Search - Stevie Wonder :: Stevie Wonder - Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection [Import Bonus Tracks]

A head scratcher..better compilations are available

David Pearlman | Arlington, MA United States | 12/23/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"First things first: Stevie Wonder's album output of the '70s is
among the finest continuous strings in the history of
popular recorded music. Of that there cannot be any
argument. What can be argued is that there has never been
a wholly satisfactory compiliation that summarizes his entire
career, save for the 4CD set "End of a Century". Admittedly,
it's a difficult task, since you need to cover the '60s
Motown "factory" era, which yielded a lot of great pop/R&B
singles, the '80s and '90s which yielded a few delights,
though they are too sparsly scattered, and the '70s which
are hard to distill at all, since the original albums are so consistently strong.That said, this collection is just not very good. The
sequencing is ridiculous (starting with the disposable
"Part Time Lover"?) and the track selection is questionable
(a lot of grade A tracks were left off so that...what?...they
could include "Ebony and Ivory"?) Ounce for ounce, Original
Musicquarium, a good if too-short compilation of the '70s
is a better bet. You could couple Original Musiquarium
with a '60s hits compilation (unfortunately, there's not
good definitive '60s set, but I guess you could go with
Greatest Hits Vol I [too bad Motown & Stevie haven't seen fit
to reissue the excellent 3LP "Looking Back" which DID cover
the '60s stuff properly) and get most of the essential Stevie
Wonder. But at that point, you'd still be missing the few
highlights from the 80s and 90s. For example, the brilliant
Overjoyed (good tune and dig that incredible phrasing) and
Stevie's terrific cover of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" which
is available on no other compilation but this one. At the end of the day, the Stevie Wonder compilation catalogue
is still something of a mess (due in no small part to the
fact that Stevie has veto power over any Motown reissue), and
IMHO you're left with only two good alternatives: The 4 CD
"End of a Century", which is quite good, even if it is also
completely obvious in track selection, or the 2CD Original
Musiquarium. Or, heck, go back and buy the '70s albums, since
they are truly all worth owning in their entirty anyway, then
maybe break down and buy In Circle Square because you HAVE
to own Overjoyed. Maybe."

I LOVE STEVIE!

kendari2 | California | 11/29/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a definite treat for any Stevie Wonder fan. You will definitely get your fill. I was disappointed that this greatest hits collection did not include the WONDERful song "Isn't She Lovely" and the beautiful love song "As" both from the "Songs in the Key of Life" collection. I still gave it 5 stars though because I absolutely love Stevie. Peace!"

Something for Everybody

Dean Martin Dent | 02/05/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Although Original Musiquarium & At The Close of A Century are better compilations,Song Review is a less expensive more well rounded collection,as well as a recommendation for the uninitiated.Unlike Musiquarium, that focuses on his brilliant 1972-1980 work,Song Review also features his 60's & 80's work.And for the Stevie fan,it featues the first appearance of Ebony & Ivory and Stay Gold(from The Outsiders) on a Stevie Wonder collection.Also a bonus are the single mixes of many songs making it a blessing when making Stevie mix tapes.The only problem is a "thrown together" feel of the sequencing,where different era & song styles don't mesh.And like many compilations,some essential songs aren't included in favor of others thats on every compilation(where's You Haven't Done Nothing, a #1 hit , If You Really Love Me,Shoo-Be-doo...)and the editing of the 10 minute plus Do I Do & the 6 Minute Lovelight In Flight would've left room for more songs.In all this should be a starting point for people getting into Stevie's Music.Then from there Innervision,Talking Book,Fullfillingness...you get the picture."