I sampled Characters one time and it sounded like an extension of Bad to me, I kind of love synthesizers from the late 80's though I know he's done so much better.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Ok, since it's a double album with lots to take in, I think I'm gonna start with Songs in the Key Of Life. Plus I like the album cover!

AlexdeParis said:

Isn't the JTTSLOP album the one Prince referred to by saying "People are gonna say,'Stevie, done went off!'" and he didn't mean that in a good way but he also suggest that people shouldn't tell Stevie that "he done went off." What makes this album odd or different in comparision to his previous?

simm0061 said:

For one thing, there are a lot of instrumentals. You have to really have to hear it; it's just odd. Still, the vast majority of it is beautiful: Power Flower, Come Back As a Flower, Outside My Window, Send One Your Love, Ecclesiastes, A Seed's a Star, Black Orchid, etc.

alphastreet said:

You're worried about filler? Boy are you going to be surprised! All six albums from 1971-1976 are filler-free.

I'd actually like to echo Musiquarium as a good first purchase. It gives a nice overview of the hits from his best era, the 4 "new" songs are all essential (I believe "Front Line" is only available here), and there will still be a bevy of great songs on the individual albums to discover.

AlexdeParis said:

You know, as much as I love Musiquarium and the era it encapsulates, I've never fully liked Front Line. His music is timeless, but the production on that one feels a little dated. I think it goes on a bit too long.

RipHer2Shreds said:

I doubt you'll be surprised to find out it's probably my favorite of the 4.

AlexdeParis said:

Not really, no. I like the message more than the song. It's That Girl for me as far as the new songs go.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Oh, I love all of them. It's the groove of "Front Line" that gets me. Well, that and the harmonies of the chorus.

simm0061 said:

That's considered by many to be the essential Stevie Wonder album. The only reason I didn't recommend it is that it becomes very sprawling and it was a little much to take in one shot.

I also would recommend "Innervisions," featuring the massive hits "Living for the City," "Higher Ground" and "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing," plus the seminal tracks "Golden Lady" and "He's Misstra Know-It-All."
[Edited 7/3/08 7:58am]

alphastreet said:

Stevie was FEELING IT when he wrote those songs. Living for the City is just as powerful(and relevant) now as it was in 1973. Every time I hear it, it takes me back to my childhood days in the South Bronx.

OK so based on what people are saying it seems that I SHOULD REALLY HAVE these three:
Talking Book
Innervisions
Songs in the Key of Life

All agree these are Stevie's top three?

It's not like I can argue with any of the proclamations about SITKOL or MOMM or Innervisions, but this, in my mind, is Stevie's flawless work.




Most of my favorite Stevie songs come from this album.
[Edited 7/3/08 11:14am]

simm0061 said:

Top 3 is hard to say, but they're all fantastic. You're not far from a music store that would have all 3.

My top :

1 Songs in the key of life
2 Fullfilliness' First Finale
3 Talking Book
4 Innervisions
5 Hotter Than July
6 Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants
7 Music Of My Mind

U can't go wrong with these. These are essential filler-free masterpieces.
The ones that aren't on this list though; don't buy them

Songs In The Key Of Life is the greatest album ever by the way.
Ok, maybe second, I prefer What's Going On

lol
[Edited 7/3/08 11:34am]

simm0061 said:

No. Talking Book is entrenched at #4 for me while Fulfillingness' First Finale is in the top 3. But they're all fantastic. FFF is much more somber than the others. You can really hear the effect the car accident and his new lease on life had on him.

Hotter Than July

Thibaut said:

I thought I was the biggest JTTSLOP fan on this site, but even I have to admit it has some filler.


I swear, Where I'm Coming From is the Rodney Dangerfield of Stevie albums -- no respect! Is it because it's out of print and so hard to find? It's like $6 on iTunes. Honestly, I prefer it to Music of My Mind.

RipHer2Shreds said:

What he said.....plus Songs in the Key of Life, Hotter Than July, and Music of my Mind.
[Edited 7/3/08 11:57am]

Exactly. For "Did I Hear You Say You Love Me" and "Do Like You" alone.

vainandy said:

This being the month of July, this recommendation soundin' kinda right!

For me, I love Talking Book and Innervisions more than any Stevie album. I like a lot more of them. Where I'm Coming From is among my top favs also. Of course, everyone has mentioned these as well as the biggies (SITKOL, TB, Innervisions, MOMM, etc.).

If you want a good collection, I recommend the Song Review 2cd set or the Boxed set.

Now, for early work, I have recently been into these for a while now,


The work on these 2 albums are really good. I was pleasantly surprised by a lot of the music on these 2.

If you want later Stevie (80s/90s), I suggest his last project (A Time To Love). It is a great album. He took his time and did a great piece of work on this one. I also recommend The Woman in Red Soundtrack. I love "It's You" and "Weakness". They are some killer ballads from Stevie that get overshadowed by songs like Ribbon in The Sky. I'm not saying that Ribbon is bad or anything, but he has done other great ballads other than Ribbon. I would also recommend the Jungle Fever project. It has some great moments also.

The ONLY Stevie project I probably wouldn't recommend is Conversation Peace. I just didn't care for it. It was pretty inconsistent.
[Edited 7/3/08 13:34pm]

I thought i was one, of the few, who lived life through music, but you guys ....are TREACHEROUSLY devoted to song and meaning!!!!!




....i love yall tho.....

simm0061 said:

Absolutely.

daPrettyman said:

Co-sign!

vainandy said:

"All I Do" is one of Stevie's best songs, ever.

I bought Song Review today! I'll listen to it tonight though Part Time Lover was on the radio on the way home.

All this talk about Stevie has me putting on Songs in the Key of Life.

Stevie Wonder to me is one of the ten greatest musical artists of the 20th Century, so I think one would need quite a lot (probably more than I truly know yet).

ESSENTIAL WONDER

Uptight (1966) / Where I’m Coming From (1971) / Music of My Mind (1972)


Talking Book (1972) / Innervisions (1973) / Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974)


Songs in the Key of Life (1976) / Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants (1979) / Hotter Than July (1980)


I should add that the middle 4 albums above -- from "Talking Book" on through to "Songs in the Key of Life" -- are the core of the masterworks within the essential and very well may represent the greatest 4-album run in recorded music history.

==

And if you’re only budgeted for one compilation and you want good coverage of his entire astonishing career, "At the Close of a Century" is a fantastic 4-disc box-set retrospective.



Still listening to other impassioned voices and his latest album -- "A Time to Love" -- which I'm very much enjoying but don't know nearly well enough yet to include here.
[Edited 9/6/08 23:43pm]

Oh lawd - I can see that this is going to be expensive!