Harlepolis said:

Here's the reason for 2): http://www.robertchristga...vie+Wonder

Check out the "Innervision" review, and be sure to keep some blood pressure pills within close reach

I have no idea why folks love this guy.

He sort of bashes him yet gives the album an A

This is kind of Robs thing... i am sometimes amused by his reviews. Other times i think he is way off his rocker & acts lke he has a higher than thou opinion.

Gunsnhalen said:

Harlepolis said:

Here's the reason for 2): http://www.robertchristga...vie+Wonder

Check out the "Innervision" review, and be sure to keep some blood pressure pills within close reach

I have no idea why folks love this guy.

He sort of bashes him yet gives the album an A

This is kind of Robs thing... i am sometimes amused by his reviews. Other times i think he is way off his rocker & acts lke he has a higher than thou opinion.

Comical, ain't it? And he's pretty generous with his backhanded compliments. It would've been better if he shitted on the grading and the music instead.

purplethunder3121 said:

Timmy84 said:

Right.

You know I have to mention in relation to the thread, I remember when either Robert Margouleff or Malcolm Cecil said that post-accident and at the pinnacle of his powers around '73, '74, how Stevie had changed from what he was. I remember reading about Stevie seriously thinking of moving to Ghana before he decided not to move there (for the time being). I wonder if he ever had investments in Africa. I heard he had lived in Ghana for a brief time in the '90s. His post-accident interviews, he always almost never forget to mention God and the Holy Spirit in any of them. I read his Rolling Stone '73 interview before the accident, like I said, that accident really changed a lot of his viewpoints and even how he conducted himself. Usually if someone goes through an accident like that and nearly dies of it (he had a coma that lasted six weeks), they go through a series of changes. It makes interviews like these have more sense than originally intended. I liked how he tried to be edgy at the end however with putting "bullshit" in it like he don't curse or something.

Now, see..that is the kind of background info I never knew. One of my BFs went to see him a couple of years ago and she claims he was drunk and kept talking about saving the world at the concert when people wanted to hear the music... I don't know... What I do know is that I saw a big change in Stevie's music all those years ago...and I never knew why...

Remember when Eddie Murphy complained about Stevie making those long speeches during one of his Grammy wins? I remember when he was accepting his induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame seeing footage of it on some program and, for some reason, decided to go onstage with his "white eyes" visible to the public but the way his children Keita and Aisha were holding him, they almost look like they were headed for a funeral or something. I kept thinking "why the sad faces?" I think as time goes on, I realize Stevie was probably REAL depressed following the accident in 1973 and that he started experiencing a level of darkness that has not left him. So whenever he feels down, he always turns to God for the answers and it leaves him real melancholy. Whereas years before he was always a bubbly kid/young man. 1963-1973 Stevie, you would've never thought he had demons because he was always rising above it. The more melancholic he got though, the more deep he seemed when delivering a message that probably alienated some of his fan base even if some of his work were at its best (Fulfillingness and Songs in the Key of Life). As for him being drunk, he probably was. I see even in that concert special DVD I got, he loves to talk a lot.

[Edited 9/1/12 0:33am]

Gunsnhalen said:

Harlepolis said:

Here's the reason for 2): http://www.robertchristga...vie+Wonder

Check out the "Innervision" review, and be sure to keep some blood pressure pills within close reach

I have no idea why folks love this guy.

He sort of bashes him yet gives the album an A

This is kind of Robs thing... i am sometimes amused by his reviews. Other times i think he is way off his rocker & acts lke he has a higher than thou opinion.

I saw his reviews on Marvin's albums, even in ones where he complains, he usually ends giving the albums high reviews with some exceptions (In Our Lifetime in particular).

Terrib3Towel said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Too bad God doesn't...nevermind.

SMOOTH!!

Don't tell me you're an athiest!!

I prefer the term "agnostic".

smoothcriminal12 said:

Terrib3Towel said:

SMOOTH!!

Don't tell me you're an athiest!!

I prefer the term "agnostic".

I guess.

As long as you know there's somebody out there bigger than you and me.

thesoulbrother said:

Let me get on my soapbox for just a moment.

Stevie Wonder has put out some of THE greatest albums in music history. He literally owned the 70s as far as music is concerned! He is an artist of a different breed. So what the man has only released four albums in the past 20 years! Stevie Wonder is a musical institution all to himself and he can drop his music when he damn well pleases!

Amen brother! I wanted to stand on your soapbox WITH u. ppl are SOOOO "what have you done for me lately" and truth is "A Time to Love" is an above average album, but because its STEVIE.....

Lastly, an accident doesn't NECESSARILY have to be the means through which ppl become more introspective, conscious, or compassionate. For most that's called growing up. It's been said for centuries in various ways that "a life unexamined is a life not worth living". Now what conclusions you come to as a RESULT of that examination is another issue. But I would LIKE to think ppl would consider that it was intended that they do more than "pass through and consume shit".

Stevie is a beautiful soul. I LOVE that man. He's the only artist I think i'll shed a tear when he passes.

Terrib3Towel said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

I prefer the term "agnostic".

I guess.

As long as you know there's somebody out there bigger than you and me.

Barack Obama?

smoothcriminal12 said:

Terrib3Towel said:

I guess.

As long as you know there's somebody out there bigger than you and me.

Barack Obama?

Yes, Barack is exactly who I was talking about.

Terrib3Towel said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Barack Obama?

Yes, Barack is exactly who I was talking about.

Stevie

smoothcriminal12 said:

Terrib3Towel said:

I guess.

As long as you know there's somebody out there bigger than you and me.

Barack Obama?

Timmy84 said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Barack Obama?

smoothcriminal12 said:

Terrib3Towel said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

I prefer the term "agnostic".

I guess.

As long as you know there's somebody out there bigger than you and me.

You missed it...he did a whole thread in P&R...twas interesting to say the least.

purplethunder3121 said:

Timmy84 said:

Blind folks got a third eye anyway, all they need is guidance and they can deal. I have to say though I always considered the core of Stevie's music to be purely pop with some R&B connotations. Don't understand the media always calling him a soul artist. Sure, some of his music is a fabric of soul music history but it's definitely pop-oriented. He, like Diana Ross, helped to bring forth Berry Gordy's dreams of pop stardom IMHO.

Damn, you getting hardcore on music tonight, eh? Yeah, Stevie pulled away from pure soul or R&B but that was always at the heart of his music... What's up with your new, "harder" take on all things music & otherwise, Timmy?

Sometimes I think of Timmy as an old soul.

That was a good interview and Stevie has always seemed to me like the type who speaks through his music when he really feels he has something to say.

babynoz said:

Terrib3Towel said:

I guess.

As long as you know there's somebody out there bigger than you and me.

You missed it...he did a whole thread in P&R...twas interesting to say the least.

I have to say that I've fully embraced it now.

smoothcriminal12 said:

babynoz said:

You missed it...he did a whole thread in P&R...twas interesting to say the least.

I have to say that I've fully embraced it now.

I rarely ever go outside of M&M so yeah I missed that thread lol.

Hahaha, RC called Marvin a "simp" in his review of Steve's Where I'm Coming From. His reviews are an example of what a simp really is lol it don't raise my blood level though. Then again, not too many reviewers who review albums from that time period don't really get my blood boiling. It's his opinions but he's often misguided and just say things just so he could see it in print or hear it out of his mouth. He's one of those knee jerking type of reviewers.

Timmy84 said:

Hahaha, RC called Marvin a "simp" in his review of Steve's Where I'm Coming From. His reviews are an example of what a simp really is lol it don't raise my blood level though. Then again, not too many reviewers who review albums from that time period don't really get my blood boiling. It's his opinions but he's often misguided and just say things just so he could see it in print or hear it out of his mouth. He's one of those knee jerking type of reviewers.

Not really, he is pretty respected among his circles. And readers revere him/his writing so much, and I'm curious to know why other than the "he's the first serious rock journalist" argument.

To his credit, he does have a sense of humor about what he writes(Talking all that bullshit about him doubting whether Stevie could "read" or not, GTIFOH ) AND he reviewed alot of stuff that your typical rock journalist wouldn't give the time of day(P-Funk was waaaaay under the radar at the time, and who would review Luther in the rock circle?) so, the guy actually digs deeper than what the billboard list puts out.

And you're right, its "his" opinion. But "my" opinion says fuck his opinion and all of his backhanded compliments.

[Edited 9/1/12 23:27pm]

Harlepolis said:

Timmy84 said:

Hahaha, RC called Marvin a "simp" in his review of Steve's Where I'm Coming From. His reviews are an example of what a simp really is lol it don't raise my blood level though. Then again, not too many reviewers who review albums from that time period don't really get my blood boiling. It's his opinions but he's often misguided and just say things just so he could see it in print or hear it out of his mouth. He's one of those knee jerking type of reviewers.

Not really, he is pretty respected among his circles. And readers revere him/his writing so much, and I'm curious to know why other than the "he's the first serious rock journalist" argument.

To his credit, he does have a sense of humor about what he writes(Talking all that bullshit about him doubting whether Stevie could "read" or not, GTIFOH ) AND he reviewed alot of stuff that your typical rock journalist wouldn't give the time of day(P-Funk was waaaaay under the radar at the time, and who would review Luther in the rock circle?) so, the guy actually digs deeper than what the billboard list puts out.

And you're right, its "his" opinion. But "my" opinion says fuck his opinion and all of his backhanded compliments.

[Edited 9/1/12 23:27pm]

He's too fucked up to be taken seriously. But I guess this is how they all are, huh? People always dig the fuck ups for writing "far out" reviews. They still do in a sense like 1969 hadn't left and they still talk with the same lingo Robert does. It's annoying.

I like how he talks about music and spirituality and love his 70's work best with some 80's thrown in now and then. I don't mind if he releases new music or not, he has nothing left to prove and knows there is a bigger world out there than him. 3-4 years ago I was playing him often, and I also agree with Timmy he is more pop than r&b, I'm not familiar with his 60's work though I'm assuming it's more r&b/soul, kind of like how mj transitioned after j5/jacksons, but now I prefer Marvin over Stevie though that can change again and both are great artists. I also think Marvin addressed his inner demons and sexual tension more than Stevie did, I agree with him turning to God whenever there were problems, whether inner or outer

^ His '60s stuff was as a mixture as his '70s/post-'70s material. Remember, he was a teen pop star during his early Motown years between '66 and '71 (not counting '62-'65 since those are what we call his "struggling years" with one hit to show for it and that was a live recording ). R&B had always been at the fabric of his work but he just had a more radio friendly approach, you know, once Motown knew what to do with him.

In the very early years, Motown tried to make him the second coming of Ray Charles (his first two albums were Ray retreads; The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie was primarily an instrumental album but it compared to one of Ray's instrumental jazz records with Milt Jackson; A Tribute to Uncle Ray was a Ray Charles cover album). After "Fingertips" (the live version which is the one he plays harmonica on; he played bongos in the studio version) became a hit, Motown didn't really know where to take him so they kinda kept him on the "little Ray Charles" path. With a Song in My Heart, his third studio album, was their take on Ray's Genius of Ray Charles type of stuff.

Following his appearance on "Ski Party", Motown rush released the album, Stevie at the Beach, in 1964 but it bombed as did the singles that came out of it. The only song that resembled something of a hit after "Fingertips" during this early period was "Mr. Harmonica Man" in 1965 but it didn't show too much in where he was going to go so naturally Stevie found himself at a crossroads. He was probably a big hit regionally in the Midwest and the West. "Contract on Love" was strictly R&B but a miss since either Motown didn't really push for it or got caught up in the wave of "Fingertips" (it was recorded in 1963 when he was 13 and vocally it's probably his best song of that era).

Stevie almost got dropped until Sylvia Moy jumped in the picture and gave Stevie lyrics to a song he was working on with Hank Cosby and they all called it "Uptight", which you can definitely call one of the great soul songs so yeah his sound was more steeped in R&B/soul during his early years (as most Motown's music was, people chose to forget that even when Motown was often looked on as the "pop" label, that wouldn't come until after the Supremes; before then, they, Stevie, Marvin, the Miracles, etc., were all looked at as either "rhythm and blues singers" or "rock and rollers").

Once Stevie matured, that's when all of these different genres started emerging in his music. It was a gradual progress. People seem to skip Stevie's early years.

I love Stevie. And I love this thread.

thesoulbrother said:

Let me get on my soapbox for just a moment.

Stevie Wonder has put out some of THE greatest albums in music history. He literally owned the 70s as far as music is concerned! He is an artist of a different breed. So what the man has only released four albums in the past 20 years! Stevie Wonder is a musical institution all to himself and he can drop his music when he damn well pleases!

Agreed, but a little more from him wouldn't be a bad thing.