Some days I am wondering why I am suffering going through this list, listening to one bland album after another. And sometimes you're listening to something you should have known, but never really listened to. Stevie Wonder is a good example of this; already my third Wonder albums in this list, and they are consistently good.
This album falls between Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life and is sometimes an overlooked part of Stevie Wonder’s classic period. Perhaps the problem is that there is just too much good Stevie Wonder to listen to? This was his 17th album and the fourth out of arguably five of the best albums ever made. There are no well known hits here (with just one number one single), just consistently great tunes in a unique progressive soul style. We have heartfelt love songs (Too Shy to Say) leading into lovely, squelchy boogie rhythms (Boogie On Reggae Woman) and it all flows perfectly. There’s a down tempo number about Creepin’ into someone’s dreams (with backing vocals from Minnie Ripperton!) that segues into a blistering funk attack on the moribund Nixon administration (with backing vocals from the Jackson Five!). This is a great way to spend a Friday - I’ve listened to this twice in a row, and I’m just about to put it on again! Why not join me?