House, R&B, Soul & Rap > Motown House, R&B, Soul & Rap > up to 5 GBP

Advantages: Good music which shows Stevie Wonder’s different styles.
Disadvantages: Differences of opinion about greatest hits.

...to think that if a song is commercially good, it probably isn’t musically good.) Instead, I want to tell you about the tracks on this album and let you decide whether it is worth buying. One thing I am sure about is that there is no rubbish on this album. The tracks, to me, are either good or brilliant, therefore, I give the album 5 stars. A wide range of music influenced Stevie as he grew up including Gospel, Jazz, Reggae, and Motown. All of these ...
...Ivory (Paul McCartney) and Redemption Song (Bob Marley). The album starts off with the ballad ISN’T SHE LOVELY, where as an obviously very proud father, Stevie thanks God for the birth of his baby. When Stevie isn’t singing on this track, he is playing the harmonica. I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU, a good ballad for smooching to, is Motown's biggest selling single in the UK. I find the strong beat of SUPERSTITION haunting, while Stevie sings, ... Read review

Advantages: Originality, innovation, FUNK! No better example of a great man at his best. Stevie does the production, the songwriting and plays most instruments himself.
Disadvantages: Such a shame he is not still doing this today

... And then there was this one. Oh, if I loved, "Innervisions", then I am absolutely crazy about this one. The first time I listened to it in a music shop I dismissed it as having lots of softer ones and one well-funky one in the middle. Well, that one was, "Boogie On Reggae Woman", which has to be one of his greatest songs ever (for some reasons it doesn't feature on any of his hit compilations). But how could I be so wrong about a record after ...
...abum of soul and funk music. Where to start? Well, the first song is absolutely great. The second song is a religious song. Now, I'm not one to go with singers who preach to the masses through their music. But I find this a very sincere and moving song by a man who is not preaching but explaining his faith in God and how he fails to understand how others cannot feel what he does. You really feel like you have learnt something about God and religion ... Read review

Advantages: Only a couple
Disadvantages: Bland in places

It's the start of the 80's for this Stevie Wonder album, and as with the decade in general, there's a little bit of everything on here. "Did I hear You Say You Love Me?" - A bit rocky with an underlying funk bass line. Quite toe-tappy, but it lacks depth to really stick in your mind all that much. In my opinion it's not the best track to start the album with but it's passable, even if it is forgetable. "All I Do" - Now this is a minor classic and ...
...great little song, perfectly suited to Stevie Wonder's easy style. A touch of the Quincy Jones about this in it's production, and it's all the better for it. Nice miniature sax solo too. "Rocket Love" - This track's got more of a jazzy feel to it. Slow and smoochy, the song is as classy "All I Do" but without the oomph. It's got a string arrangement which probably doesn't do it many favours listening to it now, but still a lovely melody. Someone ... Read review

Advantages: True genius of a soul legend.
Disadvantages: None

In the early 90’s Janet Jackson said of Marvin Gaye “He’s our John Lennon……The longer he’s gone the more young people appreciate his art. What’s going On was a work of genius far ahead of it’s time.” The similarities are recognisable, both had successful pop careers in the 60’s, Lennon with the all conquering Beatles and Gaye as an artist in the Motown records stable. As music drew away ...
...a political message into their music realising they could use their position of influence to comment about the current state of the World. Musically , both were innovative and they were both prepared to change vocal styles to differentiate their new work. Lennon was to use a much more coarse and rawkish sound on tracks like ‘Instant Karma’, whereas Gaye liked a new laid back style, evident on this album and later tracks such as ‘Let’s ... Read review

Advantages: Every track works
Disadvantages: More And More interupts musical flow slightly

...RCA Records. Titled Eaten Alive (1985), this album was a dynamic affair with an explosive set of songs all produced by the Gibb brothers Maurice, Robin and Barry as well as the title track also boasting the excellent production and songwriting skills of the genius himself, Michael Jackson (who also wrote the brief liner notes for the back cover of the album). Eaten Alive was inevitably the first single to be swiped from the project. Eaten Alive undeniably ...
...racing musical arrangements but overall Eaten Alive proved an interesting experiment for Ross. However much to the dismay of Ross who had such high expectations for the song, Eaten Alive stalled at No.77 on the U.S charts whilst spending just one measly week at No.71 in the U.K. Eaten Alives' next single was nearly not included on the album. It was the last session for the project and Ross was fairly adament she didn't want it included as it encapsulated ... Read review