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The follow up to the classic 'Talking Book', a daunting task for most, with 'Innervisions' Stevie Wonder proved his genius with an album so perfect its legend sometimes outweighs the music.
Opening with the fat back funk of "Too High", the album then delivers one of the finest sequences of songs in music, with "Visions" followed by the awe inspiring "Livin' In The City", complete with a breakdown filled with street noise and ghetto speak, the beautiful "Golden Lady" is next, a song filled with sweet melody and Stevie's golden voice, "Higher Ground" is another funk standard with a Moog solo rarely bettered. The remainder of the album is a more reflective affair, catering for Stevie's beliefs although containing another brilliant slice of pop with "He's Misstra Know-It-All".
Many believe 'Innervisions' to be Wonder's finest moment, and as an album its an hard point to argue, after this brilliant work his music took on a more austere approach after late in 1973 he was seriously injured in a car accident. Whatever the pundits believe, it is obvious from the outset of 'Innervisions' that this is a masterpiece and frankly any collection is not complete without what could easily be described as one of the finest ten albums of all time, and perhaps the boldest statement in black music full stop. Recommended. |