Stevie Wonder - Music of My Mind
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Free Music Notes for Music of My Mind
Free Music Review: (3.5 stars) Great, but overrated
Hit: 4 Stars
Look, I'm a massive Stevie Wonder fan. If you ask me, all his albums from Talking Book to Hotter Than July are absolute essentials, and along with the Rolling Stones he was the best musician of the '70s. I even like most of In Square Circle, though it takes a lot of abuse. And this... well, there's a lot to like about it. It's mostly creative. It's consistent. It has a couple great songs. But in truth I don't feel this ranks among his best material. There are a mere nine songs here, and only five of those nine are any good. The atmospheric space-funk-jazz - think Pink Floyd, almost - "Superwoman" is obviously the best, one of the two that does rank among Stevie's best material. The other is the powerful funk of "Keep On Runnin'", with a fantastic clavinet part and great refrain. Okay, maybe the non-space funk "Love Having You Around" does too, if I'm in a good mood. And "I Love Every Little Thing About You" is pleasant, at least. Unlike "Sweet Little Girl". That slurred voice over really gets on my nerves. I'm sure it's supposed to be a parody or something, but it's a bad parody. I gotta admit, though, that part about Sweet Sweetback and the "I love you more than my clavinet!" line is funny. Too bad he had to say it in the stupid slurred drunk voice. It just may be the worst song of his "mature" career. "Happier Than the Morning Sun" is annoyingly minimalist, not as much of a song as it is Stevie playing an annoying harpsichord-like keyboard and reciting some dull love song lyrics; "Girl Blue" is a particularly painful ballad with more trite lyrics (this is one Wonder release you don't listen to for its lyrics - unlike the next five. It's also got those damn phased vocals). He's just getting to know synthesizers here, too: sometimes he works wonders with them (the closing sermon "Evil"; funky "Keep on Running"; jazzy on "Superwoman"), sometimes he works blunders with them ("Seems so Long"). So this is slightly uneven and not as consistent as what was to come, in spite of containing one or two of Wonder's greatest songs. A few words more about the lyrics: Stevie was nowhere near his socially relevant peak here. Every song but "Evil" is a love song, which isn't bad, but hey, I've heard a lot of love songs. More to the point, both "Love Having You Around" and "I Love Everything About You" contain the lyric "You've been (or stuck) with me through thick and thin" - in fact, the lyrics to those two and "Happier Than the Morning Sun" are essentially the same things. And both "Sweet Little Girl" and "Girl Blue" use the term "Little girl" predominately, which shows me he didn't really put much thought into these lyrics. But the next five albums are fantastic. Especially the follow-up, Talking Book. Please do get all of those. They rule.Free Music Review: The One Man Band Man
Hit: 5 Stars
1972. Stevie Wonder's contract with motown had expired after the release of Where I'm Coming From - MotownSelect.com the year prior. Stevie now spent a half year by himself waiting for the right offer and when it came he signed a new contract with Motown. The new contract meant that he would have full controll of his albums, and "Music of My Mind" is an Stevie Wonder effort in every possible way. He wrote, sang, produced and played most instruments of this album, quite impressive for a blind man, this liner notes said "The sounds themselves come from inside his mind. The man is his own instrument. The instrument is an orchestra.", Sorry Prince and Terence Trent D'arby but Stevie Wonder was the first "One Man Band Man". And for the first time he used the Arp and Moog synthesizers that sets the tone of this album and many upcoming 70's albums from Stevie's most creative period. When this album was released it was considered very futuristic, by now it ain't but it's still incredible creative, well produced and a very rewarding listening experience. Instead of wasting more time talking of his genius, let's take a look at the songs.
It kicks off with a love dedication called "Love Having You Around" a quite typical Wonder song from this period. It's a midtempo funk song where the robotic synthesizer plays a key role. The absolute standout here is the album's only hit "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)". A beautiful love song that starts like "Mary wants to be a superwoman/ But is that really in her head/ But I just want to live each day to love her/for what she is", It can't be said better. The interesting thing with it, is that it starts like a classic ballad but eventually there will be synthesizer beats and guiatar solos mak it it quite progressive. So far both of the songs have been far longer then radio standards at 7-8 minutes. A third love song "Love Every Little Thing About You". Even if Stevie and Syreeta would be divorced during the same year, there are no hearbreak on this album just wonderful love songs. On "Sweet Little Girl" we get a glimpse of one of his favorite instruments, the harmonica. It sounds alot like Ray Charles. Not so strange considering he was one of Stevie's heroes.
"Happier Then The Morning Sun" is how he feels after letting in this special woman in his life. Although Wonder is famous for very complicated chords, this one is the most simple thing he ever made. "Girl Blue" a midtempo with more exprimental take with the synthesizer sound he just invented. The lyrics are also great where he tries to cheer up a depressed young girl "Little girl youre sad/ Though all you have/ Is visible to you/Within your heart/There stays a part/That like the sky is blue". Why can't people write these kind of lyrics anymore?. The only true heartbreak song is "Seems So Long" where he sings "Lady love and lady cared/ but lady went away/ And left me all alone to suffer". It's slow but offers good arrangements perfectly suited for a mellow hertbreak song. "Keep On Running" is the most exprimental of all songs here, perhaps in his entire career. It's a synthesizer driven song in very fast pace that could be used for a morning workout. You won't miss it. The closer "Evil" is the only socially consious song here, It's a haunting ballad about what makes mankind go wrong...well, hate.
Overall, there isn't much more to say then to congratulate him for a wonderful album that only was the start of what was coming. In the upcoming 4 years, Stevie Wonder would make 3 of the greatest albums of all time and truly proves why he was one of the greatest muscians of his generation. "Music of My Mind" his first album from the classic period, is considered a classic and was ranked as #284 on Rolling Stones list of the greatest 500 albums of all time. Good album to start a Stevie Wonder collection with. Recommended.
Free Music Review: Music of My Mind
Hit: 5 Stars
This Stevie Wonder album came out in 1972 and it began a very, very long line of brilliant music. Each album that came out after this one have pieces that are now standards. You will not be disappointed!!Free Music Review: A QUANTUM LEAP FOR STEVIE
Hit: 5 Stars
I WOULDN'T SAY THAT WITH THIS ALBUM, STEVIE WONDER CAME INTO HIS OWN, BECAUSE HE HAD RECORDED A LOT OF FANTASTIC MUSIC BEFORE THIS, BUT THIS ONE TAKES HIS MUSIC TO A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL. I HAVE HAD THIS ALBUM, CASSETTE, CD, SINCE IT CAME BACK LONGER THAN I CARE TO REMEMBER. THIS ALBUM WAS THE STEPPING STONE TO TALKING BOOK AND INNER VISIONS, WHICH WERE ALSO ALL TIME CLASSIC RECODRINGS. IF I HAD TO DESCRIBE THIS CD, I WOULD SAY IT WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT REALLY FEATURED THE MATURE VOICE OF STEVIE WONDER. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE HEARD THIS ALBUM, IT HAS ALWAYS BROUGHT A SMILE TO MY FACE, WHICH I GUESS IS THE TRUEST INDICATION OF WHETHER SOMETHING IS GREAT OR NOT.Free Music Review: An absolute beauty
Hit: 5 Stars
Dear fellow music-lovers:
Even though some music-critics think that Music Of My Mind is inferior to Talking Book, I would urge you to take a plunge into this record.
It's Stevie at his very best. Lovely melodies, unheard-of harmonies, only the drum is out of beat once in a while. But then: this is the music they played in the 70's - it's entirely without computing, and therefore as real as the hum of beas!
Stevie is impressively inspired, at his most sensual. This record is outstanding; every song has its high moments.
I hear myself humming those tunes over and over - more than 35 years after recording.
It's a record for all time. Why don't you make it your own soundtrack?