No not another "battle of titans" -thread, but I was just interested to know whether other people here have always felt there's something similiar about these two records? Just on a purely intuitional level - of course they are both double albums with excellent songwriting, and even some similiar lyrical topics covered - but there's something about the mix of dryness, the analog synths, the strange ambivalent mood of murkiness/lightness that at least to my ears they seem to share. A rare phenomenological double-occurrence of minimalism and complexity at the same time that has never been achieved on any other LPs.

In my opinion, Stevie's album is the only other record I would ever compare SOTT to. Stylistically at least, maybe even quality-wise as well.

Mmm nah.

But how about Parade and Innervisions?

On an intuitional level.

[Edited 11/18/04 8:27am]

Excellent topic.

It never occurred to me before, but my gut was agreeing with you before I even finished reading your post.

This is definitely true on an intuitive basis, but you can even go song by song to an extent and find a lot of thematic similarities: Sign O The Times (title track)/The Cross and Village Ghetto Land; The Cross and Have a Talk With God; and so on.

One major difference to me, though, is that SITKOL goes much farther in terms of emotional highs and lows. You have the euphoric rapture of "Love's In Need" and "Knocks Me Off My Feet," the flat-out sobering landscape of "Village Ghetto Land," the awed and humbled joy of "Isn't She Lovely," and the defiant pride of "Black Man." SOTT definitely has its highs and lows in terms of mood, but not to the extent of SITKOL.

I'd have to say that "Songs in the Key of Life" is a more intense album.

ufoclub said:

indeed.

FunkMistress said:

Excellent assessment.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

And dare I say a better album?

Cloudbuster said:

that it is.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

You may dare

Cloudbuster said:

The lp is almost 30 years old and sounds like it could be released tomorrow. Stevie's da man!

Although both albums have some of the most defining songs by each artist I don't consider either album to be their apex. And at the same time, they're both top tier albums from their catalogs. You couldn't have formal OR informal study of their body of work without these discs.

Even with some of the dross on SITKOL I consider it (overall) a more accomplished album than SOTT. From a pure production standpoint SITKOL has the edge in how it flows from song to song.

In terms of themes, I agree with FunkMistress, both albums share some of the same themes, and the humanity can't help but come through, because a lot of those songs are about humanity to a large degree. Especially SITKOL.

SITKOL is one of those albums I played to death as a child, from my mother's OLD stereo, to my portable tape player.

Stevie was so far ahead of everybody else.

Sign o the Times is a bit weirder.

I might go with Emancipation for the general slickness of production as a comparison.

But both artist's greatest albums? You may be right.

I guess one difference is that Songs was probably Stevie's commercial peak as well as artistic, whereas Prince's commercial peak was a couple years earlier than Sign.

I've always thought that these were similar albums and have myself pondered over the parallels. Personally I think SITKOL is the better album but they were both about the best album by each of them (although Innervisions is absolutely perfect in my opinion).

I love both records but if I had to make a choice I would go for Sign O' The Times.

Cloudbuster said:

Goes without saying.

CinisterCee said:

I have always thought this too.

Never thought this about Songs & Sign...but you've got some good points!

Cloudbuster said:

ufoclub said:

Agreed.

DavidEye said:

No comparison, Songs In the Key Of Life hands down!

I got another one

Music of My Mind and Dirty Mind...eh. ehhh

or maybe Where I'm Coming From and Around the World In A Day

Adisa said:

You got that right. Key of Life is an all-time classic. I don't even consider it Stevie's best work. To me, Innervisions is ultimate Stevie. From start to finish, it's simply killer. Living for the City is just as relevant now as it was in 1973.

uPtoWnNY said:

Innervisions is the most perfect album I've ever listened to. Not one NOTE is out of place

jacktheimprovident said:

Too High
Visions
Living for the City
Golden Lady
Higher Ground
Jesus Children of America
All in Love is Fair
Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
He's Misstra Know-it-All


Musically, it doesn't get much better than this. From 1972-1976, Stevie was in an amazing creative streak(Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness, Songs in the Key of Life). Pure genius. Reminds me of Prince's 80's run.

uPtoWnNY said:

I'd add Music Of My Mind to that list, and though not every critic would, I'd also add Where I'm Coming From and Hotter Than July

uPtoWnNY said:

jacktheimprovident said:

I'll give you Music of My Mind, but the other two are a notch below(IMO).

uPtoWnNY said:

I think I'd stack the best songs from Where I'm Coming From and Hotter Than July in the list of stevie's all-time best anyday. Do Yourself a Favor, Look Around, Sunshine in Their Eyes, I ain't gonna stand for it, lately, Master Blaster Jammin..so many riches