Stevie Wonder: Original Musiquarium I - Disc 2 of 2 CD Track Listing

A list by checkmate

Stevie Wonder Original Musiquarium I - Disc 2 of 2 (1982)
Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I (Original) - Disc 2 of 2\n1992 Motown Record Company, L.P.\n\nOriginally Released May 4, 1982 \nOriginal CD Edition Released March 9, 1992\nRemaster Released October 17, 2000\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: Released in 1982, the double-album Original Musiquarium I summarizes Stevie Wonder's classic period of the '70s, concentrating primarily on the hits, but adding a few album tracks to hint at the depth of his albums, as well as four new songs (one for each side, all pleasant, none particularly remarkable). Though there could be some dispute about the album tracks, this does wind up as an excellent overview of Wonder's period of greatest activity, and it's a terrific listen to boot -- any record that sports such hits as "Superstition," "You Haven't Done Nothin'," "Living for the City," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Higher Ground," "Sir Duke," "Boogie on Reggae Woman," and "I Wish" is guaranteed to be a great listen, and it is. Wonder remains a quintessential albums artist, but this record is a terrific snapshot of the highlights. -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine\n\nAmazon.com essential recording\nThis 16-song set presents the hits Wonder scored after he negotiated artistic control for himself in the 1970s. It's a wondrous collection, ranging from the driving pop-funk of "Superstition" and the streetwise "Living for the City" to the sweet "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," now a pop standard. In addition to the hits, Musiquarium includes four great new songs, two of which ("Do I Do" and "That Girl") would go on to become hits soon enough. In the years since this set was originally released, Wonder's output has been spotty at best, but Musiquarium reminds us that Stevie Wonder is a giant of soul and pop. --David Cantwell \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nTake A Swim In The Musiquarium, December 20, 2000 \nReviewer: DEAN M DENT from SAN LEANDRO, CALIFORNIA USA\nBetween the strict hitmaking machinery of Motown between 1963-1971,and his MOR 80's and beyond,are these historical recordings from 1972's Music Of My Mind,through 1980's Hotter Than July.Musiquarium focuses strictly on the hits(Superstition,...Sunshine..,Sir Duke,etc)as well as include four new songs,three of which are now regarded as Wonder classics(That Girl,Ribbon In The Sky and Do I Do).Unfortunately,Stevie's gift for making music of this calibre has dissipated,but Misiquarium is a great intro for anyone who thinks his best songs includes I Just Called To Say I Love You,and other 80's songs.The newly Remastered CD is also an essential purchase,especially in light of the previous pressing which is sonically inferior considering that Stevie digitally remastered the old tracks when compiling Musiquarium in '82.\n\nCD Connection.com Review\nPersonnel includes: Stevie Wonder (vocals, various instruments); Trevor Laurence, Steve Madaio, Reggie McBride, The Jackson 5, Benjamin Bridges, Nathan LaMar Watts, Buzzy Feiton, Rick Zunigar, Scott Edwards, Daniel Ben Zebulon, Gloria Barley, Lani Groves, Jim Gilstrap, Raymond Pounds, Mike Sembello, Hank Redd, Raymond Maldonado. \n\nDigitally remastered by Kevin Reeves. \n\nYou can divide Stevie Wonder's career into two basic parts--pre-1971, when he was recording delirious soul singles at Motown's bidding, and post-1971, when he was awarded artistic control and proceeded to make some of the greatest socially-conscious music ever committed to tape, while still keeping up the delirious soul content. ORIGINAL MUSIQUARIUM covers the cream of part two, and is therefore the cream of Stevie Wonder. \n\nIt's the rare greatest-hits album that zeroes in on its subject's actual best work with almost surgical focus, and includes new recordings that actually belong there. The new ones include the dance hit "Do I Do" and the timeless ballad "Ribbon In The Sky." The certified classics include "Living For The City" and "Superstition" in the heavy-meaning department, "Sir Duke" and "Master Blaster" in the pure-joy department and "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" in the hello-Mr.-Sinatra-we've-got-a-tune-for-you department. If you don't already own all of them, you might as well stop reading this and pick up this album now. That's an order. \n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nEveryone Should Swim In This Essential "Musiquarium", October 24, 2000\nReviewer: Anthony G Pizza "trivialtony" (FL)\nIt says much for how consistent Stevie Wonder's 1970s music was that "Original Musiquarium," joining his best-known songs from his most successful era with four then-new recordings, fits together lyrically, musically, emotionally as a concept album. \nWonder's innovation during this remarkable period never seemed to cease; this continued right up to "Musiquarium's impeccable pacing. "Ribbon In The Sky" slides beside classic Wonder ballads like "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life," and 1971's haunting "Superwoman." The war protest "Front Line" furthers a social protest timeline begun by "Superstition" and "You Haven't Done Nothin'." Wonder's Carribean-flavored "Boogie On Reggae Woman" and "Master Blaster," play nicely against each other while the curtain-closer "Do I Do" (with Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet) pieces with "Songs In The Key Of Life"'s most jazz/R&B-flavored moments. \n\nThe four new songs not withstanding for completists, this is why "Musiquarium" is the only greatest hits collection essential even to those owning the original LPs. How many artists can you say that about?\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nStevie: Past & Present, April 29, 2004\nReviewer: brother_ike "brother_ike" (L-Boogie)\nThis is a kind of 'best of' album, however Stevie pieced this one together himself in 1982 with love & care, picking a selection of personal favourites from his awesome 70s body of work, and recording four new songs to go with them, spreading them over a two disc set.\nNot much point going over the old material present, as Stevie never made a misstep in the 70s. Truly mind blowing work. The new songs are hitting and reveal Stevie on top form after the rushed 1980 effort `Hotter Than July'. The highlight has to be the closing `Do I Do', a 10 minute exercise in FONK with a classic hook. `That Girl' rides an awesome beat, and `Ribbon In The Sky' and `Front Line' are both great new cuts. Another benefit is the inclusion of `Send One Your Love', the super sweet and dreamy sounding highlight from the abortive `Secret Life Of Plants' soundtrack that otherwise wouldn't get any play. \n\nThis album flows like a real album in itself, and is by far the best introductory item to new fans, but also a sweet thing to play for people like me with the other albums. After this album in 1982, Stevie only recorded a few more albums and never really got back on form, but nothing can undo the body of work he laid down before this. Stevie, You're The Man!\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nEssential Stevie Wonder, April 26, 2006\nReviewer: Scott Rivers (Los Angeles, CA USA)\nStevie Wonder's "Original Musiquarium I" goes beyond the traditional greatest hits package by offering 16 songs of rhythmic unity. A few tracks -- notably "Isn't She Lovely" and "Do I Do" -- are uncut versions that never reached the Top 40 airwaves. "Superstition," "Boogie On Reggae Woman," "Master Blaster (Jammin')" and "Sir Duke" remain essentials in this timeless collection.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nSuperb! An excellent collection, September 19, 2005\nReviewer: Chris Stolz (canada)\nStevie Wonder wrote an awful lot of really terrible sappy songs in the '80s and '90s. However, from 1970-1981-- the time covered by this excellent set-- he was the Beatles of black pop, covering a staggering amount of stylistic ground and redefining Motown production. This collection-- along with "Talking Book" and the astonishing "Songs in the Key of Life"-- is crucial. \n\nThis set opens with "Frontline," where Wonder blasts the American Viet Nam adventure, and continues throuh some of the finest music of the '70s. Indeed, on "Boogie On, Reggae WOman," Wonder wrote the greatest-- and funkiest-- song of his career, making the weird irony of a blind singer's "I wanna see you boogie right across the floor" perfectly match his sense that love is transformative in a pretty basic and yet mystical sense. "I Wish" shows us just how well this man can arrange horns, and even the disc's slower songs-- not my favorites-- are so good that Stevie would repeat pieces of them for the next 30 years or so. \n\nWonder negotiated into his 1970 contract a provision that would allow him to produce himself. And he took full advantage. Where so much early '70s Motown now sounds so dated-- the cardboard box drums, the chopped horns, the chunky arrangements-- this collection shows just how far Stevie was able to push his production ideas. "Frontline" rides a fluid electric guitar riff and actually jams out at the end, and on "Boogie On," the bongos and scratching rotate around a weirdly effective-- and synthetic!-- bassline. \n\nThis colleciton showcases some of the best funk ever written. Makes you want to shake, grab the drums and play along. WOnder can write love, politics and childhood memory perfectly, and does what black music does best-- build an imaginary community on the dancefloor. Chuck D of Public Enemy would capture it perfectly fifteen years later when he said of political music "If you can't swing this/learn the words/you might sing this." Stevie, however, lets you do all three.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nHe's Got More Sense Than Many, May 17, 2001\nReviewer: David Bradley "David Bradley" (Sterling, VA USA)\nDuring the 1970s Stevie Wonder's success, both critical and commercial, was so great that it became monotonous and the butt of a thousand jokes. A standup comic's act wasn't considered complete unless he did at least one imitation of Wonder giving an acceptance speech in every set.\nAll of the accolades Wonder received were deserved. The level of writing and playing--remember, Wonder played the majority of instruments on the majority of his hits--is a cut above anything else on the charts at the time. One reason people (like me) found it so easy to ridicule later Stevie Wonder records, like "I Just Called To Say I Love You," is that his earlier work, most notably "You Haven't Done Nothing," "Living In The City," and "Higher Ground," were just light years better.\n\nWonder didn't treat "Musiquarium" with the flippant, toss-away mentality so often found in Greatest Hits/Best Of packages. The songs flow, one into the next, often merging seamlessly with not break in between. Like everything else he did in the 1970s, this is a quality LP worthy of high praise.\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nWonder Hits, October 20, 2000\nReviewer: Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA)\nOriginal Musaquarium I is a greatest hits album that spans the most fruitful period of Stevie Wonder's career, 1972-1980. The album does not leave out any of the hits from that era. You get "Higher Ground", "Superstition", "Master Blaster", "Isn't She Lovely", "I Wish", "Sir Duke" among others. If you already own these songs on other releases, there is a bonus of four new songs. "Front Line" has a rock edge to it and is a stinging condemnation of the treatment of Vietnam vets, "Ribbon In The Sky" is a classic Wonder love song, "Do I Do" spans twelve minutes and shows off a jazzy side and "That Girl" shows off his vocal prowess and has some great harmonica playing. Many people are considered musical geniuses, but only a few actually are. Stevie Wonder is one of the few.
This rock cd contains 8 tracks and runs 44min 14sec.
Freedb: 600a5d08
Buy: from Amazon.com

Categories

Latest lists

Stevie Wonder: Original Musiquarium I - Disc 2 of 2 CD Track Listing

Category

Tags

cyList

Legal