rev_m_wonder

STEVIE WONDER
Songs In The Key Of Life

as reviewed by Jack Crompton at Amazon.com, November 22, 2006

I am singing.... of love from the heart.

Why do we listen to the music we do? Sometimes I forget. But as several occasions have affirmed, all I have to do is put on 'Another Star' and I remember. This is why I listen to music. It is music like THIS that is why I listen. Because it is a soul connection.... a connection with the infinite.

Such are the impressions of awe and beauty that the music of Stevie Wonder engenders. They transcend both time and space. This album, released in 1976, 30 years ago as I write this, affects me every bit as powerfully today as it ever did. Although Stevie's musical output has been quite prodigous, I think this was probaly his masterpiece. It is just such a total singular experience from start to finish. If one really listens, I don't know how they could not be profoundly moved.

Originally packaged as two LP and a 2 song EP, the entire collection is a result of a 3 year recording session. The work reflects quality in both concept and execution. The musicians are awesome. (listen to 'Contusion'!) But like all his best work, it is Stevie Wonder's spirituality that brings this recording to life. And while all of the album is excellent, with tight R&B songs like 'I Wish', 'Sir Duke' and the melanchcoly 'Summer Soft', the album really kicks into high gear with 'side four' with 'Isn't She Lovely' through to 'Another Star'. This segway of five exquisite compositions, pardon the pun, simply knocks me off my feet!

The infectious 'Isn't She Lovely' is irresistable in its happiness. A song he obviously wrote for his newborn daughter, it also coincided with the birth of my first son. The playful harmonica is a masterful improvisation of the instrument and is a perfect fit that really communicates the joy of the artist. It also runs for 'longer than radio length', as do many of the tunes here. Stevie obviously had earned the right with this album to do what he wants and he joyously indulges with lengthy treatments of these songs, but they are never too long. They just give him room to really express his extraordinary passion. "The latin-tinged 'Ngiculela' (I am singing) is a pure, beautiful piece both in lyric and melody. Stevie expresses his most passionate singing in this song: "I am singing... of tomorrow! - I am singing... of love. - I am singing... that someday love will rule throughout this world of ours. I am singing.... of love from the heart." Expressed only as Stevie Wonder can say it. ‘If it's Magic’ is a shorter piece, but also beautiful,arranged with harps and a simple acapella vocal. Again, the lyrics carry beautiful poetry with, "It holds the key to every heart, throughout the Universe, it fills you up without a bite, and quenches every thirst."

Next are what I consider the two back-to-back most powerful recordings of probably the entire decade let along this album: 'As', and 'Another Star'. They go together seemlessly as a singular passionate statement, although each is quite different musically. 'As' starts out with a laid-back R&B verse, and then just gathers momentum as it morphs into a untraditional 'gospel' style piece with a call an answer section that is just too cool for words. What is awesome here are the lyrics. "Until the day that 8X8X8 is four - Until the day that is the day that are no more, etc." This song really rocks and posesses a passion rarely captured on a studio recording. Stevie allows the tune to heat up until a point where he 'steps out' and has s few things to say:

"We all know that life's heartache and trouble can make you wish you were born in another time and place. But you can bet your life times that and twice it's double... that God knew exactly where He wanted you to be placed. So make sure when you say you're in the world but not of it.... you're not helping to make this a place sometimes called hell... Change your words into Truth and then change that Truth into Love and maybe our children's grandchildren and their great grandchildren will tell..."

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