By Gail Mitchell Sun Oct 2, 1:44 AM ET

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - After several well-publicized delays,
Stevie Wonder's first studio album in 10 years, "A Time to Love," is due in stores October 18.
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Wonder says the album's delay had nothing to do with any fear factor: "I was never afraid to put this out. That was never the issue -- ever. I wanted it to sound contemporary but still be me. It was just a matter of getting it right."

The artist adds, "Everyone worked very hard on this. I'm very comfortable with everything."

The 15 original tracks, not surprisingly, revolve around the theme of love. Musically, the set reflects Wonder's embrace of all genres, from hip-hop to gospel to world music, with some arrangements using strings. These musical and lyrical components spark memories of signature songs from Wonder's 45-year career.

His duets with daughter Aisha Morris ("How Will I Know," "Positivity") recall her contribution as an infant on "Isn't She Lovely," as does young son Kailand's impromptu assist at the end of "Sweetest Somebody I Know."

Wonder gets down to man-and-his-piano basics on the jazzy "Moon Blue" (co-written by "The Color Purple" actress Akosua Busia) and the atmospheric "True Love." The inspirational "Shelter in the Rain" is being promoted to gospel and Christian stations. It is available as a single online October 4 and in stores October 18, with proceeds going to the Wonder Foundation to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Guest vocalists include gospel artist Kim Burrell on the anthemic "If Your Love Cannot Be Moved" (with choir vocals produced by Kirk Franklin) and India Arie on the title track. Other guests include flutist Hubert Laws, guitarist Doc Powell,
Paul McCartney, drummer
Narada Michael Walden and Brazilian guitarist Oscar Castro Neves. A planned collaboration with
John Mayer did not pan out because of scheduling problems.

Fans -- who could download the full album beginning September 27 at all major online music sites -- will find more than just the new studio recording awaiting them.

A week before the album's in-store date, a new boxed set of Wonder material will be available exclusively from iTunes. According to Motown president Sylvia Rhone, the boxed set will contain more than 570 tracks, including remixes, rarities and previously unreleased material. Wonder also appears on J Records' "So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to
Luther Vandross," dueting with Beyonce on the title cut.

Reuters/Billboard

jacktheimprovident said:

no way. 570? I wonder what hats gonna cost . .99 a track ?

This is too good to be true

It better frickin' well be available track-per-track and not all that "Album Only" nonsense.

Ellie said:

We can only

it will be delayed for some year like it happened with the new album...

i'd rather have a physical copy of a boxed set like that.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

yeah mee tooooo

i was hoping this was about stevie nicks.

TheRealFiness said:

I would sell my soul 2 the devil just 2 get a madonna box set

Ellie said:

I hear ya'..

No sense in buying then, if its that way...

funkpill said:

p2p

TheRealFiness said:

Same here! And I love how an announcement that seems - on the surface anyway - to be of more interest to his fans than a long-delayed new album is treated like an afterthought. What exactly will be on this huge set?

RipHer2Shreds said:

I hope that the extended version of 'Did I Hear You Say You Love Me?' &

'I Ain't Gonna Stand For It' will be on there....


Plus the 'My Eyes Don't Cry No More' remix too..


I have them on vinyl...

I have been looking for the extended version of "I Ain't Gonna Stand For It" for ages! What promo/release is it on?

it's not a "box set" if it's downloaded. Why don't they just call it what it is? I'm really going to hate it when they phase out cds altogether and everything is digital.

jjam said:

Never seen that one on 12 inch.....

But the other two I mention are.....

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Big time. downloading a box set cheapens the experience

Itunes pays better. Motown is sick now, remember.

Sorry to sound obssessive, but since this is Prince.org, I feel someone should ask...

I wonder if this will have any Prince collaborations on? Maybe the version of Cold Chill with the Prince guitar solo will be available? Or the often-rumored Prince/Stevie sessions (I think Prince mentioned they have a whole unreleased album in one of the '94-'96 interviews - I wish I could remember where I read that).

novamonkey said:

i know! i honestly cant believe it 570 tracks is amazing!

How many tracks has he released so far in his career? i.e. how many new tracks can we expect from this mammoth set?

2freaky4church1 said:

How sad that there isn't somebody jumping at the chance to orchestrate and produce a box set for one of the biggest musical legends of the last century

booyah said:

I think about 400 with all his 60s albums included.
That means we should get atleast about 200 new songs

newpower99 said:

Does that really make any sense...it's not a boxed set....it's just all (or most) of his songs that have been released (and probably in rare cases, unreleased).

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

He has that one box set "At the End of the Century" or something. But something like this...at least the rarities portion, they should make available on actual CD's too.

SassyBritches said:

POOK HOPE IT ABOUT LITTLE STEVEN

shuddin' up... *grumble grumble grumble...*
[Edited 10/4/05 21:42pm]

novamonkey said:

PEOPLE SAY THAT ABOUT PRINCE SEVEN CD SAMPLE BOX SET

AND LOOK HOW THAT TURN OUT!

UM