Red Mosquito

Hell yeah

Of course you'd have to be deaf to think otherwise. But hell yeah anyway.

How close are we to Stevie Wonder being officially declared a board favorite? He's made great strides in the seven months this thread has existed. Not that he wasn't beloved here before then, but he's becoming one of the more celebrated artists on the board.

what are the criteria? X number of serious fans with no real detractors?

a certain number of pages?

these are things we should know

I think we just need someone who isn't a fan to make a derisive "Ugh, RMers with their hard ons for Stevie Wonder" comment.

"I went over to RM, but it's just a bunch of cranky dudes who love Tom Waits, REM, and Stevie Wonder," -Someone at the Pit, probably

When people start suggesting Stevie songs for Pearl Jam to cover?

Well, I guess there was Someday At Christmas.

Superstition
Higher Ground
He's Misstra Know-It-All
You Haven't Done Nothin'
Master Blaster

I can't improve on this top five.

Hmm, I'll have to think about what mine would be. That's a pretty killer five though, no doubt.

I still owe lament a review, and I apologize. The existence of playlists in the 90s tournaments is gonna push this back. But I've given the whole thing a few listens and definitely enjoyed it.

Okay, anticipated by no one, here is my take on lament's mix

In general I found him to be really bright, soulful, clean, pure (key of life is good description), but oddly one dimensional, and it does mean that some of his more hard hitting songs don’t feel hard hitting. The best stuff finds a way to push back against this. It also means that this is a long mix, but its such well meaning, well constructed, well executed music that I don’t mind.

Loves in need of love today: it was okay. It was exactly what I feel like stevie wonder sounds like, but as such was a little forgettable. A song I felt like I heard before I heard it. After the first track I was starting to worry about the next 80 minutes. Fortunately this was the low point of the mix.

If you really love me: immediately had more life and personality to it. His voice is so clean that the slightly more scuffed sound of that track helps immensely.

Uptight (everything’s alright): I actually never knew that this song was Stevie Wonder. I mean once I hear it on this mix it’s obvious, but I never made the connection. My favorite of the three so far. I like the sense of becoming in this song—the way it feels like the world can’t possibly stop you

Stevie sounds really good with brass

Superstition: I knew this one, obviously. I like it more in the context of this mix then I have in the past. Maybe I’m just more receptive to it, or I can appreciate the way it stands apart from the other songs. What’s the main instrument in this one? It’s a cool sound—playful, but vaguely creepy, like something is breathing down your neck, but you know it’s probably a friend. Anyway, this is another one (like uptight) that’ll make its way into my general rotation playlist.

Don’t You Worry About a Thing: I like this one once it gets going , but it’s not something I think I’ll ever feel a need to hear. I’m not crazy about how it starts, and it goes on a bit too long.

I wish: great groove in this one. Nice storytelling, too. And I like the way a fast moving upbeat song still manages to have these subtle little swells in it

Love Having You Around: I don’t like the cheesy talk box stuff, but I like the song despite it. Nice chorus. I wouldn’t mind if it was shorter. I’m ready to move on before the song is.

I Love Every Little thing About you: See love’s in need of love today. He’s convincing when he sings about love, but its so familiar—almost to the point that loving everyone becomes the same as loving no one, and so the song just ends up becoming pleasant background noise.

Signed Sealed Delivered: Another one that I always knew was him but never really made the connection for some reason. Another one I like a lot. I like the slightly scratchy, slightly breathless quality to the performance.

My Cherie Amour: you know, I knew he had a big hit called My Cherie Amour, and I knew this song (as a lite fm background kinda song) and never realized they were the same thing. It’s a pretty song I like more in the context of this mix then I probably ever did on its own. The La L la La parts are really nice.

I was made to love her: his love songs are better when they have a narrative (such as it is) and the scratchier feel. It feels more personal, more earned. Probably my favorite of the songs with love in the title (which tended to be the lowpoints of the mix)

Living for the city: My favorite of the longer songs. His voice has the slightest sandpaper edge, and the sweetness feels more meaningful because of what it overcame. The little movie in the middle is a bit cheesy, but this is an older song, so I’ll let it go. This is the kind of silly shit people did back then. Plus this was the 60s, so its all a lot more real.
Woah, did he just curse? That’s more unnerving then when Ellie does

You haven’t done nothing: ohh, that weird bass/harpsichord instrument is back. It’s a cool sound that I can’t see working with many people who aren’t him. I’m glad that do whop stuff kicks in after a bit, since this was pretty good but a bit too familiar.

Another Star: It’s hard not to dance along to this. I kinda want it to be shorter, probably cuz I’m not dancing. I’m often bored with songs that cross the 5 minute mark unless they’re doing some sort of extended climax or go to a lot of different places.

Boogie On Reggae Woman: this seems like a song Prince would have written if he was 15 years older. I like this song even though for some reason I didn’t want to at the start. Probably because at this point I want higher ground to come on already. Plus I don’t like the title that much.

Higher Ground: My favorite song on the mix (which means its probably my favorite song by him). I love the way it mixes such serious subject matter with a jaunty sense of fun

I believe: I feel like almost everything I said in my initial comments apply here. The verses are just teetering on the rim, but the excellent delivery on the chorus sinks it


Overall I feel like this mix is probably all the stevie wonder I'll ever need (I don't feel the need to go get any of these albums), but I'm also glad I have this much stevie wonder. I was definitely deficient.


Thanks Lament

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... d-20140910

Stevie Wonder will take his celebrated 1976 record Songs in the Key of Life on an 11-date arena tour this fall. It will take him across the country with dates running from New York City to Oakland, California between November 6th and December 5th. Tickets for most shows go on sale September 22nd.

Related Stevie Wonder
Readers' Poll: The 10 Greatest Stevie Wonder Songs
This past December, the singer-songwriter played all of the record's 21 songs for the first time ever at his annual House Full of Toys benefit concert in Los Angeles. The singer had announced the event with a performance of the diamond-selling album's "Sir Duke" at a press conference last October.

But even though he played all of the album's songs, he did not play them in the exact order. At various points, often when records would flip sides, Wonder inserted songs from A Something's Extra, the four-song 7-inch EP that accompanied special editions of the original LP that appears at the end of most CDs.

Before the performance, Wonder told Rolling Stone that he intended to mix up the album. "The only difference to the actual layout of Songs in the Key of Life is, as opposed to ending with the songs 'All Day Sucker' and 'My Mama's Call,' I'm going to end it with 'Another Star,' because I feel that song is the right one to do," he said. "Now, we're going to put the other two songs that were on the EP in the presentation as well, so they'll be probably the first two extra songs after the first part of Songs in the Key of Life, which are 'Saturn' and 'Ebony Eyes.'"

Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life Performance Tour Dates:

November 6 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
November 9 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
November 11 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden
November 14 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
November 16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
November 20 - Auburn Hills, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
November 22 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
November 25 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
November 29 - Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
December 3 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
December 5 - Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena

Depending on ticket prices I could do Chicago.

I'm afraid I'm gonna be priced out too, but I'm holding out slim hope I can swing one of these shows. Chicago would be the most likely one for me.

anyone else watchin this special on cbs? lady gaga has got some pipes, god damn

Yes! She did much better than I expected her to. I love Stevie. A huge chunk of my early listening comprised of his music.

Bee Girl wrote:Yes! She did much better than I expected her to. I love Stevie. A huge chunk of my early listening comprised of his music.

last night reminded me of how great he is. incredible songs that people from all generations love.