the other album I know by him (Innervisions) but the funkier songs (maybe your baby, superstition) are insanely good.

First stevie wonder album. I liked it a lot. Favs: Superstition, I believe, maybe your baby

REALLY FIRE!!!! I listened to it twice. I loved looking for another pure love. It was great dane music with a nice flare of jazz and soul.

Except for Superstition, this album is forgettable.

Great artist. Great music. Long career.

Joyita casi de punta a punta, qué decir. 5 stars

Not for me. Superstition however is one of the best songs of all time.

A lot of tunes sit on the line between toetapping vibe and sickly cloying. Leaning a bit too sweet for me.

A beautiful record. I need to give this some more listens, but it's fantastic.

4+

Cool keyboard. Kind of slow.

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.

Too weak, although with a couple of great songs.

Love it! Got me humming and singing.

Enjoyed it

Although this does nothing for me, I can understand why other people would like this. I could also hear sounds that I feel like have been replicated by other artists later on.

A couple of hits and I now know where MC 900 FT Jesus got his samples for Adventures in Failure.

I like some of these but others just drag on soooo much. I love Superstition (of course!) and I Believe is also lovely. However, so many songs on here are extremely sappy, repetitive and plodding. I hate You and I. A really mixed record! 3

Opening to closing these songs are delightful but I don’t find the album particularly invigorating.

Juste excellent.

Smooth as butta

A bit of a mixed bag, this one. The high energy, funky tracks like Maybe Your Baby and Superstition (obvs!) are peerless. The slow, sentimental (You are the Sunshine..) just don't do it for me.

Pretty funky. Thumbs up.

Overall solid and enjoyable album with a few great tracks. However, nothing super special to be honest, still better than average for sure.

Beautiful

It was more stylistically diverse than Tim expected, but too consistently jazzy for me.

I think this could be one of the best soul/funk albums of all time> There are so many emotions ranging from love songs to social injustice. Smooth, ambient at times and funkkyyyy fresh.

Talking Book is just one of those albums that feels timeless. Songs like “Superstition” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” are iconic. It’s emotional, innovative and romantic. Put on this record while you cook dinner for your partner. Or your friend. Or, put it on for yourself. Have a nice evening, you deserve it.

sucked.

loved it

A really pleasant album with smooth songs that feels perfect to just lay back and relax to. I'm not that familiar with Stevie Wonders songs so this was a nice album to listen through to get to know his music better.

My score is 3/5 Has a couple great songs. Constant left and right panning of the keyboard on a lot of songs kind of bothered me at times. Superstition is probably in my top 25 songs of all time, so tough to give this album a 3, but overall it was just ok, with like 3 really good songs. Top songs: Superstition ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Big brother ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ I believe ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

When I started making music in my late teens I started collecting records. Stevie was by no means unknown to me at that age, but I had never listened to any of his albums in full, and I was only really familiar with the hits. The immense popularity he held during his entire career meant that his albums were literally a dime a dozen. This was the first of his records I purchased on my own — a copy I still have today — and it sparked a deep love for an artist I find to be one of the best to ever make music, easily in my top five artists, someone I listened to very regularly. Why do I love the man and the music so much, and this album? His musicality is prolific: like many of his records he plays nearly everything heard here. Like other musicians with such immense talent, Stevie creates a sonic palate all his own, literally. When a musician records music with themselves, tracked over many takes playing each instrument in succession, what emerges are songs that pulse with a sharply-defined melodic and rhythmic signature. To me, his sonic signature is first characterized by expert songwriting, a skill he mastered as one of Motown’s star craftsman, having written countless hits for their legendary roster over the first 15 years of his career that preceded this record — alongside other greats including the Holland Brothers, Smokey Robinson, Ashford and Simpson, Lamont Dozier, and Gordy himself to name a few. Stevie was only 22 when this album came out, a mind-blowing fact that cements him alongside wunderkinds like Beethoven; they both started writing music around age 10. Alongside his writing chops, the rhythmic pocket he creates playing alongside himself undulates like a living being. His sense of rhythm fluctuates from bar to bar and note to note with such creativity and diversity. While he is known primarily as a harmonic musician through his mastery of keyboards and the harmonica, he was a prolific rhythmic musician — I count him as one of my favorite drum players. He takes simple patterns and infuses them with a melodic voice that elevates the instrument to something greater. He fills every bar with color and texture like a jazz drummer, but he strips the pretension and seriousness away and commercializes that approach, fitting it into his expertly crafted songs. Stevie’s now iconic sound is also defined by his use of various keyboard instruments, a facet he developed around the time of this record. He pioneered the use of electronic sounds from the emerging synth landscape of the late 60s and early 70s, including instruments from Hohner, Korg, and Moog, the most definitive of which was the Hohner Clavinet: this is the instrument featured on megahits like “Superstition” from this album, and the one most ppl associate with him. He also pioneered the use of synth bass lines that anchored his sound firmly in the electronic age. My favorite Stevie album is hands-down Innervision, the record that follows this one. It’s a masterpiece. But it’s hard to separate this record from that subsequent release, as well as the record that preceded it, Music of My Mind. Many of the songs across these three albums, popularly known as his classic period, were recorded in the same sessions. Through the progression of these three records he builds incredible thematic and stylistic steam — all of which lead to Songs in the Key of Life, a sprawling collection of songs that ends his classic period in spectacular fashion. In this classic period we hear Stevie finding his voice as an artist. As he entered his late teens the controlling command of Berry Gordy at Motown was stifling his creative growth. The saccharine sound he helped cultivate no longer aligned with his interest in the growing chaotic music landscape of the late 60s, of which the most influential trends for Stevie were steeped in psychedelia, funk, and electronica. He renegotiated his contract with Motown starting with Music of My Mind that gave him full artistic control, unleashing his true creative potential and propelling him to create his finest works. Musicality aside, Stevie’s work during this period introduces us to the side of him deeply interested in equality and existentialism. Inspired by Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, he blossoms as one of music’s greatest social and political activists during his long career, using his platform to expose injustices and propose an alternate reality of love and compassion. And the threads of naturalist and existential themes are a perfect pairing to his electronic-tinged sound; there are countless references to outer space and the natural world in his work that gives his music a deeply human vein. This album is great from start to finish. No notes whatsoever. All the songs shine like supernovas. I have easily listened to this album hundreds of times, and I listened to it at least ten times since it showed up here on this generator, and I will surely listen to it a hundred times more before I die.

Bangers all the way through

Good stuff from Stevie 👍

3.5

The strength of this album truly lies if four absolutely phenomenal songs "You Are Sunshine of My Life", "Maybe Your Baby", "Superstition", and "I Believe". Those three keep this in the 4½ star realm. The rest for the most part are great tracks, but don't really jump off the turntable like the four I mentioned. (9.1)

My least favourite of his "classic run". Low 4 stars

I think my problem with this album is mostly that I want more things like "Superstition", and less jazzy love ballads. My biggest issue with Stevie from an albums perspective, which is very similar to my chief complaint about Prince, is that his default songwriting mode is the ballad. Not to seem like I'm anti-ballad, but if that's more than half your songs, I think it ruins the impact of those songs and ruins the album. Still there's some great stuff here, even if I don't love it all. 3.5 stars.

4.5

Good bunch of classic-era Stevie. Some gold standard gems like Superstition and Sunshine Of My Life, other smooth gems like You Got It Bad Girl and You & I and gunky funk gems like the proto Prince Maybe Your Baby. Not wall to wall greatness because of a couple of snoozier lightweight cuts towards the end and the gunky funk of Maybe Your Baby is a bit too gunky and gaping but overall pretty nice and mellow.

classic

***An ok album

i really do wish i could love Stevie Wonder -- i really do like a lot of the songs he makes, but for some reason the songs that aren't huge hits that i grew up with just don't have the same hold on me as much as they do everyone else on Earth. i don't think this is through any fault of Stevie, this is a me problem. other people hear his music and hear some of the best stuff ever put to tape. i hear stuff like "You and I" and "Blame It on the Sun", and i think "wow that's a very nice sounding song" and just can't get any more from it. i had this same problem with Songs in the Key of Life too, but this album is at least a little shorter and as such it wears me down much less. it's good, but it's just good to me, not an inch above that waterline. i feel... a bit more enthusiastic about "Superstition" and "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)", but that just means to your average human being, listening to these songs is like entering some sort of nirvana-like state during their runtime. genuinely, who do i convene with in order to fix myself? God? the Devil? Stevie himself?

Solid album. Not as stunning as Innervisions or Songs in the Key of Life but definitely up there. Superstition is one of his best of course and the rest are all great.

pretty darn good. classic.

Great album

Not his best but his weakest is still superlative

Eargasm to the max!

5/5. Hard to deny the expert songwriting and instrumentation from this man. Every song on here, although some better than others, stands alone with craft and experience. Some songs do take some time to get into but really listening to each one bring this album up to a masterpiece. The funk to the slow ballads all stand out on their own and the run is amazing from start to finish. Stevie Wonder is king. Best Song: Superstition, Maybe Your Baby, You And I

Classic but best songs are the singles.

One of the greatest albums of all time. I will get married to “I Believe When I Fall in Love” someday.

Not Songs in the Key of Life good but still a worthy listen. 3.5 stars

Superstition is one of the best songs of all time, I enjoy the faster paced songs more on this album. Outside of my normal wheelhouse, but an enjoyable listen.

Very hit and miss. Superstition is the best Stevie Wonder song of all time, and other songs with similar funk (Maybe Your Baby) were also great. But there was a lot of cheese (You And I) and weak sauce (You Are The Sunshine)

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Sooooo good. The hits keep coming from Hitsville USA~Motown (if in Detroit, and you have time, visit Motown Musuem!!).

Good album (read that like Adam driver saying good soup)

Fun ride. Should give Stevie wonder more looks

Not my favorite of the Stevie Wonder albums we’ve had, but still really great

Didn’t realize that Superstition was on this album going into it! Thought that all of the bangers were on Songs in the Key of Life. This album was really good though, great cheerful songs

A one track album in that you should listen to superstition and then skip the rest. Repetitive lyrics, slow pace and scatting. Pass

FINALLY. I have waited for 452 days to get a Stevie Wonder album. I've had to listen to some hot garbage to get here. But now, I can finally say that I've listened to a Stevie Wonder album. How do I feel about his 15th studio album Talking Book? It's pretty good! Stevie Wonder is a man with some insane musical talent. The sheer fact that he's playing most of the instruments on this album despite literally being unable to see anything is just immensely respectable. He's a damn good singer-songwriter too. These are some pretty good songs right here. There's a decent balance between slower, more ballad-like songs and the funkier songs. Although, I do kind of wish we got more of the funky stuff as those were probably my favorite songs on the album. That's not to say that songs like the opener "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" are bad. They're pretty good too. But when you also have a song like "Superstition," you kind of want more of that. I've always loved "Superstition." It's easily the best song on this album. Overall, Talking Book is a strong showing for Mr. Wonder, and was a sign of good things to come, as other classic albums like Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life would follow in the years after Talking Book's release. Those albums could get 5s, but I think Talking Book lands at a solid 4/5.

As good as Songs in the Key of Life.

I love Stevie! This has a few all time classics, a few songs I should listen to more, and a few I could do without.

Stevie Wonder (Motown) ne m'est pas très familier, mais je me réjouis de découvrir son univers. On est clairement sur de la soul avec souvent de choeurs ou des voix féminines qui accompagnent Stevie Wonder. Il y a également une multitude d'effets et "d'expérimentations" sonores qui enrichissent les morceaux (Maybe your baby, ou le synthé sur la ballade You and I). Je trouve vraiment le nombre d'effets électroniques désarçonnant. J'attendais quelque chose de plus classique et épuré, mais cela a le mérite d'être original, même si une impression d'improvisation ou de freestyle est parfois renvoyée (ce qui n'est pas négatif). Certaines chansons sont très (trop?) riches par leurs arrangements, alors que d'autres bénéficient de cette opulence comme Superstition et ses cuivres. Je préfère la seconde partie de l'album, plus équilibrée, avec l'excellente ballade Blame it on the sun. Le dernier titre I Believe est également très réussi avec son refrain entêtant et son outro interminable. Je n'ai pas de valeur de comparaison, étant peu familier de ce style, mais on ressent toute la créativité de Stevie Wonder, très à l'aise, dans ses ballades ou dans ses morceaux plus joyeux.

You Are The Sunshine Of My Life and Superstition slaps as always. I feel like I've got to listen again to really fall in love with the rest of the album though.

Lots of funk and interesting sounds going on throughout the album. Felt very different but enjoyable exploration. Superstition is a classic

Gets a minimum of a 4 just for being the album that gave us Superstition. What a banger. 4/5 Highlights: Superstition

Few great tunes but was expecting a bit more oomph and it didn't arrive, still excellent at times and it's stevie wonder so stretched to 4/5 when probably 3/5

Didn't dislike it but also didn't love it.

I'm now over 900 albums deep into this process and the large majority of the albums are ok at best. It's not until you get to guys like Stevie that you realize there are levels to this music making business and in their own tier. Incredible vocals, funky, groovy, and contains some of his biggest hits in "Sunshine" and "Superstition". 8/10.

aaah reden buch. you are the sunshine of my life isch son ewige son aha jo norml gits de song aber wemmer sich vor auge führt dass de stevie de afoch gecookt het isch sch craaazy. jo aber echt maybe your baby done made some other plans. rieeese song de moog bass isch sooo geil. aber er spielt so koomisch schlagzüg? ich bin bi vieeelne stevie songs überzügt dases chönted besser töne. you and i isch sooo schöön. stevie mengmol fast besser wenner afoch öangsam, akkörd, singe. tuesday heartbreak isch seeehr geil. groovt uhuuere. you've got it bad girl findi nöd sooo hammer, scho en meega ohrewurm aber au nöd ein vo sine beste songs. superstition isch halt legendär und hani scho vieel z viel ghört. a big brother magi mi afoch mol nöd erinnere aber isch seeehr geil, ha ger wenn de steveland nöd schlagzüg spielt unds trotzdem groovt. seeehr geil. blame it on the sun cuute. bgvs suuuuper. lookin for another love isch afoch de jeff beck. insane. uuultra geils solo. song au seeehr schön. i believe isch au meega schöönn. ich ha so chli e hassliebi mit stevie wonder albe well er amel nöd weiss wenn en song ufhöre unds mengmol afoch nöd so guet töned wie de song isch. aber d songs sind insaaaane guet und uf talking book au meistens seeehr guet gspielt.

STEVLAND HARDAWAY sunshine of my life megaa cute mega maybe your day richtig geile ahfang, nachane verlürts sich chli für mich ja schluss chli nervig wnl you've got it bad girl wieder sehr cool, au wenn die hüfig GUUURLLL chli ahstrengend sind hans gfühl kenn einiges passiv? superstition isch fuckin superstition big brother au chli nervig leider blame it on the sun RIESE song DO IT GEOFF I believe when I fall in love...isch relativ simpel aber iwie mega impactful. uhuereschön jo ganz klar es 4i es paar lieder hets gha woni so naja gfunde han aber suscht würkli seehr guet

these songs don't really take me places, but goddamn those basslines

Too slow for me over all. Some good tunes.

A bit of Stevie Wonder is always good.

Vocally impressive, album was boring af tho. Dropped it on the 3rd to last song. Not really a fan of souls music, was hoping for something that packs a little more of a punch instrumentally, given how much of a talented musician Stevie Wonder is. But this is one of his earlier albums so I can’t say that with too much chest right now. Overall ts was a solid 4/10. If I was a dark chocolate gilf in the 70s then I probably would’ve rated this higher.

what a smooth little record. perfect for a monday morning shift, as comforting & warm as cupping a freshly brewed cup of matcha tea. p sweet!