[Also reviewed on Epinions and Dooyoo]
At The Close Of A Century is a 4 cd compilation of 70 selected Stevie Wonder tracks spanning his career from 1963 up to 1996, with a 92 page accompanying booklet. Stevie Wonder is a soul legend and musical genius (who has won over 20 Grammy Awards) ... Read review
Advantages: A great introduction to Stevie Wonder packed with classics Disadvantages: Not as good as owning all the albums for the true Stevie fan
...and Dooyoo]
At The Close Of A Century is a 4 cd compilation of 70 selected Stevie Wonder tracks spanning his career from 1963 up to 1996, with a 92 page accompanying booklet. Stevie Wonder is a soul legend and musical genius (who has won over 20 Grammy Awards) if by some remote chance you are not aware. He has been and continues to be an inspiration for many artists and many of his songs have been covered by others.
... ...with "Fingertips Pts 1 & 2", a recording of a live performance of him aged just 12, singing, playing bongos and also harmonica. The drummer happened to be a certain Marvin Gaye. This track is one of many highlights for me personally - it seems to capture the essence of soul. A young, unrefined Stevie delivers a sweet performance on the harmonica with such enthusiasm and joy that it spreads into the audience. If happiness has a sound, this ... more
[Also reviewed on Epinions and Dooyoo]
At The Close Of A Century is a 4 cd compilation of 70 selected Stevie Wonder tracks spanning his career from 1963 up to 1996, with a 92 page accompanying booklet. Stevie Wonder is a soul legend and musical genius (who has won over 20 Grammy Awards) if by some remote chance you are not aware. He has been and continues to be an inspiration for many artists and many of his songs have been covered by others.
The 4 cds are in chronological order and start off with "Fingertips Pts 1 & 2", a recording of a live performance of him aged just 12, singing, playing bongos and also harmonica. The drummer happened to be a certain Marvin Gaye. This track is one of many highlights for me personally - it seems to capture the essence of soul. A young, unrefined Stevie delivers a sweet performance on the harmonica with such enthusiasm and joy that it spreads into the audience. If happiness has a sound, this is it.
Stevie Wonder tracks are usually characterised by his super smooth voice merged with soulful, feel-good melodies and the sheer quality and breadth of tracks in this compilation is just staggering. We have classic Motown ballads such as "My Cherie Amour" (with drums panned to the left, soaring strings and beautiful guitar/flute/piano melodies) and the more upbeat "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" with the brass conveying a party vibe. We also have the "Superwoman" track tinged with sadness, chronicling his relationship with his ex-wife and featuring early experimentation with synthesisers, the distinctive clavinet melody on "Superstitious", the angry cry for the poor on "Living For The City", beautiful guitar driven introspection on "Visions", Latin flavours on "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing", the romantic "Golden Lady", emotional ballad "Lately", reggae tones on "Master Blaster (Jammin')"...... the list just goes on and on.
This compilation is like golden sunshine, and the only reason why this would not be an essential purchase for any music lover is if they already own a number of Stevie Wonder albums. If you don't own any, buy this - I can't imagine you will be disappointed.
Below is a complete track listing: Disc: 1 1. Fingertips Pts. 1 & 2 2. Uptight (Everything's Alright) 3. Nothing's Too Good For My Baby 4. Blowing In The Wind 5. A Place In The Sun 6. Hey Love 7. I Was Made To Love Her 8. Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) 9. I'm Wondering 10. Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day 11. You Met Your Match 12. For Once In My Life 13. I Don't Know Why 14. My Cherie Amour 15. Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday 16. Never Had A Dream Come True 17. Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) 18. Heaven Help Us All 19. We Can Work It Out 20. If You Really Love Me 21. Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer 22. Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) 23. I Love Every Little Thing About You
Disc: 2 1. Superstition 2. You're The Sunshine Of My Life 3. You And I 4. I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) 5. Too High 6. Visions 7. Living For The City 8. Golden Lady 9. Higher Ground 10. All In Love Is Fair 11. Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing 12. He's Misstra Know-It-All 13. You Haven't Done Nothin' 14. Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away 15. Too Shy To Say 16. Boogie On Reggae Woman 17. Creepin'
Disc: 3 1. Sir Duke 2. I Wish 3. Knocks Me Off My Feet 4. Pastime Paradise 5. Isn't She Lovely 6. Ngiculela-Es Una Historia-I Am Singing 7. If It's Magic 8. As 9. Another Star 10. Send One Your Love 11. All I Do 12. Rocket Love 13. I Ain't Gonna Stand For It 14. Master Blaster (Jammin') 15. Lately 16. Happy Birthday
Disc: 4 1. That Girl 2. Ribbon In The Sky 3. Do I Do 4. Love Light In Flight 5. I Just Called To Say I Love You 6. Overjoyed 7. Part-Time Lover 8. Go Home 9. You Will Know 10. Skeletons 11. Gotta Have You 12. These Three Words 13. For Your Love 14. How Come, How Long
Product Information for "At The Close Of A Century - Stevie Wonder" »
Product details
Title
At The Close Of A Century
Performer
Stevie Wonder
Genre
R&B
Sub Genre
Motown
Release Date
06/03/2000
Recomended Retail Price
45.99 GBP
Original Release Year
1999
Label / Distributor
Universal IMS / Universal Music
Pieces in Set
4
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
601215399226
Catalogue Number
1539922
Additional notes
Album Reviews
Q (1/01, p.95) - Included in Q's "5 Best Re-Issues of 2000". Q (5/00, pp.122-3) - 5 stars out of 5 - "...The most consistent and intriguing artist America has produced....70 clunker-free tracks....Only the absolute cream is here..." The Source (3/00, p.258) - "...a wonderfully exhaustive crash course on r&b music....this retrospective is a must-have. It's a firm testament to Wonder's unquestionable genius..." Mojo (5/00, p.96) - "...His career demonstrates [that] genius has no off-switch....his abundant natural gifts were driven by twin urges of innovation and emancipation..." NME (3/25/00, p.40) - 8 out of 10 - "...The definitive voice of soul rapture....[this is] incontrovertibly fantastic music." Entertainment Weekly (12/17/99, p.81) - "...Not a dud among them - boxed sets don't get much better than this....in a word, magnificent..." - Rating: A+ CMJ (2/7/00, p.24) - "...This remarkable collection contains most of his familiar classics, focusing on material from the 70s....Stevie at his funkiest can rival any singer-songwriter of any era..."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Fingertips (parts 1&2)
2.
Uptight
3.
Nothing's Too Good For My Baby
4.
Blowin' In The Wind
5.
Place In The Sun
6.
Hey Love
7.
I Was Made To Love Her
8.
Until You Come Back To Me
9.
I'm Wondering
10.
Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Da Day
11.
You Met Your Match
12.
For Once In My Life
13.
I Don't Know Why I Love You
14.
My Cherie Amour
15.
Yesterme Yesteryou Yesterday
16.
Never Had A Dream Come True
17.
Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours
18.
Heaven Help Us All
19.
We Can Work It Out
20.
If You Really Love Me
21.
Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer
22.
Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)
23.
I Love Every Little Thing About You
24.
Superstition
25.
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
26.
You And I
27.
I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)
28.
Too High
29.
Visions
30.
Living For The City
31.
Golden Lady
32.
Higher Ground
33.
All In Love Is Fair
34.
Don't You Worry About A Thing
35.
He's Misstra Know It All
36.
You Haven't Done Nothin'
37.
Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away
38.
Too Shy To Say
39.
Boogie On Reggae Woman
40.
Creepin'
41.
Sir Duke
42.
I Wish
43.
Knocks Me Off My Feet
44.
Pastime Paradise
45.
Isn't She Lovely
46.
Ngiculela Es Una Historia
47.
If It's Magic
48.
As Another
49.
Send One Your Love
50.
All I Do
51.
Rocket Love
52.
I Ain't Gonna Stand For It
53.
Masterblaster (Jammin')
54.
Lately
55.
Happy Birthday
56.
That Girl
57.
Ribbon In The Sky
58.
Do I Do
59.
Love Light In Flight
60.
I Just Called To Say I Love You
61.
Overjoyed
62.
Part Time Lover
63.
Go Home
64.
You Will Know
65.
Skeletons
66.
Gotta Have You
67.
These Three Words
68.
For Your Love
69.
How Long How Come
Titles on disc 4
1.
Fingertips Parts 1 & 2
2.
Uptight (Everything's Alright)
3.
Nothing's Too Good For My Baby
4.
Blowin' In The Wind
5.
Place In The Sun , A
6.
Hey Love
7.
I Was Made To Love Her
8.
Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)
9.
I'm Wondering
10.
Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day
11.
You Met Your Match
12.
For Once In My Life
13.
I Don't Know Why
14.
My Cherie Amour
15.
Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday
16.
Never Had A Dream Come True
17.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
18.
Heaven Help Us All
19.
We Can Work It Out
20.
If You Really Love Me
21.
Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer
22.
Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)
23.
I Love Every Little Thing About You
24.
Superstition
25.
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
26.
You And I
27.
I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)
28.
Too High
29.
Visions
30.
Living For The City
31.
Golden Lady
32.
Higher Ground
33.
All In Love Is Fair
34.
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing
35.
He's Misstra Know It All
36.
You Haven't Done Nothin' - Jackson 5 (The)
37.
Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away
38.
Too Shy To Say - Sneakey Pete
39.
Boogie On Reggae Woman
40.
Creepin' - Minnie Riperton
41.
Sir Duke - Michael Sembello
42.
I Wish
43.
Knocks Me Off My Feet
44.
Pastime Paradise
45.
Isn't She Lovely
46.
Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing
47.
If It's Magic
48.
As - Herbie Hancock
49.
Another Star - Bobbi Humphrey
50.
Send One Your Love
51.
All I Do - Betty Wright
52.
Rocket Love
53.
I Ain't Gonna Stand For It
54.
Master Blaster (Jammin')
55.
Lately
56.
Happy Birthday
57.
That Girl
58.
Ribbon In The Sky
59.
Do I Do - Dizzy Gillespie
60.
Love Light In Flight
61.
I Just Called To Say I Love You
62.
Overjoyed
63.
Part-Time Lover - Luther Vandross
64.
Go Home - Bob Malach
65.
You Will Know
66.
Skeletons
67.
Gotta Have You
68.
These Three Words
69.
For Your Love
70.
How Come, How Long - Babyface
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
31/03/2005
Additional notes
Album Notes
Includes 96-page full-color booklet. Personnel includes: Stevie Wonder (vocals, various instruments, harmonica, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet, keyboards, Moog & ARP synthesizers, drums, cabasa, percussion, vocoder, sound effects); Luther Vandross (vocals); Dean Parks (acoustic & electric guitars); Babyface (acoustic guitar, keyboards, background vocals); Michael Sembello, Buzzy Feiton, Earl Klugh (guitar); Bobbi Humphrey (flute); Greg Phillinganes (piano, keyboards); Herbie Hancock (keyboards); James Jamerson (acoustic & electric basses); Nathan East (bass); Benny Benjamin, Uriel Jones (drums); Lenny Castro (congas); Sheila E. (percussion); Betty Wright, Michael Jackson, Minnie Ripperton, Paul Anka, George Benson, Philip Bailey (background vocals). Producers include: Berry Gordy, Henry Cosby, Clarence Paul, Don Hunter, Harvey Fuqua. Compilation producer: Harry Weinger. Includes liner notes by David Ritz and Leonard Pitts Jr. Digitally remastered using 24-bit technology by Kevin Reeves. The 4-CD set AT THE CLOSE OF A CENTURY is a chronological history of Stevie Wonder's commercial successes. The first CD documents his early Motown years on tracks that emphasize his frenetic singing and superb harmonica playing. The songs taken from MUSIC OF MY MIND, his first fully written and produced effort, show significant vocal development. CDs two and three include material from INNERVISIONS, SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE, and TALKING BOOK, a creative period that is considered Wonder's strongest. It is on these cuts that Wonder uses his most varied production techniques and instrumentation to share his vivid creative spirit. The fourth disc continues with pop hits recorded during the '80s and '90s, beginning with three songs he recorded for MUSIQUARIUM, and concluding with his duet with Babyface, "How Come, How Long." Disc four should surprise listeners who may remember only "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from Wonder's '80s work. Tracks like "Overjoyed" and "Ribbon in the Sky" make clear that Wonder had far more than one great song during the period. This box set is a great introduction to Stevie Wonder, and even after listening to all four discs in succession, fans will be left wanting more.
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