Music of My Mind

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Performer: Stevie Wonder
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: With a new contract from Motown in his hand, Stevie Wonder released Music of My Mind, his first truly unified record and, with the exception of a single part on two songs, the work of a one-man-band. Everything he had learned about musicianship, engineering, and production during his long apprenticeship in the Snakepit at Motown Studios came together here (from the liner notes: "The sounds themselves come from inside his mind. The man is his own instrument. The instrument is an orchestra.") Music of My Mind was also the first to bear the fruits of his increased focus on Moog and Arp synthesizers, though the songs never sound synthetic, due in great part to Stevie's reliance on a parade of real instruments -- organic drumwork, harmonica, organs and pianos -- as well as his mastery of traditional song structure and his immense musical personality. The intro of the vibrant, tender "I Love Every Little Thing About You" is a perfect example, humanized with a series of lightly breathed syllables for background rhythm. And when the synthesizers do appear, it's always in the perfect context: the standout "Superwoman" really benefits from its high-frequency harmonics, and "Seems So Long" wouldn't sound quite as affectionate without the warm electronics gurgling in the background. This still wasn't a perfect record, though; "Sweet Little Girl" was an awkward song, with Stevie assuming another of his embarrassing musical personalities to fawn over a girl. ~ John Bush Like other albums to follow, Stevie wrote the vast majority of the material on MUSIC OF MY MIND. Compared to his studio work of three years prior, this music feels worlds away in many senses. That which was grand, conventional and bounteous is replaced with a feel that is at once personal, progressive and downscaled. Performing almost entirely solo, Stevie ties overdubs of keyboards, drums, harmonica and his delectable singing into well-woven audio tapestries that make his head an attractive place to spend time in. Tunes like, "Girl Blue" wrap haunting melodies in piquant chords that echo through the soul. "Superwoman" is a summery Fender-Rhodes groove that segues to an inspired vocal rhapsody--coupled with Buzzy Feiten's guitar work, it's truly riveting. Fast, frolicking clavichord and a sweet, unaffected message make for splendid Sunday morning listening on "Happier Than The Morning Sun." Driven by a dutiful chorus, "Keep On Running" is a merry romp that never seems to stop, and you'll wish it didn't. It's been said of Stevie that "The man is his own instrument"--these recordings burst with this truth.

Rolling Stone (4/27/72, p.48) - "...It's certainly the best thing to come out of Motown since Marvin Gaye's WHAT'S GOIN' ON and perhaps even more impressive as a personal achievement considering Wonder not only wrote, arranged and produced the entire album but played [almost] every instrument..." Q (8/00, p.123) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Represents an unparalleled hitching of man to machine....music of the highest standard: a burst of creativity few other '70s artists, save Bowie, could match." Mojo (Publisher) (7/00, p.129) - "...The first fruit of Wonder's new sound...[A] pretty essential acquisition."

From 12-year-old multi-instrumentalist prodigy to groundbreaking adult songwriter and producer, Stevie Wonder is one of the handful of pop musicians who just about everybody agrees is possessed of genius. His 1960s recordings were great straight-up R&B, but his visionary '70s albums took pop and R&B where they'd never been before, incorporating electronics, reggae, and incredibly sophisticated melodic and harmonic development.

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