Monday, June 20, 2011

Stevie Wonder -- Innervisions

  Stevie Wonder's sixteenth, yeah that's right I said sixteenth record, is probably his best!  The album is a mix of ballad and funk numbers and is one smooth operator that is definitely in the vein of Marvin Gaye's What's Going on.   By far the greatest song on this record is the super chart topper Higher Ground, I just can't get enough of this funk jivin' mega track with great lyrics and is damn catchy.  Could someone please tell me if the piano bit on Don't You Worry Bout' A Thing is the one used on Sex and The City??  I liked the song, but every time that intro, I can't escape thinking about those ditz queens talking like valley girls about how their lives are soooo complicated!  All good things aside, this album does have a couple of flaws, nothing too serious, but still they're there, I'm talking about the drastically dated synthesizer solo's that pop out from time to time, yeah I know it might have been very ground breaking at the time, but I ain't diggin' it.  The second is the slightly awkward opening track Too High (maybe that was the problem, he he, not funny!) it reminded me of the jazz-outs from Songs In The Key Of Life.  But who cares this record is thoughtful, smart and innovative.  Close your eyes, open your mind, let the needle hit the wax and have yourself an Innervision!